Posts by jessica
Case Study: Food Cycle Community Compost Program
At the end of 2023, Solana Center made the difficult decision to end the Food Cycle Community Compost program. With the rollout of curbside green recycling bins, we had seen a steady participation decline, and continuing the program was no longer sustainable for our organization. We are so grateful for all of the residents and…
Read MoreThe Benefits of Diverting Organic Waste from Landfills
Written by volunteer: Kate Sheppard Diverting waste from landfill can sometimes feel like a chore, but the benefits far outweigh the temporary annoyance of getting your hands dirty. This is especially true of organic waste. Yes, it may occasionally be sticky or smelly, but it’s not hard to properly sort and divert these compostable materials…
Read MoreReFED Food Waste Action Network Member Spotlight
Solana Center is excited to be featured as a Member of ReFED’s Food Waste Action Network (FWAN). The following interview was originally published on their website in April 2023 here. Organization Overview: Solana Center for Environmental Innovation helps individuals, businesses, and municipalities implement practical solutions for food waste diversion, surplus edible food donation, and environmental sustainability improvements.…
Read MoreSuccess Stories: Serving Underserved Communities & Schools in the San Diego Region
At the core of Solana Center’s mission is education. Teaching our community about soil, waste, and water is one of the key tools in making real, lasting, positive changes for our environment. We believe that education, innovation, and action are required to address the environmental challenges in our region and know that with each child…
Read MoreNew Resource Guide: 4 Most Common Healthy Soil Farming Practices
Did you know the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Healthy Soils Program (HSP) provides financial assistance to California farmers, growers, and ranchers for implementation of one or more HSP agricultural management practices to improve soil health, including compost & mulch application, cover cropping, no-till methods, conservation planting, and more? During the last solicitation period, CDFA allocated $67.5 million worth of HSP awards,…
Read MoreSolana Center for Environmental Innovation Honored with National Organics Diversion Program of the Year Award
Esteemed national organization US Compost Council recognizes local environmental leader and Encinitas non-profit for impacts in composting education and program implementation SAN DIEGO – The United States Composting Council (USCC) awarded the esteemed achievement award for Organics Diversion Program of the Year to Solana Center for Environmental Innovation which pioneered the first comprehensive curbside recycling…
Read MoreTrack, Reduce, and Conserve Your Water Use with Flume Smart Home Water Meter
We’re all working together to conserve our water and keep our water bills down because now, more than ever, we need to be mindful of our water use. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. That’s where Flume comes in! Flume’s Smart Home Water Monitor straps around your water meter and lets you…
Read MoreHow can I make a difference this Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 to counteract the spending of Black Friday and Cyber Monday with philanthropic giving to charities in need of support. It started in the U.S. and has quickly made its way across more than 70 countries. Giving Tuesday started as a day for anyone, anywhere to give, and it’s grown…
Read MoreTo Reduce Food Waste, Investors and Community Organizations Need to be at the Table
By Bea Miñana (Closed Loop Partners) and Jessica Toth (Solana Center for Environmental Innovation) Food waste is created at every point in our current food supply chain––on the farm, during manufacturing and transportation, on store shelves, at restaurants, and in our homes. Today, most of that uneaten food ends up in landfills, or is otherwise…
Read MoreSan Diego County unanimously passes ordinance in support of organic waste processing!
Celebrations are in order! The San Diego County Board of Supervisors just passed an updated ordinance that will amend the County’s existing zoning ordinance and allow organic material composting to occur in more areas of the unincorporated county. This will have a significant impact in the years to come on San Diego County’s ability to…
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