Environmentalists give a group hug to the historic 80 foot-tall land marked Moreton Bay Fig Tree at The Fairmont Hotel during Alliance for Survival Peace and Environmental Group's 4rth annual 'Tree-Hugging Day' on Monday, March 19, 2012. The tree hugging day was in celebration of the spring equinox when day and night are equal, poised and balanced, but about to tip over on the side of light.

Children “fish” during California's fourth annual Underwater Parks Day at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium on Saturday, January 21, 2012. Underwater Parks Day is a day to celebrate the work California has done to protect some of the best  areas of our coast through the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) and celebrate our great fortune at living in such a unique and beautiful place.

Santa Monica High School students explore the touch tank at the  Santa Monica Pier Aquarium during Benjamin Kay's Marine Biology field trip on Friday, January 6, 2012.

A Toyota Prius tries to jump-starts another Toyota Prius at Bay Street. (Thursday, December 15, 2011)

Going, Going, Gone. - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz

Tree trimmers from West Coast Arborists, cuts down a healthy 70 foot tall Mexican Fan Palm at 2101 Ocean Avenue on Thursday, December 8, 2011.The tree was impeding on a driveway and made it difficult for the tenant to drive into their garage. After investigation by the city, they could not determine which was there first, the palm tree or the garage. For safety reasons, the city decided to cut down the 60 year old tree.

First grade students from KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Raíces Academy pick up trash at Santa Monica Beach on Wednesday, December 7, 2011.

Santa Monica College President Dr. Chui L. Tsang (left) and Santa Monica City Manager Rod Gould plant parsley during the Organic Learning Garden grand opening ceremony at Santa Monica College on Tuesday, October 25, 2011.

With about 1,200 square feet of growing space, the garden’s centerpiece features a fenced-in area with ground-level beds and wooden and concrete planting boxes, storage shed, outdoor sink and benches. Also inside the iron fence is an underground cistern that captures rain runoff from the Art Complex, as well as a pump for that water. The gate is open during daylight hours.

Surrounding the fenced area is a combination of grass and landscaped areas with two sundials, one of them interactive, designed by astronomy professor Gary Fouts; stone water fountain; benches; and a trellis with Canadice grapevines

Winter crops such as beets and lettuce, bok choy and fava beans, carrots and kale, and much more have been planted.

About a dozen groups of students and employees have each claimed a stake to a patch of dirt and are busy planting fresh and healthy food. Eventually, the growers will be able to eat the fruits of their labor or donate the produce to a food bank.

The garden – which had been a seedling lying dormant for years in the hearts and minds of many SMC students and employees – is now the center of busy planting and learning.

“This is a dream come true at last,” said English professor Dana Morgan, who worked with students to spearhead the project.

Completed on time and on budget, the new garden, located on a triangular piece of property, was finished just before the school year began.

“The Organic Learning Garden is a great example of how greening the curriculum can take theory into practice and build community while teaching students about sustainability,” said SMC Director of Sustainability Genevieve Bertone.

Students and employees have been given plots – on the ground or in planters – and are tending to their seedlings. The groups include Club Grow, Associated Students, Disabled Students Center, English and biology classes, and the Management Association. The Modern Languages Department and Organic Arts (made up of arts majors) will be joining the garden this month.

“What is really great is we see a garden community being established on our campus. All these people are collaborating to learn from each other and produce healthy food,” Morgan said.  “We have people with no experience and some who have been gardening for years. This diversity is one of our goals.”

The $225,000 project – designed by the Los Angeles landscape design firm Meléndrez and constructed by South Bay Landscaping, is funded by Measures U and S, bond measures approved by Santa Monica-Malibu voters. The idea for the project originated with the Associated Students, which wanted a garden to showcase sustainable farming methods, and was also passionately supported by many employees. Morgan and Greg Brown, director of facilities planning, were the primary leaders on the project and were named “EcoHeroes” last spring for their work on it.

Morgan said that aside from the Associated Students, the SMC Environmental Affairs Committee, Center for Environment and Urban Studies, and Board of Trustees were also active in the process.

“Through the activity of planting seeds, harvesting, watering, weeding, digging, and saving seeds,” Morgan said, “we connect with farmers who supply our produce today, and with our ancestors who farmed for generations.”

For information, call the SMC Center for Urban and Environmental Studies at (310) 434-3909.

Plug In Day Parade - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz

Some 200 Electric vehicles  drive on Main Street during the National Plug In Day Parade on Sunday, October 16, 2011.

New and legacy plug-in vehicles by GM, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, SMART, Ford, Tesla, Coda and others participated in the flagship parade through downtown Santa Monica.

“Only a few years ago, major automakers were literally crushing electric cars. Today, virtually every auto company in the world is selling or developing a plug-in car, and consumers are snapping up each and every one, stimulating our economy while helping the environment. You’ll see hundreds of these vehicles in National Plug In Day activities. And remember: EVs are powered by domestic electricity, so every cent we spend to run them stays in America,” says Plug In America co-founder and Sierra Club member Paul Scott.

Plug In America is leading the nation’s plug-in vehicle movement. The nonprofit organization works to accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce our nation’s dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment. We drive electric. You can, too. www.pluginamerica.org.

The country’s largest-ever plug-in parade was organized by Plug In America.