11.25.2007 4:24 AM

EcoFest Planned for Los Angeles Dec. 8

A "Consumption-Lite" (And Green Car-Heavy) Event

I'd like to let you know about an eco fest we're presenting on Dec. 8 in Van Nuys, CA. It seems to jibe with Deborah Barrow's philosophy. All details on the website, www.renewablela.org., but here in brief:

"Renewable LA: The First Annual Solar Open House & Green Holiday Gift Fest" will offer roof-top tours of what So. Cal. Edison has confirmed as one of the San Fernando Valley's largest solar panel installations -- 100kWs of clean, renewable energy.

Fifteen nonprofit organizations (all confirmed) will form the core of the fest's "consumption-lite" holiday shopping: instead of buying something that'll end up in a landfill, event attendees will be able to donate to one of these organizations in a loved-one's name. The groups include Sierra Club, TreePeople, Global Green, Rainforest Action Network, American Lung Assn. of CA, Oceana, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Plug In America.

Attendees will have the rare opportunity to drive several fully electric or hybrid electric vehicles -- Toyota RAV4 EVs, ZENNs, a Plug-In Hybrid Conversion, a Vectrix Motorscooter, a Ford Ranger EV, an eBox by AC Propulsion and the motorized electric skateboard by Roth Motors. We'll have a VW Jetta running on 100 percent biodiesel, too.

We will have continuous screenings of "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and attend a talk by its director, Chris Paine, and main figure, former GM employee Chelsea Sexton. The film's no. 13 on Netflix's top 25 documentaries list, by the way. I'm one of many grassroots activists in the documentary.

Thank you!

- Zan

Find this article at: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/community-news/ecofest-la-47112711