Climate Solutions: Find Tools for Your Environmental Journey!
Visit our Climate Solutions Resource Center in Encinitas, CA where we offer accessible environmental resources and programming.
- Prevent single-use plastic use by borrowing dishware from the Green Convene rental program
- Shop for sustainability supplies
- Borrow tools from our Tool Lending Library to help you “get growing”
- Recycle E-waste/U-waste & flimsy plastics with our partner Plastic Beach
- Join us for a Green Living Tour spanning many sustainable topics with hands-on eco-displays (held once a month, please register in advance.)
- Test out an induction cooktop to explore home electrification with our partner San Diego Green Building Council
Each of us can take climate action by starting where we are with what we have. We provide sparks for climate action around the following concepts: (Explore more in our Climate Solutions Map!)
Food Waste Prevention
Preventing food waste, and the greenhouse gases it emits, is one of the most impactful ways individuals can combat climate change. Food waste prevention also saves upstream resources used in food production like transportation fuel, labor, energy, water, and land. Solana Center offers free resources, workshops, webinars, and consultations to assist with food waste prevention and rescue – whether you are an individual looking to keep your groceries from going bad or a business looking to reduce waste and donate edible food that can’t be sold.
Soil Regeneration
Feed generations to come by returning nutrients to the soil through compost and regenerative growing practices! Industrial agriculture and livestock practices contribute to emissions by disturbing carbon and overusing fertilizers (source: drawdown.org). Using compost has several benefits that include: better water and nutrient retention, reduced erosion, improved soil structure, lessened need for pesticides and fertilizers, and carbon sequestration. Learn to compost with Solana Center, whether in your own backyard, in your apartment, or on your farm.
Resource Conservation
The majority of San Diego’s water comes from the Colorado River. Pumping that water is the largest use of electricity in our region. In fact, water utilities are among the biggest consumers of electricity globally (source: drawdown.org). Rainwater harvesting helps the San Diego region conserve water by reducing stress on this precious resource, as well as decreasing energy consumption. Solana Center offers tools to help you conserve our precious supply of water, such as smart water meters and rain barrels.
Ecosystem Protection
By capturing rainwater where it falls, we not only benefit our soils, gardens, and local water supplies but we prevent pollutants from impacting our downstream environments. Runoff contains pollutants (i.e. pesticides, fertilizers, litter, heavy metals…) that greatly affect our streams and beaches so decreasing the amount of runoff is critical to a healthy environment. In addition to offering discounted water conservation tools like rain barrels and smart water meters, Solana Center offers workshops that help you create water-wise gardens, enabling you to spread, sink and store precious rainwater on your property.
Recycling Resources
Solana Center has a long history of recycling leadership, starting curbside recycling in San Diego County in 1983! By reusing and recycling, we can lower the carbon footprint of items, reduce pollution, and prevent the harmful environmental effects that result from extraction of raw materials and the landfilling of toxic materials. E- (electronics) and U- (batteries and light bulbs) waste are toxic and contain heavy metals that should NOT be put in the landfill. This waste constitutes only 2% of waste by weight in the landfill but accounts for 70% of the toxicity! Today Solana Center is one of the only North County Coastal locations that collects E- and U-waste along with flimsy plastic recycling (plastic bags) offered via partnership with Plastic Beach. Brush up on your sorting skills with recycling education, presentations, and consulting offered throughout the County.
Waste Reduction Resources
Solana Center offers waste reduction resources to encourage closed-loop communities and a share economy. Visit our Climate Solutions Resource Center to check out programs like Green Convene, where you can rent dish-ware, glasses, and cutlery to reduce waste at your next social gathering or party, or our Tool Lending Library, where you can borrow garden tools for your next project.
Climate Change Mitigation
Solana Center can help you take action today by connecting you to resources for change. Your donations help sustain this mission!
Don’t see what you are looking for? Call our hotline at (760) 436-7986 ex. 700 or send us an email to inquire about your other options or share your ideas!