Los Angeles Official Visitor Guide 2008 - (Page 12) IntroductIon Going Green in LA If you want to participate in sustainable, earth-friendly travel, and have fun while you do it, LA is the place to be. Whether it’s cruising for farm-fresh local produce at a local market or renting an eye-catching hybrid vehicle, you can ease your eco-conscience and experience the best of LA at the same time. Here’s our introduction to some of LA’s best greenfriendly businesses. organic eggs and produce, wild-caught fish and grass-fed beef. in all sizes — from grand public institutions to small-scale residences. The Caltrans District 7 Headquaters is an award-winning building with an exterior skin of photovoltaics capable of producing a significant percentage of the building’s electricity. At the Audubon Center at Debs Park, the building is entirely off the grid, earning the highest possible rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. LAX is getting into the act with its Green Building Policy and recycling programs. The airport is expected to meet and exceed Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa’s citywide recycling goal of 70 percent by 2015. In addition, the airport will incorporate the highest possible Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards in all future construction projects. At the Los Angeles Convention Center, millions of dollars are being invested in green energy, with the goal of going 100 percent green by the end of 2008. The Los Angeles Convention Center is already the largest solar energy-generating convention center in North America. Shopping Local farmers markets are great for picking up fresh produce. Most of the vegetables and fruits are locally grown, which cuts down on pollution generated by transporting them long distances, and many of them are grown without the use of harsh pesticides and fertilizers. If you want to buy dry goods that don’t harm the environment, check out one of the local shops selling products made with recycled materials — Livingreen for home decorating and remodeling supplies and Reform School for unique gifts made from recycled materials. dining Some of the best restaurants in LA go out of their way to serve organic, locally grown produce, sustainable seafood and naturally raised, hormone-free meats. Ciudad, located Downtown, is one restaurant leading the charge, as is Wolfgang Puck’s eatery empire. If you’re looking for a place to get a cup of coffee without harming the environment, check out Groundwork Coffee Company. With locations in Downtown, Santa Monica, Venice and Hollywood, you’re never far from a latte made with fair-trade, shade-grown and organic coffee beans. At Bloom Café in the Mid-Wilshire area, the menu is full of Architecture Green architecture means building structures that use less energy, generate their own power and look good while doing it. Here in LA, buildings like this can be found 12
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