Solana Center to Provide Environmental Education at Del Mar Fairgrounds
The Del Mar Fairgrounds Board of Directors approved a partnership with Solana Center for Environmental Innovation to provide environmental education programming at the historic facility.
The partnership will expose new audiences to the importance of ecological sustainability and creating healthy communities. Consistent environmental programming at the Del Mar Fairgrounds demonstrates the 22nd District Agricultural Association’s (22nd DAA) commitment to the environment, agriculture, and education.
“By teaching people about the natural wonders of soil, plants, water, and animals, we encourage good stewardship of our resources and land,” said Solana Center’s Executive Director, Jessica Toth. “We are excited to offer our environmental programming and activities, which directly support the 22nd DAA’s agricultural mission.”
The 22nd DAA is a State of California agency that owns and operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds, which hosts more than 350 events annually, including the San Diego County Fair and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s live horse racing. Their mission is to manage and promote a world-class, multi-use, public assembly facility with an emphasis on agriculture, education, entertainment and recreation in a fiscally sound and environmentally conscientious manner for the benefit of all.
After considering the benefits of collaboration with Solana Center, the Fairgrounds Board of Directors voted unanimously to proceed with the partnership. The Board’s enthusiasm was underscored by Fairgrounds CEO and General Manager Tim Fennell, who exclaimed, “When do we start?” “We are proud to partner with this award winning organization. Moving forward we will continue our legacy of being environmentally proactive andgood stewards of this property and the land and water that surround the Del Mar Fairgrounds, added Fennell.”
Solana Center has had a significant presence at the San Diego County Fair’s Infield Farm, where visitors can see thriving vegetable gardens, watch worms turn food scraps into rich soil amendment, see a colony of bees in action, and much more. Solana Center’s booth last year was visited by thousands of people and hosted composting workshops, a rain gutter garden powered by solar energy, a planting bar for children, and other interactive gardening activities. The interactive booth was sponsored by the City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department and EcoScraps (http://ecoscraps.com/).
As part of the partnership, Solana Center will unveil its Eco Container at the San Diego County Fair this summer. The Eco Container is a re-purposed shipping container that has been transformed into a center for environmental innovation, featuring solar energy, a rooftop garden, greywater demo system, rain barrels, composting, drought tolerant landscaping and California-friendly gardens. Located in the Infield Farm, the Eco Container is a demonstration site and classroom designed to educate all ages about sustainability and inspire people to create energy-saving, water-efficient and eco-friendly living spaces. Solana Center is offering sponsorship opportunities to businesses, organizations and individuals interested in supporting the Eco Container.
Solana Center’s future plans are to offer workshops and a water conservation event at the Fairgrounds. For more information about Solana Center’s partnership with the Del Mar Fairgrounds or becoming an Eco Container sponsor, contact Solana Center’s Executive Director, Jessica Toth, at jessica@solanacenter.org.
About Solana Center: Since 1983, Solana Center has been a catalyst for grassroots environmental action in San Diego. Our school programs, classes, workshops, and interactions at community events provide an impetus for individual and collective participation in the protection of our soil, air and water. Through outreach and education initiatives, Solana Center works as a critical community resource in gardening and composting, water conservation andprotection, waste diversion, used oil and oil filter recycling. Residents and businesses look to us for help in achieving their Zero Waste goals through resource recovery and composting. For more information about Solana Center for Environmental Innovation, visit www.solanacenter.org.
About the 22nd District Agriculture Association: The 22nd District Agricultural Association (22nd DAA) is a State of California agency that owns and operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Surfside Race Place, Horsepark Equestrian Center and the Del Mar Golf Center. The 22nd DAA produces three events each year: The San Diego County Fair, the Del Mar National Horse Show and The Scream Zone. The Fairgrounds hosts more than 350 events annually, the largest of which is the live horse racing meet each summer and fall, which is operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for the 22nd DAA and the State of California. 22nd DAA’s mission is to manage and promote a world-class, multi-use, public assembly facility with an emphasis on agriculture, education, entertainment and recreation in a fiscally sound and environmentally conscientious manner for the benefit of all. For more information on the Del Mar Fairgrounds, visit www.delmarfairgounds.com.