Today is Sustainable L.A. day at the L.A. Downtown Film Festival. All afternoon excellent films, photos, and lectures run simultaneously, each picking up where the others left off for a comprehensive perspective on the newest efforts in environmental sustainability. While photographer Rex Bruce's collection of Los Angeles sky-scape photos taken over a two year period exhibit the streaks of orange greenhouse gasses that sit on top of our city, hourly lectures focus on reducing our individual impact on the environment with how-tos on gardening and cooking toward greater sustainability. And at 7:30, a screening of Barbara Ettinger's documentary, “A Sea Change” shifts the emphasis on local environment to examine the global issue of ocean acidification and how the problem is making its way up the food chain. A complete schedule of the food and gardening lectures after the jump.

11 am: Water conservationist Susan Gottlieb shows us how to go grow gorgeous yards with native plants that require little or no water,

12 pm: JoAnn Cianculli, author of L.A.'s Original Farmers Market Cookbook, shares stories and lore of the famous spot at Fairfax and 3rd — and her own recipes.

1 pm: Corinne Trang, the Julia Child of Asian Cuisine, tells why Asian cultures have long had sustainable cooking cultures — and shares great recipes with us.

2 pm: Michele Carbone, author of Friday Evening: Creating La Dolce Vita, One Bite at a Time, reveals sustainable Mediterranean growing, shopping, and cooking techniques — for less than price of one night out.

4 pm: Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen, authors of The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City, tell how any of us can create self-sustaining urban gardens, wherever we live.

All of the discussions, and Rex Bruce's photo exhibition are free and open to the public. Tickets for Barbara Ettinger's “A Sea Change,” are $12 and available online.

Sustainable L.A. Ernst & Young Plaza, 735 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA‎.

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