Case 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…

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Build Healthy Soils with Free Assistance to Secure up to $100,000 Grant Funding!

Join Solana Center for Environmental Innovation (Solana Center) for a free technical assistance webinar for farmers and ranchers to learn more about applying for up to $100,000 in state grant funding. Assistance is provided by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Healthy Soils Program (HSP) for farmers to implement conservation management practices that…

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The 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…

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From the Rotline: Where should I position my compost bin?

There are several things to keep in mind when choosing a location for your compost bin. Sun or shade? A worm bin is best placed in the shade. Worms do not fare well in hot temperatures or during a deluge of water during a rainstorm. By placing them in the shade, they will be more…

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Picnic in sustainable style!

The weather is warm and the sun is shining, making it a lovely time to picnic. It’s easy to wrap your picnic food in plastic wrap, put it all in a bag and throw all your trash away at the nearest trashcan. However, the earth, the water, the landfill, and your garden will all thank…

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Let’s Talk About Organics Recycling

Solana Center is proud to work with a majority of jurisdictions in the San Diego region to help with organics green bin distribution and provide education on what goes where as both residents and businesses begin participating in this important program spurred by SB 1383 legislation. At the start of summer 2021, EDCO distributed kitchen…

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New 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,…

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Solana 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…

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Compost: It’s Alive!

The physical and chemical conditions in a compost heap seem logical if you think about what compost really is: an enormous pile of food for billions of minute organisms. These microorganisms have certain chemical requirements, including carbon for energy, nitrogen to build proteins, and oxygen for respiration. The most numerous organisms in a compost pile…

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