About a year ago, I signed up to offset the carbon emissions created by the electricity use of green LA girl readers’ computers while they’re on my site. That eco-move was FREE, thanks to CO2Stats.com. In exchange for putting a little widget on my sidebar (see the bottom left corner), the two PhD students who developed CO2Stats.com bought the offsets for me through a company called Sustainable Travel International.

However, I discovered today that CO2Stats.com is no longer free! Now, the company offers offsets at the cost of $4.95 a month and up.

So I called up CO2Stats.com to make sure my free widget was actually still offsetting my readers’ energy use — and was told that yes, I am indeed one of the lucky early adopters who get CO2Stats.com services for free, indefinitely.

Then the dude I was talking to asked me what my site was, to which I said green LA girl, to which he “reminded” me that I’m friends with Timothy Sullivan, one of the founders of CO2Stats.com.

I may have more Facebook friends than I can keep track of.

Anyway: The whole reason I started looking into CO2Stats.com is because a new company, VroomVroomVroom.com, is trying to do something similar via an initiative called GreenLogo.com.

Like CO2Stats.com did initially, GreenLogo.com will offset the carbon emissions created by the electricity use of readers’ computers while they’re on a particular site — in exchange for that site’s putting GreenLogo.com’s logo on its site. The offsets will be bought through The CarbonNeutral Company.

Unlike CO2Stats.com, whose only mission is offsetting the carbon footprint of websites, GreenLogo.com’s an eco-initiative (and eco-promotion) of a car rental biz, VroomVroomVroom.com, which basically aggregates the prices of car rentals in a particular place to point you to the cheapest deal.

Unfortunately, VVV doesn’t do its job very well. The cheapest deal it pointed me to for a car rental tomorrow was $42.63, so I tried Enterprise.com — which offered me $29.03. I’m not sure how long GreenLogo.com will survive, since after less than a minute, I’ve been convinced that its parent site’s useless.

In other carbon offsetting news: Brighter Planet, a carbon offsetting company, is offering to offset your emissions for a day — in exchange for your email address. I just calculated out that this offer’s an 82 cent value — so it’s up to you to decide if you’re willing to give your e-addy to Brighter Planet for that sum.

Last but not least: Carbon offsets should always be considered a last resort. If you drive a hummer, fly in private jets, and generally do lotsa uneco things like our governor does, then buying offsets really is just greenwashing.

This is why greenlagirl.com’s hosted by Aiso.net, which is solar-powered — vs. a “green” host that runs on conventional power but buys offsets. I mean, if you’re just going with a host that buys offsets, you may as well go with a conventional host and buy your own offsets….

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Jessica Peltz of eco-calendar GoToGreenLA recommends the top green events this week. For ALL the great green events taking place in LA this week and beyond, check out GoToGreenLA.

“Clean Your Space” Campaign Launch Street Clean Up — Sat., Dec. 6, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm. Silver Lake Sunset Junction, Sunset Blvd. between Maltman Ave. and Manzanita St., Silver Lake, Los Angeles. Cost: Free

Put trash in its place and walk your talk along with Surfrider Foundation for the launch of the “Clean Your Space” campaign. Reducing the amount of garbage that ends up in waterways starts with cleaning it up off of the streets and sidewalks. Local media will cover this event, and restaurants will offer discounts to participants. Check in will be between Lovecraft Biofuels and the Jiffy Lube on Sunset.

The Vanishing of the Bees Documentary Viewing Party — Sat., Dec. 6 and Sun., Dec. 7, 6 pm. 821 Traction Ave. #108, Downtown Los Angeles. Cost: $30 donation. RSVP required at maryam@vanishingbees.com.

Enjoy honey from around the world, organic eats, gift raffles, live performances, and clips from the upcoming documentary “The Vanishing of the Bees” (view trailer) while helping to support its release. With two years in the making across America and Europe, the film explores why bees are dying out, the consequences of their disappearance, and how they can be saved. Every dollar raised is doubled to help this film get off the ground.

Sustainable Sundays: Sustainable L.A., Sustainable World — Tues., Nov. 25, 7 pm. 1824 Old Ranch Rd., Los Angeles. Cost: $6. Space is limited to 40 people; RSVP to srnichols@mac.com.

Re-imagine the future of our planet with the local chapter of Bioneers: people who are “working with nature to heal nature and ourselves.” Guest speaker Jim Carter, an investment advisor, will discuss green investing and how as an environmentalist you can make money while being responsible. Arrive as close to 7 pm as possible to get the eating underway; bring a potluck snack or beverage, and only bring food in reusable containers for a zero-waste event!

Visit GoToGreenLA for more green events happening around town.

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Ecco Ultra Lounge has been throwing parties and fundraisers for a few months now, but last night Hollywood’s first eco-friendly nightclub finally officially opened its door to the public — after a private reception sponsored by 360 Vodka.

The club caters to a Prius preening crowd — who can get free valet for driving a hybrid. That said, most of the eco-aspects of the swanky club — eco-friendly cement, paperless drywall, low VOC paints, FSC-certified wood — are invisible to the naked eye, while the velvet rope, actor-waitresses in very mini LBDs plus well-heeled boots, and high priced menu plus efficient table service are not — so the eco-club looks and feels much like other high-end Hollywood clubs.

An organic menu features everything from a locally-grown bean salad to organic Lucid absinthe, but at the reception, all the appetizers were fried and heavy (egg rolls, shrimp tempura, etc.) and everyone was drinking 360 Vodka cocktails, which had the benefit of being free while other drinks were not.

A few drinks later, the smallish dance floor got crowded with partygoers dancing to the music from an energy-efficient Turbosound system beneath flashing, energy-efficient LED lights.

The least eco aspect of the evening? FIJI bottled water, which is automatically handed to you when you ask for water. I’d like Ecco to take back the tap, even if that means losing FIJI’s sponsorship –

For less craptastic pictures, see Elise Thompson’s post in LAist. Her review of Ecco’s much more dour, possibly because the event she went to featured neither free food nor vodka.

Ecco Ultra Lounge. 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles. 323.464.2065.

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Last week, I talked about the environmental and economical benefits of shopping local for the holidays on NPR. So today, I’m actually taking things to the local level by compiling the big local shopping events Angelenos can take advantage of in the next couple weeks!

First, don’t forget about L.A. eco-fashion boutique Vie’s 30% off sale and the Garment Worker Center’s Holiday Fair Trade Sale, both happening tonight (Thurs., Dec.5)! Then, we’ve got:

Local World’s Fair. Put together by GOOD, Etsy, Homegrown, LA Commons and SlowFood, this shopping event promises “to present an alternative to the fast and anonymous shopping we’ve all come to expect during the holiday season.”

The free event will showcase L.A. designers and artisans alongside their handmade gifts, “ranging from toys to ties” — as well as yummy local food (ice cream, lemonade, Korean teas, etc.), workshops (although the tamale-making and tea-tasting workshops appear to already be full), and live music from L.A.-area bands I’d never heard of — until now.

When: Sat., Dec. 6 - Sun., Dec. 7, 11 am - 5 pm both days
Where: GOOD Worldwide, 6824 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles
Cost: FREE! No RSVP required, except for special workshops, which are already full

Local World’s Fair’s part of a 2-week series of events GOOD is putting on, creatively titled the “GOOD December event series.” Check out the website for details on all the salons, screenings, installations, and other fun events.
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Just Holiday Marketplace. Put together by the activist education center Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, this event will create a self-described “indoor independent ANTI-mall” for L.A. indie-designed and handmade goods, from jewelry to gourmet baked goods to home decor.

Shoppers will also be treated to live music (again, haven’t heard of the bands. Maybe I should pay more attention to the local music scene), food, a bookstore featuring author readings — and a ceramics-painting table for kids.

When: Sat., Dec. 6, 11 am - 5 pm
Where: SAJE, 152 W. 32nd St., Los Angeles, CA 90007
Cost: FREE!
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Unique Los Angeles. This two-day shopping event brings together 200 local indie designers (about 20 of them eco) selling everything from clothes to artwork to plush toys. Plus, shoppers will be able to screenprint their own stuff, make their own gift tags and cards at the Etsy DIY lab, enjoy gourmet treats — and even beer at the LA Weekly lounge.

When: Sat., Dec. 13 - Sun., Dec. 14, 11 am – 7 pm both days
Where: California Market Center (Penthouse), 110 E. 9th St., Los Angeles
Cost: $5 admission — half of which goes to Create Now, a local arts-based charity for high-risk youth. Free for children 10 and under.
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2nd Annual Eco Gift Festival. This event has much less of a local focus than the other 3 events, though many local vendors have signed up to be part of Eco Gift Festival. Drop by for live entertainment, speakers, an organic food court and eco gift-wrapping and shipping.

When: Fri., Dec. 12 - Sun., Dec. 14
Where: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main St. Santa Monica
Cost: $10 per day, $20 for a weekend pass. Free for children under 12 and seniors over 65.

Remember: Local shopping gets a lot less greener if you drive by yourself to and from the event. Keep your holiday eco by walking or biking off the extra T-giving weight, giving the bus and rail some love, or at the v. least, finding a shopping buddy you can carpool with.

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Now that Obama’s emails asking for money seem to have finally stopped — Do you miss them? If you’ve somehow become addicted to sending $5 - $10 to a cause you support every week in exchange for stickers and T-shirts, here’s how you can get something back for your donations to help save the environment:

If you like to wear your enviro-activism on your sleeve, a couple eco-bracelets are competing for your dollars — by promising to donate the funds to StopGlobalWarming.org, the virtual march against global climate change.

First up: A Stop Global Warming bracelet from Roots. Made from 100% recycled scrap leather in Canada, this bracelet’s available in five different colors and costs $5 — all of which is donated to StopGlobalWarming.org.

If you’re vegan — or simply want a slimmer bracelet — there’s the I’m Tired of Global Warming bracelet. Made from recycled tires and metals, this bracelet costs $10 — $5 of which goes to StopGlobalWarming.org.

No, I don’t think I’ll buy either bracelet — because I feel the same way about didactic messages on my wrist as I do about didactic messages on my chest. Also, the bracelets seem slightly eco-fugly and crunchy to me. But that’s just my opinion….

I did send $5 to StopGlobalWarming.org back in April though, when I bought special edition eco-friendly Simple Shoes….

Give to Get’s a holiday series about eco-friendly goodies you can buy — or get for free by donating to eco-motivated nonprofits. Earlier: Picking an eco-gift bag and A Surf-inspired eco T-shirt with benefits

Update: I spoke too soon! Just got another Obama email, this time asking for $35 in exchange for an Obama calendar.

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Here’s something I might ask for as a DreamBank gift: Common Circle’s Hawaii Sustainability and Intentional Living trip.

Want to explore Hawaii — but hate the huge carbon footprint of conventional travel? Now you can sign up for a week-long bike tour of Hawaii, taking in the sights while noshing on vegan food and learning about eco-practices like composting and organic gardening. (via zaproot)

That trip comes courtesy of Common Circle, a Portland-based social change company that offers sustainable tours and experiences. Since the next Hawaii trip happens Dec 27, 2008 - Jan 3, 2009, you could kick off the new year with this eco-retreat of sorts, stopping by Red Road, Volcano National Park, tropical rain forests, and black sand beaches as well as taking part in service projects along the way.

In addition to the “Hawaii Sustainability and Intentional Living” trip, Common Circle offers two week-long trips in Oregon: “Oregon Permaculture and Green Building” and “Oregon Coast Sustainability Scenic Adventure.” Each trip costs $995 — not including airfare to your destination of choice.

Your flight will, of course, also considerably increase your carbon footprint. Beyond offering carbon offsets, Common Circle says that “in order to take five steps forward, it is sometimes necessary to take one step back.” The hope is that the eco-friendly bicycling and vegan eating lifestyle of the tour will translate to more eco-friendly living for the participants long after the trip.

Image via commoncircle.com

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>> How to befriend and exploit environmentalists. Plenty’s running a humorous series titled “Stuff Environmentalists Like“:

Since the human population is most responsible for the destruction of the planet, you might be wondering if it is appropriate to suggest that an environmentalist commit suicide as a gift to the earth. The answer is no, mostly because environmentalists have so much work to do before they die and are eventually composted.

Maybe instead of R.I.P., we can mark enviro tombstones with C.I.P. (compost in peace)

>> How to lug massive amounts of photography equipment around town, eco-style. “Where there’s a wheel there’s a way” says Russ Roca, L.A.’s bicycling photographer who lugs all his equipment on his bike and trailer. Honestly, it all looks pretty difficult, though inspiring –

>> How to make Kiva-like loans but earn interest on your money. My latest article for Whole Life Times is about MicroPlace, which lets you invest as little as $20 to get a one to three percent return on your investment — a better rate than offered by many savings accounts.

>> How to remember everything: Be born with a perfect memory, like this one woman was. “In addition to good memories, every angry word, every mistake, every disappointment, every shock and every moment of pain goes unforgotten. Time heals no wounds for [Jill] Price. ‘It’s like an endless, chaotic film that can completely overpower me. And there’s no stop button.’” (via ideas)

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A twice-weekly sharing of eco-shwag.

One lucky winner will get an organic sweet dreams pillow from Brittanie’s Thyme, whose organic products I reviewed here.

Designed to be tucked into your pillow, this small pillow’s stuffed with organic lavender and organic lavender essential oil.

Comment or email by Friday to get into the drawing, which’ll happen Saturday (more info on freebies here).

Image courtesy of brittaniesthyme.com

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Thursday’s like eco-fashion day in L.A. First, the e-boutique Green With Glamour ’s throwing a one-day holiday shopping event — with 30% off everything!

When:Thurs., Dec. 4, 7 pm - 11 pm
Where: Photographer’s Gallery, 145A N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles
Cost: Free, but RSVP’s required to rsvp@greenwithglamour.com

Not only will everything — women’s and men’s fashion, furnishings and gifts — be 30% off, but 5% of your purchase price’ll also be donated to a charity of your choice. Plus there’ll be wine, vegan sweets from Sweet Debbie’s Organic Cupcakes, and GWG gift bags to entice shoppers to part with their cash.

Not to be outdone, eco-boutique Vie’s throwing its own 30% off EVERYTHING sale party, with the promise of wine and refreshments.

When: Thurs., Dec. 4, 6 pm - 9 pm.
Where: 8032 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles
Cost: Free!

Support this local store, which always sends 1% of every purchase to socio-eco organizations. Vie’s event’s part of the West Third Street Business Association’s Hollywood Street Party — which means that both Romp (eco-leather boutique at 7928 W. Third St.) and Avita Co-op (eco-fashion co-op at 8213 W. Third St.) will likely be partying it up too. Get ready for a night of eco-boutique-hopping –

Sadly, these events conflict not just with each other, but also with the Garment Worker Center’s Holiday Fair Trade Sale, Holiday Gloss and West Side Green Drinks. I shall be at one of these five events come Thursday. Where will you be?

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So I know the economic downturn’s technically a bad thing, but damn — eco-fashions are suddenly becoming super affordable! The downside, of course, is that no one has money to buy anything — but if you do, this is the time to invest in the key eco-fashion pieces you need. Let me make my point with that closet staple: the eco LBD.

The Lauren Dress . $25.50 at Modify.
This organic cotton dress is already on sale for $30, but you can get it for $25.50 by using this coupon code: SAVINGS. That code gives you 15% any item site wide.

The Doie Lodgepole Dress. $78 at Nimli.
This bamboo jersey dress was once $98, but NIMLI’s kicked $20 off the sticker price. (note: many items on this site aren’t eco-friendly)

The Mandy Dress. $79.20 at BTC Elements.
This U.S.-made organic cotton and bamboo dress is on sale for $99 — but can be yours for $79.20 if you use this coupon code: GreenLA. The coupon’s good for 20% off all items site-wide.

The Anna Cohen Soy Dress. $70.25 at Green With Glamour.
Once upon a time, this dress cost $281. Now, it’s yours for a lot less.

And it doesn’t stop there. We’ve got not just one, but TWO eco-fashion sale events happening in L.A. on Thursday — and BOTH events are offering 30% off deals! All the info’ll be in the next post –

Images via Modify, Nimli, BTC Elements, and GWG

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