Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup! We will divert litter from our watersheds and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean. We will also be removing invasive species and volunteers can receive extra community service hours for participating! Our staff will have check-in ready for you on-site. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes, closed-toed shoes, some form of sun protection (sunscreen or a hat), and bring a water bottle or two! Staff will be providing everything else you will need!
Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the City of San Diego for a litter cleanup! We will divert litter from our watersheds and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.
Our staff will have check-in ready for you on-site. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes, closed-toed shoes, some form of sun protection (sunscreen or a hat), and bring a water bottle or two! Staff will be providing everything else you will need!
Please click the registration button below for more information on this specific cleanup location.
Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup! We will divert litter from our watersheds and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.
Our staff will have check-in ready for you on-site. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes, closed-toed shoes, some form of sun protection (sunscreen or a hat), and bring a water bottle or two! Staff will be providing everything else you will need!
Please click the registration button below for more information on this specific cleanup location.
Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup! We will divert litter from our watersheds and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.
Our staff will have check-in ready for you on-site. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes, closed-toed shoes, some form of sun protection (sunscreen or a hat), and bring a water bottle or two! Staff will be providing everything else you will need!
Invasive species plant removal and weeding opportunities are available at this site. If interested in helping with this service project, volunteers should ask the staff on site about participation in this project on the day. This is a chance to earn additional community service hours! All tools will be provided on-site.
Please click the registration button below for more information on this specific cleanup location.
Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the City of La Mesa for a litter cleanup! We will divert litter from our watersheds and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.
Our staff will have check-in ready for you on site. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes, closed-toed shoes, some form of sun protection (sunscreen or a hat) and bring a water bottle or two! Staff will be providing everything else you will need!
Please click the registration button below for more information on this specific cleanup location.
Join I Love A Clean San Diego to be a part of the largest Earth Week cleanup in all of San Diego county! Volunteers are invited to grab buckets and work gloves and make a difference!
This year, our countywide Creek to Bay will have around 100 + locations for volunteers to choose from, inland and coastal. Each location is hosted by a site captain (a specially trained volunteer) and they will be in charge of managing the volunteers on site, properly disposing of the trash and reporting back totals.
Click the registration link below to see our main page for more details and the map of locations to choose from. Sites are still being finalized and will not be uploaded on to the map on the CreekToBay.org webpage until registration opens on April 1.
Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego in removing some invasive species along Harmony Grove.
Our staff will have check-in ready for you on site. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes, closed-toed shoes, some form of sun protection (sunscreen or a hat) and bring a water bottle or two! Staff will be providing everything else you will need! After a short orientation and safety talk you will be sent off to clear the area! After the cleanup you can request community service verification in your Community Hub dashboard.
Please click the registration button below for more information on this specific project location.
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.
The Ocean Conservancy and the California Coastal Commission partners with volunteer organizations, such as I Love A Clean San Diego to create the largest, international cleanup day. I Love A Clean San Diego leads the efforts for this day in San Diego County for the 39th year in a row. Data collected from this event feeds into the world’s largest database on marine debris. Join our efforts this year to be apart of this global event!
This year, our countywide Coastal Cleanup Day will have around 100 + locations for volunteers to choose from, inland and coastal. Each location is hosted by a site captain (a specially trained volunteer) and they will be in charge of managing the volunteers on site, properly disposing of the trash and reporting back totals.
Click the registration link below to see our main page for more details and the map of locations to choose from. Sites are still being finalized and will not be uploaded on to the map on the CleanupDay.org webpage until registration opens on September 1.
Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Think Blue San Diego, for supporting this event!
