Summer Quarterly Newsletter – 2020
Dear Solana Center Community,
I hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and grounded in this unprecedented season. Although some daily normalities have fallen away, it has been inspiring to see our community come together to lift each other up and connect to our core needs.
From shifts in supply chains to provide food to those in need to new socially-distant shopping directly from local farms, artisans, and small businesses, San Diego has shown resilience.
Despite these uncertain times, we remain dedicated to our mission to address the region’s most pressing environmental issues and enact impactful change. To that end, we have recently reopened our Food Cycle program to continue to divert thousands of pounds of organic waste from landfills, offering the community another way to manage their waste, especially at a time when so many are at home more than ever before.
In addition, we are proud to announce the launch of our new Virtual Workshop Series. Solana Center has adapted a few of our workshops for the great virtual world, sponsored by the City of Encinitas and County of San Diego.
Participants will experience the same in-depth content led by our educators as we typically offer in the community all from the comfort of your own home! If you are interested in learning how to reduce waste, make more eco-friendly choices, and help protect our planet’s natural resources check out our lineup of free webinars listed below.
As always, you can reach us for one-on-one support or information through our Rotline. Stay tuned for the re-opening of our store, electronic waste drop-off hours, and more exciting programming. We hope to see you there!
Resiliently,
Jessica
Executive Director
From the Rotline: Is it Compostable?
Q: What items can I safely put in my compost bin?
A: We often get asked what is and isn’t compostable. Check out our reference list of items that the average backyard composter can feel comfortable adding to their compost bin.
Are Compost and Soil the Same Thing?
Have you ever found yourself wondering if compost and soil are the same thing?
While both are beneficial, there are some molecular differences between the two.
Compost is a small but important part of soil made from decomposed organic matter (such as your kitchen scraps and yard debris) and becomes the living part of soil. Soil is the top layer of earth and consists of varying proportions of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Although contributing but a small component to the overall soil make-up, compost’s role can not be understated. Compost provides the living part of soil.
Honoring Margaret “Wootsie” Stockton
Wootsie has been central to Solana Center since the organization began in 1983, when she introduced curbside recycling to her 152-unit condominium complex. During her years with Solana Center, she has been a volunteer, director, and board member. After 37 years of incredible insight, dedication, and unwavering drive toward sustainable solutions, Wootsie is sadly resigning from the board. She continues to be a bright inspiration to all of us who have been fortunate enough to work with Wootsie. We want to say thank you for everything you have given Solana Center and the community!
Webinar: Achieving Your Zero Waste Potential
Sponsored by the City of Encinitas.
Webinar: Manure Management for the Small Ranch or Farm
Wednesday, June 10th
Sponsored by the County of San Diego.
Webinar: Smart Ways to Fight Food Waste
Sponsored by the City of Encinitas.
Webinar: Manure Management for the Large Ranch or Farm
Wednesday, June 17th
Saturday, June 20th
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Free Virtual Webinar
Webinar: Raising Backyard Chickens “Cluckinar”
Curious how chickens can improve the quality of your soil, reduce waste, and help save you money? Learn about raising backyard chickens during this online webinar!
Sponsored by the County of San Diego.
Thursday, June 18th
We’re Accepting E-Waste From Businesses!
Does your company have old, unwanted electronics that they need to dispose of? In partnership with Urban Corps of San Diego, Solana Center collects e-waste from Coastal North County businesses.
Responsibly disposing of electronics allows for precious metal recycling, and prevents groundwater contamination from toxic components leaching into our environment.
Pick up is available the 3rd Wednesday each month from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Please note we are unable to collect personal e-waste from individuals at this time. If you are interested in donating, please hold on to your electronics to bring to the Center when we re-open for business. Thank you for your patience!
Lower Your Home Energy Use & Costs
The current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted families across the world and has resulted in more families staying at home due to California’s shelter-in-place order. However, more time at home doesn’t mean you have to see high energy bills. SDG&E is committed to helping their customers reduce energy bills during this challenging time. They have a webpage filled with tips, tools and programs that can help you reduce your energy use while at home. What’s more, you can also join 800,000 customers on the Time-of-Use pricing plan and say goodbye to high usage charges. For energy-saving tips, visit sdge.com/whenmatters-save and to learn more about pricing plans, visit sdge.com/whenmatters.
Make a Difference in Your Community With a Donation to Solana Center!
Even in these uncertain times, we remain dedicated to our mission to address the region’s most pressing environmental issues and enact impactful change. Support our effort to protect our planet by keeping organic waste out of landfills, conserve resources, and reduce pollution with a tax-deductible donation.
Additionally, if you find yourself shopping online more lately, AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support our environmental work every time you shop! At no additional cost to you, log on to smile.amazon.com and designate Solana Center as your donation recipient when you do your shopping.