LOCAL
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PALM SPRINGS GREEN SCENE
information for the transition to a green, sustainable, post-carbon future

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Did you know that it takes 26 liters of water to produce a one-liter plastic water bottle and that doing so pollutes 25 liters of groundwater? Instead of using bottled water choose a refillable stainless steel or aluminum water bottle to conserve energy and help keep our groundwater clean.
A tip from
www.thedailygreen.com







Water task force fabulous
drought tolerant lanscaping resources!

drought resistant landscaping
Click above for gallery, design ideas, nurseries & guide.






































































































"The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology recently concluded that a massive shift of support to small-scale farmers using a diverse range of agro-ecological methods would be an efficient way to build resilience, inoculate against food crises, and insure against increasingly hostile weather patterns."
~Andrew Simms


A listing of local resources such as groups, associations, clubs, people, businesses and agencies, promoting, informing, or involved in issues relating to green living, sustainability, conservation, renewable energies, re-localization, eco-tourism, traditions, etc.

Gov
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City of Palm Springs
"The Palm Springs Path to Sustainability"
May 2008 memo of Palm Springs Mayor, Steve Pougnet
- Sustainability
- Office of Neighborhood Involvement (PSNIC)
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Sustainability Commission
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Parks and Recreation
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Palm Springs Community TV

Riverside County Waste Management Dept.
- Composting Program
- 2009 backyard composting workshop schedule

The Agua Caliente Tribe Of Cahuilla Indians
Home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the historic Palm Springs-based tribe with more than 400 members and a community base that includes families, businesses and civic organizations. As a Sovereign Tribal Government, the Tribe stewards more than 31,500 acres of ancestral land which includes cities, county and protected Bighorn sheep habitat.


Agencies
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Palm Springs Disposal Service - PSDS
Launced a new single stream recycle program, providing educational outreach about recycling, and adding Clean air vehicles to their fleet.

Bureau of Land Management
Programs, resources, information

Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce


Water
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Desert Water Agency
Water, recycled water, sewer services, conservation, wells, engineering, resources and information.
DWA's Solar Energy Plant live solar tracking system!

The Riverside County Water Task Force
was formed to address critical water availability issues. California as a whole must make significant steps to reduce water consumption primarily in the arena of outdoor landscape (70% of our total water usage !) .


Coachella Valley Water District-Conservation
Lush & Efficient Landscape Gardening in the Coachella Valley, good guide to download

Cathedral City's Xeriscape brochure :
The Seven Principles of Xeriscape
A good pdf file to download at the bottom of the page. "Many people confuse ZERO-scape with Xeriscape. ZERO-scape is what most people have in mind when you describe an area that has low water use. This can mean an area that is covered with gravel, one tree and possibly a boulder. Xeriscape, on the other hand, refers to seven horticultural principles which help to ensure that landscapes, wherever they are located, reflect a sensitivity to the local environment and its climate."

California Integrated Waste Management - Xeriscape
additional water efficient landscaping resources


Energy
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American Solar Energy Society
A major nonprofit dedicated to increasing the use of solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies in the U.S.

Find a local installer here


Mobility
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Coachella Valley Community Trails Alliance
Sharing the vision of a non-motorized urban trail network throughout the Coachella Valley. From Palm Springs to the Salton Sea... Car free ! Get the new Urban Trails & Bikeways map online.

Sunline Transit Agency
As the nation’s first transit property to convert 100% of its fleet overnight from diesel to natural gas, SunLine Transit is in a league of its own. Its vehicles travel more than 21 million passenger miles per year, covering over 556 bus stops located throughout a 1,120 mile-service area. Curb-to-curb paratransit for the mobility impaired, Bike & Bus, and Sundial programs. Regularly expanding its lines and routes, and alternate fuel systems.

Bike Palm Springs Rentals & Tours

Coachella Valley Hiking Club


Desert Trails Hiking Club

Tour de Palm Spring
An annual "tour de force" charity event on wheels!

SmokeTree Stables
Palm Springs on Horseback (article)

The Desert Sun - Hiking Information


Desert green
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The Indian Canyons

Taquitz Canyon

Moorten Botanical Gardens
The Moorten Botanical Gardens now boasts 3,000 examples of desert cacti and other desert plants grouped by geographic regions.

The Living Desert
Zoo and endangered species conservation center, botanical gardens, natural history museum, wilderness park, nature preserve, and education center.

The Desert Horticultural Society
Local professionals and residents from a variety of
backgrounds, united in our interest to encourage and promote what many call ‘desert landscaping’ in the Coachella Valley.


Desert culture
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Preserve America Community
Palm Springs

Recognizing communities that protect and celebrate their heritage, use historic assets for economic development and community revitalization, and encourage people to appreciate local historic resources.

Coachella Valley Green

Your gateway to the people, businesses and places that are green and sustainable here in the Coachella Valley and beyond.

The desertECOLUTION Green Networking Group
Meet other local people who are interested in making their homes environmentally friendly, the environment, alternative energy, New Urbanism and Sustainable development. The desertECOLUTION Green Mixer occurs on the first Tuesday of every month at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. Join guest speakers, green professionals and community members interested in making a difference at this monthly networking mixer. Meetup group info HERE

Palm Springs Life

- How Green is Our Valley (Oct. 2008 article)
- Your Guide to Eco Living (March 2007 article)
- Not Just Modern - Ecomodern (Oct. 2006 article)
- Mark Nicols Modern Interiors (Oct. 2006 article)
- A Trail of Discovery
(Sept. 2006 article)

Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
Inspires people to learn about the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and other Native cultures. We keep the spirit alive through exhibitions, collections, research, and educational programs.


Conservation
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Friends of the Palm Springs Mountains
To preserve and protect the habitat, scenic vistas, historical and cultural resources, and recreational values of the mountains, alluvial fans and canyons of Palm Springs for the enduring benefit of people and wildlife.

Friends of the Desert Mountains

Was formed by concerned citizens of the community dedicated to protecting the magnificent mountains, scenic vistas, recreation trails and natural open spaces in the Coachella Valley and the surrounding mountains.

The Wildlands Conservancy
Has preserved more land in California with private funds than any other conservation organization. Whitewater Preserve is 2,851 acres surrounded by the Bureau of Land Management San Gorgonio Wilderness and is part of the Conservancy’s 33,000-acre Sand to Snow Preserve System.

The Bighorn Institute
Dedicated to the conservation of the world's wild sheep through research and education.

CREEC Network : Coachella Valley
The California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network is an educational project whose mission is to develop a communication network which provides educators with access to "high quality" environmental education resources to enhance the environmental literacy of California Students.

The SummerTree Institute
is a non-profit corporation, organized to provide new and refreshing viewpoints toward our environment, our place in it, and our responsibility to it. The Institute's principal programs are tied to our objective of connecting people with our long and rich heritage from the land and the sea and Making Environmental Education Irresistible.

Natural Science Collaborative
Here you can learn about nature related events and activities for people of all ages in and around the greater Coachella Valley. The Members of the Natural Science Collaborative are dedicated to promoting and implementing natural science and environmental literacy, conservation and appreciation of our beautiful desert.

Coachella Valley Coalition
Stop LADWP Green Path North power lines. Green energy means green transmission too!


Food
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Valley Certified Farmers' Markets
Discover the freshest and best locally grown produce every Saturday in Palm Springs, every Sunday in Old Town La Quinta, and now, every Wednesday in Palm Desert.

Slow Food - Desert Cities

An eco-gastronomic member-supported organization founded to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

Local reataurants or cafes offering organic and/or vegetarian, vegan, etc. fare

Native Foods
Nature's Cafe
Palm Greens Cafe
Cafe Jasmin
Luscious Lorraine's


Local Sustainable Farms
within a 100 mile radius of PS

Earthwise Organic Farms
Jaime Farms

Sage Mountain Farm
De Luz Farm and Nursery
Flying Disc Ranch
Pato's Dream Date Gardens
Take Heart Farm
Wingshadows Hacienda
Machado Farms
Green Garden Growers Source

Inland Orange Conservancy
(Community Supported Agriculture)
Inland Empire CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)


Earthling Organics
Raw granola bars, which come in flavors like Goji (berry), Original Almond, and Masala Chai unbaked and dried at a low temperature. The result is a crunchy and tasty treat with yummy ingredients.

Nuturing
body/heart/spirit

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Desert Naturopathic Medicine

Urban Yoga Center

Desert Healing Arts
The premiere Holistic Chamber of commerce in the desert. Our goal is to assist people who are ready to expand their unlimited possibilities while increasing their commitment to positive social change.


Businesses
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Crystal Fantasy
Gifts of nature, fantasy and spirit, has served the desert communities since 1987.

Jared's Nest - Eco Consulting
A Certified Green Consultant, provides Eco Consulting service to homeowners, businesses and non-profit organization in the Coachella Valley area. Residential or workplace green audits green audits designed to identify unneeded energy and water use, and to recommend simple, low-cost steps to save on energy water bills. Jared's Nest also offers green lifestyle audits.

Desert Garden Center
A professional landscape design agency emphasizing the use of desert and desert-adapted plant materials in the local environment. In addition to providing landscape design services, we offer consultations on plant selection and in creating maintenance programs for your garden.

Digs - design inspired garden spaces
We specialize in creating unique outdoor living spaces that are hip, modern and organic. We carry environmentally friendly products and espouse green living. From our creative seating to fountains, accessories, lamps, artwork and more, make us your first stop for outdoor living.

Pacific Union Real Estate
A real estate office in Palm Springs dedicated to recycling our paper from office use as noted by the huge recycle bin in our parking lot. Our manager/partner, Karen Joy Tabbah serves on the City Sustainability Commission and has us all thinking and living green.

Palm Springs Cyclery
And check out the calendar of events & weekly rides.

myFootprint.com
We are a local online store and specialize in finding the most sustainable and innovative lifestyle and remodeling products, rating their overall footprint, and offering them with competitive pricing. myFootprint™ was developed from a vision of "changing the way you shop" by incorporating an easy-to-understand footprint analysis which shows the TRUE impact of proclaimed "green" products. Eliminating the epidemic of "green washing" is what we are all about.

Earthling Organics (see Food)




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EAT LOCAL!

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ENERGY!

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LOCAL RESILIENCE!

 

"Local people need to own local resources to ensure the sustainability of the community."
~Naresh Giangrande

"You cannot have one sustainable business in isolation. Sustainability is about being a part of a whole sustainable system."
~Judy Wicks



































































The Indian Canyons



































The Cahuilla Bird Songs










Voices of the Canyons
























"Today's problems cannot be solved if we still think the way we thought when we created them."
~Albert Einstein

 

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