The Santa Monica Pier was the place to be this year in celebration of Earth Day! As the day warmed up we ended up talking to shirtless guys, ladies in bikinis, and flip-flopped folks of all persuasions. It was L.A.'s inaugural year of participation with The Green Apple Festival and we were there to help spread the green gospel with our updated LA guidebook. Live music played all day, with bands rocking out on a huge stage set up for the event. My colleague Joy and I arrived in the morning to set up our booth, and the pier was already abuzz with beach-goers, families on Sunday outings, tourists, and joggers. By noon, official event start time, the pier was packed.

Folks were excited to see that our long-awaited Greenopia Los Angeles 2nd edition was available. Our office is located in Santa Monica, so the community is our home base. Plenty of visitors to the booth knew who we were, already had a guide, and wanted to thank us for the work we've done and are continuing to do. Those who weren't familiar with Greenopia approached our concept enthusiastically. "This book lists ALL the places in L.A. that offer eco-friendly products and services?" is the shocked response. Yes, it really does!

From our booth, overlooking the Pacific Ocean on a beautiful Southern California day, I found it impossible not to relish the surrounding natural environment, impossible not to think about how lucky we are to live in such a lovely place. I know these thoughts weren't lost on the other pier visitors, a realization that served as the highlight of Green Apple Festival and Earth Day.