Container gardening is an incredible solution to a variety of growing woes, especially when it comes to the creative and economical use of space. Gardeners lacking backyards or yards with full sun exposure, gardeners working with truly difficult soil, and new gardeners looking to gain confidence in the craft are common beneficiaries of the practice. So where does compost come in? It’s a key ingredient to establishing and maintaining a nutrient-rich growing environment for your containerized plants. When setting up a new container, there are three principal considerations: (1) Fi ..read more

Have you ever gone shopping for fresh fruits and veggies to find you’re surprised by how much plastic packaging you see around them? It is not uncommon to see fruits sold in plastic clamshell containers or plastic bags offered to bag loose vegetables at most grocery stores. Depending on what you’re looking to buy sometimes packaging is unavoidable. But we’ve gathered a few of our favorite tips below to help you shop smart and choose sustainable storage options. The first thing we suggest is to use reusable vegetable bags. You can use ..read more

Question: May I add shredded mail and computer paper to my worm and garden compost bins? Are the inks toxic?  Answer: That is a frequently asked question, thanks for bringing it to the blog!  The inks used today in newspapers, boxes etc. are non-toxic and are readily broken down through composting. However, the see-through address windows in the envelopes don’t break down and will remain in the finished compost. One can tear out the window or instead put that type of envelope in the recycling.  Also, thick, glossy, colored paper doesn’t break up or decompose easily.  D ..read more

The Taking on Textiles event was held on March 23, 2024 at Solana Center for Environmental Innovation in Encinitas, CA. It was open to the public. We were grateful for recognition from California Assemblymember Tasha Boerner’s office. District Director Janet Chin spoke to the importance of the event as an early beacon to the increasing environmental problem of textile waste in our state, providing actionable solutions. The purpose of the event was to educate the community about the impact of clothing and textile waste, and the urgent need to move towards more sustainable models in fashion. Lo ..read more

This April consider a gift that will make a sustainable impact long after Earth Month is over! Electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing solid waste stream in the world, increasing 3 times faster than the world’s population. Although e-waste makes up just 2% of what’s goes to our landfills, it accounts for 70% of the toxins leaching out into the environment.  Only 22% of e-waste is recycled; however, e-waste streams contain valuable and finite resources that can be reused if they are recycled appropriately. (Learn more) Each year, Solana Center helps an average of 3700 San ..read more

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation is supporting California’s SB 1383 legislation, to divert organic materials such as food and nourish soils through compost production in order to feed future generations. Now that San Diego residents have green bins to collect food scraps and other organic materials, we are providing a simple and effective way to help keep your kitchen food scraps caddy fresh using an environmentally friendly cleaning solution from Dr. Bronner’s. Instructions for keeping your kitchen food scraps caddy fresh with Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap: Preventing Odors and Resi ..read more

Question: “What should I do with my worms while on a trip?” Answer: Depending on the length of your trip, you will likely not need to do anything at all. Even a new population of worms only needs to be monitored every few days to assess how much food was eaten, moisture levels, and whether they need more food. If you’re planning to go out of town for the holidays this year, regardless of how long your trip may be, consider following these steps prior to embarking on your adventure:  1. Make sure they have a good amount of bedding at a proper moisture amount. Instead of thro ..read more

Liz Murphy, founder of Santosha Nutrition, speaks on how food waste prevention impacts her San Diego business: “Santosha was founded on the principles of supporting local farmers and lowering waste. When I purchase produce from the market it is really important to me that I use as much of the product as possible. It respects the farmers, cultivates creativity, saves my business money, and helps me to avoid excess waste. Every event and service is an opportunity to share these passions with the community through food and inspire others to become environmental stewards through their culina ..read more

Check out our Earth Month events! Workshops All About Worms Workshop, 4/16, Rancho Bernardo Backyard Composting Basics Workshop, 4/27, Spring Valley Taller de Compostaje Casero, 4/27, Spring Valley Water Wise Gardening Workshop, 4/27, Pine Valley Learn More Outreach Booths La Mesa Earth Day, 4/20 – All Day Bee & Butterfly Sustainability Festival, 4/20, Valley Center – All Day Fallbrook Avocado Festival, 4/21 – All Day Roobeez Family Farm Expo, 4/28, Valley Center – We’ll be there until 5 p.m.! Open Volunteer Opportunities Education: Valley Center Ag Day, 4/5 Education: James E Potter ..read more

Many San Diegans are concerned about keeping our waterways clean. In fact, surveys conducted across San Diego County show that more than 50% of residents believe that pollution of our creeks, lakes, and beaches directly affects them and their families. Yet in many urban areas, water runoff is the #1 source of ocean pollution. This runoff is largely caused by improper rain collection infrastructure leading to flooding and wasting water that could alternatively irrigate landscapes and replenish groundwater. Read on for our favorite tips to make your yard ocean-friendly and build in proper i ..read more