Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council took steps forward in crafting an aggressive ban on single-use plastic and paper bags. The council's Energy and Environment Committee unanimously passed a recommendation for a three-phase ban that would, if enacted, become "one of the most-far reaching measures in the nation," describes Heal the Bay. more ›

We've all heard the term "greenwashing," prompting us to gather our "green" products and give the labels a discerning double-take. Some products that claim to be eco-friendly are actually eco-aloof, fooling eco-conscious consumers into stocking their shelves with products that are much unhealthier than their labels promise. An infographic based on a 2010 study by Terrachoice shows consumers the tricks of the trade and how to avoid them. more ›

Bank of America customers were mad as hell when they learned the banking giant was poised to impose a $5 monthly usage fee for debit card transactions. Now BofA says they are "reconsidering" the fee, and may instead waive the fee for customers who use direct deposit and maintain a minimum balance. more ›

You're so on-the-go that taking those bills or that plastic card out of your wallet is too much work, so you'e armed your smartphone with Google Wallet. Where can you use it? Smoothie seller Jamba Juice has announced they will now be testing the program in 270 of their locations. Yay? more ›

A Change.org petition campaign against a controversial fee announced by Bank of America is being bolstered by a number of Angelenos lending their signature to the cause. The national campaign was launched by Washington D.C.'s Molly Katchpole, and is in protest of a $5 monthly fee the banking giant says they will begin to impose on debit card users starting next year. more ›

No matter what Jimmy Johnson, the spokesman for ExtenZe says, their little pills don't help a man's littler penis get bigger. Alas, the Monrovia-based Biotab Nutraceuticals Inc. have been misleading customers with their "unsubstantiated advertising claims," for their supplements, including ExtenZe, and are now being made to payout $1.75M in civil penalties to their deflated consumers. more ›

Considered one of the next ways to bridge technology with the consumer experience, QR codes--those scan-able boxes that have begun to pop up at retail establishments around the nation and world--offer people, typically shoppers, a means to connect with information and sometimes discounts. You may have seen several of them show up recently all over the Beverly Center, and, if you took a scan, realized you weren't getting what you bargained for. more ›

The Daily News has launched a set of columns devoted to explaining something that most of us encounter, deal with, but might not necessarily understand: Our LA DWP bill. more ›

Officials in Los Angeles are keeping an eye on a controversial vote pending within San Francisco's city supervisors that could see to it a fee is added to the price of alcohol in order to help deal with the issue of alcoholism, according to NPR. more ›

Apple's iPad launches today, and that means serious enthusiasts have been in line at local Apple stores for hours already, waiting to get their hands on their new toy. Notices were sent out to those who reserved their $499+ webby machine thing, and many opted to get out of bed before the crack of dawn to take their place in lines. more ›

LAist stopped by the Go Green Expo today, which has been going on all weekend at the LA Convention Center in Downtown. The Go Green Expo is an opportunity for both business buyers and everyday consumers seeking eco-friendly products & services for their companies, homes, schools and children to see what kind of eco-friendly consumer goods are for sale, or will be soon, and to meet with the many exhibitors showcasing their products. LAist's News Editor Andy Sternberg sent over some pics from the convention floor to share; looks like there's some exiting stuff on the market, and many Los Angeles-based companies who can help steer us towards a greener future. more ›

In early November of last year, electronics retailer Circuit City announced they were filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and would be closing down some of their stores and launching sales to help bring in much-needed revenue. But yesterday the struggling chain revealed they were pulling the plug altogether, and shutting down all 567 of their US stores. more ›

Today's Daily News takes a look at one of Los Angeles' main streets, Ventura Boulevard, and how it's faring in the current economic crisis. Not surprisingly, things are not going well for business owners whose shops are located on "the San Fernando Valley's most robust commercial strip." more ›

For Angelenos, bees are more often than not encountered as sugar-drunk spastics outside of a neighborhood recycling center, sippers of sweet nectar from your garden's flowers, or a stinging source of outdoor anguish. But there's actually a nationwide "bee crisis" that pertains specifically to honey bees and their unexpected decline, and now what's been a problem for farmers is getting passed on to the consumers in the form of higher food prices. more ›

Another Earth Day is upon us, and to me the 'celebration' of such seems to be about encouraging folks to hop in the Prius, rush out to the nearest participating retail establishment, whip out the charge card and purchase some (imported, of course) environmentally conscious thingamajig or three. In between the free concerts serving organic micro-brew, of course. more ›

One of the first major stores in the US to initiate a surcharge per plastic bag, IKEA, has announced that they will stop providing customers with disposable bags entirely in October of this year. more ›