Solana Center for Environmental Innovation (Solana Center) joined Live Well San Diego as a recognized partner on October 24, 2015 at the Surfing Madonna Beach Run event in Encinitas where they also received the first ever Encinitas Environmental Award. For over 30 years, Solana Center has worked at the grass roots level to empower students and adults to become environmental stewards in their communities.
Solana Center serves as a critical community resource for composting, pollution prevention, water conservation, rainwater harvesting and rain barrels, organic gardening, school waste diversion, recycling and sustainable living, and used oil and oil filter recycling information. Solana Center’s education programs and interactions at community events promote individual and collective participation in the health of our soil, air and water and contribute to the Live Well San Diego vision for a healthy, safe and economically-thriving region.
Solana Center was honored as a 2015 Earth8 Eco Ambassador by San Diego Gas & Electric for their programs in three schools in the City Heights area of San Diego. Solana Center has successfully kept millions of pounds of recyclables, electronics, used oil filters, motor oil, and organic waste out of landfills and waterways.
Moving forward, Solana Center will launch the San Diego Food Cycle program, which will recover food waste by connecting supply and demand for surplus food and food scrap. Our marketplace will match generators of surplus food and food scrap (such as restaurants and grocery stores) with hunger organizations, ranchers, farmers, and gardeners. This will divert food waste from the landfill, converting surplus food into meals and food scrap into animal feed and compost.
Solana Center actively promotes and supports Live Well San Diego programs and policies that encourage people to make positive choices and improve their lives by embracing the following principles: health, ecology, sustainability, community engagement, and quality of life. Solana Center is fully committed to the Live Well San Diego vision and will continue to promote changes in attitudes and behaviors that result in preserving the environment, resulting in better health for all.
