Stop by to say hello, ask questions, and share knowledge at one of our community booths this February!

Sunday Feb 1st - Tu B'Shavat Food Forest Festival at Coastal Roots Farm

Tuesday Feb 24th - Sustainability Resource Fair at the San Diego Central Library

California’s groundbreaking food waste prevention legislation SB 1383 is now in full effect across San Diego County. As your local education agency/school works to rethink how they manage their food waste, we are here to support your team and answer questions about how your school can comply, and how this will affect your bottom line. 

This webinar will take place on Zoom on Thursday, February 26, from 1:00 PM 2:00 PM.

This webinar training will address the questions and concerns members of your school may have about food donation and organics recycling, whether you work in facilities, are on the lunchroom staff, work in the cafeteria, or support nutrition programs. Experts from Solana Center for Environmental Innovation are here to help you understand SB 1383 and find opportunities in compliance. From saving money to addressing climate change and regional food insecurity, your school, your students, those in need, and the environment all stand to benefit. 

In this webinar, we will cover:

• How SB 1383 affects your school

• Impacts of wasted food on your school and the environment

• Practical tips and strategies to manage and divert food waste

• How to set up a successful edible food recovery program 

• Guidance on liability protection

• How to implement food waste prevention strategies specific to local education agencies and individual school sites.

• Q&A session to answer your questions

All unincorporated individuals who register online will receive a link to the recording, which you can view for one week after the live webinar. 

Made possible through generous funding by:

Join this free webinar to learn about all the benefits of rain barrels and best practices for rainwater collection. ​​

In this webinar we will cover:

• The purpose and the environmental benefits of rain barrels and rain harvesting

• Downspouts, rain chains, and connecting them to your rain barrels

• How to install a rain barrel

• Maintaining your rain barrel

• How to empty rainwater from your barrel for capacity; and

• City of San Diego Only: Rebates & discounts for City of San Diego residents

City of San Diego only: This webinar is designed for City of San Diego residents and will detail rebates and discount programs from the City of San Diego, how to harvest rainwater in your household, and the best way to use your new rain barrel!

Discounted rain barrels available for City of San Diego residents:

City of San Diego residents are eligible for discounted rain barrels courtesy of the Stormwater Department!* Rain barrels are $30 each for City of San Diego residents after the $75 discount (original price $105.) Please check your eligibility here before preordering your rain barrels and selecting a pickup date.

Contact us with any questions at (760) 436-7986  ext. 700 or at water@solanacenter.org. 

*Discounted rain barrels available only while supplies last. Rain barrel discounts available for qualified City of San Diego residents only, limited to two per household. Additional barrels are available for purchase from Solana Center with the opportunity for further rebates.

This webinar is funded by -

Learn how you can save money and reduce pests by composting your livestock manure!

Composting manure helps protect your local watershed, prevents pollution in waterways, and produces a fantastic soil amendment. Composting is easy and inexpensive and can help reduce flies, odors, and waterway contamination. Using composted manure on your garden and landscaping will also help enrich your soil and conserve water.

This workshop will cover:

• The basics & benefits of composting 

• How to incorporate manure into compost piles

• Scaling up or down compost pile size

• Local regulations and requirements

• Preventing odors and flies; and

• Protecting local water sources

Benefits of manure composting:

• Saves water and money (fewer purchased amendments)

• Increases soil health and biodiversity

• Prevents flies and odors; and

• Protects waterways

Made possible through generous funding by:

Become a Master Composter! Join us at Fallbrook’s beautiful Palomares House to gain in-depth composting knowledge to expand your sustainable gardening practices. You can earn a certificate of completion after attending all five weeks, then go on to receive the Master Composter certification and badge after completing the additional requirements! Meet new people in this fun, hands-on course! Class size is limited.

Course Fee: $25*

*If this course fee presents a financial hardship, it may be waived upon request. Please contact Sarah Van Horn at sarah.vanhorn@solanacenter.org before registering to inquire.

Master Composter Schedule:

Saturdays, March 14, March 21, March 28, April 4, April 11

9am - 12pm

Location - Palomares House, 1815 South Stage Coach Lane, Fallbrook, CA, 92028

Field Trip - April 18, 10am - 11am at San Pasqual Valley Soils

After completing this 5-week course, you will have a better understanding of how to:

• Minimize your carbon footprint and reduce methane emissions by keeping food and yard waste out of the landfill.

• Create natural nutrient-rich soil amendments with your food and yard waste that help your garden grow.

• Avoid using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

• Reduce water use and increase water retention. Compost increases your soil’s water-holding capacity and improves water retention. 

The Master Composter course provides training in the art and science of composting through lectures, demonstrations, and a field trip. The course covers the following topics:

• In-depth traditional composting and the basics of composting with worms (vermicomposting)

• Compost bin building and troubleshooting (in teams!)

• The microbiology of composting, including the role of fungi and bacteria

• Bokashi fermentation for saving food scraps to compost

• Macrodecomposers in your compost pile

• The environmental impacts of composting

• … and much more!

Field Trip

Our field trip's leader, Craig M. Kolodge Ph.D., serves as the Business Development and Sustainability Manager for San Pasqual Valley Soils. This large-scale composting facility processes up to 75,000 cubic yards of yard trimmings and cow manure from their neighboring Konyn Dairy each year. These materials are added to their beautifully tended windrows, and result as high-quality mulch and compost. This is an optional part of the course but is highly recommended due to Dr. Kolodge's expertise.

About Dr. Kolodge - Craig Kolodge, Ph.D., is the former academic advisor, field plant pathologist, and county director for the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Santa Clara County. And he is a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) and an expert in the use of compost-based Sustainable Management Practices (SMPs) for stormwater management and industrial pollution management (Trainer of Record for Qualified Industrial Stormwater Practitioner - QISP statewide program). 

Residents of unincorporated County of San Diego receive preferential registration. All others will be placed on a waitlist and apprised of space available 1-2 weeks before the start of the course.

BEFORE REGISTERING, please enter your address here to check your residency. You can select the County of San Diego Residents ticket option ONLY if your jurisdiction boundary result is exactly “S.D. COUNTY.” All others must select the waitlist option.

How to get certified: Master Composter certification requires attendance at all 5 classes, as well as 30 volunteer hours of related community service. Certification is optional. 

Made possible through generous funding by:

Thanks to our host:

Palomares House & Park

Join us! Sunday, March 22nd, 2026 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Where: Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024

Cost: FREE

Join Solana Center for a free community event focused on education and the impact of clothing and textile waste. Participants will learn about the urgent need to move towards more sustainable models in fashion, connect with sustainable vendors, and shop from local makers.

RSVP to receive reminder emails for the event. RSVP/Tickets are not required and will not be checked. All attendees will be asked to check in upon entry.

FIX IT CLINIC Registration: https://events.humanitix.com/sdfixitclinic_textiles

Slow Fashion: Sustainable Style

Join us to hear from two local experts in sustainable textiles, Positive Phee and Sew Loka!

The presentation is FREE and will run during our Zero Waste Textile Expo from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Space for this presentation is limited, so be sure to reserve your seat in advance.

Vendors

Shop sustainably and learn from the following vendors during the expo:

Outspire X - ​Offering ultralight and upcycled adventure gear created from retired paragliders.

Muxu Creations - Selling products that are made using only preexisting textiles: Patches made from reclaimed cotton with watercolor designs printed using water-based ink, zipper pouches crafted from swatches, art reproductions on reclaimed cotton, reworked denim jackets, start-to-finish jackets made from quilts, blankets, and other preexisting textiles.

Positive Phee - Stop by the Positive Phee booth! Pick up a Sip & Style 2026 gift card and get a preloved clothing item of your choice as a thank-you for supporting circular fashion.

Material Happiness - Textile and fiber art creative reuse store including a selection of mending supplies, patch bundles, and kits. They will also share educational materials about mending and upcycling.

Goodwill Industries of San Diego County - Offering a DIY craft: make a reusable bag out of donated t-shirts along with education on Goodwill’s process for handling textiles and the importance of repurposing your textiles. They will also have small textile items for sale, as well as information on a couple of ongoing textile studies at their San Ysidro facility.

Be Creative Zone - Guiding the crafting zone with hands-on demonstrations of the process of making rugs from old socks.

Algenesis/BLUEVIEW - Showcasing BLUEVIEW plant-based and biodegradable footwear, with information on where attendees can purchase products.

Best Coast Bags - Selling bags, napkins, potholders, and other textile housewares from old jeans, upcycled shirts, fabric scraps, etc.

CA Originals by Kathryn – Selling locally handmade clothing & accessories made from vintage, recycled, natural fiber textiles.

City of Encinitas - Providing general sustainability information from the City of Encinitas Sustainability Division

More vendors and offerings coming soon!

San Diego Fixit Clinic

Bring clothing or textile items that need mending and work alongside skilled volunteers. Advanced registration is encouraged; walk-ins are welcome, subject to space availability.

Composting with worms, also known as vermicomposting, has benefits for everyone.

Whether you want to divert kitchen scraps from the landfill, compost in small spaces, or create a natural fertilizer for your plants. Join us at the Rancho Santa Fe Library to learn how to start and maintain a happy home for red wiggler worms, and about their mighty impact on the planet.

All pre-registered attendees who are residents of unincorporated San Diego County can receive a free kitchen scraps container.

In this workshop, we will cover:

• Benefits of composting with worms

• Tools, materials, and steps to start a worm bin

• How to feed your worms and which foods are suitable

• Troubleshooting and maintaining all worm bin styles

• Harvesting and using finished castings

Residents of San Diego are invited to join this free workshop to learn about all the benefits of rain barrels and best practices for rainwater collection. Pre-order a rain barrel for pickup at the distribution event following the hands-on workshop!  

San Diego Residents Only: ​​This workshop is for City of San Diego residents only and will be detailing rebates and discount programs, how to harvest rainwater in your household, and the best way to use your new rain barrel.

In this workshop we will cover:

• The purpose and the environmental benefits of rain barrels and rain harvesting

• Downspouts, rain chains, and connecting them to your rain barrels

• How to install a rain barrel

• Maintaining your rain barrel

• How to empty rainwater from your barrel for capacity; and

• City of San Diego Only: Rebates & discounts for City of San Diego residents

City of San Diego Only: Discounted rain barrels available for City of San Diego residents:

City of San Diego residents are eligible for discounted rain barrels courtesy of the Stormwater Department!* Rain barrels are $30 each for City of San Diego residents after the $75 discount (original price $105.) Please check your eligibility here before pre-ordering your rain barrels and selecting a pickup date.

Please contact us with any questions at (760) 436-7986  ext. 700 or at water@solanacenter.org. 

*Discounted rain barrels available only while supplies last. Rain barrel discounts available for qualified City of San Diego residents only, limited to two per household. Additional barrels are available for purchase from Solana Center with the opportunity for further rebates.

This workshop is funded by:

Thanks to our host, Mountain View Community Center.

Solana Center’s knowledgeable speakers will present practical solutions for reducing food waste in your home and discuss how incorporating these practices into your daily life can be a great way to help the environment and save money. You have the power to reduce food waste by making small changes to your daily life and habits. 

Join us to learn:

• Practical and successful methods to prevent food waste in your own kitchen

• How to divert food waste from the landfill

• Tips for buying only what you need, eating what you buy, and avoiding throwing away food.

• Where and how food is being wasted in the U.S. and around the world 

• The social, environmental, and economic impacts of food waste

Thank you to our sponsor:

Full Live Course (3 days) - $980

April 15, 22, 23, 2026 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Virtual Zoom Meeting

Discounts: 

• 10% off for current CRRA and SWANA members

• Group rate 3 or more participants save 15% - Use code: GROUPSPRING26

• Early bird discount: save $25 when you register before March 20, 2026 - Use code: EARLYSPRING26

• If your organization would like to pay by check, please reach out to marketing@solanacenter.org for more details.

Award-winning Solana Center for Environmental Innovation, in partnership with California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) and Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), presents Food Recovery Inspection Training: California SB 1383 Compliance. Experts will present deep insights into the Edible Food Recovery aspect of California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Act (SB 1383)

Solana Center has extensive experience inspecting and providing technical assistance to hundreds of businesses and food rescue organizations. Experts will present deep insights into the Edible Food Recovery aspect of California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Act (SB 1383). Part 1 introduces relevant aspects of the law and then focuses on edible food rescue requirements. Part 2 takes place over two days and provides comprehensive training for conducting edible food recovery inspections in the commercial sector. Thousands of inspection hours have been distilled into a digestible format. Registrants who attend all 3 days of the training will receive a certificate of completion.

“This course has helped grow my knowledge about the importance of Food Recovery for both people and the planet. The information from the course helps to understand the potential Food Recovery programs have towards the goal of creating a sustainable future.” - Participant from August 2025 training.

This course is intended for employees of jurisdictions and organizations who support SB1383 compliance throughout the state of California.

Part 1: Fundamentals of SB 1383 Food Recovery - April 15, 2025 - 9:00 - 2:00 PM PST

Part 1 covers the fundamentals of SB 1383 food recovery. Get in-depth information about how to comply with California’s regulations, which require organic waste recycling and surplus food recovery. Regulations will be laid out to encompass the perspectives of each stakeholder, including jurisdictions, food-generating businesses, food recovery organizations, haulers, and residents. This is perfect for anyone who would like to get a complete understanding of SB 1383 as it relates to food recovery.

Topics Covered:

• The impetus behind the law

• Overview of the regulations

• Who must donate edible food

• Edible food recovery requirements

• Food recovery programming

• Types of recoverable food

• Donation liability and tax benefits

• Food Waste Prevention 

• Organic recycling

Part 2: Inspection Training for Food Recovery - April 22, 23 - 9:00 - 2:00 PM PST

Part 2 provides you with in-depth information about how to comply with the food recovery aspects of California’s SB 1383 regulations, in which food businesses must donate 100% of surplus edible food that would otherwise be disposed of. The two days of highly interactive training provide step-by-step guidance for conducting edible food recovery inspections at businesses and food recovery organizations, including discussions of nuances and common stumbling blocks for each business sector. 

Topics Covered:

• Procedural breakdown of Food Recovery Organization inspections

• Procedural breakdown of Food Generating Business inspections

• Common challenges and lessons per sector

• Inspection process details for all regulated food-generating business sectors

• Inspection demonstrations and interactive exercises

“This training was a great opportunity to learn more about the food recovery aspects of SB 1383. As someone who is new to their role and will soon be conducting these inspections, it was great to learn more about the process and be able to hear accounts from people who are experienced at being in the field. After this training, I am eager to get started conducting inspections to help bolster our city's food recovery program!” - City of Torrance Inspector

Please note: this training requires participants to use a camera and microphone to participate in the Zoom training. This is not a webinar format.

For more information, visit our SB 1383 Food Recovery Inspection Training Program homepage.

If you have any additional questions, please contact - zero.waste@solanacenter.org

Frequently asked questions

This course has been featured in:

Residents of San Diego are invited to join this free workshop to learn about all the benefits of rain barrels and best practices for rainwater collection. Pre-order a rain barrel for pickup at the distribution event following the hands-on workshop!  

San Diego Residents Only: ​​This workshop is for City of San Diego residents only and will be detailing rebates and discount programs, how to harvest rainwater in your household, and the best way to use your new rain barrel.

In this workshop we will cover:

• The purpose and the environmental benefits of rain barrels and rain harvesting

• Downspouts, rain chains, and connecting them to your rain barrels

• How to install a rain barrel

• Maintaining your rain barrel

• How to empty rainwater from your barrel for capacity; and

• City of San Diego Only: Rebates & discounts for City of San Diego residents

City of San Diego Only: Discounted rain barrels available for City of San Diego residents:

City of San Diego residents are eligible for discounted rain barrels courtesy of the Stormwater Department!* Rain barrels are $30 each for City of San Diego residents after the $75 discount (original price $105.) Please check your eligibility here before pre-ordering your rain barrels and selecting a pickup date.

Please contact us with any questions at (760) 436-7986  ext. 700 or at water@solanacenter.org. 

*Discounted rain barrels available only while supplies last. Rain barrel discounts available for qualified City of San Diego residents only, limited to two per household. Additional barrels are available for purchase from Solana Center with the opportunity for further rebates.

This workshop is funded by:

Thanks to our host, North Clairemont Recreation Center.