Solana Center

Solana Center Executive Director Jessica Toth shared a better solution for food waste in this morning's edition of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Read further in the article below.

Food generating businesses in Encinitas: We have important news you don’t want to miss! Due to new state regulations, you will be required to collect your food scraps and organic waste for recycling starting this summer. In collaboration with City of Encinitas, we are hosting a 1-hour virtual forum this Monday, Feb. 22 to discuss the food waste collection laws and how it affects your business and provide resources for reducing food waste and successful program rollout. Th...ere will be two options to attend the forum on 2/22, 10 am and 6 pm. If you are not able to attend either virtual option live, please register and a recording will be provided to you after the event. Register in advance to receive the Zoom link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com//d/FoodScrapsWorkshop See more

Planning a spring garden? Don’t forget the compost! Adding compost to your plants and garden beds improves soil health and fertility, increasing plants’ resilience to pests, disease, and other environmental stressors. Compost also helps soil hold more moisture, reducing the need for frequent watering, minimizing erosion, runoff, and nutrient loss.

Know a college student interested in compost research and a future career in the composting industry? The Compost Research & Education Foundation is offering scholarships to assist students with their compost research projects. The scholarship is available for undergraduate through PhD students studying at a college or university in the United States. The scholarship is for $4,000, and also includes an invitation to present research findings at a US Composting Council Annual Conference. Accepting applications until midnight EST April 16th. Apply here: https://www.compostfoundation.org/Rese/College-Scholarships

We are praying for rain and safety for all as we witness the abundant wildfires our state has been faced with this year. As you prepare your home for the impending rainy season, adding a rain barrel can help you responsibly steward the land you live on by recharging groundwater or storing for reuse. This keeps the rainwater from running off and becoming pollution in our waterways, instead staying where it has fallen to sustain the hydrologic cycle and contribute to the nat...ural compound interest of healthy soil, plant and animal communities. Last call for rain barrel orders! Pre-orders close on Saturday 10/31 for pick up at the Valley Center event at Bates Nut Farm on 11/7 and ongoing pick up from our Center in Encinitas during business hours. Take advantage of the discounted rate today and don’t miss out on this great opportunity to catch that rain! To purchase and see a breakdown of the discounts, visit www.solanacenter.org/rain-barrels.

As Halloween comes and goes it is estimated that 1 billion pounds of pumpkins are sent to the landfill, doomed to rot and create warming gases that will haunt our planet far beyond this spooky season. We have a solution that is scary easy - keep your pumpkins out of the landfill by composting them! Pumpkins are nearly 90% water and contain many nutrients that can be returned back into the soil. Crazy about pumpkin carving? To prevent additional waste you can save your seed...s to roast or cook up the guts and carvings. We hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween! What are your favorite zero waste tips for the holiday season? Tell us below! Curious to learn more about composting and preventing food waste? Join us for an upcoming free webinar! Learn more and sign up: www.solanacenter.org/zerowaste #GreeningOurCommunity

REMINDER: We’re offering one more virtual Food Waste Prevention for Commercial Kitchens session on Monday 10/28 for City of Carlsbad - Official restaurant owners, managers and chefs. In partnership with the City of Carlsbad-Sustainable Materials Management Division, we'll be discussing strategies to reduce food waste in your restaurant, save money and benefit the community and planet. California is increasing strict requirements and legislations enforcing organic diversion w...ith laws AB1826, AB341, AB827 and SB1383. You will leave this webinar with actionable steps to help your business stay in compliance and get ahead of future state regulations, while also benefiting from these sustainable practices and supporting your community. Register for this free webinar 10/20 at 10 - 11 am PT. Register for free to hold your spot: https://www.solanacenter.org//event/info%3Fid%3D1481%26res *NOTE: We have limited seats and are prioritizing attendance to Carlsbad businesses and food industry professionals only at this time. Thank you!*

We’re putting out the call to residents and businesses - help Encinitas waste less from land to sea! Join us for the upcoming Green Wednesday free webinar series in partnership with the City of Encinitas. Topics will cover: How to Achieve Your Zero Waste Potential: November 4th 12-1 pm Smart Ways to Fight Food Waste: November 11th 12-1 pm Introduction to Composting: November 18th 12-1 pm ... Sign up for free at solanacenter.org/events

Attention East County residents! There are only 10 rain barrels remaining for pre-order and pick up in El Cajon on October 24th. If you were hoping to order a discounted rain barrel (for as low as $25 for unincorporated county residents!) don’t miss out. Save some money on your rain barrel by ordering today! If you plan to pick up your barrel from our event at Water Conservation Garden you must order by Sunday 10/18. To purchase and see a breakdown of the discounts, visit www.solanacenter.org/rain-barrels.

The cost of food waste to restaurants alone is $25 billion with restaurants losing on average of over 4% of sales value on wasted food. If you’re a business owner, you know how important every dollar is to your success--especially in these hard times. That’s why we’re partnering with City of Carlsbad-Sustainable Materials Management Division to offer two free webinars - Food Waste Prevention Webinar for Commercial Kitchens. Join us virtually 10/20 or 10/28 at 10 - 11 am PT w...here we’ll cover practical strategies to reduce food waste in your restaurant, save money, and benefit the community and planet. We’ll also provide key takeaways to ensure success as CA begins enforcing legislation enforcing organic diversion including AB1826, AB341, AB827 and SB1383. Register for this free webinar at https://bit.ly/2Xq1Q1E to hold your spot. *NOTE: We have limited seats and are prioritizing attendance to Carlsbad businesses and food industry professionals only at this time. Thank you!*

Water and soil-- two of our most precious commodities. Join us for a virtual panel discussion October 28th covering how proper landscaping techniques can prevent the erosion of topsoil to keep them both where they belong! Our panel of experts will discuss their involvement in creating a win-win outcome in the development of the County of San Diego's watershed protection and composting demonstration sites. Our panelists will be: ... - Nancy Zadrozny of Ramona's San Diego Country Estates Equestrian Center, has a background in horticulture and ecology, along with 15 years experience as vice president of an engineering construction firm. She served as manager of the San Diego Country Estates' Equestrian Centers for 5 years, and is currently the manager of their landscape department. - Josh Robinson holds a Master’s Degree in Ecological Landscape Design. He is the director and co-founder of the San Diego Sustainable Living Institute, and is a principal landscape designer for Ecology Artisans. - Craig Kolodge, Ph.D., is the former academic advisor, field plant pathologist and county director for the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Santa Clara county. He currently serves as the Business Development and Sustainability Manager for San Pasqual Valley Soils. - Diane Hazard, as Solana Center's Director of Education, will serve as the panel moderator. She has her degree in biology, a certificate in Sustainable Business Practices, and is a Master Composter. Register to hold you spot for this virtual event: https://bit.ly/3d4ctOw

Feeling artistic and passionate about compost? We encourage you to enter the International Compost Awareness Week 2021 Poster Contest! They’re looking for anyone, 9th grade (age 14) or older, interested in participating in the 19th Annual Poster Contest to enter before November 2nd, 2020. The 2021 theme is: Grow, EatCOMPOSTRepeat The winning poster will be used to promote International Compost Awareness Week, May 2-8, 2021. Good luck!! ... www.compostfoundation.org/ICAW/ICAW-Poster-Contest US Composting Council Composting Council Research and Education Foundation

Attention Carlsbad businesses City of Carlsbad - Official Sustainable Materials Management Division is partnering with Solana Center to offer two special webinars for Carlsbad restaurant owners, managers and chefs. We’ve collaborated with local chefs and owners to compile practical techniques and resources to cut back on food waste in commercial kitchens and save money immediately. The state of California is introducing stricter requirements around food waste each year a...nd we want to help your business stay in compliance with state regulations, while also benefiting from these sustainable practices. The following topics will be covered in this workshop: - Impacts of food waste on your business and the environment - Food waste prevention tips for back and front of the house - Good news for your business about food donations - Options for recycling food waste - Food waste legislation that impacts your business If you run or manage a commercial kitchen and/or food producing business in Carlsbad, we encourage you to join us for this free webinar Tuesday, October 20 or Wednesday, October 28 10 - 11 am PT. Register at https://bit.ly/2Xq1Q1E to hold your spot.

When you think about the labor, water, and energy used to bring you your food, it becomes clear the price tag on our food and products doesn't capture everything. Recognizing the true value of food means not wasting it. If you aren't able to eat something, find ways to reallocate the resource as food for others, animals, or the soil before putting it in the trash! #SaveTheFoodSD San Diego Food System Alliance

Plant your water! Rain harvesting techniques such as rain barrels or swales help keep valuable water on your property for later use and in the soil for healthier landscapes. Did you know the largest use of water in our household doesn’t come from within the home but from out in the yard instead? One rain barrel collects up to 50 gallons of chemical-free water. ideal for use in gardens and lawns while saving money that would be spent on imported water. Prepare for r...ainy seasons ahead by taking advantage of discounted rain barrels sponsored by the @countyofsandiego providing Unincorporated County residents a barrel for as low as $25. All residents are eligible for the $35 rain barrel rebate from the Metropolitan Water District’s SoCal WaterSmart program allowing them to pay just $55 per rain barrel on up to 2 rain barrels per household. Order by October 18th for pick up in El Cajon, order by October 31st for pick up in Valley Center, or opt to pick up your barrel from Solana Center in Encinitas during business hours Thursday/Saturdays. Visit solanacenter.org/rain-barrels (linked in bio) for more information and to place your order! #OceanFriendlyGarden #Rainbarrel #rainharvesting #raingarden See more

With more people staying home due to the pandemic, home renovations and gardening activities have been on the rise. But did you know California law requires you to call 811 before you do any digging? This will help prevent gas line strikes that can result from unsafe digging from construction and landscaping activities. Visit DigAlert.org to submit a ticket or reach out to San Diego Gas & Electric for more information. #sdge #energytips4u