This past week we took a family vacation to LA touring Universal and Warner Brothers studios, Malibu, Long Beach aquarium and whale watching, Legoland, and more. We visited friends in Koreatown and Burbank. Lingering effects from severe drought that ended last winter are still very evident. Burnt brush from an 18-acre fire in Burbank only six weeks ago is still very dramatic and fortunately no homes were lost but there was a lot of smoke.

Hollywood and Beverley Hills are well known style and fashion trend setters with the envy of the world watching so sustainable development actions taken here could catch on. Very noticeable and surprising are the variety of ways people are making sustainable actions including:

· Planting a fruit and vegetable garden in their front yard

· Replacing dead lawns with artificial grass

· Using recycled water for large areas including parks and universities

· Active solar collection

· Charging stations for electric cars

· Environmental education programs

For photo examples of these sustainable developments, see the picture gallery.