Posts by Jess Bombar
Case Study: CDFA Healthy Soils Program Success Stories
Solana Center is funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to provide technical assistance to HSP program grant awardees, free of charge. For nearly a decade we have guided local farmers and growers through applying for funding and implementing farming practices over three-year award periods, as well as preparing reporting documentation over…
Read MoreImpact Report 2023-2024
Waste to Wonder Making climate solutions practical since 1983. Explore Solana Center’s 2023-2024 work by the numbers. Down to Earth: Serving San Diego County Solana Center for Environmental Innovation is an award-winning environmental 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1983. Located in Encinitas, we serve all of San Diego County. Our classes, workshops, and events focus on…
Read MoreComposting Success Story: Melody Plan
Master Composter Melody Plan shares her inspiration for her new children’s book Inside the Compost Bin.
Read MoreCase 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…
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