Start the new year composting!

Saturday, January 9^th, 2010
8am-10am
San Diego Zoo Otto Entrance
(one block south of main entrance)

Learn how to create rich garden soil, save water, and reduce trash at the landfill by recycling your kitchen scraps and garden debris at this FREE workshop.

Workshop is taught by trained Master Composters from the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation and cover how and what to compost using both a vermicomposting (worm) bin and a backyard composting bin.

Pre registration required. Please register online at www.solanacenter.org or by phone 760-436-7986 ext. 222. Limit 25 participants.

Click here to pre-register now!

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“Rotline” Question of the Week: How can I make my own compost bin?

Wire Mesh Compost Bin

Here are a couple of designs we recommend:

Stackable wood bin: minimal carpentry skills needed, can use recycled lumber (as long as it is not treated)

Wooden pallet bin: all you need are four wooden pallets, bolts, and latches and you’re on your way

Wire mesh bin: easy to make and inexpensive

Homemade designs often do not include lids which is not a problem as long as you are burying your food correctly. In dry climates, is it recommended to line the following designs with plastic or thick cardboard to retain moisture.

Click here for information about compost bins offered by the Solana Center.

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FREE Electronic Waste Collection Event this Saturday

Saturday, July 25th
9 – 12 noon

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation
137 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas

Help keep electronic waste out of the landfill! Recycle your old computer monitors, televisions, laptops/computers, fax machines, cell phones, and much more at the Solana Center’s Free Electronic Waste Collection Event this Saturday! Click here more information.

Please note: large household/commercial appliances, hazardous waste, compact flourescent lightbulbs (CFL’s), and batteries will not be accepted.

Provided by the City of Encinitas, Recycle San Diego, and the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation.

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Earth Fair Diversion Rates

On April 19th, 2009 the largest free annual environmental fair in the world was held in Balboa Park in San Diego. “R” Stations were set up around the park to demonstrate the 7 R’s: recycle, reduce, reuse, rot, repair, redesign, and regulate. Recycling, composting, trash bins were placed throughout the park and were staffed by volunteers, including the Solana Center Master Composters. Vendors used compostable and recyclable containers and cutlery and all food items were accepted in the compost bins. Below are the number for each bin:

Recycling – 2.33 tons
Composting– 1.28 tons
Trash – .9 tons

Total diversion rate: 80% of recyclables and organics were kept out of the landfill!

Next year’s goal: 90%

Thank you to all of the Master Composters who helped with the event!

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Donate your nickel to the Solana Center

Solana Center has been selected as a recipient of Jimbo’s Naturally Grocery Stores’ Wooden Nickel Program!

How it works:

• Bring your reusable shopping bags to Jimbo’s to shop.
• For as many bags of your own used, Jimbo’s will give you the choice of a US nickel or a wooden nickel minted by Jimbo’s.
• If you choose the wooden nickel, you will have the opportunity to donate it to the Solana Center.

Click here to find a Jimbo’s near you.

Why donate to Solana Center? The Solana Center provides environmental education throughout the County of San Diego. Our programs include: school composting and recycling, household hazardous waste education, free electronic waste collection, free composting workshops, compost bin sales, and more. For more information about the Solana Center visit our website at www.solanacenter.org.

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Free E-Waste and Battery Recycling Event this Weekend!

Do you have used batteries lying around the house? Want to get rid of that pesky broken computer monitor from the back of your garage? Bring all of your electronic waste to the Solana Center this weekend during our E-waste Drop Off Event. Any device with a plug is more than welcome!* Click here for all the details!

Saturday, January 31st
9 am – noon

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation
137 N El Camino Real, Encinitas

*Please note we cannot accept any large appliances (i.e. refrigerators)

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Commercial Composting a Huge Success

Image Courtesy of ArlingtonTimes.com

Businesses in Arlington, Washington are now able to save some money by sending their compostable organic material to a large-scale composting center. The center has a lower rate for collections, and businesses can escape the 3.6% Washington state refuse tax since compost is considered a recyclable material.

So that’s all well and good, but how much compostable material is being produced from these businesses? A typical restaurant’s waste consists of 65% compostable organic material, 30% recyclables (glass, tin, cardboard, etc), and only 5% garbage. Only 5% of a restaurant’s waste actually needs to be thrown away. 95% of it can be re-used in some way.

Restaurants aren’t the only target of this program. The city is hoping to get grocery stores, coffee shops, cafeterias and school kitchens, and even hospitals to sign up for the program.

Cascade Valley Hospital signed up and, after an audit, went from only recycling cardboard to recycling almost every form of waste they had – cardboard, paper, glass, metal, plastic, and food waste.

A company in the area, The Markets LLC, has calculated that it has reduced its landfill use by 50% in its stores.

The city of Arlington is less than 10 square miles in area. Imagine if a program like theirs was adopted in a larger, more developed city like San Diego. It would be a step towards achieving sustainability and reducing our use of landfills.

Here’s the original article.

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E-waste Recycling Event this weekend!

Do you have any used batteries lying around your house? Want to get rid of that pesky broken computer monitor from the back of your garage? Then bring all of your electronic waste to the Solana Center this weekend during our E-waste Drop Off Event. We will be recycling spent electronics and accepting other still operating electronics for donations. Any device with a plug is more than welcome!*

Saturday, November 15th

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation

137 N El Camino Real, Encinitas

9am – 12pm

*Please note that we can not accept any large appliances (refigerators, ovens, etc).

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Composting at the Convention: Denver Green

Watching the democratic national convention, you may be surprised to hear about one exciting trend taking place away from cameras: composting at the convention. The convention organizers are hoping to divert 85 percent of the waste created by the event to recycling and composting instead into the landfill. Volunteers are organized in mass to educate the delegates and public about recycling, composting and how to properly separate each out each into the three-bin-system set up at the convention center and other events around town.

Read more about it in this Denver Post article:
Dems’ favorite color for convention? Green
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_10293045

Also, here’s an article in the Washington Times on the sorters themselves
Those who sort also serve
http://www.washtimes.com/weblogs/trail-times/2008/Aug/27/those-who-sort-also-serve/

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