News & Updates

HELP! A Swarm of Bees is in my Compost Bin!

Apr 4 2019

What Do I Do Now? Many of us know that bees serve a vital role in the environment as pollinators, and that their populations have seen a concerning decline in recent years. However, it can still be alarming when a swarm of honeybees chooses to land around our home-- including the inside of a compost bin! This happened recently in one of...
Volunteer Spotlight Rubi B

Volunteer Spotlight: Rubi Baricuatro

Mar 10 2019

A nature-lover growing up, Rubi knew she wanted to help people and the environment, earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies from San Diego State University and began working for the Fleet Science Center's education department. While leading their internal Green Team, she volunteered with the Balboa Park Sustainability Program during...
Our environmental educators pictured here with a recent award from the US Composting Council.

Spring 2019 Newsletter

Mar 4 2019

  Solana Center's Spring News Springing into Action
Mushrooms and compost bins

From the Rotline: Are Mushrooms Bad for my Compost Bin?

Feb 19 2019

Fear not! Fungi are essential players in a functioning vermi-compost system. They are part of the food chain going on in your bin; while we often think that worms are directly eating our food waste, what they’re really after are the microorganisms that digest our food. This includes bacteria, which can break down simple carbon compounds...
compost temperature is important

Composting with Worms: Wiggling through Winter

Feb 18 2019

Temperature is incredibly important to the productivity and livelihood of worms. Just like us, worms are happiest in moderate temperatures, so they may also need some help to thrive during the cooler months. Fortunately, most of San Diego County rarely experiences freezing temperatures, which can be deadly to worms. After all, they’re...

Solana Center Educator, Diane Hazard, Receives H. Clark Gregory Award for Outstanding Service in the Composting Industry

Jan 30 2019

ENCINITAS—The United States Composting Council (USCC) has selected Diane Hazard, Solana Center’s Director of Education, as its recipient of the prestigious H. Clark Gregory Award, recognizing excellence in composting, vermicomposting and public education. Diane is a Master Composter and has been working with Solana Center’s leadership...
rain barrel discounts

Capture Rainwater Now – Install a Discounted Rain Barrel and Start Saving up to 50 Gallons of Water

Jan 18 2019

ENCINITAS—Solana Center for Environmental Innovation (Solana Center), with the County of San Diego (County), is offering discounted rain barrels to encourage harvesting of rainwater. By using a rain barrel, San Diegans can reduce pollution from runoff, conserve water and save money on their water bill. Don't miss this opportunity to pay...
Healthy Soils Program

Solana Center Providing Technical Assistance to Southern California Farmers and Ranchers for Healthy Soils Funding Program

Jan 7 2019

 ENCINITAS—Solana Center for Environmental Innovation (Solana Center) is providing technical assistance to farmers and ranchers interested in applying for up to $75,000 in state grant funding available through the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Healthy Soils Program (HSP). Applications are due no later than March...
Learn how to get rid of weeds without harmful chemicals.

Winter Newsletter 2018

Dec 10 2018

  Solana Center's Winter News Green Greetings Our Fall has been as busy as promised. We hosted more than 25 workshops and events, including a 5-week Master Composter class, chipper training, and an employee-engagement program for Kashi. In partnership with SeaWeeders, we supported Solana Beach in a drive to collect and dispose of...
Students in our Master Composter class work with their compost pile.

Fall Newsletter 2018

Dec 10 2018

  Autumn at Solana Center Update from our Executive Director This fall, we will be promoting our Community Compost Program (CCP) -- the service for environmentally-responsible disposal of inedible food waste from homes and businesses. CCP is made possible by a generous grant from Beyster Family Foundation as well as City of Encinitas...

Pages