Earth Day is Saturday, April 22 and part of the celebration means to live and consume a healthier, and a sustainable lifestyle.
The City of Santa Monica is committed to supporting sustainable, local and organic food through its own purchasing and by helping businesses make sustainable goods more accessible to locals.
This past week Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce recognized a group of sustainable businesses on Apr. 20 at their annual Sustainability Quality Awards.
Mayor Ted Winterer said, “Our community has been on the forefront of the sustainability movement for two decades.”
The Office of Sustainability and the Environment has made a sustainable food commitment to ensure the city eat organic, reduce conventional meat and dairy consumption, avoid processed foods, eat locally grown and reduce packaging and recycle food waste.
The provide information for consumers on sustainable choices. Officials encourage residents to eat organic foods, eat locally sourced foods, avoid processed foods, reduce meet/dairy consumption and reduce packaging when possible.
To encourage healthy eating, the city has a free cookbook available online and provides links to several online resources for environmentally sustainable cooking.
Several local eateries also offer Earth Day-friendly options.
The Santa Monica Farmers Market is committed to promoting healthy eating and sustainable agriculture in California. Providing fresh products for residents and businesses. The city has four different farmers markets every week.
Santa Monica Farmers Markets every Wednesday in Downtown on Arizona. From 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Santa Monica Farmers Market every Saturday in Downtown on Arizona and in the Pico neighborhood on Virginia Ave. Both go to 1 p.m.
Santa Monica Farmers Market every Sunday on Main St. from 9:30 – 1 p.m.
Bru’s Wiffle is a waffle joint on Wilshire. Everything served is made form scratch using nothing but fresh ingredients. They practice zero waste by composting food scraps, reusing empty cleaning chemical containers and recycling used cooking oil for SMMUSD buses. They have achieved Green Business Certification in 2011 and have won an SQA in excellence in stewardship in 2013.
Caffe Bellagio located on the 3rd St. Promenade is a Panini and gelato coffee house. Dishes are made at Locanda del Lago and then transported a block away by foot. Their breads are baked daily and used in conjunction with local ingredients and sustainable proteins.
M Street Kitchen on Main St. has always emphasized on organic and seasonal food. They serve up organic house blend coffees, and teas, and serve only the freshest ingredients in their modern American cooking.
Flower Child on 2nd St. continues to serve customers healthy food. The restaurant works with ranchers, famers, and stay in touch with every food supplier. They have all their organic produce raised by an environmental working group.
Pono Burger on Santa Monica Blvd. offers a fresh; never frozen organic beef from pasture raised, grass fed cows. In their burgers they only put organic ingredients from local farmer’s markets.
Ashland Hill on Main St. offers American New entrees. Using their seasonal kitchen and bar menus, they have been inspired by the local farmers, fishermen and artisan purveyors.
For more information on sustainable food policies, visit https://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Food/Introduction.aspx
marina@www.smdp.com
