If you want to go green and you live in the Los Angeles area, then All Shades of Green is the place for you.  This Silver Lake hotspot may look like your regular hipster boutique, but it is a green retail store, efficiency design center, and eco-educational center.  Located near the corner of Hyperion and Rowena, this innocuous looking store houses everything you’ve ever wanted to know about green living.

According to manager/green building expert Natalie Freidberg, the store “serves as a meaningful resource for Angelenos who want to go green from head to toe, kitchen to garden, and home to office.”  And one hot Los Angeles spring day, I made my way down to start my education.  First, I had to fight my way through a paparazzi crowd trying to catch a picture of some Hollywood starlet getting her nails done next door.  But then I walked into an eco-sanctuary against the heat and Hollywood elements.

All Shades of Green is a cool, bright, good energy-vibing place.  Owned by eco-jewelry designer Liza Shtromberg, the shop is designed to be a green educational center for Angelenos who want to learn how to living sustainably.  Household products like Begley’s Best are stacked alongside hipster eco clothing.  A green makeup center sits in the corner next to sustainable kitchenware.  Manager Natalie emphasizes that everything in the store is the best green thing they can find.  “We want our clients to know that we do all the green research so they don’t have to.”  Right on, Natalie!  So how does it all come together?

First, there is the home design center.  Natalie can walk you through everything it takes to green your home.  She will refer you to green architects, designers, grey water experts and testers.  “Testers will go into your home to see where your money needs to go.  We don’t want you to spend your money needlessly.  For instance, did you know that 30% of your air conditioning often ends up in the attic?”  Further, you can make an appointment with the Natalie for help choosing interesting home materials like “cork flooring, distinctive room dividers, and custom concrete countertops, as well as water and energy-saving devices.”    

Then there are the workshops.  All Shade of Green offers education on green living issues such as “Composting 101:  Carrot Tops, Castings, and Creative Re-Use” and “Organic Gardening for Kids and Parents.”  Most of them are taught by sustainability expert Deobrah Tull, who also owns Creative Green Sustainability Coaching.  The workshops explore relevant green living topics “to help you find real solutions to create a life in line with your principles.”

Finally, there is the retail store.  This is designed to compliment the educational workshops.  There are clothing lines made of hemp, organic cotton, wool, recycled fibers, and eco-fleece.  There’s a waste-free lunch section selling sustainable lunch kits, sandwich wraps, and to-go cloth napkins.  There’s a garden center for kids, and an eco-jewelry section for women. You can find everything for your kitchen, dresser, cleaning cabinet, jewelry box, and closet, and it is all made by green businesses, artisans, and fair trade groups.

All Shades of Green is located at 3038 Rowena Avenue in Silver Lake, California.   323/665-7454.  They are open Monday through Saturday, 11am – 7pm.  Not local to Los Angeles?  Check out their online store.  http://www.allshadesofgreen.net/store/

>> Check out "An Eco Friendly, Healthy Corner Store? Locali Answers the Call in Cali" for another LA green shopping option!