VOLUNTEER WITH SOLANA CENTER

What volunteers can do

Mission - Get involved

Volunteer at the Center

Support Solana Center programs from our home base! We have several monthly volunteer opportunities at our Center in Encinitas that support our Food Cycle Program, Worm demonstration area, and more.

Kids garden

School Programs

Support the next generation of eco-stewards! Assist a Solana Center educator at one of these school events, where students get hands-on experiences with composting, recycling, and other environmental subjects. Help build compost bins for their school, teach them to sort their lunch waste properly, or dive hands in with the worms.

Booth Outreach

Community Outreach Booths

Help Solana Center educate people about key environmental topics such as composting, vermicomposting, recycling, and watershed stewardship at major community or private events across the County. Our booths attract many visitors with our intriguing signs and interactive displays.

Workshop

Compost Workshops

Help our community learn about improving the quality of our soil, reducing waste and air pollution and saving energy, money, and water through composting! Assist one of our educators during a 2-hour presentation and, at the same time, learn the basics of backyard composting, Bokashi, or vermicomposting (composting with worms).

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Thank you, Volunteers!

Volunteers are the backbone of our many programs, enabling us to bring sustainable living practices to thousands of San Diegans each year.

We have many ways for people to get involved in our sustainability programs. Whether you like working with children, or working with bugs, whether you like teaching others about composting or diving headfirst into the compost pile yourself, there is something for everyone. Our programs go all over the County to schools and community centers, to fairs and concerts, or they happen right here in our backyard. They are open to people of all experience levels (unless otherwise specified).

We hope you can join our team in making the community a greener place! Find out about new opportunities in our Volunteer Newsletter.

Want to get even more involved? 

Learn about our Docent Program where you can take on a dedicated volunteer role.

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Group and Corporate Volunteer Events

Our volunteer programs are a great opportunity for groups to give back to the community and learn about local sustainability. Engage your team in a meaningful volunteer experience that makes an impact on the San Diego community and environment and gives them hands-on learning opportunity in topics like compost, zero waste, watershed protection, and sustainable gardening. 

Does my group qualify for this program?

This program is for any company or group that meets the activity requirements and is able to pay an associated fee. If you are a single or couple individual employees looking to make a difference, check out our regular volunteer opportunities from the list above (please keep in mind many of them are limited to one or two volunteers).

Why do we have a fee for group volunteer events?

Volunteers can do so much good. Even with the donation of labor, having a volunteer program is still costly. When you corporate volunteer you double your impact by giving the gift of your time and also by alleviating the cost that goes into coordinating volunteers so you are purely benefitting the organization!

Harvest Volunteer
Food Cycle Event - Aerated Static Pile Compost Build

Interested in learning about the bokashi method and composting, specifically at the mid-scale, community level? Join us for a compost bin build in our custom-made Aerated Static Pile bin!

Volunteers must be willing to handle fermented food waste, able to lift up to 25 pounds, and be able to be physically active for 2 to 3 hours (with lots of breaks!). This is a dirty, stinky, but also rewarding job! Bagels and refreshments provided.

Food Cycle Event - Aerated Static Pile Compost Harvest

Learn how to harvest finished compost from our mid-scale level Aerated Static Pile while using our volunteer designed and built compost technology!

Volunteers will shovel finished compost, sift compost using our awesome trommel, and move compost to a curing station.

Must be willing to do hands-on work with worms and other compost critters, not have respiratory issues (lots of dust gets kicked up, masks provided), able to lift up to 25 pounds, and be physically active for 2 to 3 hours (with lots of breaks!)

Worm Wranglin' - Help us Care for our Composting Worms!

Our resident worms help us teach San Diegans about the value of vermicomposting (composting with worms). Our worm bins act as a demonstration site, a nursery for providing worms to community members who compost at home, and a source of nutrient-rich castings for use in gardens. 

Help care for these amazing compost critters and promote sustainability in our community by separating worms from their castings, sifting castings, feeding worms, building new worm beds, and moving breeder worms to new homes. In other words, all things worm care! Must be able to handle live worms!

Worm Wranglin'

Upcoming events

(EVENT FULL) Master Composter Course Support – Ramona

Mar 11, 2023 12:00AM—Apr 15, 2023 12:00AM

Surprise Farm Retreat Center 18892 Old Julian Trail Ramona, CA 92065

April Solana Center Store Volunteer, Thursdays and Saturdays

Apr 01, 2023—Apr 30, 2023

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Protected: Worm Wranglin’

Apr 03, 2023 1:00PM—2:30PM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino real Encinitas, CA 92024

Education Support: Fallbrook STEM Academy

Apr 11, 2023 8:00AM—2:30PM

Fallbrook STEM Academy 405 W Fallbrook St Fallbrook, CA 92028

Food Cycle Program – Compost Bin Build

Apr 20, 2023 9:00AM—12:00PM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Outreach Support: Booth at Ramona Earth Day – Ramona (multiple sessions available)

Apr 22, 2023 11:00AM—7:00PM

Ramona Community Garden 2842421500 Ramona, CA 92065

Outreach Support: Booth at La Mesa Earth Fair Day – La Mesa

Apr 22, 2023 9:00AM—2:00PM

4900 Memorial Dr La Mesa, CA 91942

Outreach Support: Booth at Fallbrook Avocado Festival – Fallbrook (multiple sessions available)

Apr 23, 2023 8:00AM—6:00PM

Exact meeting location TBD 398-286 N Main Ave Fallbrook, CA 92028

(EVENT FULL) Workshop Support: Landscaping for Watershed Protection – Ramona

Apr 29, 2023 9:00AM—1:00PM

International Equestrian Center 16911 Gunn Stage Rd Ramona, CA 92065

Outreach Support: Booth at Every Day is Earth Day – San Diego

Apr 29, 2023 10:00AM—3:30PM

Valencia Park/Malcolm X Branch Library 5148 Market Street San Diego, CA 92114

Workshop Support: Smart Ways to Fight Food Waste – San Ysidro

Apr 29, 2023 9:30AM—1:00PM

San Diego Public Library 4235 Beyer Blvd San Diego, CA 92173

Outreach Support: Booth at Encinitas Street Fair (multiple sessions)

Apr 30, 2023 8:00AM—6:00PM

818 S Coast Hwy 101 Encinitas, CA 92024

Worm Wranglin’

May 02, 2023 4:00PM—5:30PM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino real Encinitas, CA 92024

Outreach Support: Booth at The Spring Garden & Butterfly Festival at The Water Conservation Garden

May 06, 2023 8:00AM—4:00PM

The Water Conservation Garden 12122 Cuyamaca College Dr West , 92019

Build and Beautify

May 18, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Food Cycle Program – Compost Bin Harvest

May 20, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Worm Wranglin’

May 20, 2023 9:30AM—11:00AM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino real Encinitas, CA 92024

Workshop Support: All About Worms – San Diego Botanic Garden, Encinitas

May 24, 2023 4:30PM—8:30PM

San Diego Botanic Garden 300 Quail Gardens Drive Encinitas, CA 92024

Webinar Support: Vermicomposting Basics

May 31, 2023 5:00PM—7:30PM

VIRTUAL, meeting link will be sent to your email closer to event day ,

Workshop Support: Backyard Composting Workshop at The Garden – Rancho San Diego

Jun 03, 2023 9:00AM—1:00PM

The Garden 12122 Cuyamaca College Dr West El Cajon, CA 92019

Workshop Support: Water Wise Gardening – National City

Jun 03, 2023 11:00AM—3:00PM

Lincoln Acres Library 2725 Granger Ave National City, CA 91950

Worm Wranglin’

Jun 07, 2023 4:00PM—5:30PM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino real Encinitas, CA 92024

Food Cycle Program – Compost Bin Build

Jun 08, 2023 9:00AM—12:00PM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Build and Beautify

Jul 27, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Build and Beautify

Sep 28, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Build and Beautify

Nov 30, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

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