Search over 90,000 personal care products and their ingredient safety ratings. Science-backed hazard scores help you make informed choices about what goes on your body.

Enter your zip code to see what contaminants are in your local tap water. Compares detected levels against health guidelines and EWG standards. See the SGV Water Quality Guide for a deep-dive into local contaminants.

Scan product barcodes while shopping to instantly see safety ratings for food, personal care, and cleaning products. Free for iOS and Android.

Rate and discover ethical fashion brands. Evaluates companies on labor practices, environmental impact, and animal welfare with easy-to-understand scores.

Independent, research-based ethical shopping guides covering 100+ product categories. Compare brands on environmental, social, and governance criteria.

Scan product barcodes to trace them back to parent companies and see if they align with your values. Join campaigns to support or avoid specific corporate practices.

Compare thousands of brands across ethical ratings tables. Research covers environmental track records, animal welfare, and human rights issues for informed purchasing.

A marketplace and browser extension that redirects your everyday purchases to companies that are good for people and the planet. Discover certified B Corps and social enterprises.

A free, open database of food products from around the world. Check ingredients, additives, allergens, and nutritional information. Scan barcodes with the free app.

One of the world's most popular citizen science platforms. Record observations of plants, animals, and fungi. AI-powered identification helps you learn while contributing to global biodiversity research.

The world's largest platform for people-powered research. Contribute to real scientific projects in astronomy, ecology, history, and more — no special skills required.

Log your bird sightings and contribute to one of the largest biodiversity databases in the world. Real-time maps, hotspot guides, and species alerts for birders of all levels.

Collect environmental observations for NASA scientists. Measure clouds, land cover, trees, and mosquito habitats. Your data helps validate satellite measurements.

Discover over 3,000 citizen science projects you can join. Filter by topic, location, and activity type. Perfect for finding projects that match your interests and schedule.

Free app that identifies birds by sight or sound. Point your phone at a bird or record its song and get instant identification powered by machine learning.

Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network. Measure and report daily precipitation from your backyard. Data is used by the National Weather Service and researchers.

Help astronomers classify millions of galaxies captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Your classifications help scientists understand how galaxies form and evolve.

Solve puzzles to help scientists understand protein folding — a key challenge in medicine and biology. Players have made real scientific discoveries through gameplay.

A free and open database for growing food. Find growing guides for hundreds of crops, share your own knowledge, and connect with growers in your climate zone.

Free digitization services at the Los Angeles Public Library. Convert your old photos, slides, VHS tapes, and audio cassettes to digital formats — completely free for LA residents.

Community-driven tech platform providing accessible tools and resources. Connecting creators, builders, and community members through open technology.

World-class education for anyone, anywhere — completely free. Courses in math, science, computing, economics, arts, and more with personalized learning paths.

A digital library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, and websites. The Wayback Machine preserves the history of the internet for everyone.

Free, self-paced digital literacy courses from the Public Library Association. Learn computer basics, internet skills, job searching online, and more.

A public digital library of free teaching and learning materials. Explore, create, and collaborate with educators worldwide to access quality education resources.

Find mutual aid networks and community self-support projects near you. Search by location to connect with neighbors offering and requesting help.

Find the nearest Little Free Library to take a book, leave a book, or start your own. A global network of community book exchanges fostering literacy and neighborhood connection.

Borrow tools instead of buying them. Tool libraries reduce consumption, build community, and give everyone access to the tools they need for home repair, gardening, and creative projects.

Free community repair events where volunteers help fix broken items — electronics, clothing, furniture, and more. Reduces waste and builds repair skills in your community.

Open-source platform for collaborative decision-making. Built for cooperatives, nonprofits, and community groups. Host discussions, vote on proposals, and build consensus online.

The official US government emergency preparedness website. Build a kit, make a plan, and stay informed about all types of disasters. Includes resources for people with disabilities and pets.

Real-time California wildfire information, evacuation orders, and fire prevention resources. Sign up for emergency alerts and learn how to create defensible space around your home.

Real-time air quality data and forecasts for the US. Check AQI before outdoor activities, especially important during wildfire season in the SGV. Includes health guidance by AQI level.

Apply for federal disaster assistance after a presidentially declared disaster. Includes housing assistance, personal property replacement, and other recovery programs.

Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211la.org to connect with local health and human services in Los Angeles County. Food, shelter, utilities, mental health, and disaster recovery resources.

Official Los Angeles County emergency preparedness portal. Evacuation zones, shelter locations, disaster resources, and sign up for Wireless Emergency Alerts specific to your area.

Real-time earthquake data, hazard maps, and historical seismicity for California and the world. Essential for understanding SGV's seismic risk and fault proximity.

A collection of free and open-source mobile applications for everyday use — gallery, calendar, contacts, file manager, and more. Privacy-respecting alternatives to proprietary apps.

The leading free and open-source office suite. Full-featured word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and drawing tools compatible with Microsoft Office formats.

State-of-the-art end-to-end encrypted messaging and calling. Open source, no ads, no trackers. Used by journalists, activists, and privacy-conscious individuals worldwide.

Private browser, independent search, the open-source web browser from Brave. Built-in protection with Chromium+WebKit.

Professional-grade 3D modeling, animation, rendering, and video editing — completely free. Used by studios, artists, and hobbyists for everything from film VFX to game assets.

A free and open-source image editor for photo retouching, image composition, and graphic design. A powerful alternative to Photoshop with extensive plugin support.

Free, open-source audio recording and editing software. Record live audio, convert tapes and records, edit sound files, and mix tracks for podcasts, music, and more.

Host your own cloud storage, calendar, contacts, and collaboration tools. Full control over your data with no subscription fees. Enterprise-grade features for individuals and teams.

A privacy-first, open-source alternative to Notion. Build your personal knowledge base with markdown, whiteboards, and databases. Recommended for the AlignFlow journaling practice.

A free, editable map of the entire world built by volunteers. Use it, contribute to it, and build applications on top of it — the Wikipedia of maps.

A free, open-source, cross-platform password manager. Store all your passwords in an encrypted local database — no cloud required, no subscription, no data collection.

A powerful markdown-based note-taking app that stores everything locally. Build a personal knowledge graph, link ideas together, and use community plugins to extend functionality.

A free, open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes app. Your notes are private, secure, and accessible across all your devices. Syncs without ever seeing your content.

The free, open-source media player that plays virtually every audio and video format. No codecs needed, no tracking, no ads. Works on every platform.

Core texts that inform our practice: The Four Agreements (Don Miguel Ruiz), The Creative Act (Rick Rubin), The Dead Emcee Scrolls (Saul Williams), Freedom is a Constant Struggle (Angela Davis), The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho).

The world's largest free meditation app with 150,000+ guided meditations, music tracks, and talks. Includes a timer for silent practice, sleep meditations, and courses from world-renowned teachers.

The foundational breathwork technique combining controlled hyperventilation, breath retention, and cold exposure. Backed by scientific research for stress reduction, immune function, and mental clarity.

A simple 4-4-4-4 breath pattern used by Navy SEALs and first responders to regulate the nervous system under stress. Inhale 4 counts, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4. Practice for 5 minutes daily.

A body-oriented approach to healing trauma developed by Dr. Peter Levine. SE works with physical sensations to release stored trauma from the nervous system — foundational to the AlignFlow practice.

Tara Brach's RAIN practice: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture. A mindfulness technique for working with difficult emotions. Free guided meditations and dharma talks available.

A method of self-inquiry that questions stressful thoughts through four questions and a turnaround. Free worksheets, videos, and a Judge-Your-Neighbor worksheet available at thework.com.

A pranayama technique from the yogic tradition that balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Reduces anxiety, improves focus, and prepares the mind for meditation.

Julia Cameron's Morning Pages practice from The Artist's Way: three pages of longhand stream-of-consciousness writing every morning. Clears mental clutter and unlocks creative insight.

A traditional Buddhist meditation practice of cultivating unconditional goodwill toward oneself and others. Research shows it increases positive emotions, reduces bias, and builds resilience.

A leading meditation and mindfulness app with structured courses for beginners and advanced practitioners. Offers free basics courses and specialized content for sleep, focus, and stress.

NVC is a communication framework that connects us to our needs and the needs of others. Essential for community organizing, conflict resolution, and authentic self-expression.

Mail-to-lab water testing kits that test for 100+ contaminants including PFAS, chromium-6, VOCs, and heavy metals. Certified labs, detailed results with health context. Recommended for SGV residents.

Learn about gift economy principles and how VisionSt48 integrates mutual aid into our business model — because community resilience starts with generosity.

An international movement that recovers food that would otherwise be discarded and shares free vegetarian meals with anyone who is hungry. Find or start a chapter in your area.

A grassroots disaster relief network operating on principles of solidarity, not charity. Connects communities affected by disasters with resources and support from other communities.

Hyperlocal gift economies where neighbors give and receive freely. Join your local Buy Nothing group to share items, skills, and time without money changing hands.

Legal resources for cooperative businesses, community land trusts, and alternative economic models. Free guides on starting worker cooperatives and community-owned enterprises.

A 12-week course in discovering and recovering your creative self. Morning Pages and Artist Dates are the two core tools. Foundational for anyone integrating creativity into daily practice.

A collection of poetry and prose that merges hip-hop aesthetics with mysticism, activism, and self-discovery. Saul Williams' work is a direct influence on the VisionSt48 voice and vision.

A music platform where artists keep 80–85% of revenue. Discover and directly support independent musicians, especially those making music that matters — jazz, hip-hop, experimental, and beyond.

An open marketplace for independent digital creators. Find and support indie games, zines, comics, and interactive art. A community-first alternative to corporate platforms.

A platform for saving and organizing research, images, and ideas into visual collections. Used by designers, artists, and thinkers to build knowledge in public and connect with others.

A free and open-source digital painting application. Professional-grade tools for concept art, illustration, comics, and animation. A powerful alternative to Procreate and Photoshop.

Create, play, and share sheet music for free. MuseScore is the world's most popular free music notation software, used by composers, educators, and musicians worldwide.

A social network for film lovers. Log films you've watched, write reviews, create lists, and discover films through the lens of people whose taste you trust. Cinema as community practice.

The ancient practice of keeping a personal anthology of meaningful passages, quotes, observations, and ideas. A physical or digital commonplace book is a cornerstone of the CC creative process.

A platform for independent writers and storytellers. Publish essays, poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction and earn from your work. Community-driven and creator-owned.

Build a direct relationship with your readers through email newsletters. Writers keep full ownership of their subscriber lists and content. The CC recommends it for consistent creative output.

Community-operated sensor network providing hyperlocal PM2.5 data. Find sensors near your home for real-time neighborhood-level readings. Especially valuable in the SGV where pollution varies block by block near freeways.

South Coast Air Quality Management District alerts for the SGV. Sign up for email or SMS notifications for Ozone and PM2.5 advisories. The SCAQMD regulates air quality across the SGV and issues health advisories.

California's environmental justice screening tool. Look up cumulative pollution burden scores for any census tract, including cleanup site density, hazardous waste proximity, and lead exposure indicators. El Monte and Baldwin Park rank in the 90th–99th percentile statewide.

California DTSC's program to test and remediate lead-contaminated residential soil from the former Exide battery recycler in Vernon. Over 10,000 properties in the cleanup zone. Check if your address qualifies for free soil remediation.

The Center for Environmental Health's community fund offers free soil screening for properties near the Quemetco/Ecobat lead smelter in the City of Industry. Environmental Justice SGV volunteers coordinate testing and advocacy.