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!

Athens Services at the Mar Vista Green Tent! - Sunday June 11th

Recycling Organics Waste at Home

Athens Services is partnering with your city to implement food scrap collection for single-family home residents and multifamily complexes. Per Senate Bill 1383, single-family home residents and multifamily complexes across California will be required to place into their green waste container ALL of their landscaping waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper (100% fiber-based).

WHAT’S CHANGING?

You will be able to use your green organics container for the collection of landscaping waste, food scraps, and 100% fiber-based, food-soiled paper.

DID YOU SAY FOOD SCRAPS?

Yes, Athens will accept all types of food scraps. Our American Organics compost facility converts organics waste into nutrient-rich soil amendment. The resulting compost is used by commercial farmers, city projects, garden shops, landscapers, and residents.

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE?

  • To collect your kitchen food scraps, you can choose to use a portable, reusable pail-like container with a tight-fitting lid. It could be plastic, metal, or ceramic.

  • Consider reusing a coffee canister, large yogurt or margarine tub, or juice pitcher.

  • Pail options can be purchased at a retail store or searched online for “Kitchen Pail.”

  • Storage ideas can include the kitchen counter, under the sink, in the freezer, or wherever you feel is best.

WHY ORGANICS RECYCLING?

Landfills are the third largest source of methane in California. Organics waste emits 20% of the state’s methane; a climate super pollutant up to 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide. By diverting organics from the landfill, you are part of the solution in helping to protect the environment and future generations.

ARE BAGS ACCEPTED?

Liners are optional. Plastic and bioplastic “compostable” bags are accepted in the organics container, but must be CLEAR or translucent-green, and bag contents must be visible. Acceptable organics will be processed, but the bags will not be recycled or composted.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

Athens is here to support the community with this new program and will provide resources and training to help you get started.

If you have any questions about the new organics collection program, please contact the Athens Customer Care Center at (888) 336-6100 or visit AthensServices.com/SB-1383.

For more information on SB 1383, also check out CalRecycle.ca.gov/Organics/SLCP.

THE MASTER GARDENERS - June 4th, 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.

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

How to Dispose of Batteries in Four Easy Steps

Ever wonder what to do with your old batteries? You are not alone. According to Call2Recyle, nearly 3 out of 10 Americans are not sure how to dispose of their old batteries. Many either throw them in the trash or end up putting them in the recycling container.  Both these methods are incorrect, and people along with property can be at serious risk.

Why is Proper Battery Disposal Important?

Any and all types of batteries need special handling because they can spark and explode, causing fires in a truck or at a materials recovery facility. This even includes small batteries found in greeting cards, electronic toys, or vapes.

Battery fires are a hazard for our communities, drivers, and workers. Batteries can also leak harmful heavy metals and other toxic, corrosive materials that end up in our local soils, groundwater, and streams.

Types of Batteries 

In California, batteries are considered hazardous waste when they are discarded. They include AAA, AA, C, D, button cell, 9-volt, and all other batteries, both rechargeable and single-use. 

How to Dispose of Batteries Properly?

    • Step 1:Remove batteries from their electronics. Place a piece of non-conductive tape, masking tape, or clear tape on the ends of each battery. Taping is important because it will prevent the positive and negative terminals from coming into contact with other terminals, batteries, or metal objects that can cause a short circuit or a fire.

    • Step 2: Store batteries in a plastic, cardboard, or glass container that does not conduct electricity if there is a spark.

    • Step 3: Find a local disposal electronic store or check out the Los Angeles County listing of events and locations to drop off batteries.

    • Step 4: Dispose!

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Where to Dispose of Batteries

  • Local Electronics Stores
    The Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Best Buy.

  • Local Governmental Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Agency
    Click here for local governmental household hazardous waste agencies.

  • Rechargeable Battery and Cell Phone Drop-off Locator
    Visit the Call2Recycle website to find where to recycle used rechargeable batteries.

  • Earth911.com
    Call 1-800-CLEANUP, to find the nearest recycling center or click here for information on recyclable household waste, including household hazardous waste collection centers.

Athens Services is dedicated to reducing waste of all types and ensuring your safety and the safety of our team. Get more information on proper battery disposal and other special or hazardous waste.

The Master Gardeners are back at the Mar Vista Green Tent this Sunday, May 7th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m!

On Sunday, May 7th join the LA County Master Gardeners at the Green Tent Sunday, May 7 from 9 am till 1 pm. Pick up a seedling and packets of seeds for FREE!

For May, they've grown the following for you:

Sugar Snap Peas — likely your last chance to get these into the ground, they’re well established, they prefer the colder weather to get started and despite this late rain, it’s going to be warm soon.

Cucumbers: the first of the season. They’re very tiny right now but they’ll develop their “true leaves” soon. Once that happens, you can transplant them. 

Green beans:  Bush beans that do not need a trellis

Baby Arugula:  Everyone likes this spicy flavored green

Succulents:   You can never go wrong with them and they make lovely arrangements!

Flowers: Delphiniums, snap dragons and Gerber Daisies

Don’t forget to conserve water, despite the rains: drought is inevitable! And maybe, if you’re redoing your garden, consider native plants! 
Santa Monica Mountains Fund

Cucumbers

Succulents: Multiple varieties

Flowers

Athens Services at the Mar Vista Green Tent! - Sunday April 9th

Learn how to recycle 100% of your food waste in your green bin (even pizza boxes!)

The implementation of SB 1383 in 2022 marks a big shift in how Californians handle their food waste. For the first time, residents and businesses need to put their leftover food not with their trash but with their green waste. 

Californians are used to having separate containers for trash, recyclables like paper, plastic, and aluminum, and for green waste such as yard trimmings and landscaping. Now, food waste and food-soiled paper will go in the green or organics container.  

Most of us don’t give leftover food a second thought, keeping what we can for later and scraping the rest into the trash. From there, it goes to a landfill. Therein lies the problem.

Food and other organic waste in landfills produce greenhouse gases as they decay. Roughly half of the gas is carbon dioxide, and half is methane, which is more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to CalRecycle.

California Decides It’s Time to Clear the Air 

If you haven’t heard of SB 1383 by now, you will. It’s California’s latest law designed to reduce harmful gas emissions – specifically methane. To do that, every city, single-family home, business, and multi-family residence of more than five units can no longer just throw food away. 

Statewide, reducing food waste and the methane gas it causes is a big, complex problem. But at the personal level, it boils down to three core, essential steps:  Reduce, repurpose, and recycle.

Less Food + Less Waste = Less Methane

Most people don’t realize how much food they throw away every day. The US Department of Agriculture estimates that 30-40 percent of all food in the United States goes uneaten. Californians throw away nearly 6 million tons of food scraps or food waste each year. The EPA estimates that about 81 percent of households’ wasted food ended up in landfills or combustion facilities

Buying less food is a great way to start. That doesn’t mean doing without; it means focusing on buying what you need, with the goal of reducing waste. It will also save money, especially in these inflationary times. Planning meals ahead of time, including planning what to do with leftovers, is an effective way to reduce food waste. 

“Imperfect” Food is a Perfectly Good Approach

Much of the food that consumers and businesses throw away is still edible. There are some simple ways to reduce that.

At home, some leftovers can be frozen for later use. Items like fruits and vegetables can be used for salads. Meats and other edible scraps from prepared meals can potentially be combined into soups.

Commercial establishments can donate “imperfect” but safe and edible produce to food recovery organizations like Foodcycle LA. California provides guidelines and Athens provides educational materials to help guide this effort.

What Can’t Be Used May Be Reused 

For food waste that just can’t be kept or eaten, there are options to throwing it away. The waste can be composted, either at home or at large composting facilities. 

Composting is the process that converts organic waste into a useful resource that reduces methane, captures carbon, and helps grow food more efficiently.

Composting can be done at home. There are a lot of resources to help, from educational material to kitchen buckets to outdoor compost bins. Some cities and counties offer rebates or compost bins at a reduced cost. Los Angeles County offers two types of compost bins for $40 and $65. Check with your local city to see what they offer.

Organics waste that is collected curbside goes to one of several large facilities in Southern California that compost on a large scale. American Organics (AO) in Victorville, owned by Athens Services, is one of the largest and most advanced. Organics waste collected from homes and businesses goes to American Organics to be converted to high-quality compost. The process usually takes six months, but at AO the process has been reduced to two months using innovative technology.    

The Bottom Line

To sum up, the move is on to reduce methane by reducing food waste. By following some simple steps, we can all make a difference.

  1. Reduce – Use less food to create less food waste.

  2. Repurpose – Freeze leftovers for another day, combine them into other dishes, or donate consumable food to food banks.

  3. Recycle – compost leftovers at home, or put them in your “green” organics waste container to ship to a composting facility.

Individual actions taken together can make a big difference. Athens Services is here to help. For more information on reducing food waste, go to Food Waste Recycling.

The Master Gardeners are back at the Mar Vista Green Tent this Sunday, April 2nd from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m!

On Sunday, April 2 join the LA County Master Gardeners for their monthly visit to the Green Tent from 9 am to 1 pm. They never come empty-handed! And this month, they’ll be giving away free seed packets as well as seedlings they’ve lovingly grown just for this Mar Vista Farmers Market community.

Choose from flowers, succulents, greens or veggies (and, of course, seasonal seeds):

Veggies:  
- Sugar Snap Peas
- Red and Yellow Bell Peppers 
- Bush Beans (green beans that grow in a bush, not requiring stakes or support)

Greens: Arugula

Succulents: Multiple varieties

Flowers:  Delphiniums 

Flowers:  Snapdragons 

 

Even though we’ve had a lot of rain, the Master Gardeners believe you should act as if we were still in drought, because with weather cycles being what they are, in very short order we might be in drought again.

Be water wise!  

And if you have any leftover “six packs” from planting up your Spring Garden, recycle them with the MGs so they can continue growing plants for every month’s Green Tent.  

The Learning Garden! - Sunday March 26th

This Sunday, April 24, 2022 at the Green Tent at Mar Vista Farmer’s Market, come visit the Garden Master David King of The Learning Garden.

 Our History: For over 18 years, The Learning Garden has served as a model in the community for horticultural education and environmental sustainability. It has brought families, disadvantaged groups, and students together in fellowship, healing, and learning with a slate of programs including regenerative agriculture, holistic medicine, seed saving, pollinator habitats, fiber arts, culinary arts, and self healing arts such as yoga and qigong.

Our Mission: We as a people face grave challenges, with fewer of us connecting with nature, valuable species disappearing, and the loss of knowledge about the uses and benefits of plants. The Learning Garden is bringing this knowledge back with curriculum, community events, outreach, and training. We seek to continue this legacy, and to encourage understanding of the wonder and vulnerability of the natural world.

Who We Serve: The garden audience is the student body (70% Title 1) of Venice High School and the local Mar Vista neighborhoods which include vulnerable low income communities bisected by major freeways. The garden expands this reach to broader Los Angeles with partnerships supporting at-risk youth, urban hunger, healthy soil advocacy, and meditation therapy. 

Your Support: Thank you to all our community and school supporters who have helped this garden thrive. It is amazing how much we have grown over the years and continue to touch lives with your support.  There are many ways to get involved. Join an upcoming workday or share our story with your network online and have us speak about the garden at events. Stay informed by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on social media. The garden changes weekly. We don’t want you to miss a beat!