A few years after Kelly LaPlante began practicing interior design, she decided to go green and started Organic Interior Design. “There are so many people who don’t realize how much there is to do that’s green—without having to sacrifice style,” says LaPlante, whose book, “Eco-Luxe: Sustainable Spaces of Extraordinary Individuals,” will be released this fall. LaPlante talked to us about her work and living green in L.A.

What is your favorite local green restaurant?

I really love Leaf. They make the best raw desserts, which means I can go there all the time without having to feel guilty.

Where do you shop for organic groceries?

I usually go to the farmer’s markets. There’s one really close to my office in Venice. If not, I go to Whole Foods or Wild Oats.

What are some of your favorite local green businesses?

EpoxyGreen is really great. Deborah, who runs it, is so passionate about green and pursues it, which I admire.

Is there a particular environmental non-profit you support?

Global Green—I do a lot for their benefits. I love Surfrider and Heal the Bay. Both are near and dear to my heart because you can see with your eyes what they are doing to make a difference. I think it’s important to support organizations on both the national and the local levels.

What’s your favorite thing about living in the city? Least favorite?

The close proximity to places in my neighborhood. I barely ever leave the West side—everything I need I can get here. At the same time, I dislike how spread out L.A. is. I’m originally from San Francisco, where you can go from neighborhood to neighborhood without driving through suburbs, but in L.A. you have to drive to get anywhere else.

What would you say is the city’s undiscovered or underrated jewel?

We have a connectedness to nature here that people completely forget about. In a matter of minutes, you can be anywhere. One time I went snowboarding in the morning and came home in time to watch the sunset on the beach.

Where do you like to take out-of-town visitors?

The Hollywood Bowl—I just love it. Most people who visit me want to hang out at the beach. Maybe I’ll take them hiking or on a bike ride.

What’s your favorite vacation destination?

I love going home. San Francisco is beautiful, and it doesn’t require a big effort to get there. My friend owns an apartment building there and keeps an apartment for me, so I feel like I’m still living there. But I also love going to Europe every several years.

What’s your favorite weekend outdoor activity?

Right now I’m into my beach cruiser. It’s pink, like a Barbie bike. I love going as far as I can go, all the way from Venice to the PCH.

If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?

A tree that grows outside my house, but I have no idea what it is. There are a couple weeks in the spring when it smells amazing. I look forward to it all year round. It smells like fresh corn tortillas—so sweet.

Describe your path to green: how and when you became eco-conscious.

When I was in college, I interned for a high-end design firm in San Francisco and I had a boyfriend who told me he didn’t respect my job, that all I did was find rich people expensive things without really helping anyone. I was mad but realized he was right. Design is a very wasteful field. You tell people to go out and buy all new things, to throw the old stuff out. And the new things are often toxic, made overseas by people who aren’t getting a living wage. It’s debauchery. So I started helping people re-use what they already had, and it grew into what it is now at Organic Interior Design.