The Lorax -- not just for kids

If you haven't seen The Lorax movie...you should. It is not just for kids. The message is too important to be missed..."Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing's going to get better. It's not."

OC's Green Scene

Check out weekly eco-friendly activities in Orange County on my new blog, "Green Scene" with Sharael Kolberg.

Eco-Friendly Ornaments

Looking for a fun holiday project to do with the kids...or a unique gift to buy for friends? 


Check out these eco-friendly ornaments that you can make or purchase:


Make Your Own:

• Frosty
• Care2
• EcoBites
• FeelGood Style

No Time, Just Buy It (made from recycled items):

• The Living Christmas
• Crate & Barrel
• Fair Trade Gifts
• Eco-Artware
• Re-Nest

Or, if you live in coastal Orange County, wander the beach in search of driftwood to make a piece of art as a gift (be sure to check with park rangers). There are some fun project ideas on ehow.

Transition Laguna Hosts TOW Garden Install & Tour

Local sustainability group Transition Laguna Beach has planted more than a dozen gardens in the Oak Street neighborhood and is now moving on to sow seeds in the Top of the World area, as well as touring several gardens currently planted there.

Top of the World Garden Tour: 

 WHEN: Saturday, October 15, 9:00 a.m.

WHERE: 3137 Bonn Dr.

There will be a simultaneous garden installation with explanation of the garden plan. Potluck to follow.

Garden Installs typically take place every third Saturday of the month. A group of 20 or so members converge upon a yard and install during the course of the morning where a garden’s been requested. Gardens vary from planting in containers on someone's deck or rooftop, to replacing whole lawns with a vegetable garden. This volunteer opportunity is a fun, social way for gardeners and growers to meet neighbors while 'paying it forward” toward their own garden install.

Contact Linda Lewis Elbert (949-280-6379) if you live in TOW and are interested in having a garden installed, or transitionlagunabeach@gmail.com, if you live in another neighborhood of Laguna Beach and are interested in the program, or any of our other events and activities.

Enhanced Disneyland CREATE Grants Available for OC Schools

By Betsy Sanchez, Disneyland Resort

ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 19, 2011 – Disneyland Resort today began accepting applications from kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers in all Orange County school districts for its enhanced Disneyland CREATE (Creative Resources Enabling Arts through Education) Grants program.

Formerly known as Disneyland Resort Enabling Grants, the CREATE program provides classroom teachers with needed funds for projects, programs and materials that directly support student involvement in the visual and performing arts.

Applications are being accepted through Nov. 4 and can be accessed by visiting www.disneyland.com/publicaffairs. The grants, up to $600 for teachers in Orange County and up to $750 for those in Anaheim, will be named by Dec. 1. To date, through its grants programs the Disneyland Resort has contributed more than $1.5 million to arts education. 

"Over the years, Disneyland grants have helped our students develop the capacity to create, perform, and respond with understanding, critical judgment, and appreciation for the arts,” said Phil R. Mortensen, visual and performing arts coordinator for Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District. “We, as teachers and administrators, applaud Disneyland's support and acknowledge that arts' learning has been greatly enhanced through this program.”

An additional $50,000 in funding has been added this year, bringing the total amount available to $125,000. The program also has expanded to all Orange County school districts, a first since the program’s inception in 1994.

Also new this year is the involvement of DonorsChoose.org to facilitate the program. The non-profit organization engages in charitable fundraising and disbursement of monies to public schools. DonorsChoose.org streamlines the granting process by coordinating all aspects of selected requests. This ensures teachers can begin executing their projects immediately.

Source: Disneyland Resort

Located on approximately 500 acres in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney California Adventure park – plus the Downtown Disney District composed of unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort’s three hotels are the 948-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the 969-room Disneyland Hotel and the 481-room Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. With 21,000 Cast Members, the Disneyland Resort is Orange County’s largest employer and generates $4.7 billion for the Southern California economy. The Resort has welcomed more than 600 million guests since opening on July 17, 1955. For detailed information about the Disneyland Resort, please visit www.disneyland.com.

Outdoor Luxury at the Westin Monache, Mammoth

Experience the splendor of the wilderness at the only four-diamond resort in Mammoth Lakes, CA. The Westin Monarch Resort, Mammoth, a Starwood Hotel, offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a vacation that takes advantage of the endless outdoor activities nearby and to also slow down and relax in comfort. Read full review...

Al Fresco Dining Beachside at The Deck

A hot new spot for Laguna Beach locals and visitors is The Deck. The open-air bar and restaurant is located steps away from the beach at the Pacific Edge Hotel, a Joie de Vivre Hotel. What was once a deck reserved for weddings and private events has been transformed into a popular eatery for those wanting an ocean view and tasty California cuisine. Whether you're looking to grab a romantic cocktail at sunset or take the family out for a casual meal, The Deck offers something for everyone. Read full article...

Children's Garden Workshops at OC Great Park

The Orange County Great Park will be offering the following FREE Children's Gardening Workshops:

June 12th – Three Sisters Gardening: A Native American Tradition

According to Native American legend, corn, beans, and squash (the food staples of many Native American cultures) are three inseparable sisters who only grow and thrive when planted together.  Come listen to the legend, absorb the wisdom, and get more connected to the history of our land by designing and starting your own Three Sisters Garden.

August 14th – Good Bugs, Bad Bugs:  Simple Things Kids Can Do To Help Encourage Beneficials and Discourage Destructive Pests In The Garden 

Come and learn about the difference between beneficial and destructive insects and others pest of the garden.  Then make an environmentally friendly snail trap or bird “scare” to take home with you.

September 11th – Stone Soup: The Power of Working Together

Find out about some amazingly tasty “cool season” vegetables that you can grow right here in your own backyard while participating in an interactive re-telling of the classic tale of community, cooperation, and friendship.  Then stay to make paper pots and plant seeds to start your very own Stone Soup Garden.

October 9th – My Pumpkin Is Having A Baby: The Amazing Lifecycle of Plants

Plants have a remarkable lifecycle.  Come and learn more about the parts of a plant and how they sprout, grow, flower, and reproduce.  Before you leave, plant a seed to take home with you and watch it germinate before your very eyes.

November 13th – A Bountiful Harvest:  Orange County Now and Then;  A History of Food and Agriculture In Our Local Community

Come and explore the fruits and vegetables that have been grown locally over the past 2000 years.  Learn what impact our food production has had on the people and landscape of Orange County, and make a seed tape of your favorite local crop to take home and plant in your yard or container. 

December 11th – Rain, Rain, Come Our Way: Where Our Water Comes From and Why It’s So Important To Protect

Water is a gardens most precious resource.  Without it there would be no yummy fruits and vegetables to eat.   Join us to better understand the importance of preserving the quantity and quality of our water, and learn simple ways that kids and adults alike can make a HUGE impact on the future of California’s food and water supplies.