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

June Solana Center Store Volunteer, Thursdays and Saturdays

Jun 01, 2023—Jun 30, 2023

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

Workshop Support: On-Farm Composting Course – Pauma Valley

Jun 10, 2023 9:00AM—2:30PM

14910 Pauma Valley Dr Pauma Valley, CA 92061

Outreach Support: Booth at San Diego County Fair – Del Mar (EVENT FULL)

Jun 16, 2023 10:00AM—7:00PM

Del Mar Fairgrounds 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. Del Mar, CA 92014

Workshop Support: On-Farm Composting Course – Pauma Valley

Jun 17, 2023 9:00AM—2:30PM

14910 Pauma Valley Dr Pauma Valley, CA 92061

Join the Green Team at the Switchfoot Bro Am – Encinitas (3 hour shifts)

Jun 17, 2023 9:30AM—3:00PM

Moonlight Beach 400 B St Encinitas, CA 92024

Workshop Support: On-Farm Composting Course – Pauma Valley

Jun 24, 2023 9:00AM—2:30PM

14910 Pauma Valley Dr Pauma Valley, CA 92061

Build and Beautify: Zero Waste Party Crafting!

Jun 29, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

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

July Solana Center Store Volunteer, Thursdays and Saturdays

Jul 01, 2023—Jul 31, 2023

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

July Worm Wranglin’

Jul 05, 2023 4:00PM—5:30PM

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

Outreach Support: Booth at Vons – Rancho Bernardo

Jul 13, 2023 11:30AM—4:30PM

11986 Bernardo Plaza Dr Rancho Bernardo, CA 92128

Workshop Support: Raising Backyard Chickens – Ramona (EVENT FULL)

Jul 15, 2023 9:00AM—1:00PM

Ramona Ranch Winery 23578 Highway 78 Ramona, CA 92065

Education Support: Organics Recycling – San Diego

Jul 17, 2023 8:30AM—1:00PM

1231 Upas Street San Diego San Diego, CA 92103

Workshop Support: Backyard Composting Basics with California Rare Fruit Growers – Vista

Jul 25, 2023 6:00PM—8:30PM

2006 E Vista Way Vista, CA 92084

Workshop Support: Backyard Composting Basics with California Rare Fruit Growers – Vista

Jul 25, 2023 6:00PM—8:30PM

2006 E Vista Way Vista, CA 92084

Build and Beautify

Jul 27, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

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

Food Cycle Program – July Compost Bin Harvest

Jul 29, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

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

July Worm Wranglin’

Jul 29, 2023 9:30AM—11:00AM

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

August Solana Center Store Volunteer, Thursdays and Saturdays

Aug 01, 2023—Aug 31, 2023

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

August Worm Wranglin’

Aug 09, 2023 4:00PM—5:30PM

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

Food Cycle Program – August Bin Build

Aug 10, 2023 9:00AM—12:00PM

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

August Worm Wranglin’

Aug 26, 2023 9:30AM—11:00AM

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

September Solana Center Store Volunteer, Thursdays and Saturdays

Sep 01, 2023—Sep 30, 2023

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

September Worm Wranglin’

Sep 30, 2023 9:30AM—11:00AM

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

November Solana Center Store Volunteer, Thursdays and Saturdays

Oct 01, 2023—Oct 31, 2023

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

October Worm Wranglin’

Oct 03, 2023 4:00PM—5:30PM

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

Food Cycle Program – October Compost Harvest

Oct 05, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

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

November Worm Wranglin’

Nov 02, 2023 4:00PM—5:30PM

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

November Worm Wranglin’

Nov 11, 2023 9:30AM—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

December Solana Center Store Volunteer, Thursdays and Saturdays

Dec 01, 2023—Dec 31, 2023

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

Food Cycle Program – December Compost Harvest

Dec 02, 2023 9:00AM—11:00AM

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

December Worm Wranglin’

Dec 02, 2023 9:30AM—11:00AM

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

Food Cycle Program – December Compost Bin Build

Dec 07, 2023 9:00AM—12:00PM

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

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