Interested in learning more about the Green movement and how it’s coming along here in America? Look no further than the Green Festival, which will be making it’s way to the Los Angeles Metro area here very soon. Slated for later this month, this huge expo boasts dozens upon dozens of interesting events that will teach you all about the latest in environmentally friendly industries, jobs, activities and more.

This major event will be taking place on Saturday, October 29th and Sunday, October 30th and anyone can attend. What’s so great is there’s things to do for every kind of interest at the Green Festival, so many that it’s pretty much impossible to see it all. There will be authors and speakers, events for kids, live music, vegetarian cuisine, organic beer & wine, and plenty of other cool things to do and see. There’s so much to learn, and you’ll get lots of great insight into making our world a greener, more environmentally-friendly place.

Besides being a lot of fun, tickets for the Green Festival are actually quite affordable at just $10 a person. With such a low cost, you really don’t have much of a reason not to go, so get a ticket and enjoy the Green Festival in Los Angeles.

Photo Courtesy: stock.xchng

California is leading the way for the nation when it comes to electric cars. And Anaheim is one city that embraces these green car alternatives.

The Orange County Auto Show for 2010 is over; it lasted from Oct. 7 through Oct. 10 in Anaheim. At The Crossing Anaheim, we’re a green living community, so our residents will be glad to know that attendees at the auto show had the opportunity to test drive the new all-electric Nissan Leaf. Those who did drive it were among the first people in the country to do so.

According to an article by NPR, the Leaf (seen in the picture on the left) will cost $20,000 in California after state and federal tax credits.

In a related issue, hybrid car owners have enjoyed riding solo in the carpool lane here in California. This benefit may be coming to an end, though. The stickers will expire Jan. 1, 2011. A renewal of the program is not definite.

Also seen at the auto show this year, the Chevrolet Volt is a new kind of hybrid. It is part electric, but it also can run on gas. This way it makes it easier to use since not many charging stations are available yet.

California has a goal to have 7,500 all-electric and 25,000 plug-in hybrid cars on its roads by 2014, rising to 60,000 electrics and 85,000 plug-in hybrids by 2017, the Wall Street Journal reports. At our apartments, we offer preferred parking for fuel efficient vehicles. Do you own one, or will you in the near future?

Photo Credit: Tennen-Gas

At The Crossing – Anaheim, we support green living and encourage our residents to lead environmentally conscious lives, so we’re glad to report that nearby L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa seems to be starting a major energy revolution.

Solar panels are one source of renewable energy.

Since 2007, he’s been trying to stop coal consumption in Los Angeles. Going further, he’s also converted the city’s street and traffic lights to LED lights, distributed compact fluorescent bulbs, and educated residents about solar panels.

The reason these renewable energy initiatives are so important is because important people across the nation are watching. If his goals are successful, this could fuel a nationwide reform!

Our own Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle has also been working towards some initiatives that would be of interest to us as a green living community.

• Pringle is the chair of The California High-Speed Rail Authority, which hired a new person in hopes of making the dream of a high-speed rail line from Anaheim to San Francisco become a reality.
• Our city partnered with iCel Systems, which use renewable energy and solar panels.

Do you know of any other green programs or projects underway in Anaheim?

Photo Credit: Chandra Marsono

Recycling is one thing we value as an apartment community.

By using recycled paper such as toilet paper or paper towels it saves up to 40 percent of energy when it’ s made from pre-existing materials.

If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber toilet paper (500 sheets) with 100 percent recycled ones, we could save 423,900 trees, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

At The Crossing Anaheim, our carpet is made of 100 percent post-recycled content (recycled plastic bottles).

Have you made changes to incorporate recycling into your everyday routine? Please tell us on Facebook, so we can all learn together and become one of the best environmentally friendly apartments.

Photo Credit: creativezazz