Prevent. Divert. Compost.
Solutions to a Growing Food Waste Problem.
What is Food Cycle?
Solana Center is proud to bring the Food Cycle program to our community. We are able to accept community members' food scraps and process these organic materials on-site to create a high-quality soil supplement. The Food Cycle program is a co-op where San Diego residents and small businesses collect their organic waste in buckets using the Bokashi method and then deliver it to Solana Center to be turned into a nutritious soil amendment and distributed back into the community. Part of the program allows the participants to collect finished compost for their home gardens.
Who should join?
Food Cycle is perfect for everyone, whether you're collecting the food waste of one person in an apartment, 4 people in a house, 15 people in a small business, an event of 500 people, or anything in between. Everyone creates food waste, and Food Cycle can be the solution no matter your situation. We currently have individuals, households, businesses, and local governments enrolled--join them and be a part of the solution today!
Why should you get involved?
By participating in Food Cycle, a typical family of four will divert 45 lbs of food waste per month, which will prevent this material from going to the landfill. This is equivalent to keeping 32 lbs of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere and transforming the food waste into a healthy soil amendment for plants.
Participating in Food Cycle raises awareness amongst participants about the type and quantity of food that gets wasted and typically leads to changes in buying and cooking habits. This reduces the quantity of food waste generated, helping participants' pocketbooks and the environment. All Food Cycle participants are default environmental leaders inspiring fellow community members to do their part to reduce food waste and their environmental footprint.
Learn more about the benefits of compost and soil regeneration.
How does it work?
It's easy! Food Cycle members can add all types of food waste because we use the bokashi method of composting, which increases the types of acceptable waste. Bokashi pre-processing allows participants to dispose of all organic material (including proteins) and to stockpile until the bucket is full. This pre-composting step allows for fewer drop-offs by participants and reduces potential odors and vectors.
2. Set up Your System
Bring home your food collection 5-gallon bucket and bokashi bran. We'll walk you through how it all works when you sign up, but here are some tips!
Membership Options:
- Basic Membership is $15/month, covering 1 full bucket drop-off each visit
- Expanded Membership is $25/month, covering 2 full buckets each visit
- Signing up for your business? Contact Solana Center directly for business-specific details and pricing.
Your membership fee covers the cost of storing and processing your food waste, and providing a clean bucket or buckets for continued collection.