Tag: environment

Watershed Warriors: Bonsall Community Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego, Flaherty”s Charities, and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup in Bonsall! We will divert litter from the San Luis Rey Watershed and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.

Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table and supplies at the Historic San Luis Rey Bridge. Join us at 10am for a talk by our Education Team about our watersheds and recycling right, then grab supplies and help us clean up!

This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.

Composting 101 | A Beginners Guide

Composting 101: A Beginners Guide to Successful Composting

Why is composting important? Composting allows you to create your own healthy soil for free. More than 40 percent of what is in the landfill could have been composted. You can keep that much waste out of the landfill by simply composting your organic matter or kitchen scraps.

Do’s and Don’ts

DO compost these items:

Fruits, Vegetables, Grains/Bread/Rice, Coffee Grounds/Filters, Tea bags, Nuts/Shells, Egg Shells, Pasta, Newspaper/Cardboard, Paper Bags, Leaves, Yard Trimmings, Dead Plants

DON’T compost these items:

Meat, Seafood, Bones, Dairy, Grease, Oil, Chemicals, Plastic, Wax Coated Paper, Feces, Styrofoam

Extra Tips:

Cut up large items so they can compost quicker.
Large items like avocado pits, root balls and oyster shells can be composted but may take quite a bit of extra time.

If you’re unsure on whether or not it can be composted, think in color…

GREENS – Materials that are moist or were recently growing are nutrient rich.

Fruits, veggies, coffee grounds, egg shells, etc.
Items from the garden that are still green such as grass clippings, weeds, plants.

BROWNS – Consists of dry or woody plant material.

Dry leaves, wood chips, straw.
Newspaper, paper bags, napkins

Compost Collection

Collect your food scraps in a pale, bucket or an enclosed compost collection bin to keep the smell enclosed. Check out the Solana Center Store for great composting items and ideas such as bins and thermometers.
Layer your collected food waste (Greens) in your compost bin with your Browns. You ideally want two parts Browns and one part Greens.
Keep your compost piles moist, with the consistency of a damp sponge and make sure there is some air flow.

Finished Product Tips:

Add your finished compost to any soil to enrich it with nutrients.
Add some to the top layer of soil in potted plants.
Use it as a nutrient enhancer for produce in the garden.
Add it to the base of your trees near the roots by digging small holes around the trunks and filling them with fresh composted soil.

Variations in Composting Bins

Find out what composting bin method is right for you, whether that’s vermicomposting or bokashi!

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SD County Used Oil & Oil Filter Recycling Event

Join I Love A Clean San Diego, in partnership with the County of San Diego, Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at your participating AutoZone to recycle your used oil and oil filter! Bring in a used oil filter and receive a new one free.

370 Pala St, Ramona

1081 S Mission Rd, Fallbrook

12421 Woodside Ave, Lakeside

699 Sweetwater Rd, Spring Valley

9710 Campo Rd, Spring Valley

For more information visit WasteFreeSD.org or call 877-R-1-EARTH

Limit 5 gallons used oil per day, per person.
One free filter per person. Limit 2 filters per household.
Offer valid only during the specified date, time and place listed above.
Free filter must be of equal or lesser value, not to exceed $15 before taxes.

Evento de Reciclaje de Aceite y Filtro

El aceite usado de un cambio de aceite puede contaminar un millón de galones de agua dulce. ¡Haz tu parte por tu comunidad y recicla tu filtro de aceite y aceite usado juntos! ¡Trae un filtro de aceite usado y recibe uno nuevo gratis el Sábado, 14 de Mayo, 10:00 a.m. a 2:00 p.m. en las tiendas participantes Autozone. Gracias a el Condado de San Diego por patrocinar este evento.

370 Pala St, Ramona

1081 S Mission Rd, Fallbrook

12421 Woodside Ave, Lakeside

699 Sweetwater Rd, Spring Valley

9710 Campo Rd, Spring Valley

Para más información visita WasteFreeSD.org o llamas 877-R-1-EARTH

Límite de reciclaje: 5 galones de aceite usado por día, por persona.
Un filtro gratis por persona. Limite de dos filtros por hogar.
Oferta de filtro gratis válida unicamente durante la fecha, hora y lugares mencionados.
El filtro gratis debe ser de igual o de menor valor, sin exceder $15 antes de impuestos.

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Recycle Right for the Holidays: A Guide for Eco-Friendly Practices and Recycling This Gifting Season

Join the upcoming holiday webinar Celebrate Sustainably: Gifts and Glitz on December 8, 2021.

Getting back together with family and friends is cause for celebration. As we enjoy a season full of holiday traditions I Love A Clean San Diego offers some ideas to reduce holiday waste that occurs during this joyous time.

From shopping bags to increased packaging from online shopping, and giftwrap to food, Americans generate 25 percent more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. This equates to an extra one million tons of waste generated per week nationwide during the holidays. However, much of this waste can be recycled or reused.

If every American family wrapped just three presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

Gifting and festivities can still be special and memorable while reducing waste and recycling right.

Join Us for the Gifts and Glitz Webinar

Join I Love A Clean San Diego for tips and inspiration at the “Celebrate Sustainably: Gifts and Glitz” webinar on Wednesday, December 8 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Online registration is open now to attend the fun and informative event. I Love A Clean San Diego’s education team will bring creative ideas to reducing waste and recycling, while keeping the spirit of the season alive.

Batteries, Bah Humbug

Americans use more than three billion batteries each year and about 40 percent of all battery sales in the U.S. occur during the holiday season. Batteries are considered Household Hazardous Waste. When not properly handled or recycled, batteries corrode and leach toxic chemicals like lithium, cadmium, sulfuric acid and lead. These chemicals can contaminate soil and groundwater. Some of these elements, like lithium, are limited in supply and need to be recaptured.

Here are suggestions to help reduce battery waste
1. Skip the single-use alkaline batteries. If you do, please collect and recycle them properly.
2. Buy rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable batteries pay for themselves many times over and can easily be recycled for free after they reach the end of their useful life.
3. For both single-use and rechargeable batteries, use the free search tool at WasteFreeSD.org to find a drop off location near you.

Low Waste Gift Giving

When thinking about holiday gift shopping, consider the entire life cycle of your purchases. How long will the person receiving this gift actually use it? Will it be memorable and useful, or will they forget about it by next year? Gift giving can be a wonderful opportunity to express love and appreciation, but it can also slip into feeling like a mandatory practice – “I don’t know what to get them, but I have to get them something” mentality. Here are some ideas for low waste, mindful gift giving.

Take the Love Languages Quiz with your friends and family to determine how meaningful gifts actually are to each of you. Does a friend prefer serving others rather than being on the receiving end? Would your family member value quality time more than an item? Knowing this may change what you gift them.

Try shifting the focus away from “stuff.” Check out this graphic on WasteFreeSD.org and this Zero Waste Guide to Holiday Gifts.

Here are some low-waste gift ideas and technologies to consider.
• Give away items you do not need anymore. The new Good Use App, designed right here in San Diego, allows you to give your gently used items a second life. Sign up for the Good Use App here.
• Experiences: Memberships or subscriptions, tickets, classes, or pre-planned adventures and excursions
• Time: Making a home-cooked meal, helping with car or yard maintenance, “get out of a chore” or “design your perfect day” passes for kids
• Donations on their behalf to a cause or organization they’re passionate about
• Second-hand items: The most sustainable item you can buy is the one that already exists. Used items can still be high quality and in practically new condition. Aside from thrift stores, the Good Use App, Facebook Marketplace, Offerup, and Buy Nothing can be good online sources to check regularly.
• Zero waste tools: Help your loved one live more sustainably with items such as cotton produce bags, handkerchiefs, reusable makeup wipes, dryer balls, or a refillable growler.
• Items: If buying a new item, opt for locally made products and items made from reclaimed materials, such as upcycled skateboard sunglasses, dog leashes from retired climbing rope, and reclaimed wood picture frames

Gift Wrapping

Many traditional gift-wrapping materials, such as ribbon, bows, and cellophane, are not recyclable in your blue bins. To help sort out what is recyclable during the holidays, check out the Don’t Take a Holiday from Recycling flyer from the County of San Diego.

Stick to these recyclable items when wrapping presents
• Paper wrap without metallic and glitter designs
• Paper gift bags
• Cardboard boxes
• Paper cards and envelopes
• Glass jars are great for DIY gifts

These materials cannot be recycled in your curbside bin so please avoid or reuse them
• Metallic, glossy and glitter-covered wrapping paper
• Ribbons, bows, and twine
• Polystyrene packing peanuts
• Cards on glossy photo paper
• Plastic bags and film (return to participating stores for recycling)
• Tissue paper

Reuse supplies you have on hand, such as cardboard shipping boxes, tissue paper from a new pair of shoes, and paper bags from the store. There is no shame in reusing a gift bag; the person on the receiving end will not know the difference.

There are so many ways to get creative with repurposing materials, so have fun with it! See this as an opportunity to customize the gift to the person. For example, check out this tutorial to learn how to make bows out of magazine pages. If you are feeling extra adventurous, give the Furoshiki cloth-wrapping method a try.

Recycling and Proper Disposal

Keep these recycling tips and resources in mind.

• Recycling Right – When sorting through and putting away decorations and gifts, remember to dispose of items properly. Recycle only accepted materials in your curbside blue bin. In general, this includes paper, cardboard and cartons, plastic bottles and containers, glass bottles and jars, and metal and aluminum cans and foil. For more information on what is recyclable, visit the County of San Diego’s recycling page.

Common holiday items that can be recycled include cardboard gift boxes, plastic bottles and containers, glass jars, and brown paper wrap. Remember to keep these items empty, dry, and loose.

• Batteries and other household hazardous waste – Separate out hazardous items such as batteries and lights. These CANNOT go into the trash or recycling bins. Check WasteFreeSD.org for a comprehensive list of hazardous items and find drop-off locations in your area.

• Christmas tree recycling – After the holidays, remember to recycle your fresh-cut tree and help close the loop, returning the tree to the earth as mulch. County of San Diego residents are encouraged to recycle their Christmas trees as soon as possible to reduce fire danger and minimize the amount of holiday waste sent to the landfill. In addition to dozens of community drop-off sites, many local waste and recycling haulers offer curbside tree and wreath pick-up. These trees and wreaths are ground into mulch, which is then used to improve soil health, reduce evaporation and erosion. Visit WasteFreeSD.org or call 1-811-R-1-EARTH for more information and a complete list of drop-off locations.

Incorporating zero waste into your holiday planning may take some time and thought at first, but once these habits are implemented, they can reduce stress, save money, and allow you to focus on what is most important about the holiday season-spending time with those we love.

eco-friendly environment recycle reduce reuse sustainability wastefreesd

Sunset Sweep: Swan Canyon Community Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego, San Diego Canyonlands, and Think Blue San Diego for a litter cleanup in Swan Canyon! We will divert litter from traveling through the San Diego Bay watershed.

You can participate in this cleanup in 2 ways: In-person with us at our meeting location, or remotely in your neighborhood. Here are some ground rules:

In-Person Cleanups: Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table, disposable supplies, and plenty of hand sanitizer at this cleanup meeting location (see address in Shift #1).

Join us there at 3pm for a brief kick-off, sign a liability waiver, grab some disposable supplies, and help us clean up the area!
We can sort, weigh, and dispose of the litter you collect, and when you are finished you can request a Letter of Appreciation through your Community Hub dashboard.
Our in-person cleanups are limited to 25 volunteers, and we ask that you give other volunteers 6+ ft. of space and wear a mask if you are unvaccinated.

You can sign up for the in-person cleanup below in Shift #1. Please register to receive important preparation details via e-mail.

Remote Cleanups: If you are not able to join us in-person, join us remotely! Pick-up litter around your neighborhood Saturday morning and report your totals online.

When you sign-up we will e-mail you resources so you can watch our kick-off video before you start your cleanup. Grab some reusable gloves and a bucket from around your house and go for a walk somewhere you want to make an impact.
Invite some friends to make it a neighborhood effort, and sort and dispose of litter in your household bins. Take a few photos and write down your litter totals.
When you are all done, report your litter totals in our Volunteer Impact Map so we can verify your service, and go to your Community Hub dashboard to receive a Letter of Appreciation.
Please give other volunteers 6+ ft. of space and wear a mask if you are unvaccinated.

You can sign up for the remote cleanup below in Shift #2. Please register to receive important preparation details via e-mail.

DISCLAIMER: By participating in a cleanup, you agree I Love A Clean San Diego is NOT responsible for any injury suffered and you waive any claim arising from participation in the event.

I agree to read and follow all of the safety protocols for this event.

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Zero Waste BBQ

Summer means longer days, warmer weather, and spending more time outside. For San Diegans, this leads to beach days, barbecues and other outdoor events! It can also lead to a lot of waste – every summer, I Love A Clean San Diego collects thousands of pounds of litter from our local beaches. For your gatherings this this season, consider going zero waste! I Love A Clean San Diego wants to help you host a low waste barbecue so you can spend less time worrying about trash, and more time focused on fun!

Ditch the Disposables

When there are large groups involved, it can be easy to reach for paper plates and plastic cutlery. However, one plastic water bottle requires 1.85 gallons of water to make. When we throw single use items away, we’re throwing away our natural resources as well. It’s best for the environment to use reusable tableware instead. If you’re concerned about being left with a ton of dishes at the end of the night, ask your guests to BYOP – bring your own plate! Let everyone know you are going for a plastic-free event, and people will be excited to help out. Try cloth napkins instead of paper, or glasses and mugs instead of paper cups. You can even find metal skewers for roasting marshmallows, rather than disposable ones.

Here in San Diego, we are lucky to have so many breweries and wineries close by. Try filling a few growlers instead of opting for bottles and cans, and look for wineries that will refill or reuse their wine bottles.

Forgo Food Waste

In the United States, the average person throws about 3.5 pounds of wasted food per week. In planning your menu for your summer BBQ, look for recipes that have ingredients you can buy in bulk. Reducing packaging during your grocery trip can cut down on your overall waste from the event. You can also do your best to use every part of the ingredient – instead of throwing away your potato peels, bake them into chips!

Try out the recipes below for your next event.

For each, you can use up what you have, or easily find ingredients in bulk or recyclable packaging.

Other ideas include…

Making sangria or flavored water with leftover fruit
Roasting any wilting veggies on the grill
Using the last of that loaf of bread in bread pudding

Set it Up for Success

A key component to any zero waste event is making sure your guests know where and how to dispose of things at the end of the night. Make sure it’s clear which bin is for recycling, where they can put compost, and what they should do with anything that might need to go in the trash. Clearly labelling your bins ensures your guests feel confident enough to sort their waste on their own.

Some quick disposal tips…

Glass, metal, paper, and plastic containers can all be recycled
Food soiled paper and food scraps from produce can be composted
Bottle caps are too small to go into the recycling on their own. Collect these throughout the night and place them in an empty metal can to be recycled.

We know it can be hard to make these adjustments in the whirlwind of party planning but try a few small adjustments and see how easily habits can change. The best part is you might inspire friends and family to think differently about their waste habits as well! Let us know how your zero waste barbecue goes by tagging us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @ILoveACleanSD!

Pick up more tips and knowledge by attending our Celebrate Sustainably: Summer Fun webinar on July 28th! Register here. For more information on how to adopt a waste-free lifestyle visit WasteFreeSD.org. For more information about our educational programs, contact education@cleansd.org.

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The Story of Plastic: Screening and Moderated Discussion

The United Nations Association San Diego Chapter and I Love a Clean San Diego are hosting a virtual screening and moderated discussion of The Story of Plastic on July 3rd, a documentary about the real causes of the plastic pollution crisis and the heroes who are rising up to stop big plastic.

Stories and film have a unique ability to bridge divides and bring us together as part of something bigger than ourselves – to connect us and create empathy during perilous times. The Story of Plastic takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it.

To that end, we hope The Story of Stuff’s new film The Story of Plastic serves as a tool to foster connection, spark dialogue, and create action to reduce single use plastic in San Diego.

Click Here to watch the trailer!

Join us to put a stop to plastic pollution on July 3rd at 10:00 AM PDT

environment environmental education I Love A Clean San Diego plastic reuse

Morning After Mess – Beach Cleanup 2021

Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the Surfrider Foundation San Diego County for a litter cleanup the morning after July 4th around Mission Beach Park in San Diego. We will pick-up post-party beach litter from and divert it from the Pacific Ocean.

This cleanup is virtually-hosted; we are not gathering together, but we will have a staging table at Mission Beach Park on the morning of July 5. you can swing by and say hi, grab some disposable supplies, and walk around picking up litter. If you join us at the beach we can help you dispose of collected litter and you can help us contribute to community-based science by completing a tracking sheet of what you found.

Do you live far from the beach, or would rather stay close-to-home? We got you covered! You can participate in this cleanup virtually from your neighborhood or location of choice. Invite your neighbors and practice social distancing. Bring a bucket and gardening gloves from home, and wear your face-covering. You can make this cleanup zero-waste by using your own supplies!

Watch the kick-off video you get in your e-mail, then clean up in the neighborhood and use your household cans for disposal. Afterwards, log your totals and request a Letter of Appreciation for your service – it’s that easy!

DISCLAIMER: By participating in a cleanup, you agree I Love A Clean San Diego is NOT responsible for any injury suffered and you waive any claim arising from participation in the event.
I agree to read and follow all of the safety protocols for this event.

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Sunset Sweep: Manzanita Canyon Community Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego, San Diego Canyonlands, and Think Blue San Diego for a virtually-hosted litter cleanup in the Manzanita Canyon neighborhood! We will pick-up litter from the community and divert it from the canyons and Pacific Ocean.

These cleanups are currently virtually-hosted; we are not gathering or meeting in a specific location. Instead, you can do a fun and flexible cleanup on your terms. If you choose to join us physically in this community, we will have a staging table in the community. You can stop by to say hi and grab some disposable supplies, and clean up nearby.

Invite your neighbors and practice social distancing. Bring a bucket and gardening gloves from home, and wear your face-covering. You can make this cleanup zero-waste by using your own supplies!

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Watershed Warriors: Ramona Community Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego for a virtually-hosted litter cleanup in the Ramona community! We will pick-up litter from the community and divert it from the San Dieguito watershed and Pacific Ocean.

These cleanups are currently virtually-hosted; we are not gathering or meeting in a specific location to clean up as a group. Instead, you can do a fun and flexible cleanup on your terms. If you choose to join us physically in this community, we will have a staging table in the community. You can stop by to say hi and grab some disposable supplies, and clean up nearby.