Zero Waste Tip: How to Recycle Your Plastic Bags

We’re all about banning the bag and using reusable options where possible. But even those leading a dedicated zero waste lifestyle run into instances where products come in a plastic film – such as the wrapper around toilet paper. When you are faced with a situation where you can’t avoid plastic packaging, what do you do…

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Earth Day – 50 Years And Counting!

It hardly seems feasible that it’s been 50 years since the first Earth Day was celebrated. And today, even in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, its scope and importance continues to grow. Earth Day History In 1970, the inspiration for Earth Day began right here in California, when Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson witnessed the…

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4 Tips For Processing Your Organics at Home

Knowing Food Cycle is so important to many and helps prevent thousands of pounds of food scraps from going to landfills, we wanted to share four ways you can process your food waste at your home during the interim period when our Food Cycle program was on hold. 1. Ensure that you’re maximizing the volume available in your bucket. This…

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COVID-19 Related Updates from Solana Center

*** Update as of April 23 *** We are excited to announce the re-opening of the Food Cycle program Thursday, April 23rd! With the current state of the COVID pandemic and the continued social distancing measures, we will be modifying our procedures for bucket exchange services so we can continue to collect your scraps safely and within…

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Passive or Active Composting: Which is right for you?

When asked what’s keeping folks from starting to compost at home, one of the most common responses is that they lack the time to do it. Time is a precious resource in our modern lives, and living an environmentally-friendly lifestyle often takes extra effort. However, we at Solana Center always try to emphasize that there…

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Build Better Soil and Improve Profitability with Regenerative Farming

Changing environmental regulations and increasing water costs are a challenge to the profit margins for San Diego farms and ranches. But current scientific research on regenerating soil health shows that carbon farming in addition to growing cash crops can be beneficial both economically and environmentally, including: Improving water retention Restoring degraded soil leading to better,…

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Sifting Compost: What a Fine Idea

Our fervent followers may have noticed and supported our recent trommel fundraising campaign for the Food Cycle program. Thanks to generous donations the trommel was fully funded and is now benefiting Food Cycle “tromm”endously. We are extraordinarily grateful. While our fundraising pitch explained that a trommel can expedite the composting process, we’d like to share…

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From the Rotline: Do red wigglers belong in my backyard compost bin?

Rotline Question:   Should I put red wiggler worms in my backyard compost bin? Answer:   This is a question that comes up often when folks visit our store to purchase composting worms, and we often have to urge folks not to add worms to their backyard bin. The reason lies in the fundamental differences between traditional…

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Benefits of a Mechanized Trommel

How will Solana Center’s mechanized trommel benefit you? Investing in a trommel has multiple benefits, but the primary purpose for acquiring this equipment is to accommodate the growth of the Food Cycle program and process compost faster. A trommel will: allow the Food Cycle program to grow, serving more local families, individuals and organizations; divert more food…

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Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Ann Stone

“The list of Mary Ann’s contributions to Solana Center is endless,” shared Executive Director Jessica Toth. “We all know that without her, the Center would not be here today and that the journey would not have been nearly as much fun! Most importantly, Mary Ann has been a steady sounding board for every aspect of…

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