I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Editor's Note: In this five-part "Wish List" series, Hermosa Beach Patch columnists share their picks for the season's ultimate presents, from music to beach gear to green gifts, and much more.

While it has been a dismal year for our world’s climate with carbon dioxide hitting record highs and the rapid acceleration of global warming, here in the South Bay our local green scene made extraordinary positive leaps forward. 

The passage of the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan and the Vitality City Livability Plan, the and Hermosa Beach’s new give us a much-improved environment to look forward to. 

It just goes to prove that some green wishes do come true, and with that in mind I offer my 2011 Green Santa wish list and hope that old Kris Kringle finds me on his "nice" list this year. 

• No more AES power plant: It’s now time to eliminate this dirty relic of the past and not replace it with another major polluting, greenhouse gas-spewing model. The risks far outweigh the rewards of even a smaller, cleaner fossil fuel burning plant, even when you factor in its use as a renewable energy bridge. We are already over the tipping point when it comes to CO2 in our atmosphere and the health impacts of the plant’s emissions are obscene. The costs of rezoning this land are worth it and it’s the best green gift we can give our local community.
• Global warming kit: Since there’s still too much ignorance about the reality of what’s currently happening to our climate from the burning of fossil fuels, I’d like this experiment kit that shows everyone 10 years old and up how human activity influences the climate and the potential consequences of global warming on humans, ecosystems, and the world’s economies.
• Learning thermostat: It’s been called the iPod of thermostats and it makes regulating your home’s temperature a no-brainer with no programming by you or constantly changing the temperature. The Nest Learning Thermostat programs itself in a week to keep you comfortable and most importantly, save you from wasting energy and money.
• Mobile raised bed planter (made from recycled plastic): Growing your own fruits and vegetables has both health and environmental benefits, not to mention superior taste advantages. This easy-to-use planter is on wheels so you can move it to wherever the sun is shining on your property and it’s made right here in L.A. County of 100-percent post-consumer recycled food grade HDPE from what were once milk jugs.
• Eneloop rechargeable batteries: I can’t tell you how many products I have in my house that use batteries, especially AA size batteries. I’ve been using rechargeables for many years, but I’ve never really been happy with their staying power—until I discovered Eneloop rechargeables. They’re incredible and I want more of them. They hold 75 percent of their charge for three years and you can recharge them 1,500 times. They come precharged by solar power and are ready to use right out of the package.
• Revolights bike lights: I haven’t been riding my bike after dark because I don’t have front and rear lights as the law requires. And even with traditional lights I worry about distracted car drivers seeing me as well as my ability to see on dark streets. All of those worries go away with the revolutionary new Revolights that make you impossible to miss on your bike and really light up the road in front of you when you ride.
• LED light bulbs: I’d like to replace every single light bulb inside and outside of my home and studio with LEDs and now I can with the advances made in the bulbs available. From lamps to overhead to outdoor flood lights there’s an LED bulb available, including dimmable that will last a decade or more and use only a fraction of the energy.
• LED roadside flares: In an accident or road emergency the last thing you want to worry about are the fire and environmental risks of using traditional perchlorate burning flares. A much better, safer and more effective alternative are LED roadside flares, which are more durable, reusable and programmable. Even running over them with a truck won’t damage them.
• Hand-powered electric shaver: It’s not easy being green when it comes to shaving. Plastic disposable razors can’t be recycled and neither can the blades of any multi- or single-cartridge blade shavers. Double edge safety razor blades can be recycled, but not easily. Rechargeable shavers use electricity—unless you use this hand-powered version that lets you hand crank your own power. It’ll work during power failures and when you’re off the grid too.
• Hand-powered paper shredder: Every single electric-powered paper shredder I’ve ever owned has broken down, been louder than a leaf blower and used too much energy. But I’ll supply my own muscle-powered energy with this hand-powered paper shredder, and as an added bonus there’s no noise pollution either.

Coming up next in the "Wish List" series: Patch's wave rider Tori MacLennan reveals her holiday selections of surfboards, wetsuits and apparel.

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