Posts Tagged ‘recycling’
Don’t Waste Summer’s Bounty!
Summer is officially here! Have you attended your local farmer’s market to check out the seasonal bounty yet? Visiting your local farmer’s market can be a wonderful experience where you get to explore beautiful produce, flowers, and herbs and meet the farmers who are growing them. Purchasing local, seasonal produce also helps your food last longer, supports your community, and is a…
Read MoreCommunity Series: Waste Not With Upcycling
One person’s trash has the potential to be another person’s treasure thanks to the powerful process of upcycling! Upcycling is a conventional process in which by-products and other used materials are transformed into something of higher quality or value than the original. This creative reuse process reduces the overall waste footprint, by keeping materials from…
Read MoreHow to Prevent Microfiber Pollution in Your Household
Have you heard of the term ‘microfibers’? These are tiny synthetic pieces of plastic yarn often shed by our clothing when in the washing machine. While they sound small, these microfibers have a big impact on our water ways and oceans, unfotunately often making their way to be ingested by marine life. Near the North Pacific Gyre of the…
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 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 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 More5 Smart Alternatives to Paper Towels
If you’re lucky enough to actually find paper towels at the grocery store right now, you’re probably blowing through them with all of the sanitizing going on at home. The bad news is that even one roll of paper towels can take its toll on the planet. The good news is that there are some hassle-free and…
Read MoreQuick and Easy Ways to Stop Junk Mail!
Reducing waste is easiest when we’re cutting back on stuff we’ve already all decided we don’t want. One good example is Junk Mail. More than 100 billion pieces of junk mail are delivered in the United States each year, which comes out to 848 pieces per household. The production, distribution, and disposal of all that…
Read MoreZero Waste Tip: Reuse Instead of Buying Plastic Bags
Environmentalists have celebrated the passing of plastic bag bans all over the country, but still, we are not even close to being free of these products. Even the most dedicated Zero Waster finds themselves in possession of the occasional plastic bag. While we work to eliminate them totally, these are great items to reuse! Reusing…
Read More5 Tips to Set Up Your Home for Recycling Success
Looking to improve your family’s recycling habits? We’ve found that the key to recycling as much as possible is to make your setup at home efficient. Here are a few of our favorite tips to help improve your recycling game. Have your trash can and recycle bin right next to each other. Having a designated spot…
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