Help Fix the Plastic Bag Ban! - Sunday 6/30 at the Green Tent

On Sunday, June 30, CALPIRG will be at the Green Tent collecting signatures in support of two bills to fix the state plastic bag ban.

In 2014, we helped pass a law that tried to ban single-use plastic bags in grocery stores to help stop the flow of plastic into our environment. Plastic companies circumvented the law and made the thicker and heavier bags you may now see at checkout lines, claiming that they are "reusable" and "recyclable." The reality is, few people reuse the bags and recycling centers across the state don't accept them, leading to all-time high levels of plastic bag waste piling up in our landfills and polluting our oceans. The good news is that the California legislature is currently considering a new law that would fix the bag ban, and ban all plastic film bags from being provided at grocery stores in California. 

The final bill hearing is coming up quickly! Stop by the Green Tent this Sunday to help ban plastic bags once and for all by signing on in support of a strengthened plastic bag ban.

The Master Gardeners - June 2nd, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m

On Sunday, June 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at THE GREEN TENT we welcome the Master Gardeners of LA County, who will be handing out FREE seedlings, FREE seeds and FREE gardening advice.

This month they’re bringing:

A selection of Succulents for your low-water garden

Zucchini squash that produces prolifically, and goes on or in everything from pizza to lasagna, to side dishes, to grills, roasts and sautées…even bread/cake!

Mint  — Keep it in a container or it’ll take over your garden!

Basil  —  delicious in anything with tomatoes including pizza and tomato sauce — or create an easy appetizer for your summer party:  Caprese on skewers!

Pole beans — the kind of green beans you need to support on a trellis or something similar

A selection of flowers including: 

Scabiosa

Gallardia

Calendula —  edible flower, often called "poor man's saffron"

Microgreens — cut 'em back and watch 'em grow more!

Eggplant — perfect for grilling at your summertime barbecue

Don’t forget to bring your “six packs” to be recycled for next month’s seedling giveaway.  And here are some garden tips for the month of June in LA County! 

The Master Gardeners - May 5th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m

This Sunday, Cinco de Mayo, from 9 am to 1 pm, join the UC/CE LA County Master Gardeners at the Green Tent and get ready for summer harvests of the following free seedlings grown just for this market (don’t forget to pick up some free seeds, too!): 

Italian Basil — perfect for your Pizza Margherita when paired with tomatoes

Strawberries Just drizzle some balsamic vinegar over them 

Pole Beans You need to support these green beans with a trellis, a cage or string and sticks

Marigolds These will help ward off the nematodes from your tomatoes

Lettuce Salad!

Sunflowers Beauty!!

Cucumbers DIY Pickles! 

Zinnias  More beauty!

Succulents Drought tolerant 

Bring your leftover “six packs” to the MG booth so they can reuse them for next month’s planting.

Mar Vista Arbor Group - Sunday 5/28 at the Green Tent

Caring for street trees on Cabrillo April 2021

The city and county of los angeles may have free trees for you!

TREES

Visit Mar Vista Arbor Group for more information.

What Can Trees Do for Me

    - Save water

    - Combat the greenhouse effect

    - Clean the air

    - Provide oxygen

    - Cool the streets and the city

    - Conserve energy

    - Provide homes for local wildlife

One year of growth May 2022

Be WaterWise Rebate program

Learn about ways to get a ittle cash for your new trees: https://www.bewaterwise.com/tree-rebates.html

The Master Gardeners - April 7th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m

This month the LA County Master Gardeners will occupy the Green Tent with their own version of “Tomatomania” on Sunday, April 7, from 9 am to 1 pm. 

There are dwarf tomatoes that grow well in the ground and excellently in containers. Many people claim that Sweet 100s are their favorite cherry tomatoes.

It doesn’t happen often but they are also bringing eggplant seedlings.

And--sweet red peppers!

Marigolds, both yellow and orange will help repel the root nematodes from the tomatoes!  

Succulents of course for the drought tolerant-minded (even though we’ve had quite the rainy season)!

If you’ve been to a plant nursery lately and you brought home those little “pony packs,” don’t discard them — recycle them with the MGs and they fill them up with veggies, flowers, herbs and more for future Green Tent appearances.

And if you’re wondering what to do in your garden in April, we have the answers for you! 

Athens Services at the Mar Vista Green Tent! - Sunday March 24th

BULKY ITEM COLLECTION

Bulky item collection refers to the pick up of oversized items that cannot be placed in a standard waste container due to size or weight. Athens provides bulky item collection for a fee to commercial businesses. Bulky items from multifamily residential customers are collected for free by the City of Los Angeles.

Schedule a bulky item collection by calling the LASAN Customer Care Center at (800) 773-2489 or visit MyLA311.LACity.org and click on “Create Service Request.”

Acceptable Bulky Items

(includes, but not limited to) 
Appliances (e.g. refrigerators and dryers), furniture, large broken toys, mattresses, rugs, tree trunks, and water heaters

NOT Acceptable Bulky Items

(includes, but not limited to)
Automobile parts, batteries, bulbs, construction & demolition waste (e.g. concrete, dirt, drywall, rock, and tile), hazardous waste, liquid waste, medical products, tires, and loose or scattered lumber & green waste

Food Forward - March 10th at the Mar Vista Green Tent

Food Forward® fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people experiencing food insecurity, and inspiring others to do the same. Food Forward was founded in 2009 and this year marks the organization’s 15th anniversary. That’s 15 years of Building Generational Health, growing to become the largest independent produce reclamation and urban gleaning organization in the nation devoted exclusively to bringing healthy fresh produce to communities experiencing food and nutrition insecurity.

Food Forward® has three award-winning food recovery programs, two of which are volunteer-powered! 100% of the produce we recover is donated directly to our partner hunger relief organizations, free of charge. All produce donors receive a receipt for their in-kind donations.

Backyard Harvest: Volunteers harvest surplus fruit from trees that would otherwise go to waste. We harvest trees across Los Angeles, Ventura, and small sections of Santa Barbara counties. Sign up to volunteer!

Farmers Market Recovery: Volunteers "glean"—meaning Food Forward collects surplus fruit and vegetables—from 16 farmers markets across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Market vendors can choose to donate any produce at the peak of its freshness that may not make it to the next market they attend. Fun fact: Food Forward® has gleaned the Mar Vista Farmers Market since 2013. In 2023 alone, our volunteers recovered over 34,000 pounds of produce from this market that would have otherwise gone to waste! 

Sign up to volunteer! You can glean the Mar Vista Farmers Market with Food Forward® on Sundays from 1:30-3:30 p.m. or volunteer at another market.

Wholesale Recovery: The Wholesale Produce Recovery refrigerated warehouse located in Bell, California is the hub for tens of thousands of pounds of daily surplus produce donations from the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market in Los Angeles, its surrounding district, and from growers and shippers across the region and the country. Food Forward’s Wholesale Recovery Program provides a sustainable solution to avoid the loss of perfectly edible produce being thrown away, often due to not meeting cosmetic standards or changes in demand. Instead, this nutritious surplus is redirected to hundreds of hunger relief organizations across Southern California and the surrounding region, ranging from regional food banks to community-based service centers for people experiencing food insecurity.

A volunteer gleans the Mar Vista Farmers Market in October 2023
Photo credit: Eron Rauch

A volunteer harvests lemons
Photo credit: Jeffery Dawson

A vendor at the Mar Vista Farmers Market donates surplus produce to Food Forward in October 2023
Photo credit: Eron Rauch

In addition to volunteering, there are other ways to join our work: 

The Master Gardeners - March 3rd, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m

From Gilbert and Sullivan’s THE MIKADO

The flowers that bloom in the spring
Tra la
Breathe promise of merry sunshine —
As we merrily dance and we singTra la
We welcome the hope that they bring
Tra la
Of a summer of roses and wine
Of a summer of roses and wine
And that's what we mean when we say that a thing
Is welcome as flowers that bloom in the spring
Tra la la la la
Tra la la la la
The flowers that bloom in the spring

True to the lyrics, this month at the GREEN TENT (Sunday, March 3 from 9 am to 1 pm) the UC/CE LA County Master Gardeners  are bringing you a selection of blooms grow alongside your veggies! 

Enjoy some perky BACHELOR BUTTONS, also known as cornflowers — after blooming beautifully, they also dry beautifully for use in future flower arrangements! 

And CALENDULA! They’re in the marigold/daisy family, they have terrific healing properties for the skin and is said to also have anti-inflammatory benefits. 

Both pretty AND useful, Nasturtiums are also EDIBLE!! They both attract both beneficial insects that help your garden as well as the nastier ones, keeping them off your other garden plants! 

Of course they’re also bringing everyone’s favorites, SNAP PEAS, as well as SPINACH, SWISS CHARD and SUCCULENTS!

If you’re busy planting your Spring Garden, stop by for some tips, free plants and free seeds and don’t forget to drop off your empty six-packs for the MGs to recycle and grow more plants for you to give away next month.

Athens Services at the Mar Vista Green Tent! - Sunday January 14th

Keeping Your Organics Container Free of Contamination

Recycling organics waste is a big deal—especially when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and lessening the impacts of climate change. When organics materials decompose in the landfill, they create the third largest source of methane emissions. Here are easy tips to help keep your organics container free of contamination.

● SORT PROPERLY – Knowing the basics of what is and is not acceptable in your organics container will help streamline how you manage your household waste stream. Spoiled and leftover food, moldy cheese, chicken bones, dead flowers, as well as food-soiled paper (100% fiber-based) are just some examples of perfectly acceptable organics waste.

● AVOID COMMON CONTAMINANTS – Twist ties, bread clips, rubber bands, and produce stickers are among the most common organics contaminants. These items are made from plastic and need to be removed prior to disposing your food scraps. In addition, most tea bags and gum contain some degree of plastic and are considered contaminants.

●  WATCH THE LABELS – Spot greenwashing. Under California law, manufacturers cannot label any bioplastic product as “biodegradable”, “oxo-degradable”, “environmentally friendly”, “beneficial to landfill”, and any other forms of these terms to prevent consumers from misleading and untrue environmental marketing claims. Bioplastics, a foodware item that looks like plastic, but is made from plants or other natural materials, are not acceptable for composting by Athens. This is due to the required time it takes to process them in full and compost facility certifications that do not allow inorganic material in our compost. Dispose of these items in the trash container.

●  KEEP CONTENTS LOOSE – When it comes to disposing of organics waste into your outdoor green container, it is preferred to keep all contents loose. This helps team members at Athens’ composting facility easily identify and sort through potential contaminants. If you prefer to line your food scraps container, consider using a paper or loosely-tied clear/translucent plastic bag.

To learn more about what items you can include in your organics container and what you should avoid, visit CanIRecycleMy.com.

The Master Gardeners - January 7th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m

Hope your Christmas is merry and untroubled.

Start your new year with new plants and seeds at the Green Tent on Sunday, January 7 with the LA County Master Gardeners from 9 am til 1 pm.

Here’s what they’ve grown for us:

Mixed baby lettuces, multiple varieties

Arugula for your salads

Sugar Snap Peas, but these are a little unusual as they have pink flowers!

Parsley

Sweet peas — the flowers with the powerful scent, these are NOT edible but very pretty 

And succulents — for the water-conscious among us

Violas — such pretty little flowers and you can eat them too

Nigella—whose seeds are also edible (also known as Black Cumin)

It’s a good time to start your Spring seedlings! What to do in January

Do you want to become an LA County Master Gardener volunteer? You still have time to apply

Please bring your excess six packs so the MGs can continue to bring you plants at the Green Tent, the first Sunday of every month. 

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The Farmlink Project - November 10th at the Mar Vista Green Tent

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This Sunday join us at the Mar Vista Green Tent to learn about The Farmlink Project. This grassroots non-profit organization was started during the pandemic by a group of college students with the goal of combatting food waste and food insecurity. They hope to eventually put themselves out of business!

Farmlink believes they can bring an end to hunger alongside massive food waste in our lifetime. They connect farms that have surplus produce with communities experiencing food insecurity. They are on a mission to feed people in need, rebuild food systems, reduce carbon emissions, and empower the next generation of young changemakers.

In April of 2020, after securing 13,000 eggs from one farmer, Farmlink founders rented a U-Haul Truck and drove this load to an LA Foodbank. With this successful delivery, they realized a nationwide network could be created to connect farms with communities and food banks.

At the Farmlink project, they believe that Food Access is an inalienable human right. For now, Farmlink is acting as the “link” connecting the broken supply chains in the agricultural and food access industries. "Our long-term goal is to set up infrastructure which will render our work obsolete."

In the United States, farms are throwing out 20 billion pounds of food, and simultaneously have 40 million food insecure Americans.

Since 2020, Farmlink has:

~ Rescued $100,000,000+ total pounds by January 2023

~ Made $83,000,000 meals possible by January 2023

~ Driven $5,400,000 economic relief to farmers and truckers 

~ Moved 580,000 lbs of food in 2021 in response to disaster relief

~ Prevented 153,825 tonnes of CO2e since 2020 (that's the same as 182,042 acres worth of carbon sequestered by US forestland)

Celebrating a year of food recovery

Zero Food Waste - November 26th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Everyone eats.


With a little mindfulness, we can reduce waste, save money and live in harmony with the earth and its resources.  

 

Zero Food Waste begins with shopping and ends with composting.

#1  Buy food that you love to eat!
Buy food that is easy for you to prepare.
Buy the quantity of food that you need.
Eat easily perishable foods first.

#2 Turn Leftovers into FOOD not Food Waste:
Freeze or Refrigerate food that you don’t eat during your meal.
Throw leftovers into a soup, salad, omelet or sandwich later in the week.
Pass on what you can’t eat to a friend, neighbor or co-worker…  

Athens Services at the Mar Vista Green Tent! - Sunday November 12th

Never dispose of compressed air tanks (such as propane, helium, or oxygen) in any waste container. 

Cylinders/tanks, including but not limited to, helium, propane, oxygen, and fire extinguishers, are pressurized and need special handling to protect waste workers. Even if the tank seems empty, it still poses a safety risk.

Although made of metal, cylinders and tanks are not accepted in the blue recycling containers and require special disposal.

Sustainability Tips: Consider a refillable option for your next propane tank. Reusables can last up to ten years, be refilled hundreds of times, and help you save money. For more information and to find a refillable propane tank retailer, RefuelYourFun.org. Amerigas is another option that provides propane refills and disposable tank exchanges. Visit AmeriGas.com/Locations for the nearest location.

Residential Drop Off: Dispose of compressed cylinders/tanks under five gallonsat a S.A.F.E. Collection Center. Visit LACitySan.org/safecentersfor more information. 

The Master Gardeners - November 5th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m

On Sunday November 5 don’t forget the clocks fall back! You get an extra hour of sleep and so do the LA County Master Gardeners, who are coming to The Green Tent with free plants (that they’ve grown for you) and free seeds!

From 9 a.m. to 1 pm, stop by and pick up a seedling from these selections:

Kale — everyone loves it in their own way!

Sugar snap peas — if you don’t eat them straight off the vine,  try some of these creative recipes

And succulents — for the water-conscious among us

And if you’re wondering what to do in the garden this month, learn from these comprehensive tips.

Leaf lettuce mix — make your winter salads from these!

Parsley — perfect in soups, pasta, pesto…so many uses

Broccoli raab — Known in Italian as rapini it's a green vegetable that looks like leafy broccoli but is more closely related to the turnip. The entire vegetable is edible and used as a cooking green with a sharp, bitter flavor that can be tamed by blanching. Roasting or sautéing broccoli rabe is most common, though it can be cooked in a variety of ways.

Sunflowers — who doesn’t love ‘em?

THE MASTER GARDENERS - October 1st, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This month at the Green Tent, it’s the UC/CE LA County Master Gardeners from 9 am to 1 pm, with free plants, free seeds and free advice about gardening.

Bring your gardening questions, give your seedlings a head start and find out what’s best to put into the soil right now to become a better backyard gardener! There’s plenty to do in the garden during this busy growing season.

Don’t forget to recycle your seedling six packs with the Master Gardeners, who’ll use them for the next batch of seedlings they plant for the Mar Vista Community.

The Master Gardeners - September 3rd, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m

This Labor Day weekend is a great time to get out into your garden or just plant something in your window, the LA County Master Gardeners will occupy the Green Tent on Sunday, Sep 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with free plants and free seeds to give away— and as always, free advice. 

This month they’ve grown the following plants for the MVFM community:

GREEN BEANS two ways: 

Pole beans:  they need to climb up a trellis (you can make your own)! and Bush beans that need no support because they grow in the form of a bush.

Bush Beans

And if you love BASIL there are SO MANY LITTLE basil babies in each little six-pack cell you’ll be able to share them with friends!

For your salad, toss in some piquant ARUGULA

And to keep summer in mind as we head into fall, you can grab a ZUCCHINI or a KALE seedling.

There’s a nice selection of drought tolerant SUCCULENTS.

Pick up a future pickle in its current form as a CUCUMBER; this one’s also a climber and needs support !

For a bit of joyous color, there are mixed color SUNFLOWERS

The days ahead will be hot—help your plants and soil with MULCH and DEEP watering, not little ones every day. Alternately, please consider drip irrigation! Great way to save water while getting it to where it needs to go.

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Curly's Guitar Angels - August 27 at the Mar Vista Green Tent

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Guitar for Walter Reed Middle School.

When we hear the word “recycling”, we usually imagine dropping a plastic water bottle into the blue bin or something of that nature. We rarely think of repairing a valuable instrument that can bring joy and comfort to someone in need. Whether it is an institution such as Ronald McDonald house or an individual who has fallen on hard times and needs a little uplift, Curly’s Guitar Angels have made it their mission to provide a balm for the soul while keeping instruments out of the trash heap.

Curly’s Guitar Angels is actually the brainchild of two local musicians, Mitch Rice and Angelo Metz. Rice and Metz, with the encouragement of their friend Howard Schwartz aka “Curly”, began to refurbish guitars during the early days of the pandemic. Once they were ready for “sale” it was decided to just pass them on to folks in need.

 

Thus far they have donated over 30 instruments to numerous non-profit organizations and individuals. Learn more on their FaceBook page Curly’s Guitar Angels.

 

All you need is love…and a little skill to give this Les Paul a new life.

The Master Gardeners - August 6th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m

On Sunday, August 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the LA County Master Gardeners return for their regular monthly visit to the Green Tent, bringing free plants and seeds to give away. Bring your gardening questions!

This month, most of the plants were grown by the MGs and include:

Pole beans:  long green beans that grow UP and spread and need support.
String between poles will work, so will a trellis!

Romano beans:  a FLAT green bean that can be eaten raw, cooked, braised, roasted or like the recipe below, cooked for a VERY long time on your stovetop, with a lot of olive oil — and tastes DELICIOUS, hot OR cold.

Middle Eastern Zucchini, it’s a lighter green and lighter flavor than Italian zucchini and a little chunkier. 

Succulents:   a selection of these attractive and drought tolerant plants that are easy to grow and propagate.

Basil and fennel round out the herb selections but there may be some additional surprises. So stop by the booth with questions and open hands! 

Jack-be-little pumpkins:   The children love these, and you’ll have them in time for Halloween!

Also, there are a few PINWHEEL ZINNIAS to bring the pretty to your garden

 

Recipe courtesy of KCRW’s Good Food with Evan Kleiman

Long Cooked Green Beans Greek Style

Try to embrace this luscious dish.  If you ever wanted to know what olive oil can do for a simple recipe, this is it.  Make it at least once the way it’s written.

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium onions, peeled and minced
1 lb romano beans, trimmed and cut in half horizontally if they are very long

In a large bowl mix the oil, tomato sauce and water together.  Add the sugar and salt and stir.  

Place the onions, than the beans in a heavy 6 quart pot.  Pour the liquid mixture over them.  Bring to a boil.  Place a sheet of parchment paper directly on the beans then cover the pot.  Reduce the heat so that the liquid simmers and beans cook slowly.  Cook a minimum of 1 hour, a maximum of two hours.  Occasionally lift the pot lid and the parchment off the beans (carefully) and stir ingredients.  Add a bit more water if necessary to prevent burning.

At the end of the cooking time you will have a pot of silky tender beans coated with a thickened sauce.  Serve cold or at room temperature with Greek yogurt or feta.

Firework Safety from Athens Services

From backyard barbeques to long weekends with friends and family, the Fourth of July is the summertime event of the year. No matter how you celebrate the day, remember to always use good waste-sorting practices to keep your community safe.

 If your city and county allow the use of “Safe and Sane” fireworks, follow these safe disposal precautions:

1.       Ensure that the fireworks have been detonated

2.       Allow the fireworks to cool down

3.       Soak the fireworks in water for 15 minutes

4.       Double bag the cooled fireworks before placing them inside your trash container

5.       Never place firework debris in a recycling or organics container

Visit https://fire.lacounty.gov/fireworks-safety-and-july-4th-celebration-information/ for more information about fireworks in LA County. 

The Master Gardeners - MISSION MONARCH - July 2nd, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Mission Monarch: Milkweed and Monarchs

More info here

Throw a pollinator party in your backyard! This Sunday, July 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Green Tent, the LA County Master Gardeners will help you participate in MISSION MONARCH to plant native milkweed that Monarch Butterflies rely on for their Western migration. Monarch populations have decreased by 90 percent since the 1980s. It’s hard for them to make the journey across vast areas now under development that are destroying their natural habitat and food supply.

FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!

20 lucky gardeners will be gifted 5 native narrow leaf milkweed seedlings to grow in your home gardens, to bring in the pollinators and help feed them. 

But you’re on a mission. You must be willing to:

1. Take all five milkweed plants

2. Plant them 3 feet apart

3. Follow the watering instructions to get them settled in your garden and to grow out successfully.

4. Provide your email and your zip code for any followup by the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, which sponsors this habitat restoration project  

Of course, there’ll also be other free seedlings and seeds to give away, and your garden questions will be answered!

Stop by the Green Tent and support your local monarchs!