Travel and Transportation Meeting
Main Street Field Trip
The portion of Main Street you will be visiting – between Pico and Navy – is considered a business
improvement district or BID where the merchant development is focused on creating a strong,
sustainable, community. Most of the businesses are unique, non-corporate, family owned
establishments versus large national corporations and there are a number of community resources for
the people who live in or close to the area.
For this field trip, you will walk from Pico toward Ocean Park, pointing out specific businesses and
community resources to your crew, but you may also want to allow them to explore a section of Main
Street on their own or in small groups.
Bus To Main St.:
#7 Bus at Pico & 17th (across the street from SMC Student Parking Structure A
and next to Hungry Pocket and Eggs restaurants)
Exit Bus:
Pico & Main St. (ask bus driver to notify you of stop location if you are unsure)
Head south on Main Street, using the Main Street Map and info sheet to identify points
of interest.
If you plan on splitting up, you must agree on a place to meet by the return time
listed in the “Bus to SMC” column of the table below.
Return Bus Stop:
#8 Bus at Pico, Bay, Pacific, Hollister or Ocean Park Blvd. (beach side of street)
Exit Bus:
17th & Ocean Park – cross Ocean Park, heading north on 17th. Take 17th to
Pearl and make a right.
Crew Meeting Time
Bus to Main Street
Bus to SMC
Pico & 17th
(next to Abbott’s Pizza)
On Main Street at Pico, Bay, Pacific,
Hollister or Ocean Park Blvd.
(beach side of the street)
9:30-11:00
9:43
10:41
11:00-12:30
11:12
12:07
1:00-2:30
1:16
2:05
3:00-4:30
3:14
4:14
3:45-5:15
3:54
4:42
*Times for “Bus to Main Street” are approximates & based on the Pico &Bundy stop time
#7 Bus runs every 10 minutes
MAIN STREET FIELD TRIP INFO AND MAP KEY – Use this information with your Main Street
Map (available from Sustainable Works) to discuss the different shops on Main Street.
The Main Street Merchants Association (MSMA) is a business improvement district—or BID. The
MSMA is always seeking creative ways to improve community relations, city relations and better
support the goals of the Sustainable City Plan.
Before we look at the businesses on Main street, let’s consider the community oriented,
neighborhood serving locations on the street:

The City of Santa Monica’s Convention and Visitors Bureau is a resource for residents and
visitors alike. Under the guidance of Sustainable Works, the CVB has installed a resource
station and educational area dedicated to highlighting sustainable businesses and the other
many accomplishments of the sustainable city plan. (A)

Also located on the street is the Green Building Resource Center, a city funded resource for
people interested in Green Building. (B)

Global Green, an international non-profit that works on environmental and public policy issues,
has an office near the Green Building Resource Center at 2218 Main Street. (C)

Main Street is home to one of the City’s few community gardens and weekly Farmer’s
Markets. (D)

The Ashland Walk project is a city project that incorporates native plants and attempts to
increase pedestrian activity between the Main Street Business District and the beach. The
project included community input and is comprised of native drought tolerant plants. (E)

There is a new mixed use development going in on Marine, which will provide neighborhood
serving businesses and housing. Mixed use development is a method of encouraging people
to live, work and play in the same community reducing their dependence on automobiles and
strengthening community. (F)
Now, let’s look at the businesses on Main Street:
Most of the businesses here are unique, non-corporate, family owned style versus large national
corporations.
For example, the Gap is being replaced by American Apparel—a local small sustainable business that
offers sweat shop free, organic cotton clothing at reasonable prices. American Apparel was started
and remains headquartered out of Los Angeles.

There are 6 Sustainable Quality Award winners on Main Street, 3 of them grand prize winners
(see below)!

Of the eligible businesses, 90% have participated in the City of Santa Monica’s Direct Install
Program. Saving thousands of gallons of water and reducing the amount of polluted urban
runoff that enters our bay.

6 Main Street businesses have participated in the Sustainable Works Business Greening
program, where they have incorporated conservation measures in waste, water, chemicals,
transportation, and energy (see below).

There are FOUR healthy/vegetarian cafés on Main Street: Urth Café (G), The Napoleon Café
(H), Mani’s (I), and the Novel Café (J)

One Life Health food store, for organic juice, vitamin supplements and socially responsible
vendors (K).

Two yoga studios….And of course, Patagonia (L)!
***SUSTAINABLE WORKS BUSINESS GREENING PARTICIPANTS***
Urth Café
2200 Main Street (G)
Urth Cafe promotes healthy eating via their organic and health conscious oriented menu. Because
the Santa Monica location is their second location (started in WHW), they did not need to participate
in the SW Business Greening Program. They are very active in the community and are always
seeking ways to increase their businesses’ social responsibility. Not to mention they have the
strongest organic lattes in town!
Bravo Pizza
2400 Main Street (M)
Owner, Ernest Lepore owns 2 restaurants in Santa Monica (Bravo Pizza & Bravo Cucina-3rd St Prom)
and both are participating in the BGP! He recently opened this pizza joint early in 2003. They are in
the midst of implementing many business greening recommendations such as:
 setting up mixed paper recycling
 replacing bleached napkins with unbleached recycled content napkins
 featuring vegan pizzas i.e., vegetables only – no cheese
 participated in the City Santa Monica Bay Saver Direct Install program and installed flow
restrictors on all their kitchen faucets
Mani’s Bakery 2507 Main Street (I)
Mani’s Bakery promotes healthy eating via their “whole foods” oriented menu.
Accomplishments include:
 recycling programs; CPG, mixed paper – they even go to the extreme of placing
 featuring an extensive pastry selection features cakes made with organically grown wheat and
unrefined sweeteners and vegan options!
 in 2002, Sustainable Works facilitated a materials exchange by arranging a donation of their
old kitchen equipment to a Santa Monica Community Shelter
ZJ Boardinghouse
2619 Main Street (N)
ZJ Boardinghouse sells surf, snow and skate equipment. Accomplishments include:
 ZJ sells surf, snow, skate equipment and features environmentally-friendly organic fibers and
non-toxic materials in their product lines
 energy-saving retrofits resulting in a reduction of 45% energy usage
 assertive eco-friendly procurement policies
 50% of ZJ’s staff is local
Seashore Motel 2637 Main Street (O)
Seashore Motel is a family run motel business on Main Street.
Accomplishments include:
 implementing a “We Care” program asking guests to place items on the floor when they
require laundering
 using an eco-friendly laundry detergent.
 purchase front-loading energy efficient washing machines
 recycle everything from paper to batteries
 donating old bed sheets and other materials to their children’s schools
The Victorian 2640 Main Street (P)
The Victorian hosts special event venues, such as weddings, and also provides handmade baked
goods for sale at the Main Street Farmers Market on Sundays.
This business is unique with Sustainable Works’ relationship in the sense that one of the staff
members (Meghan Wilson, Marketing) also participated in the SMC Student Crews. She was very
motivated to implement eco-actions at her place of work after learning so much during the crews.

Commencing recycling programs for mixed paper, CPG, landscape waste & food scraps.
Current records indicate they are now diverting 75% waste from landfill- they now only need
one trash dumpster and it rarely fills up! Money savings!
 Phasing in environmental purchasing policies to buy recycled content office supplies
 Participated in the City Santa Monica Bay Saver Direct Install program and installed 3
waterless urinals! Yup – no flushing required!
Library Alehouse
2911 Main Street (Q)
Library Alehouse is a Main Street restaurant and bar specializing in microbrews from around the
world. They were one of our first pilot 2002 BGP participants!
Accomplishments include:
 incorporating organic ingredients in their menu
 extensive recycling CPG, mixed paper and recycled content building materials
 Library Alehouse is a major sponsor of many local community programs, including the Ocean
Park Community Cleanup where volunteers do a four hour jaunt picking up trash around Main
St/ Ocean Park area – an event co-coordinated by the Executive Director of Sustainable
Works, Genevieve Bertone.
 David Lackman is Chairman of the Main Street Merchants’ association, and a well-known
booster of the local retail community.
Other points of interest
SMC shuttle area (R)
Ashland Walk Native Garden (S)
Marine mixed use development (T)
Edgemar Arts Center: MOCA store, Dharma Arts, Community theatre (U)
Santa Monica Public Library (V)
Natural High Clothing Store (W)
Civic Center located at 1801 Main Street (X)