Pasadena weekend: January 9-11

Participate in gardening events and docent-led walks, attend a meeting on climate change. Plus: ongoing and recurring events, and this week's random read.

Gardening, lecture. On Saturday morning, Descanso Gardens (La Canada) will host a presentation titled Lush and Low-Water Garden Design with Cassy Aoyagi from the Theodore Payne Foundation.

Gardening, hands-on. The Eaton Canyon Nature Center's gardening group will meet on Sunday morning. Volunteers are invited to help maintain the Nature Center's gardens and native vegetation. Transition Pasadena's Throop Learning Garden (usually) meets on Sunday mornings.

Walks, docent-led. On Saturday morning, the Arboretum (Arcadia) will host its regular walking tour as well as a bird walk, led by Julia Ray from the Pasadena Audubon Society. Guests with any level of birding knowledge may join. The Eaton Canyon Nature Center will offer a guided walk for families, also on Saturday morning, and a native plant walk on Sunday morning. Descanso Gardens (La Canada) has docent-guided seasonal walks on its calendar for Saturday and Sunday morning.

Climate change. The Pasadena-Foothills chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby will hold its monthly meeting on Saturday morning. All are welcome.

The Arroyo Food Co-op is open on Saturdays and Sundays for shopping and pick-ups (in addition to Tuesdays.) Orders placed online by Sunday midnight will be available for pick-up starting next Tuesday. For Saturday afternoon, the co-op has added a discussion of Chinese medicine with Jad Dawson to the calendar. In other news, it is hiring staff members.

Two City surveys. Pasadena Public Works is asking members of the community to weigh in on the future of trees in the city. Pasadena Water and Power is conducting a survey on the city's energy future. (Note: PWP has not posted any information on when the survey period ends, but as of this printing the link was still up.)

Cycling. On Sunday morning Pasadena Cyclery will hold Gwen's Group Ride and the Sunday Morning Neighborhood Stroll. For details see the calendar page of Pasastainable, CA.

Got kids? On Saturday morning, the Eaton Canyon Nature Center is hosting a family nature walk. Bring your small children, walking shoes, sunscreen, water and a hat. Also on Saturday morning at the Nature Center: the weekly Nature Tails Story Hour which includes stories, nature walks and puppet shows for children ages 3-5.

Exhibition. As part of the Pasadena Arts Council's AxS Festival, the Armory presents Karin Apollonia Müller's World’s Edge, a photographic exploration of the intersection between the natural landscape and complex urbanization. Ends next summer.

Random read. Like to feel righteous about what you eat? An article by Rowan Jacobsen in Outside profiles what might just become the future of food: the plant-protein-based concoctions of a start-up called Beyond Meat. The company's scientists promise to provide juicy tasting, perfectly textured burger patties with more protein than beef and more omegas than salmon but none of the environmental downsides. While The Top-Secret Food That Will Change the Way You Eat is an eery read for those in the no-processed-foods camp, it is also a fascinating story.

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Unless otherwise noted, all events take place in Pasadena. For times, addresses and other details please see the calendar page of Pasastainable, CA or the event owner's webpage.