Posts by admin
Mental Wellness And Gardening
Written by Master Composter Volunteer Mary Purpura, MA, HTR If you garden and compost, you know there are many physical benefits. Digging, hand tilling and turning compost piles can all increase your heart rate, offering a boon to your cardiovascular system. Weeding and planting maintain and improve hand strength. All that time spent outdoors tying…
Read MoreEarth Day is Everyday – Community Earth Month Celebration
This April, we are looking forward to recognizing Earth Month and taking action as a community. We want to empower each of you to show and tell how you are contributing to a greener future today and every day by submitting a work of art, short letter or story, song, photo or other unique form of…
Read MoreSpring & Summer Produce Storage Guide
Eating seasonally is an important part of leading a sustainable lifestyle. Getting to know where your food comes from and opting to purchase locally where possible is a great way to decrease your carbon footprint, lift up local businesses in your community and allows you to align your diet with the seasons. Along with eating farm-fresh local produce…
Read MoreSan Diego County wastes 500,000 tons of food each year. Here’s a better solution.
Originally published in San Diego Union-Tribune February 17th. Written by Jessica S. Toth, Solana Center Executive Director. Government and economics are coming into alignment on the need to address climate change. In the past few weeks, climate change mitigation was hot. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors identified activation around climate policy as a key platform tenet,…
Read MoreCarbon Farming for Climate Resilience
Did you know that San Diego is fortunate to have more small farms than any other county in the nation? With the unique combination of urban and rural landscapes, San Diego was one of the first southern California regions to adopt the framework for carbon farming pioneered by the Marin Carbon Project. Carbon farming describes a variety of agricultural…
Read MoreFrom the Rotline: What “browns” can I use in my compost?
Rotline Question: Can I make a traditional compost pile with paper as my only “browns” material? What else can I use? Answer: Making a traditional compost pile with paper as your only brown is doable, but not optimal. In order for the materials of your compost to break down efficiently, a sufficient amount and balance of nitrogen…
Read MoreInterview with Sarah Owens | Food Cycle Feature
We connected with Encinitas-local cookbook author of Sourdough, Toast and Jam and Heirloom: Time Honored Techniques, Nourishing Traditions, and Modern Recipes. Sarah is a naturally-leavened baker, professional horticulturist, and culinary instructor who believes strongly in the power of baking to foster community and social change. She is an advocate of regenerative agricultural practices to rebuild…
Read MoreLow-Waste Takeout Guide
It is no secret that Covid has had a big impact on the restaurant industry as well as other daily activities we may have previously taken for granted in our modern society. Unfortunately, this means that eating “out” looks much different than it used to, often accompanied by plastic bags, styrofoam boxes, and mixed-plastics containers.…
Read MoreBiochar: A Valuable Composting Ingredient
Article written by Master Composter volunteer, Melody Plan. What is biochar? Before the bins, compost thermometers, and subsidized compost vouchers, our ancestors buried char: wood, manure, or leaves cooked at a relatively low temperature in a low-oxygen environment over a long period of time, directly into the ground to fertilize the soil. You may say “That sounds…
Read MoreHoliday Gifts that Give Back
This holiday season is one like no other. We want to help you shop local and give without creating waste – instead of giving more “stuff”, consider giving a gift of an experience, subscription or make a donation in their name rather than material items. Here are our favorite gifts that give back! Buy a…
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