Open Mar Vista Blog

Mar Vista Launch for The OPEN Daily, Essential Guide to the Westside

2010-02-19T13:24:00.000-08:00

Mar Vista blogger Sarah Auerswald has teamed up with the Open Mar Vista team to launch The OPEN Daily, your “essential guide to the Westside.” Please join us for free coffee and gluten-free goodies at the Venice Grind between 8:30am and 9am on Tuesday to celebrate!

Conceived to help promote Westside events and organizations, The OPEN Daily publishes digestible bites submitted by the community. Locals can submit information about their business or event at theopendaily.com/submit-free-listing. Advertisers can generate Westside buzz by placing an ad at theopendaily.com/advertise.

The OPEN Daily also publishes advice and tips from local experts, breaking stories in neighborhood blogs, updates from Westside schools, and great deals and giveaways from local businesses.

Expert columns include Career Tips from Jenny Yerrick Martin, career consultant and expert personal marketing specialist; Fitness Tips from Christine Kwok, whole health coach for individuals, communities, and corporations; and Neighborhood Action Tips from BongHwan Kim, General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment.

BongHwan Kim said “The OPEN Daily and neighborhood blogs and social networks serve an important role in promoting awareness and public oversight over the local impact of elected Neighborhood Councils.”

Don't miss The OPEN Daily launch celebration this Tuesday at 8:30am at Venice Grind (12224 Venice Blvd.) for a free cup of coffee! Catch up with neighborhood locals and enjoy free baked goods courtesy of Yvonne’s Gluten-Free Goodies!

See who's coming: RSVP on Open Mar Vista.

Help spread the word on Facebook: free coffee at the Venice Grind 2/23 8:30am.

FREE Eco-Living Workshop for Mar Vista

2010-01-21T19:12:00.000-08:00

Previously offered to Santa Monica residents for a small fee, this unique workshop is held in LA for the very first time -- with a Mar Vista Community Council grant making it FREE to the neighborhood!

Register now: www.sustainableworks.eventbrite.com

The workshops will be held from 7pm – 8:30pm on 6 Thursdays, beginning on January 28th and running through March 4th at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 11000 National Blvd., 90064.

The 6-week workshop covers:
• Water
• Energy
• Waste
• Chemicals
• Shopping & Food
• Transportation

Save $200/year on Utilities • Cut your Landfill Waste 50% • Understand latest Eco-Info

Resource Saving Give Aways!

This FREE Green Living Workshop series is made possible by a
Community Improvement Grant from the Mar Vista Community Council.

Save Money making your Ecological Footprint more Sustainable!

www.MarVista.org • www.sustainableworks.org • www.marvistagreengardenshowcase.com

Free 6-week workshop in Mar Vista
Thursdays @ 7pm, Jan. 28 - March 4, 2010
St. John's Presbyterian Church, 11000 National Blvd.
Pre-registration required at: www.sustainableworks.eventbrite.com
Interactive - Action Oriented - 1½ hour workshops

The Children Sing...

2009-12-23T22:35:00.000-08:00

We are excited to share with you The Children Sing -- a musical holiday greeting written, produced and performed by Mar Vista native Tanya Anton. The song is from her album Frosty Cuts produced in collaboration with Jamnation Music.

And the children sing.
Merry Christmas.
You can hear them sing.
Merry Christmas
Up and down the street joyful voices ring out.
Merry Christmas.

Listen to more songs from the album:

Mar Vista, Gem of the Westside

2009-12-12T09:33:00.000-08:00

The Huffington Post ran an article raving about Mar Vista as "the land of large yards, beautiful tree lined streets, neighbors who have known each other for generations, and a whole lot of village pride. It's affordable, ethnically diverse, less than three miles to the beach, and a ten to twenty minute drop in to most places you want to visit."

The article notes Mar Vista's "rare old school California charm" and feeling that "creative energy spills out in all directions... the most interesting people live in Mar Vista. It's the gem of the Westside, oozing with possibility and opportunity."

The articles notes the recent transformation of the stretch on Venice Boulevard between Centinela and Grandview from a "depressed block" into a "viable retail destination" that may give Abbott Kinney a run for its money.

Mar Vista Picked as Award Finalist; Green Christmas for Local Schools

2009-12-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

	Mar Vista Nominated for New LA Award Show Fast Company Magazine endorses Mar Vista as a Los Angeles Real Creativity Awards (LARC) finalist: "In a city that's perhaps best known for a certain awards show that rolls around every spring, the definition of "creativity" can often be lost in a sea of sequinned cleavage and sobby acceptance speeches. But the Urban Land Institute's brand-new L.A. awards show is a direct response to that--it's called the Los Angeles Real Creativity Awards… The Enterprise nod should go to the community of Mar Vista, possibly one of the most progressive in the city, with initiatives like Open Mar Vista, an ambitious social network and community Web site that includes information for programs like a neighborhood-wide solar roll-out." Winners will be announced Saturday night at an event presided over by architect Frank Gehry and other L.A. luminaries.

	Fake or Fir? Living Christmas Trees to Benefit Mar Vista Schools Dreaming of a Green Christmas this year? Living Christmas offers an eco-friendly tree service that rents live trees for the holidays, which it cares for year round. You can order online, schedule delivery/pickup, and even ‘adopt’ a live tree to use again next year. The trees are eventually planted and grown into big, beautiful trees. Living Christmas has agreed to donate 10% of rental proceeds to your favorite Mar Vista school and you will receive a 5% discount when you order with a Mar Vista donation code code (read more and get codes here). Help us get the word out to raise funds for our local schools.

	12/5 Mar Vista Chamber of Commerce Business Outreach & Art Exhibit You are invited to the first in a series of Mar Vista business-hosted outreach events to launch the new Mar Vista Chamber of Commerce. This Saturday December 5 from 6pm to 8pm at Insight on the Westside Creative Meeting Place (12085 Venice Blvd.). The event will feature an exhibition of the work of five local artists. RSVP online or via email to Demetrios Mavromichalis of the Venice Grind.

	Guide to Holiday Gift-giving, Mar Vista-Style Let Mar Vista Mom Sarah Auerswald help you start (or finish) your holiday shopping locally this year. Check out some of Mar Vista's finest merchants and manufacturers in the first annual MVM Holiday Gift Guide. And don't miss the limited-time discounts which will last through Saturday, December 12th. Also take a look at the Treehugger 2009 Green Gift Guide.

	Mar Vista Votes for Clean Electricity Mar Vista became the first neighborhood in Los Angeles to set a goal of 100% clean electricity by 2018. The Mar Vista Community Council voted unaminously last month to set the clean energy target and develop a roadmap to reduce our community's carbon emissions and exposure to the rising costs of coal-powered electricity. Congratulations to everyone who signed the petition! The vote came after 27 residents installed solar panels together as part of the GoSolar Mar Vista program -- expected to offset a combined five million pounds of greenhouse gas emission over the next 30 years (the equivalent of planting 2,700 trees or taking 600 cars off the road for a year). Read more.

	The Learning Garden at Venice High The Learning Garden is a living classroom and a place of sanctuary. For the students of the high school it is an opportunity to be closer to nature, a place to learn about respecting the environment and taking care of plants and animals. For the teachers it is a place of solace. For the community it is a place of visual beauty. The Learning Garden is a remarkable and unique place that touches something deep in the heart and soul. And it needs your help. Please donate even just a small amount to demonstrate our community's support to this local institution.

	Ocean Charter School Winter Faire Come and create handmade crafts with your family, browse the Holiday Bazaar and Gnome Sweet Gnome Bake Shoppe, and Crystal Quest. Don't miss the dhildren-only Snow Fairy Market, Snow Globe Theater and Green Faire. Saturday, December 12th 11am to 4pm at Ocean Charter School (12606 Culver Blvd.).

	Peach Tree Pottery Holiday Sale Peach Tree Pottery hold its yearly 2-Day Art Show & Sale this Saturday, December 5th and Sunday, December 6th, from 1 pm to 5 pm (3795 Boise Avenue). The event features the work of 14 artists: pottery, jewelry, candles, photography, woven and crocheted clothing, mixed media, drawings, monoprints.

A Living Christmas for Mar Vista Schools

2009-12-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

Dreaming of a Green Christmas this year? The Living Christmas Company offers an eco-friendly alternative to cut or artificial trees. They rent out locally grown varieties of living trees for the holidays, which are then cared for year round in their nursery. You can order online, schedule delivery/pickup by biodiesel truck, and even ‘adopt’ a live tree to use again next year. The living trees are eventually donated to a tree planting organization or to an Urban Reforestation Project where they become big, beautiful trees.

In a Mar Vista holiday special, Living Christmas has agreed to donate 10% of tree rental proceeds to your favorite Mar Vista school -- and you will receive a 5% discount when you order your tree with a Mar Vista coupon code.

Prices range from $65 for a 3-4' living Pine, Cedar, or Cypress -- to $110 for a 5-6' tree. Check the donation code for your school below, or use the code "lausd" to split across Mar Vista's 5 LAUSD schools -- and enter the code when you order your tree online. Don't delay as supplies are limited. Spread the word and help your school raise money this holiday season!

School / Recipient	Donation Code
Beethoven Elementary / Friends of Beethoven	beethoven
Walgrove Elementary / Friends of Walgrove	walgrove
Grand View Elementary / Grand View PTA	grandview
Ocean Charter School	oceancharter
Mar Vista Elementary / Mar Vista School Enrichment Group	marvista
Wildwood School	wildwood
Windward School	windward
Split between Mar Vista’s 5 LAUSD Schools	lausd

Read The Living Christmas Company's tips on selecting a tree and on caring for your live holiday tree.

Also consider the Living Christmas variety of Fair Trade, locally made and environmentally sensitive holiday products such as low energy LED holiday lights.

If you do choose to purchase a cut tree this Christmas, make sure to dispose of it in your green bin and the City will recycle it into mulch.

LA Times: "A New Twist on Living Christmas Trees: Renting"
KABC: "Online Company Rents Out Real Christmas Trees"
Your Daily Thread: "This Season Give Back... Your Christmas Tree!"

For more ideas on making this year an eco-friendly holiday season:

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas
Read Anna Getty's new book "I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas" for ideas on gifts, decorations, and recipes that use less and mean more. When writing the book, heiress, environmentalist, chef and author Anna Getty discovered that between Thanksgiving and January 1st, the waste produced by the average American increases by thirty percent. Whats the solution? Simple, money-saving, heirloom-worthy traditions!

Mar Vista Chamber Hosts Business Outreach and Art Exhibit

2009-11-24T00:10:00.000-08:00

After weeks of dialogue with local businesses, a group of Mar Vista residents and business owners have established a new Chamber of Commerce in the heart of Mar Vista's downtown on Venice Boulevard, between Walgrove Avenue and Inglewood Boulevard.

The newly-minted Mar Vista Chamber of Commerce invites the public to an art exhibit and business outreach event on Saturday December 5th from 6 to 8pm at the Insight on the Westside creative meeting place (12805 Venice Blvd, Mar Vista).

Click here to RSVP online

As part of the new Chamber's vision, outreach events are intended to bring together local areas business, cultural and political interests in an effort to develop our community's quality of life.

Read more about the Chamber of Commerce formation in The Argonaut.

Mar Vista Declares Clean Energy Target

2009-11-14T16:16:00.000-08:00

The Mar Vista Community Council voted unanimously this week to set a 100% clean electricity target for the neighborhood by 2018, and develop a roadmap to achieve it. The motion had been unanimously approved by the Mar Vista Green Committee two weeks earlier, just days after the conclusion of a three-month community solar program in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mar Vista.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was on hand prior to the event and said he “loved it” of the neighborhood’s clean energy goal. One year ago Mayor Villaraigosa unveiled his Solar LA plan for “sparking a broad movement to solar energy across a city of 4 million residents.” The Mayor’s goal is for Los Angeles to become “a world leader in the solar industry … the cleanest, greenest big city in America.”

The Mar Vista move on climate action was inspired by Al Gore’s July 2008 call for 100% clean electricity nationwide by 2018 – and the subsequent launch of the RepowerAmerica campaign. Mar Vista residents had organized in support of the goal using the openmarvista.net social network, Twitter, and Facebook; and gathered signatures at the Green Committee booth at the Mar Vista Farmers Market and at last month’s Mar Vista Goes Green Fall Festival. Mar Vista Green Committee Co-Chair Sherri Akers said of the Council’s vote “We are very confident that Mar Vista will demonstrate to other communities that 100% clean electricity is achievable. The MVCC Green Committee is excited about our role in outreach to make this a reality.”

Solar Installation at Windward
School in Mar Vista (photo by SolarCity)

More than 120 Mar Vista residents recently participated in a three-month GoSolar Mar Vista community program offering seminars on the immediate electricity savings provided by rooftop solar generation, free home assessments, and a group discount on solar installations. SolarCity, the installer selected for the program, has completed twenty-six solar installations in Mar Vista for a total of 105kW of solar electricity production.

The Mar Vista vote came one day before the Los Angeles Times published a new report finding that the cost of inaction on climate change is growing quickly and that “governments must act now to ward off catastrophic climate change or face additional costs of $500 billion per year of delay” for investments such as “building new infrastructure in regions like Africa, preparing coastal zones for sea level rises and more intense storms, and protecting ecosystems.”

The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) recently warned the City that the “use of carbon-based fossil fuels has increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in our atmosphere, reaching dangerous levels;” and that possible impacts to Los Angeles include “rising tides, violent storms and floods; hotter, dryer days; increased frequency of wildfires; and reduced water and energy reliability.”

Attention to climate action is growing in advance of the upcoming December 7 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen which seeks to find solutions for both highly industrialized countries and developing nations with fast-growing middle classes – and increasingly-American lifestyles. India’s carbon emissions, for example, are expected to rise quickly from 1.2 tons annually per capita toward the 19 tons per capita in America. In launching a hopenhagen.org website encouraging world-wide grassroots support for climate action, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said “climate change is one of the epic challenges facing this and future generations. World leaders will come together for the Copenhagen climate change conference in December and every citizen of the world has a stake in the outcome.”

Jonathan Bass, Director of Marketing at SolarCity, said “The Mar Vista solar program shows what communities can do for the environment when they act collectively. Mar Vista’s solar installations should offset more than five million pounds of greenhouse gas emission over the next 30 years, the equivalent of planting more than 2,700 trees or taking more than 600 cars off the road for a year.”

Full text of the Mar Vista clean electricity policy motion:

Whereas coal-burning power plants deliver 44% of Los Angeles DWP electricity and yet coal-burning is widely recognized as a major contributor to climate change; whereas significant federal and state funding are available in California to make clean energy solutions such as photovoltaic solar panels affordable for residents and businesses; and whereas 84 Mar Vista residents have signed the petition to repower Mar Vista with 100% clean electricity by 2018; Mar Vista hereby adopts a goal to develop a roadmap and achieve net 100% clean electricity utilization within the Mar Vista community as a whole by 2018.

For questions or additional information about the program, visit gosolar.openmarvista.net or send email to gosolar@openmarvista.net. Click here for social media release and photos.

Mar Vista Welcomes Mayor, Police Chief-designate Charlie Beck

2009-11-07T19:45:00.000-08:00

	Bill Rosendahl Hosts Mar Vista Town Hall with LAPD-Chief Appointee Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will be hosting a community meeting this Tuesday 11/10 from 6 to 7:30pm at the Mar Vista Recreation Center to introduce LAPD Chief-designate Charlie Beck. Residents are encouraged to express their priorities and concerns to the newly appointed chief before the City Council votes on his confirmation later this month to replace Chief William Bratton.

	Mar Vista Votes on Climate Action Immediately following Tuesday's town hall with the Mayor and his LAPD-chief appointee Charlie Beck, the Mar Vista Community Council will be voting on a historic motion to make Mar Vista the first neighborhood in Los Angeles to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2018. Over 120 residents have signed the petition so far in support of this goal to reduce our community's carbon emissions and exposure to the rising costs of coal-powered electricity. Please sign the petition before Tuesday if you have not already.

	Navigating the School System: Know Your Public Options Tanya Anton, author “Westside Guide to Public Elementary Schools”, presents the facts on elementary, middle school, magnets, charters, permits and more. Sun, November 15, 5pm. ReDiscover Center (12958 W. Washington Blvd). $25 per person. Register online.

	New School West Holiday Bazaar Mark your calendars for the New School West Holiday Bazaar, 10am to 4pm November 21st. Come shop in a cozy environment and enjoy food, treats, handmade gifts from local artisans of Venice and Mar Vista and more. This is a shopping experience to warm up the season. 12731 Venice Blvd. Learn more.

Mar Vista Leading on Climate Action

2009-10-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday was International Day of Climate Action and Sunday was a milestone for climate action in Mar Vista!

The Mar Vista Green Committee unanimously approved a motion to make Mar Vista the first clean electricity neighborhood in Los Angeles, with a goal of 100% clean electricity by 2018. The motion must be approved by the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC) in two weeks, on November 10, and you can help! Sign the petition that will be presented to the MVCC, urging Mar Vista to make the switch to solar.

With Million Solar Roofs funding, solar electricity is now cheaper than coal-powered electricity for many homeowners with solar-friendly rooftops. Next year the LADWP will introduce "virtual net metering" along with other ways for businesses and residents in apartments and condos to go solar too! And with community support, Mar Vista can be a leader in installing solar panels on our schools, library and post office.

Read more about the national effort to Repower America with 100% clean electricity by 2018 -- and sign the petition to make Mar Vista the first clean electricity neighborhood in Los Angeles.

First Song About Mar Vista!

2009-10-02T15:31:00.000-07:00

Singer-songwriter Didi Pop releases the first song about Mar Vista! Didi takes the stage tomorrow at 11:45am to debut the song at the Fall Festival in Mar Vista Park! Listen to a preview (see lyrics below).

The festival runs from 10am to 4pm and includes a full schedule of family fun and eco-friendly events: Kidz Go Green Zones with Jumpers Crafts Face Painting Games Prizes Petting Zoo Art Shows Live Stage Entertainment Booths with eco solutions, products and information
Located at Mar Vista Park (11430 Woodbine St. - see map and directions).
MAR VISTA’S GONE GREEN, by Didi Pop Mar Vista’s gone green I’ll tell you what I mean We got a big blue bin We put our plastic in And as for the burnt toast We toss it into the compost We’re teaching kids the dream Mar Vista’s gone green You gotta love Mar Vista We got a lot of class Putting in the drought resistant plants Taking out the grass We shop the farmer’s market For flowers, honey and fish It’s local and organic And super–duper delish We got the greatest thrift store They got everything we need I get all my favorite clothes there And all the books I read We got a big wide bike path An easy ride to the beach Saving money not using gas Keep our cars off the streets Chorus We got a solar panel We got a water barrel We’re harvesting our rain	Mar Vista's Gone Green, by Didi Pop

GoSolar Mar Vista Webinar

2009-09-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

If you missed the recent solar seminars in Mar Vista tune in to this webinar covering the basics of solar and details of the GoSolar Mar Vista community solar program. Sign up by October 25th at http://gosolar.openmarvista.net/.

Save on Your Electric Bill with Coal Free Power

2009-09-09T12:14:00.001-07:00

Until very recently, solar power was paying off for a very exclusive club in Los Angeles.

Despite a 30% federal tax credit on out-of-pocket costs of solar installations and a $0.13/KWH California Solar Initiative (CSI) rebate on solar panel installations, Los Angelenos weren't buying. They were, however, paying.
Just 67 residential solar systems were installed in LA during the first three months of the LADWP's Solar Incentive program (Q1 2008) -- out of the LADWP's base of 1.4 million residential electricity customers.

This small number of solar installations has been largely due to previous LADWP restrictions requiring property owners to purchase and own their solar panel systems in order to qualify for the state rebate. Thus savings on solar electricity have tended to be greatest for homeowners with large, unshaded rooftops and high electricity bills -- and large corporate customers.

The LADWP has been collecting an average $12/year from residential consumers to pay for its solar rebate -- as required by Arnold Schwarzenegger's signature Million Solar Roofs (SB-1) legislation.

Million Solar Roofs funding, in the form of an LADWP rebate, is designed to ensure that homeowners realize a positive cash flow in energy savings from day one, and that consumers will receive consistent and ongoing monthly savings in energy cost reductions and mortgage interest tax savings over an average 25-year life.

Through community activism and the support of clean energy advocate Councilman Bill Rosendahl, Los Angeles residents have been successful in changing LADWP policy to ensure that Million Solar Roofs funding is now available widely to hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles residents.

Under the new LADWP policy, the nation's leading solar installers are now offering solar panel installations with immediate savings for consumers.

Set adjacent to the beachside communities of Santa Monica and Venice, Mar Vista is one of LA's most eco-conscious communities -- and residents have been going solar together with a group discount available to Mar Vista residents through October 25. Through the program residents are receiving:

* Free solar seminars
* Free home assessments
* $0 upfront solar panel installations
* Three months free and low monthly fee for use of solar panels (or a $500 discount on solar purchase)
* Free solar energy monitoring systems
* Free rooftop wireless Internet

Mar Vista resident James Brennan has decided to go solar as part of the Mar Vista program and shared details of the savings he will receive from switching to coal-free solar power.

After completion of his initial solar assessment, Brennan learned that his roof can fit enough solar panels to generate 2.87kW of DC power, for which SolarCity would charge $21,036 after a group discount of $500.

With Million Solar Roofs funding, the LADWP Solar Incentive rebate will reduce Brennan's out-of-pocket expenses on his solar purchase by $9,603, bringing his out-of-pocket total down to $11,433.

A year-end Federal Tax Credit will return Brennan an additional $3,430, resulting in a net system cost of $8,003.

Brennan's current LADWP electricity bill averages $75 per month. The new solar panels will offset his existing utility bill by 62%, bringing his monthly cost for coal-powered electricity from LADWP down to $29 per month.

Brennan's 2.87kW system is expected to result in electricity savings of $569 during the first year. The system will provide a 7.2% return on Brennan's investment over 30 years. And the solar panels will offset Brennan's total carbon output by 146,798 lbs.

With the new LADWP policy changes allowing third-party ownership of solar installations by Los Angeles residents, Brennan can now avoid the initial $11,433 cash outlay to receive the benefits of the same solar panel system without any upfront costs.

SolarCity will install Brennan's 2.87kW system without requiring him to purchase it.

Brennan will pay $0 upfront to have the system installed, will receive free service for 3 months as part of the Mar Vista group discount, after which he will make a monthly payment of $34 for use of the system over a 20 year period (with a 0% annual increase). He will continue to pay a reduced LADWP monthly electricity bill of $29. Brennan's total monthly electricity bill will drop from $76 to $63, which includes both the lease payment and reduced LADWP bill.

Brennan's system will generate an estimated $6,241 in savings over the 20 years, with an immediate payback.

The SolarCity lease includes guaranteed inverter replacement, if necessary, and extended warranty and repair of the system over the 20 year period. In addition, SolarCity guarantees the system will produce the full 2.87kW of solar electricity as part of the lease. Brennan has the option to renew, upgrade, or purchase his system at the end of the lease -- or SolarCity will remove it at no charge. Solar panel technology is advancing quickly and Brennan hopes that after twenty years, upgraded panels may be able to offset more of his electricity bill.

As an additional benefit of the Mar Vista program, Brennan will receive a free rooftop wireless Internet connection to the neighborhood Wi-Fi network. By subscribing to the 5mbps neighborhood Wi-Fi service for $10 per month, Brennan could save an additional $30 over a comparable-speed broadband cable service from Time Warner. Or he could choose the free 1mbps Wi-Fi service for savings of $20 per month over a similar speed cable service.

Along with Mar Vista resident John Ayers, Brennan is an organizer of the GoSolar Mar Vista campaign for 100% clean electricity in Mar Vista by 2018. The group hopes to double residential solar panel installations in Mar Vista from 35, with another 35 participants in the program.

The group points out the recent changes in LADWP policy allowing such affordable solar panel installation are still not yet widely enough available for the community to reach 100% clean energy. GoSolar Mar Vista is holding an interactive webcast on Tuesday September 15 at 6pm to promote awareness of both affordable solar and home energy efficiencies that can reduce overall use of coal-powered electricity.

The GoSolar Mar Vista campaign is advocating for additional changes in LADWP policies that will make solar panels affordable to residents of apartment buildings and condominiums, and neighborhood businesses for installation on their rooftops and shaded parking lots. Organizers also hope to see solar panels installed on its local US Post Office building, neighborhood LAUSD schools, and other municipal buildings including the Mar Vista library and recreation center.

GoSolar Mar Vista organizers will be particating in a demonstration on Friday September 18 to draw attention to a new Community and Emergency Response center in the neighborhood, where residents are advocating for solar panel installations.

Mayor Villaraigosa's 2008 "Solar LA" energy plan for Los Angeles calls for a number improvements, though many of the key provisions have yet to be implemented.

With traditional electricity utilities nationwide erecting surprising obstacles in the transition to community solar, GoSolar Mar Vista organizers are also promoting civic action on key federal, state and local solar initiatives:

* Urge the California State Senate to expand affordable solar with net-metering.
* Sign the Sierra Club petition for a coal-free Los Angeles!
* Tell Congress no more coal power plants.

More Information:

* GoSolar Mar Vista community program
* Mar Vista Home Energy Event (6pm Tuesday September 15)

Mar Vista Community Center, Recycling, Fall Festival

2009-09-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

A big win for Mar Vista last month as the Mar Vista Community Council authorizes a new community and emergency response center on the site of the old Fire Station 62. Congratulations to the MVCC Old Fire Station 62 Ad Hoc Committee and the many neighborhood activists who made it happen! Read more in the Argonaut.

	Mar Vista Saves with Coal-Free Electricity The GoSolar Mar Vista community solar program is well under way and dozens of residents have received free solar assessments on their homes -- and many have scheduled solar installations. Sign up by October 25th for your free solar assessment and group discount for Mar Vista residents from SolarCity. Qualified homeowners can save on their electric bills with a cash purchase ($500 discount) or lease ($0 upfront, three months free) and receive free rooftop Wi-Fi. Calculate your savings with solar. Read about one Mar Vista resident's experience going solar, and mark your calendars for the upcoming solar webcast and reception at an incredible new eco-friendly Mar Vista home on 9/16 at 6pm. And please sign the Sierra Club petition for a coal-free Los Angeles!

	Electronics Recycling Day! Happy Recyclers will be at Whole Foods West LA on Saturday September 19th from 10am-4pm to collect electronic waste from the neighborhood! Bring your outdated computers, cell phones and other digital waste. Representatives from Greenopolis will be on hand to demonstrate the new GreenOps recycling machines at Whole Foods.

	Go Green at the Mar Vista Farmers Market The Mar Vista Green Committee presents eco-expert Kevin O'Donnell of the Thread Collaborative this Sunday September 6 at the MVCC booth at the Farmers Market to share his sustainable ideas, resources and design. Also mark your calendars for an LADWP presentation on installating greywater systems (9/13) and easy ways to remove your lawn (9/20).

	Support your Local Artist Community The Mar Vista Arts and Crafts Collective will be out in force this Sunday at the Farmers Market. Shop for handmade items from local arts and crafts vendors. Also find great fresh produce, delicious prepared foods, and music. Meet your neighbors, visit with friends!

	Mar Vista Community Fall Festival Mark your calendars for the Fall Festival at Mar Vista Park! This year's theme is Mar Vista Goes Green and booths will have eco solutions, products and information. Kidz Go Green zones with jumpers, crafts, face painting, games, prizes and a petting zoo. Art shows, live stage entertainment plus stilt circus and Kiddle Karoo and her Kooky Krew puppet shows. October 3rd from 10am to 4pm.

	Open Wi-Fi on Herbert Street Open Mar Vista wireless Internet is now available on Herbert Street in South Mar Vista! Over 1,500 residents now access the Internet each month for free via Open Mar Vista Wi-Fi. If you have a business in Mar Vista learn how you can sponsor open Internet access for the community -- and receive local advertising for your business.

	Mar Vista "Very Walkable" With convenient access to grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, theaters, schools, parks, libraries and more Mar Vista is rated with an 85/100 walkability score. Visit WalkScore.com to find out how walkable your block is and to tell Congress to support walking, biking, and transit in the 2009 Transportation Bill. Add your favorite local institutions to the map and further improve Mar Vista's walk score.

Mar Vista to Receive Free Solar, Wi-Fi Installs

2009-07-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

On behalf of the Open Mar Vista community we are proud to announce the selection of SolarCity, a national leader in solar power, for a new program designed to increase clean energy production and public broadband access in Mar Vista.

Read more from the Mar Vista Mom: MAR VISTA IS GOING SOLAR WITH SOLARCITY Full details of the program will be published on the GoSolar Mar Vista website in the coming days. Installations are first-come, first-serve, and we expect a high level of participation, so register today to reserve your spot (no commitment required).
Don’t miss the GoSolar Mar Vista launch party – 6pm Saturday 7/25, 12024 Venice Blvd. (adjacent to the Mar Vista Branch Library). Come celebrate this milestone in affordable, clean energy. Learn why solar electricity can be cheaper than coal power – and catch a special appearance by City Councilman Bill Rosendahl. RSVP today. As an advocate for clean energy, I am proud to see that this unprecedented partnership between the Mar Vista community and local government has brought affordable and accessible solar power to the community. Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl Read the full press release. Please spread the word and help Mar Vista switch to 100% clean electricity!

Get Wise with Water, Solar This Summer!

2009-06-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

Free Internet on Keeshen Drive
Mar Vista welcomes The Mar Vista Mom (aka Sarah Auerswald), as the latest sponsor of Open Mar Vista public Internet access. Keeshen Drive residents are now receiving blazing fast Wi-Fi Internet with fiber optic service provided by Verizon FiOS. Click here for Open Wi-fi details. See what the Mar Vista Mom says about it. Become a sponsor.

Affordable Solar Arriving in Mar Vista
After months of advocating with the LADWP, the LA City Council and the State of California for affordable solar energy in Los Angeles, Mar Vista is about to launch one of the most affordable solar energy programs in the country. With a goal of 100% clean electricity by 2018, GoSolar Mar Vista will help homeowners, renters, and businesses save money by making the switch this summer to 100% clean energy from the sun. Don't miss the upcoming neighborhood social mixer and discussion of community solar in Mar Vista on Saturday July 25th at 6pm. Signup now to GoSolar this summer. More details in the coming days!

Get Wise With Water Conservation
Learn easy ways to save water and money in your own home at an event co-hosted by the Mar Vista Community Council Green Committee and the Venice Neighborhood Council Environmental Committee. Actor, author and environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr. and other guests will discuss the drought crisis and tools to embrace water conservation. Presentation tables will provide information, give aways and exciting water solution raffle items. 6pm to 9pm July 21st at the Mar Vista Recreation Center (11430 Woodbine Ave, Mar Vista). Organized By MVCC Green Committee & CD11 Empowerment Congress Environmental Committee. Full details at wisewateruseexpo.blogspot.com.

Community Roundup

Rent a House in Mar Vista
Rain Barrell Project Coming to Mar Vista
LADWP Set to Hike Summer Electricity Rates
Mar Vista Garden Tour (video)
Beethoven Mapping in Motion (video)
Mar Vista Moms Tour Daniel Webster Middle School (video)
Peach Tree Pottery Documentary (video)

Mar Vista Wise Water Use Expo

2009-06-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

Helping residents adapt to this summer's drought, the Mar Vista Green Committee is co-presenting a Wise Water Use Expo at the Mar Vista Recreation Center on July 21st at 6pm. The event is co-hosted by the CD11 Empowerment Congress Environmental Committee and will include guest presentations by actor, author and environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr.; Kevin O'Donnell, a sustainable design strategist from Al Gore's Climate Project; and Green Gardens Group LA (G3LA).

Give aways and water solution raffle items will include dual flush toilets, a smart sprinkler controller, a rain barrell, and a tote bag filled with eco solutions.

The Council District 11 Empowerment Congress was organized by Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl to bring together the genius, the energy, and the commitment of neighborhood leaders.

Mar Vista Radio

2009-05-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

Mar Vista residents Joseph Treves and Sherri Akers will be appearing on LATalkRadio.com this Saturday morning from 11 to 11:50 am PST to talk about some of the exciting things underway with the Mar Vista Community Council Green Committee.

Tune in at 11am tomorrow to hear them at http://www.latalkradio.com/.

Call-in to the station during the show by dialing 323-203-0815. Or call via Skype name latalkradio.

Joseph and Sherri hope the show will inspire others to become active in their own neighborhoods.

Joseph says "In this time of budget cuts, it’s more important than ever for people to find ways of making things better for themselves and their neighbors."

Argonaut: Free Broadband in Mar Vista with Open Wi-Fi

2009-05-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Argonaut newspaper reports on how residents in Mar Vista who want the convenience of free wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) service that is offered in coffee shops and book stores may now not have to look further than their own neighborhoods. Read the full article.

Mar Vista FREEZE Event, Cinco de Mayo Festival

2009-04-28T17:20:00.000-07:00

Joy to the fishes
in the deep blue sea,

joy to you and me!

Please join us in Mar Vista's first ever "FREEZE", a group performance and musical event for families this Sunday, May 3rd at 11am at the Mar Vista Farmers' Market (Grand View at Venice Blvd).

Featuring music by the 9-piece Cumbia band Opa Opa, JOY is a fun, family-friendly event that will spread joy and happiness throughout the farmer’s market!

Here are some videos of recent FREEZE events:

Santa Monica Promenade FREEZE

Frozen Grand Central Station

You're Invited!

Go to openmarvista.net/joy.htm and sign up to participate. Bring the whole family and join with other participants to spread JOY at the farmer's market and call attention to the Open Wi-Fi Internet access that the community is building in Mar Vista!

Cinco de Mayo Festival

The day will include a fantastic celebration of Mexican culture with the Mar Vista Farmers Market’s annual Cinco de Mayo festival and performances by Fokloriko Veracruzano, Dino Castro, Son Mestizo, Katty Guitierrez, and Danza de los Viejitos de Grand View Elementary. And don’t miss the Pinata event!

Arts, Crafts & Jewelry

Browse booths featuring art, crafts, and jewelry by neighborhood artisans and the Mar Vista Arts and Crafts Collective. And, as always, direct marketed fruits, flowers and veggies from local Southern California farmers.

Mar Vista Opens Internet Access for Everyone

2009-04-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

Free public access to broadband Internet available on Westside. Open Wi-Fi event planned for Sunday May 3rd at the Mar Vista Farmers Market.

Mar Vista, CA - April 28, 2009 – Modeled on the successful Free The Net project now providing wireless Internet access to over 300,000 residents in San Francisco, Open Mar Vista is a powerful, high speed, open and affordable wireless mesh network with widespread Wi-Fi coverage.

Open Mar Vista was inspired by Mayor Villaraigosa’s LA Wi-Fi initiative unveiled in 2007 with the goal of developing a wireless network throughout the City to connect Los Angeles residents, businesses and visitors to the global community.

The Mar Vista Community Council has recently installed city-owned outdoor community wireless (Wi-Fi) antennas along Venice Blvd. to provide open access to high-speed Internet to Mar Vista residents.

Building on this effort, Open Mar Vista has coordinated with local businesses who are sharing their broadband service in the neighborhood via Open Wi-Fi to create a broadband wireless network offering public access to high speed Internet service.

Neighborhood businesses sponsoring the initiative include Venice Grind cafe, Soaptopia, the Curious Palate, Time Warp Music, Club Good Hurt, Vineyard Christian Fellowship, the Coffee Connection, and Waconah Construction, New School West pre-school, the Mar Vista Farmers Market, and the Mar Vista Community Council.

Open Wi-Fi is also available to numerous adjacent residents and at Mar Vista locations including Oasis Healing Center, Valle de Oaxaca restaurant, District Board Shop and Universal Adult Day Health Care.

Over 8,000 Mar Vista users have already accessed the high-speed Internet for free via Open Wi-Fi, with an estimated 1,000 users logging on each week. More information about the Open Wi-Fi program and details on participation is available at www.openmarvista.net/openwifi.

Open Mar Vista Wi-Fi is organized by team members of Open Neighborhoods, a Los Angeles-based member organization of InternetForEveryone.org. Open Mar Vista invites you to an Open Wi-Fi launch event planned for Sunday May 3rd at the Mar Vista Farmers Market. Responding to strong local interest, Open Neighborhoods is developing similar Open Wi-Fi initiatives in Santa Monica, Venice and other surrounding communities.

JOY May 3rd - At the Mar Vista Farmers Market

2009-04-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

Group Performance at the Mar Vista Farmers Market!

Join Mar Vista in a moment of spontaneous community theater 11am at the Mar Vista Farmers Market (Grand View at Venice Blvd.) on Sunday May 3rd. A group performance and musical event for neighborhood residents and families will begin promptly at 11am. Visit the website for more details and to signup to participate. Tell your friends on Facebook.

New Chamber of Commerce for Mar Vista

2009-04-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

The Argonaut reports on plans to create a Mar Vista chamber of commerce to stimulate the Mar Vista downtown area. Resident Steve Wallace and Mar Vista Community Council Chair Rob Kadota are spearheading an effort to establish the organization in the heart of Mar Vista's downtown on Venice Boulevard, between Walgrove Avenue and Inglewood Boulevard.