You’re on the plane with your backpack full of eco-travel swag, ready to meet and mingle with other globally minded nomads. A great way to jump in the mix is to volunteer! Here are five places to give back on the go while growing your own voyage from the seeds of your fellow wanderers experiences.

Headed down under for some antipodean antics? Spice it up at Lentil As Anything in Melbourne, Australia, a donation based restaurant. It’s the perfect watering hole to meet other budget travelers and locals who come for the delicious vegetarian nibbles, friendly community atmosphere, and rockin’ tunes on the weekends!

Go native with some friendly Asian pachyderms, and their riders, the Mahouts. You’ll get to listen to the soothing purr of an elephant, and save a little on travel costs.

WWOOFing (Volunteer work on organic farms) is a global way to glow! Especially in New Zealand, which can get a bit pricey for those of us Vantastic vacationers.  If all you have is gas money, then stop by an organic farm for a few weeks to soak in the lord of the rings scenery, drink straight out of mountain springs, and grow organic relationships with other campers.

The best teachers are students. Teach English in a new country, and you never know what hidden mysteries you’ll discover.

If you’re a summer chaser headed to a land of surfing Santa’s and other topsy-turvy seasonal escapades in South America. Kick -start your travel karma with these free to super cheap volunteer opportunities.

Written by Perri Kraus

Image via Flickr

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• Go Veg!  Say “Thanks, but no thanks,” to meat.
• Ride your bike whenever you can and save money and gas and get some exercise in too!
• Swap out as many bulbs as possible with energy efficient CFL’s (compact fluorescent light bulbs).
• Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth and scrubbing your face.
• Be sure to always have a reusable water bottle on hand.
• Disconnect electronic items when not in use. It might sound like a pain, but there are great power strips, like the Smart Strip or DSI Green Power Strip, which has one main source so all you have to do is flip one switch and the job has been done for you.
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible and use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.
• Be more cognizant of what you are throwing in the trash. Make sorting bins if you don’t already have them. Take batteries and electronics to the proper disposal facilities.

Here are a few fun, green things you can do with friends or family:

• Join a park or beach cleanup with groups like Heal the Bay and the Surfrider Foundation.
• Plant a tree – visit the Arbor Day site for more information.
• Green thumb or not, start your own succulent or indoor herb garden.
• Turn trash into treasure! Refurbish an old sofa, chair or even a garment. Get crafty and creative and you just might produce a work of art!
• Take a leisurely stroll to your local farmers’ market and pick up some seasonal ingredients for this weekend’s eco-friendly feast.
• Check out some of the Green events taking place around town.

Here’s to a happy Earth Day—or better yet, Earth Life!

Images via Etsy users kimiko611 and srajab1.

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In these tough economic times you may have trained yourself to go a mile a minute. Efficiency has become your middle name.  To stay ahead of the holiday season, you’ve planned out your Black Friday checklist, one store sale (or Foursquare promo) at a time.  But wait.  There’s something going on this Thursday, right?  Shoot!  You forgot to pencil in Thanksgiving.

Sounds like you need to pause, reflect and give back.  Whether football, turkey or parades are your thing, take some time out of your Thanksgiving holiday to express gratitude and lend a helping hand.  And while you too are still feeling the effects of the down economy, there are people right in your community who are worse off.

YDT-approved picks for volunteering in person or online this Thanksgiving week and beyond:

• Gobble Gobble Give: In its twelfth year, this organization brings people together to feed, clothe and spread joy to L.A.’s homeless on Thanksgiving Day.  There’s an opportunity for everyone to get involved from preparing food the night before to packaging and delivering or simply donating goods or money to the effort.  Join over 700 volunteers at The Echo at 10 a.m. on Thursday to lend a helping hand.  You’re done by 1 p.m. –  just in time to enjoy family dinner.  For more information visit www.gobblegobblegive.org.

• Food on Foot: This Hollywood-based non-profit still has some needs for volunteers for its Thanksgiving Day event.  From 2 -5 p.m., distribute meals, warm sleeping bags and bus tokens to Hollywood’s homeless. Sign up quickly as spaces are running out!  Visit www.foodonfoot.org.

• Operation Gratitude: No one deserves our gratitude more than our troops this holiday season.  Donate materials and money or volunteer your time to prep care packages full of food, toiletries, books, movies, clothing and personal letters for our nation’s finest.  To inquire,visit www.opgratitude.com.

• can do.: CB2’s food drive puts food in the bank and money in your pocket.  Through Wednesday the 24th, bring in seven perishable food items to CB2’s Santa Monica or West Hollywood stores and save 15% on your in-store purchase.  Thanksgiving tabletop décor anyone?  Find more information at www.cb2.com.

• Begslist: Be an online Good Samaritan via Begslist, where you can donate money, goods and services directly to a “beg” posted by someone in need.  As a donor, you’re able to scroll through posts until you find one that inspires you to give.

You have a lot going on.  But remember to pencil in giving on your Thanksgiving checklist –The results will be gratifying.

From all of us at YDT, we thank you for being part of our community and wish you a warm, plentiful holiday filled with family and friends!

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As the saying goes, there is no such thing as a free lunch.  Well, that might no longer be the case if you happen to be at the LAfreestore.

The LAfreestore is a new pop up space/community experience whose mission is simple:  Allow people to give freely, take freely, share, trade and exchange with their neighbors.

Why free?

Rather than getting free stuff you don’t want/need you can actually find things you can actually use like food, clothing, supplies. Free yourself of things you no longer need or freely give your services to someone that needs them.

Eliminate Waste

Chances are if you live in America, you’re guilty of generating more than your fair share of waste that you would ever need to. Make amends and use this as an opportunity to clean up your act and stop the buy new, throwaway old cycle.  Reduce, reuse, repurpose and save some cash!

Create Community

As connected as we all may be on our online social networks, nothing can replace genuine human interaction.  Material items aren’t the only things you can give; you’re totally encouraged to give parts of yourself whether it be a service (building a fence, financial advising, making a pie, etc) you can provide or simply a smile or hug. Plus if you’re one of those people who complains about how hard it is to meet people in L.A., quit your whining and attend this event.

Need another reason? It’s free.

The first LAfreestore is on Saturday, November 13 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. at Casa Princessa Café, 4527 York Blvd, Los Angeles CA. Web: http://lafreestore.weebly.com/.

Questions? Email lafreestore@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

Images courtesy of LAfreestore and Free Pretty Things

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Climatini

Kick off International Climate Action Day a few days early with some green drinkers over in Downtown LA.  The Climate Registry is hosting a kick off event at Café Pinot.  There will be discounted food and drinks, raffles for green prizes and eco-friendly water-based silk screening from our friends at Fresh-Pressed and Matsui. For more information visit www.theclimateregistry.org/climatini

Location: Cafe Pinot 700 West 5th St.  Downtown Los Angeles, CA 90071  Date/Time:  Thursday, October 22, 2009  6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Web: www.theclimateregistry.org/climatini

Eco Designer Elaine Kim is hosting a fall fashion soiree in celebration of her new fall and winter lines.  There will be champagne, organic nibbles and 10% off for all who attend and stalk up winter coats, cashmere knits and essential winter leggings.

Location:  Elaine Kim Studio: 8373 W. Third St. Los Angeles, CA 90048  Date/Time:  Friday, October 23, 2009 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

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“Modern day Alchemy is about exploring the integration of spirituality and science. If you’re a fan of The Secret, What the Bleep? or just spiritually curious, the third annual Alchemy Conference at the LA Convention Center is the place for you”.  The conference is taking over the LA Convention Center from Friday thru Sunday and is chalk full of powerful speakers, meaningful events and more.  We’re also giving away pairs of tickets to lucky YDT readers who email Tracy@yourdailythread.com by Friday at 12 p.m.

Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA   Date/Time:  October 23-24 from 8 a.m. to midnight and Sunday October 25^th from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Web: www.alchemyconference.com Admission begins at $40.

Take part in International Climate Action Day by pitching in to help bring our dangerous high amount of CO2 that is currently 387 parts per million down to 350 which is considered the highest level that is safe for humanity.  YDT is participating in Green La Girl’s Blogger Beach Clean Up along with tons of other eco-minder bloggers from around L.A. We’re hoping to bring a lot of people so if you’re in the area, join us.  If your not in the Santa Monica area, there are events happening in the South Bay and Woodland Hills too.  Be sure to visit our events calendar for a listing of local events and find even more events you can participate in at www.350.org an help make a serious impact this weekend.

Blogger Beach Clean Up Location: Santa Monica Beach at Ocean Park, between lifeguard stations 26 and 27  Date/Time:  Saturday October 24, 2009 from 4 p.m. until ??  We’ll be cleaning the beach as a group for about 20 min and then will be walking over to Pourtal for discounted wine and appetizers.  Find more info at http://greenlagirl.com/bbc/

After a Saturday filled with environmental action, why stop?  Head over to the Los Angeles river for a tour and learn about the river’s history, environmental value and learn about the revitalization efforts that are currently taking place to beautify the river.

Location: Downtown State Park, closest 1755 Baker Street, Los Angeles, (across from FarmLab).  Date/Time:  Sunday, October 25, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 4: 30 p.m.  Web: http://folar.org/

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Los Angeles Volunteer Centers:

L.A. Works:

“L.A. Works is a nonprofit, volunteer action center”

323.224.6510
www.laworks.com

HIV/AIDS

Being Alive: People with HIV/AIDS Action Coalition

(323) 874-4322

http://www.beingalivela.org/

The Life Group:

“The Life Group LA is a coalition of people dedicated to the education, empowerment and emotional support of persons both infected and affected by HIV/AIDS so that they may make informed choices and decisions regarding their healthcare and personal well being.”

888-208-8081

http://thelifegroupla.org/volunteer.html

Union Rescue Mission: Homeless Shelter and Soup Kitchen

(213) 673-4814

http://www.urm.org/site/c.hdJFKNNoFiG/b.4465499/k.9BB3/Volunteer_Center.htm

Hospitality Kitchen aka Hippie Kitchen

(323) 267-8789

http://lacatholicworker.org/visiting-and-volunteering

Los Angeles Public Library: Adult Literacy Program

Central Library Info: 213-228-7272

http://www.lapl.org/literacy/volunteer.html

Volunteer Center of Los Angeles

818-908-5066

http://www.vcla.net/

Reading to Kids: Monthly reading clubs

310-479-7455

www.readingtokids.org

Literacy Network of Greater Los Angeles

213-237-6643

http://literacynetwork.org/literacynetwork_la/

Our House:

Non-profit bereavement center

310-475-0299

818-222-3344

http://ourhouse-grief.org/

I Have a Dream Foundation

213.572.0175

http://www.ihadla.org/getinvolved.aspx

The Painted Turtle:

The Painted Turtle is the sixth addition to Paul Newman’s family of Hole in the Wall Camps for seriously ill children.

310.451.1353

http://www.thepaintedturtle.org/turtle/

Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

323-644-4703

http://www.lsazoo.org/volunteer/

SPCALA: Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

(323) 730-5300 x255

http://spcala.com/volunteers/voluninf.shtml

Heal the Bay:

“Heal the Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to making Southern California costal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean.”

800-HEAL BAY x145

http://www.healthebay.org/volunteer/default.asp

826 LA

“826LA is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

Our services are structured around our belief that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.”

826LA West (310) 305-8418

826LA East (213) 413-3388

http://www.826la.org

Tree People

“TreePeople is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the Los Angeles area for over three decades. Simply put, our work is about helping nature heal our cities.”

(818) 753-4600

http://www.treepeople.org

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Weed Wars:  Join TreePeople in Weeding a Malibu Habitat

Got some aggression to burn after a long week at the office?  Take it out on the weeds instead of others (I’m sure it will be appreciated).  TreePeople (www.treepeople.org) and the Mountains Resoration Trust (http://www.mountainstrust.org/newsletters/newsletter_6_2.html) will be warring weeds in a Malibu park previously burned by wild fires.  Not only will you get some good exercise, you’ll help restore biodiversity and ecological balance…now that will definitely leave you feeling good!

Location: Malibu, CA.  Date/Time: 11/9/08 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. RSVP: Lisa Sotelo. Tel: (818) 623-4879. Email: volunteer@treepeople.org.

Tired of eating the same old buttery popcorn when you go to the theatre?  Or eating your own dinner in front of the TV?  Sophisticate yourself at Cinespace with their signature “Dinner and a Movie.”  The movie is always free of charge; all you have to do is come in for dinner and don’t forget to take advantage of their full bar. (See, you don’t have to be in Europe to drink at the theatre).

Location: Cinespace, 6356 Hollywood Blvd.  Hollywood, CA. Tel: (323) 817-3456. Web: www.cinespace.info

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Check out one of the few locations in LA that actually brew their own brews.  After last weekend’s craziness, chill out this weekend beach side with a delicious locally brewed beer.  My personal favorite is Rat Beach Red Ale. Can’t decide which beer to try…check out their beer samplings to figure out which beer best suits you.

Location: 124 Manhattan Beach Blvd.  Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.  Tel: (310) 798-2744. Web: http://www.manhattanbeachbrewingcompany.com

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Food and Fashion contributor Connie Wu introduced us to Tender Greens (http://www.tendergreensfood.com/) a while back.  Now they are embracing the old English tradition of Pot Roast Sundays. For $10 you’ll receive a Coleman Farms beef short rib roast, Yukon gold potatoes and a salad or veggies of your choice.  Considering the financial times, it’s a good deal to feed your tum tum.

Location: 9523 Culver Blvd.  Culver City, CA 90232. Tel: (310) 842-8300.

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Get a head start on your holiday shopping without overextending your budget.  Check out a whole host of different vendors with unique objects and handcrafted goods.   You might find something interesting for yourself as well.  Don’t forget to bargain!

Location: Fairfax High School at 7850 Melrose Ave.  Fairfax District. Date/Time: Sundays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Paul Giamatti and David Strathairn join the L.A. Theatre Works Company in presenting
Norman Corwin’s The Rivalry, the story of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas’ famous 1858 debates for the U.S. Senate seat in Illinois. Taken directly from the original transcripts, the play recreates the face off between Lincoln, an abolitionist candidate of the newly formed Republican party, and Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic incumbent and champion of states’ rights. Given our current political climate, it seems perfectly appropriate.

Date/Time: October 15-19 Location: The Skirball Cultural Center. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 RSVP: (310) 827-0889. Web: www.latw.org. Cost: $20-$48

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As November 4th quickly approaches, don’t forget that the last date to register to vote in California is October 20th. Make sure you get all the facts, and be sure to check out local voter resources like KPCC and LA Vote. Last but not least, be sure to read up on our local propositions and measures that directly affect Californians and Angelenos here.

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Everyone likes a good scare sometimes, even the cool kids. Come check out L.A.’s classic Silent Movie Theatre and its Scary Movies screening this weekend. You can catch the Japanese thriller, Retribution (link), The Monkey Shines & The Dark Half (double feature) (link) and The Body Snatchers & Isle of the Dead (double Feature) along with The Devil Times Five.

Show Times:
Friday, October 17: Retribution-7:30 p.m., The Monkey Shines & The Dark Half-10 p.m.
Saturday, October 18: The Body Snatchers 6:30 p.m., The Devil Times Five 10 p.m.

Location: The Silent Movie Theatre 611 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, 90036.
Tel: 323-655-2510 .

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Join in on a good old-fashioned beach clean-up in Marina Del Ray by heading over to Life Guard Tower 55 and joining in. No reservations required–just show up. (Note: if there is heavy rain, the event will be cancelled).

Location: 12001 Vista Del Mar Playa del Rey, CA 90293 (Meet at lifeguard tower #55).
Date/Time: October 18, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Extra: Parking fee is $1

OR help restore the watersheds at Malibu Creek State Park (Note: if it’s raining on the day or day before event will be cancelled). Please RSVP for this event as space is limited. To learn more about Creek Restoration, click here.

RSVP: 310-451-1500 x 301. Location: Malibu Creek State Park, 1925 Las Virgenes Road Calabasas, CA 92302. Date/Time: October 18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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