Let your creativity and paintbrush flow at ILACSD’s ‘World without Water: Solution to Pollution’ art exhibition event taking place early in March. Stay tuned for location specifics!
At this family friendly event, you will:
• Check out the art exhibition created by emerging young artists
• Paint your own ocean centric masterpiece
• Visit educational booths
This is a two-part event series. For more information, visit our event series landing page.
Register to receive your free ticket and event details! Thank you to Think Blue San Diego for sponsoring this event.
Wondering how to make your workplace more sustainable?
On Wednesday, January 24th, I Love A Clean San Diego is partnering with Wells Fargo to host a free Green Business Solutions Webinar. Join us at 4pm PST for an informational and interactive presentation focusing on zero waste business practices! Whether you work in an office, remotely, a restaurant, or in retail, we will have valuable information for all business models.
During this webinar, we will discuss:
• The importance of a zero waste workplace
• How to implement lasting sustainable practices at your business
• How to increase employee engagement
• How going green can improve company culture and economic growth
Join us from 4:00pm-5:00pm on January 24th for this event. Please register to receive the Zoom link. Hope to see you there!
Questions? Email kcorbran@cleansd.org with “Green Business Webinar” in the subject line.
According to a recent study, food waste amounts to the cost of approximately $1,500 per year, per family. Wasted food also wastes money, time, labor, transportation, water, and land used in food production. Aside from this waste, food decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen) in landfills releasing methane gas, a driver of global climate change that is up to 86 times more potent in trapping heat than carbon dioxide. San Diego County residents have the power to change this during the holiday season, and the study suggests that the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is the perfect place to start!
Implementing some simple changes can reduce your food waste and support a healthy environment. Here are some simple tips to save money and help the environment while enjoying delicious holiday meals.
Cook and serve with a plan
The easiest way to reduce food waste during the holidays is to buy and prepare the right amount of food. Save the Food, a campaign of the Ad Council in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council, created a tool to help save money and time while reducing food waste. Their Guest-imator helps create a menu based on how many people are attending the holiday feast.
Once the home chef knows roughly how much food is needed, create a detailed shopping list and stick to it. This will prevent getting sucked in by holiday displays appealing sales throughout the store, sometimes causing excessive purchases that may not be needed and may not actually be eaten.
When shopping for ingredients, opt for unpackaged items or bring your own cloth bags to minimize unnecessary waste further. In case there isn’t a package-less option for your groceries, learn how to Recycle Right on this county website.
Shop at local farmers’ markets
Nothing better than a festive farmer’s market! Visit one of the 36 certified farmers’ markets in San Diego County and buy local, unpackaged produce directly from regional farmers. View this resource from the county for a list of regional certified farmers’ markets.
Embrace all foods
When shopping, most people select the best-looking produce, meaning the “ugly” fruits and vegetables are often left on the shelves. If these items are not sold in time, they may be destined for the landfill. This wasted produce has the same vitamins and nutrients as their “prettier” counterparts but is not chosen simply because of looks. Give all produce a chance at the grocery store or farmers’ markets, especially if the chosen produce is part of a larger dish.
Go for plant-based meals
Did you know it takes 1,800 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef? Incorporating more plant-based foods into holiday celebrations, such as green bean casserole, lentil shepherd’s pie, and stuffed peppers, can cut the environmental cost of meals significantly. Find more plant-based holiday recipes here.
Shrink serving sizes
During the meal, reduce portion waste by using smaller dishes and smaller serving spoons – seriously, it works! People can always come back for seconds.
Anticipate yummy leftovers
Having a plan for leftovers is another way to ensure that the food prepared is eaten. After all, half the goodness of holiday food is in the delicious leftovers the next day. Provide containers for guests to take remaining food home, freeze leftovers for a later date, or use those leftovers in creative ways. Some recipe ideas can be found here.
Prevent the “fatberg.” Another important way to protect our environment (and your plumbing) this holiday season and year-round is to properly manage used cooking oil. Deep-fried turkeys have become an increasingly popular holiday tradition, but can use up to three gallons of cooking oil. When discarded down drains, oils, fats, and greases can block pipes and damage plumbing systems. Contrary to popular belief, mixing oil with soap or pouring hot water down the drain afterward are ineffective methods for preventing “fatbergs” that cause sewage backups.
Fortunately, there are free drop-off locations for used cooking oil. Collect cooled cooking oils in a secure lidded container labeled “used cooking oil.” Do not mix chemicals or other liquids with the cooking oil. To find the closest drop-off location, visit the Recycling and Household Hazardous Waste database, WasteFreeSD.org, or call 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784).
Residents interested in learning more about food waste reduction can visit the County of San Diego’s Recycling website. To learn more about composting resources and options, please visit WasteFreeSD.org and click on Resources.
It’s officially back to school season! For many incoming college students, it means packing up to live on their own for the first time as they head to campus dorms and apartments. Whether you are a freshman or heading back for another fun-filled year, moving into a college dorm is the perfect time to start implementing zero waste habits into your lifestyle. To help you get started, here are a few tips to live a zero waste lifestyle in your dorm!
Waste Less, Save More
While packing for college, think about what you already have! You probably own most of the items on your packing list. Start by packing your favorite blankets and pillows from home; this will help if you get homesick. Most campuses and residential communities have online, “Buy and Sell” Facebook groups where students can purchase used furniture, clothes, and books. Whether you are moving in or out of your dorm or apartment, make sure to check out these resources to reduce curb waste and save money. If you are unable to sell your furniture, donate it to a second-hand store instead of discarding it.
Bar soap and package-free shampoo are not always ideal options. However, metal tins (like these from Lush) are the perfect solution! These containers will help keep your soap clean in communal showers and reduce your plastic consumption. Also, consider purchasing multi-use products to reduce the amount of rigid plasticin your bathroom caddy. For example, coconut oil can be used as a conditioner, body lotion, and lip balm. Make sure to skip out on purchasing plastic loofas. Plastic loofas accumulate tons of bacteria and end up in landfills. Instead, DIY your own body scrub using natural alternatives! Lastly, make sure to switch out your plastic toothbrush for a biodegradable bamboo one!
Go from Fast Fashion to Sustainably Stylish
It’s a new year! Maybe your style changed, or maybe it’s time for an upgrade. Before shopping at fast-fashion retailers, think about the 26 trillion pounds of clothing and textiles that end up in landfills each year. Instead of falling victim to this growing trend, check out flea markets and thrift shops to maintain your zero-waste lifestyle.You can even plan a clothing swap party with your hometown friends before moving out! This is a great way to repurpose items that would have ended up in a landfill. While packing for college, make time to go through your entire wardrobe. Determine what clothes you wear regularly, and donate the rest. On your way to orientation, drop off old clothes at a second-hand store!
Remember college can be messy, so don’t invest in clothing you wouldn’t mind getting dirty. Also, don’t forget that you can share clothes with your roommate(s) (just make sure to ask before borrowing)! Lastly, bring a few old t-shirts! Instead of using paper towels, use old t-shirts as rags to wipe down your desk or clean windows.
Pass on the Plastics
What is every college student’s best friend? COFFEE. Unfortunately, most disposable coffee cups are lined with plastic, making them hard to recycle. Investing in a reusable bottle, such as a HydroFlask, is a great way to reduce this type of waste and save money! Most on-campus coffee shops will even give students discounts for bringing their own mugs.
Cooking in college can be a struggle. If you do not have access to a full kitchen, see if you can bring reusable containers to the dining halls. This way, you can avoid Styrofoam and plastic packaging, while saving money and helping the environment! If you like to snack while studying, try making these no-bake granola bites. These granola bites are not only the perfect study snack, but they are also healthy and waste free!
Rethink How You Write
We continue to live in an increasingly digital world. Instead of buying new notebooks, try going paperless next semester! Taking notes on a laptop can make studying and collaborating with your classmates easier. However, if you learn better by handwriting your notes, consider investing in a Rocketbook. These notebooks can digitally transcribe text.
College textbooks can be crazy expensive. One easy way to save money and reduce your waste is to purchase used textbooks, borrow old textbooks from your friends, or use an e-book. Another tip is to ask your professors if you can reuse blue books that still have blank pages in them!
Take Action!
Remember, in college, people won’t make fun of different lifestyle habits. Instead, they will want to ask questions, learn more, and educate themselves on zero waste habits! Meet friends starting their zero waste journey by joining clubs or volunteering at your campus’ sustainability center.
Unfortunately, not all college lifestyle habits can be easily translated into zero waste practices. For example, cheap ramen will normally be packaged in plastic (however, there are meal prep options when you are further along in your zero waste journey). What is important is that you are taking steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle and contributing to a healthier and greener future!
For more inspiration on how to find zero waste ideas, resources, and other waste reduction techniques, our one-stop database WasteFreeSD or calling our staff at1-800-237-BLUE (1-800-237-2583)for incorporated residents or 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784) for unincorporated residentswill help answer any of your questions.
It’s no secret that traveling is one of the best parts of summer, be it a trek over 2,700 miles away to NYC or just 2 miles to Mission Beach. Unfortunately, when piecing together travel plans, green habits tend to turn a bit gray. Lucky for us, the reality of sustainable traveling is as easy as making small choices that lessen the impact we have on our destinations and the environments we cross to get there. Here are a few tips to consider to go green on your next summer trip.
Before Leaving
Any change starts at home and if you’re going on vacation anytime soon, be sure to minimize your ecological footprint in your home as much as possible while you’re away. You can do this by following these few simple steps:
Adjust Your Thermostat
You’re going to be gone for a few days, and if there are no pets or people, there is no reason to have the AC on full blast nor should the heat be on. Given we are in the midst of summer, your thermostat should be set around 85º F (you could even turn it off if you want) so long as it doesn’t interfere with any temperature-sensitive appliances like your refrigerator.
Unplug Electronics
We are constantly using electricity even when we don’t realize it. Any time an electronic device or appliance is plugged in, even if it’s not in use, it is still using electricity. That electricity being used is produced primarily through the burning of fossil fuels, about 60%, according to the U.S. Energy and Information Administration. So before you go, don’t forget to unplug any gaming system, TV, laptop, toaster, or microwave that would otherwise be using power while you’re away. Check out these energy saving tips.
What to Bring
Deciding what to pack for a trip is one of the most important phases of the pre-trip process. What you bring impacts your choices once you’re there, so why not set yourself up for sustainable success by keeping the following in mind during your packing.
Pack Your Own Reusable Shopping Bags
Simply roll one or two bags up and tuck them into your suitcase or backpack to cut down on the packaging you would otherwise throw away when shopping in a different city. This is also a helpful day bag option if you don’t want to haul all of your luggage around town!
There are a plethora of benefits that come along with packing light, ranging from saving on baggage fees when flying to knowing what you have is what’s by your side. The biggest benefit, however, comes from the shrinking of your carbon footprint when you fly, the less you bring the less weight the airplane carries which lessens the plane’s fuel use and carbon emissions.
Choose Your Method of Travel Wisely
Let’s get this out the way now: walking is the most sustainable mode of transport we will ever have. When it comes to making sustainable travel decisions, the distance you’re traveling is the most important factor.
In the cases you find yourself traveling by air, be sure to fly the most direct route to your destination. Not only will this shorten your travel time, but it will also reduce your fuel consumption as you’re taking less total flights.
Once You’ve Arrived
Stay at a Green Hotel or with Family and Friends
If you’re not leaving the United States, check if the hotel you’re planning on staying at is LEED certified by the US Green Business Council, they judge on sustainability, efficiency, and quality of the way buildings are constructed, maintained and operated. If you are going overseas be sure to find out what that countries green hotel certification program is and what hotels are certified.
If you have any family or friends where you’re going, ask them if you can crash at their place for a few nights.
Keep Your Shopping Habits Local
When staying in a place far from home, we tend to cling to things we are familiar with, be it a certain kind of soap or a certain kind of food. Many of these things must be flown or shipped from overseas, which only contributes to greenhouse emissions. Every time you buy local, you not only support the local economy but you also get a unique taste of the local culture and cuisine.
Rethink Souvenirs
For many of us, one of the best parts of traveling is the cool stuff we buy while out globetrotting.When out shopping, ask yourself if you really need that little knick-knack or if a picture of it would suffice. If you still want to shop around, just follow the advice from above and stay local because who wants something made from an assembly line a thousand miles away anyhow?
Getting Around
Though it may be easier to call up an Uber or taxi service to drive you around, the average vehicle still releases about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year according to the EPA. As an alternative try renting a bike from either a bike shop or at an automated bike rental stand. Another option would be to take public transportation which reduces the amount of CO2 emitted per person or just walk, eliminating these emissions completely.
Remember that even if you just put into action one of the tips above you will be making a difference and be one step closer to traveling sustainably. Safe travels!
Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the City of La Mesa on Wednesday, May 24th @5pm for a free webinar detailing the State’s new regulations for organic waste recycling, how multifamily residences and individuals can successfully implement those requirements, and the importance of managing organic waste properly. Make sure your building is compliant and your residents are ready!
The time has come – Join I Love A Clean San Diego and Think Blue San Diego for our twice-annual Storm Drain Stenciling Day! We will walk around the neighborhood and stencil storm drains with a conservation message.
What do you need for this event? Just a ready-to-help attitude!
We provide the stenciling kits and maps to help you find drains.
Our goal is to have 10 drains stenciled per group.
We encourage you to wear clothes you don’t mind getting paint on, and closed-toed shoes.
Be ready to walk or drive – drains are spread throughout neighborhoods and can be a 20-minute walk away from our starting location. Driving is always an option if you’d prefer!
This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.
Trashcan overflowing? Raising kids can produce a LOT of waste, but we can help!
Register today for I Love A Clean San Diego’s upcoming free webinar, Zero Waste Parenting Tips and Tricks, on Wednesday, October 26th, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. We will focus on the importance of involving children in decision making surrounding sustainable choices and emphasizing our connection to the planet. From infants to teens, we’ll share how to integrate low-waste habits into daily routines in achievable ways, including toys, snacks, birthday parties, activities, and school supplies.
We will be joined by guest speaker and zero waste parenting expert Fredrika Syren! Syren is a San Diego local, mother of three, and author of “A Practical Guide to Zero Waste for Families”.
Please register to receive the Zoom link.
Thank you to the City of Encinitas for funding and partnering with us to offer this webinar. We can’t wait to see you there!
A brand new green waste program is headed your way! In late 2021, Republic Services opened their state-of-the-art composting facility at the Otay Landfill. This facility will turn Chula Vista’s organic waste into usable compost and mulch – but how, and how can we participate? Join I Love A Clean San Diego, Republic Services, and the City of Chula Vista for a virtual sit down as we talk about the brand new curbside organics program.
In this webinar, we’ll discuss:
• Why recycling organic waste is important
• What can go in your green bin
• How to keep your green bin clean
• What goes on at the compost facility
We’ll also be joined by guest speakers from Republic Services and the City of Chula Vista, who will be answering attendee questions live! Registration is open to all, and please note that we will be focusing on the exciting new organics program in the City of Chula Vista. Register here to receive the Zoom link, and come with questions!
Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup in Harbison Canyon! We will divert litter from the Sweetwater Watershed and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.
Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table and supplies at Old Ironsides County Park. Join us at 9am for a talk by our Education Team about our watersheds and recycling right, then grab supplies and help us clean up and remove invasive plants from the creek!
This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.
