Today’s blog was written by Marketing Intern, Noelle
Each year, I Love A Clean San Diego hosts the Creek to Bay Cleanup with over 100 cleanup sites throughout San Diego County. This large-scale annual cleanup would not be possible without the help of our volunteer site captains.
Coming into its 15th year, the Creek to Bay Cleanup will see both new and returning site captains. ILACSD has been so fortunate to have help from teachers who are committed to getting their students involved in activities that directly make an impact on their community. Today, we’re spotlighting Sydney Phillips.
Ms. Phillips first got involved with Creek to Bay as a site captain when she started teaching an 8th grade AVID class at Potter Junior High in Fallbrook 5 years ago. AVID is a class that prepares students for college readiness and success by providing academic and social support. With the general high school graduation requirement of students to volunteer in their community, the Creek to Bay Cleanup is a great opportunity for the students to receive service hours that go towards their graduation.
As an educator, Ms. Phillips is very passionate about empowering her students, both as individuals and as members of their community, and making them aware of the difference they can make. Her cleanup site at Live Oak Park in Fallbrook is close to the junior high where she teaches so the students are familiar with it and are invested in keeping it clean. She says that events like Creek to Bay are important for the community and the students because “living in a rural community, students (can) have a hard time to complete community service hours and coming into high school, hours are required so getting a jumpstart on it while they’re in 7th or 8th grade empowers them.”
Ms. Phillips favorite part about Creek to Bay is the bonding experience for the students, not only between 7th and 8th grade classes but also with the high schoolers that get involved in the event as well. There are high school AVID classes from the area who have volunteered in the past and she says that having the common experience is really special and “it’s exciting and fun because they get to do something they normally wouldn’t. At the end, they get to celebrate and commemorate the day with a picture together.”
This year, she’s looking forward to the Bling Your Bucket competition in which volunteers have an opportunity to decorate buckets to be used for cleaning. She says that each year the students love that activity and afterwards, the buckets get donated to the custodial staff at their school. To anyone who’s debating whether or not to volunteer for Creek to Bay, Ms. Phillips would say, “Absolutely do it. It’s empowering to see that you are having a direct impact on your community.”
By volunteering at the Creek to Bay Cleanup, we can help reduce our impact on the local environment. Keep San Diego beautiful and show it some love! Save the Date for the Creek to Bay Cleanup happening on Earth Day, April 22nd by registering today at CreektoBay.org!
A big thank you to Ms. Sydney Phillips for her work as a site captain and to Potter Junior High for supporting I Love A Clean San Diego’s Creek to Bay Cleanup!
With music festival season upon us, thousands are flocking to Indio for Coachella and Stagecoach as well as many other festivals around the country. Navigating how to be as sustainable as possible while enjoying these festivals just takes a few steps to plan ahead so you can reduce your waste, protect the environment, and save a little money too. Here are a few tips to plan for a sustainable festival season:
Getting There
If you’re planning on attending a festival with your friends, start by organizing a carpool! Everyone can agree on a rendezvous spot and ride together, rather than meet up at the festival in separate cars. This saves a lot of money from parking fees and logistical headaches at the festival as well. Look for carpool incentives at upcoming festivals.
What To Wear
Where possible, avoid opting for fast fashion choices. It’s best to buy clothing, shoes and accessories second hand or organize a clothing swap with your friends. You can join us for one of our clothing swaps hosted by ILACSD staff! Our clothing swaps are a wonderful opportunity to engage in recycling, circular economy, find new pieces, and meet like minded community members.
Enjoying the Festival
During long festival days, it’s important to stay hydrated. Bringing a reusable water bottle or hydration pack saves money and avoids single-use plastics. Buying individual water bottles is not only wasteful for the environment, it also means waiting in long lines to buy water and spending a lot on marked up bottle prices. It’s best to plan ahead and bring reusables to refill at the water refill stations around the festival grounds.
Camping
We recommend planning ahead if you’re camping. Many festival websites have a sustainability page you can reference for ideas. Using reusable plastic or aluminum glassware, as well as reusable utensils and plates are a great option. All-in-one utensils work really well to avoid having to wash utensils while camping, including opting for reusable cloth napkins. Planning meals out in advance helps avoid using utensils or plates altogether to make cleanup easy and waste-free. For food, pre-slicing fruits and veggies at home, opting for handheld foods like hotdogs and sandwiches, and utilizing items with very minimal packaging saves time and minimizes waste. It can be tempting to bring prepackaged and individually wrapped meals, such as mini chip bags. Instead, choose homemade guacamole in a tupperware, homemade muffins, bulk snack foods in reusable bags, and other more zero waste choices.
More Tips
Set up your campsite to make it easy on those with less knowledge of recycling and composting. A good tip is to set up bags for trash, a bin for food scraps, and a bag for recycling. For more recycling tips, visit WasteFreeSD.org or call our hotline at 1-800-237-BLUE (1-800-237-2583) for incorporated residents and 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784) for unincorporated residents.
Electric vehicles are the way of the future. They’re more efficient, better for the environment, and give their owners some great perks. According to the EPA, the transportation industry accounts for 26% of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, with 61% of those emissions coming from light-duty vehicles. By choosing an electric vehicle, you help reduce your carbon footprint and support positive change for the transportation industry. Learn the basics about electric vehicles in this guide.
What are Electric Vehicles?
There are two types of electric vehicles.
All-Electric
All-electric cars are powered by an electric motor using rechargeable batteries. There’s no conventional combustion engine and no tailpipe emissions.
Plug-In Hybrid
Plug-in hybrid cars are a great mid-point between an all-electric car and a car running solely on gasoline. They have an electric motor and an internal combustion engine so they can run on a battery charge but can switch to the conventional engine if the car runs out of charge.
Electric is a great option no matter what the vehicle type.
Why Drive an Electric Vehicle?
Some benefits include:
Electric vehicles are better for the environment. They have no tailpipe emissions, don’t use oil, and have a lot less brake dust compared to regular cars. Oil and brake dust affects our local environment by entering our storm drains and ultimately hurting our ocean health. Electric vehicles powered by the grid produce 54% less carbon pollution than gas powered cars.
It’s clean fuel. San Diego’s electricity is created domestically from a variety of clean sources like natural gas and renewable resources. Since 2015, our region has derived 33% of our electricity from renewable sources.
Lower driving costs. On average, electric vehicles have a lower cost to drive than a similar vehicle running on gasoline. Another perk: you can also kiss regular oil changes goodbye since you don’t run on oil anymore!
Rebates! There are many purchase rebates through California and federal programs to help with this earth-friendly purchase. SDG&E has an Electric Vehicle Climate Credit for EV owners to reduce their electricity bills.
Save time. Electric vehicles are eligible to drive in the HOV lane, which gives EV owners a chance to save hours off their commute every month.
What to Look for in an Electric Vehicle?
There are over 30 models on the market to fit your individual needs. Some factors to think about when making your decision:
Type of Electric Vehicle. All-electric vs. Hybrid.
Charge range. How far is your commute? Do you have access to charging stations at work?
Charging Options. Most electric vehicle owners charge at home but there are many options on the go around San Diego County. See this map for charging areas. SDG&E is adding more than 3,000 more stations around San Diego to make charging readily available and convenient for more drivers. Request a charging station near you.
Trunk Space. One of the important factors when ILACSD’s Senior Director of Operations, Natalie, was searching for her perfect EV.
Cost. Take advantage of rebates! Most plug-in vehicles are eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500.
Seats. Want a two-seater to cruise around in or do you have a whole family to haul?
Lifestyle. Do you take frequent road trips? Is this your household’s primary vehicle? How easy is it to charge at home? Decide what makes the most sense for your life so your decision is sustainable for both the environment and your lifestyle.
Take this quiz to see what electric vehicle is right for you.
What electric vehicle did you choose and why?
Electric vehicles are becoming more and more popular and as the demand’s increasing, so is the quality and quantity of offerings. We asked ILACSD electric vehicle owners how they decided on their car.
Natalie: Chevy Volt
When shopping for an EV, I wanted to make sure it was practical for my daily activities with enough trunk space and the right amount of all-electric range, including grocery shopping and occasional camping and road trips. When test driving, I was impressed by how well many models handled, how comfortable they were, the interesting technology they had to monitor energy usage, the fun bells and whistles offered on them, as well as the torque that felt quick and speedy on the road. Considering my daily routine, I will often drive to and from work, and have occasional work meetings off site or errands to run on my way home. I noticed there were free charging stations at my regular grocery store, making it easy to charge up while running errands. Plus, my office had pay charging stations that I could use if I was ever running low. The cost of charging an “eGallon” is much cheaper and better for the environment than a gallon of gas, so I’m more inclined to pay to plug in rather than fill up at the gas station. However, on a normal day, my commute is about 30 miles including a stop on the way home.
The Chevrolet Volt that I ended up selecting has an all-electric range of about 55 miles before switching over to gas, giving me 25 extra miles of buffer for my daily commute to use for errands, meetings, or fun activities. After having the car for several months now, I’ve driven 4000 miles and only used 10 gallons of gas for the few times I took longer drives or road trips. I’ve only been to the gas station one time in six months! Plus, I really like how roomy the trunk is, and that the seats fold down for larger items, which I often need for camping trips or trips to the hardware store.
Lastly, an electric vehicle had large financial incentives for me. Before I got my new car, I was spending $90/month on gas. I was also able to get a $9,000 rebate ($7,500 federal and $1,500 state) due to the higher all-electric range my Volt gets compared with some of the other plug-in hybrids that have lower all-electric ranges – rebates are different based on the all-electric range a car gets. I also recently installed a solar system on my house which gave me another 30% tax credit rebate on the price of the solar system. The EV rebate saved me money on the initial purchase of the car, while the gas-savings and solar offset provided me with ongoing savings I benefit from each month.
I love driving my new car and am proud to be reducing my carbon footprint on a daily basis.
I Love A Clean San Diego: All-Electric Fiat
ILACSD’s mission states, “Through outreach, community involvement, and example, ILACSD leads and educates the community to actively conserve and enhance the environment.” To continue to inspire environmental change, ILACSD strives to set a positive example in our operations to ensure we’re living our mission. Each year, our staff drives to all corners of San Diego County for education and beautification programs. Our educators provided 750 education presentations in 2016, while other staff and volunteers hosted 250 cleanup events countywide. To help lower our organization’s carbon footprint, we decided to invest in an electric vehicle and set an example for the community.
When we began shopping, we wanted to keep our countywide as well as San Diego-specific reach in mind. The all-electric Fiat was selected due to its range of 103-121 miles, which would allow plenty of room for our daily presentations around the County. As a San Diego County-specific organization, we would not be driving on long road trips and also had backup vehicles if anyone needed to travel out of San Diego County. The compact Fiat still has plenty of space for our larger education or cleanup supplies – the back seat folds down for extra trunk space, and also seats four in case several staff want to carpool together. An all-electric was a great fit for us and our staff loves driving the Fiat!
On Twitter, we asked what EV owners liked best about their vehicle:
Rapid acceleration, smooth ride, and ability to refuel (plug-in) at work or at the gym!
The community I meet! Our company has an email thread with just EV owners to communicate.
Today’s blog was written by Recycling Programs intern, Kayla!
Valentine’s Day is a day to share love, romance, and affection. Whether it means spending time with a significant other, family member or group of friends, it’s a chance to celebrate what matters most in life: our connection with others. Traditional gifts of flowers, boxed chocolates, and jewelry are popular on Valentine’s Day, but they come at a significant environmental cost. Valentine’s Day generates a vast amount of CO2 emissions in the production, transportation, and disposal of romantic gifts. The pulp and paper industry is one of the largest contributors to air pollution, deforestation, and our overcrowded landfills. Disposable items such as candy wrappers, cardboard gift boxes, greeting cards, and wrapping paper add up fast and most of the waste ends up at local landfills.
So how can you celebrate while also showing some love for the environment? Here are 5 ways to celebrate a green Valentine’s Day this year.
Find a Romantic Viewpoint or New Sunset Spot.
Sometimes a shared moment in nature is the best kind of gift. Go to the beach, find a new hiking trail, walk along the harbor, picnic in the park…get outdoors and spend some quality time with your Valentine! For new outdoor options, check out secret spots in San Diego for inspiration.
Plant Together.
Instead of giving a bouquet of flowers or the traditional red roses, change it up this year and buy a plant for your Valentine. Plants are beautiful, less pricey, and benefit the environment. Plant your new “love” plant together in your garden and watch it grow and blossom over time. This can be a lasting reminder of your relationship and love!
Succulents are low-maintenance, water-wise and cute!
Cook a Romantic Homemade Dinner.
Valentine’s Day usually means reservations and crowds at your favorite dinner spots. You can avoid the stress and increase the fun by preparing a romantic dinner at home. Take this time to make that vegan recipe you’ve always wanted to try or prepare a favorite meal together. Couples who cook together, stay together.
When buying your ingredients, think local. Not only will your products be more fresh and tasty, but you will also be supporting your local businesses. Visit one of the many farmer’s markets around San Diego County for your ingredient needs. If possible, avoid packaging and make your meal vegetarian or vegan! This can help reduce landfill waste and lower your carbon footprint. We love these 12 Vegan Valentine’s Day Desserts from Minimalist Baker.
Create a Homemade Gift.
Sometimes finding the perfect gift on Valentine’s Day can be very difficult. Surprise your loved one with a homemade gift! Instead of buying something generic, show your Valentine how special they are to you. Craft a handwritten love letter or poem on recycled paper. Bake lavender cupcakes. Make this simple DIY lip balm in a reusable jar. Check out the I Love A Clean San Diego Pinterest for more ideas.
Win your loved one over with this simple DIY gift
Volunteer.
Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community! This Valentine’s Day, plan a volunteer day with your loved one. There are numerous options in every community–in fact, we have our annual Cupid’s Cleanup this Saturday at Bay City Brewing Co! This can be a way to meet new people, get some fresh air and make a difference in your community.
Volunteer with your significant other, family or friends
I Love A Clean San Diego is proud to partner with businesses making a difference in the environmental movement. Sustainably minded companies have the power to not only impact their customers, partners, and employees, but also initiate meaningful change in industry standards. Today, we are profiling one of our partners: Ball Corporation.
Founded in 1880, Ball Corporation is known among zero wasters, minimalists, and crafters for their versatile mason jars, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of their commitment to sustainability. Ball supplies sustainable packaging solutions for beverage, food and household products, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services. Ball has been recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as an industry leader in their practices for packaging.
They have over 18,000 employees in more than 100 locations worldwide, and they create innovative solutions for packaging, such as the Widget Can, which allows craft breweries to package the tasty on tap experience of Nitrogen infused beer.
Sustainability and environmental stewardship are key components of Ball Corporation’s corporate responsibility. Sustainable packaging is high on their priority list, with an emphasis on enhancing the life cycle of their products and ability to recycle metals (Did you know metal food packaging is the most recycled container in the world? See the video above for more information on Ball’s sustainable packaging).
Ball partners with many organizations to improve regional sustainability and sustainability for the industry as a whole. Their partnership with The Recycling Partnership, for example, works to improve packaging recycling in the US.
In addition to sustainable packaging, Ball focuses on sustainable operations to ensure a healthy future for their company, their employees, and the environment. They introduced a plan to reduce the carbon footprint of their beverage cans by 25% by 2020 through optimizing the weight of the beverage cans and increasing the plant’s energy efficiency.
Commitment to Community
Ball’s commitment to the communities in which they operate is impressive. They encourage their employees to volunteer with organizations and causes that are important to them. Ball employees log more than 32,000 hours of community service each year, and that’s just North America alone! Employees in the US and Canada are able to track their volunteer hours and earn $20 per hour to be donated to the charity of their choice.
Ball makes a difference in the San Diego community by supporting I Love A Clean San Diego’s programs! In addition to support of our recycling and hazardous waste database, WasteFreeSD.org, their employees participated in a cleanup through our Corporate Cleanup program last year at Coronado City Beach. Thanks to Ball’s support, our newly revamped WasteFreeSD.org will go live in the next few months, making it easier for San Diegans to find resources to reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle in San Diego County.
2016 was a great year for I Love A Clean San Diego! Check out the highlights of our impact in San Diego this past year.
2016 Accomplishments Breakdown:
We led 250 cleanups in 74 communities around San Diego. Of the 433,098 pounds of debris picked up at cleanups, the most common items were cigarette butts, plastic pieces, food wrappers, and straws/stirrers. 63,183 cigarette butts were found during last year’s Coastal Cleanup Day and through our Adopt-A-Beach program alone! The weirdest items? We found a dog house, wizard hat, wedding dress, and dentures.
Our Education team empowered more than 31,000 kids and adults through 750 presentations around San Diego County. The presentation topics focused on local San Diego environmental issues, such as watershed protection and zero waste.
Our Recycling Programs team received more than 13,000 inquiries through our hotline and recycling database, WasteFreeSD.org. The most frequently requested items: paint, motor oil, medicine, florescent light tubes, and sharps/needles. If you aren’t sure where to recycle these items in your area, visit WasteFreeSD.org and search by item and zipcode.
Today’s blog post was written by Education Manager, Emily!
The new year gives us a chance to set intentions for our lives. At the close of every December, I set goals for the coming year, write them on an index card (or recycled piece of paper!), and post them somewhere visible. Unlike more general New Year’s resolutions, I typically have success meeting my goals because I make sure to be specific and review them regularly to keep focus.
As you’re looking ahead to 2017, consider setting goals to adopt a zero waste lifestyle. By doing so, you will reduce the amount of trash sent to the landfill, become more sustainable, and minimize your carbon footprint. We’ve gathered a few ideas to help you get started.
Buy local. Find your local farmer’s market and shop there once a month. Shopping locally reduces fossil fuel-based transportation costs.
Conduct a waste audit to see what you’re currently throwing away. Spend a week collecting your trash to understand what you’re throwing away. Then, select one disposable item you can replace with a reusable alternative. Some ideas: reusable produce bags, safety razors, handkerchiefs, chopsticks, stainless steel straws, beeswax wraps, and sandwich bags.
Be mindful of energy use. Start by selecting one appliance to unplug when not in use. Toasters, cell phone chargers, and fans are a great place to start. Or look into more sustainable options, like the SDG&E EcoChoice Program.
Buy secondhand. Shop at a thrift store 3 times throughout the year.
Learn a new skill. Canning, gardening, and sewing are great skills for your zero waste journey. Or learn to do your own car maintenance or bicycle repair.
Shave two minutes off your shower time. Most shower heads have a flow of 2 gallons per minute. This minor adjustment will save four gallons per shower. If we make a very modest assumption that you shower once a week, that equates to 208 gallons saved over the course of the year. If you shower daily, that’s 1,460 gallons saved. For more ideas, check out The Hidden Water We Use by National Geographic.
Try one recipe a week using bulk items. Soups, grains, granola bars, and baked goods are great dishes for bulk success!
Plant an herb garden. You’ll only need to pick the amount you need per recipe instead of letting half a bunch of mint wilt in the back of the fridge. If you’re short on space, try a vertical garden.
Learn! Read an article a week about zero waste and sustainability, listen to podcasts, watch videos, find books, and get inspired by others.
Rethink your main mode of transportation. Research electric vehicles on the market. Even if you’re not currently in the market for a new vehicle, it’s useful to stay abreast of the current offerings so you can be a more informed consumer when the time comes.
Carpool. Carpool to one event or outing per month.
Plant native. Native plants require less water and maintenance. They also provide habitat for birds, butterflies and other native wildlife.
Go vegetarian 3 days a week. Learn more about why with this YouTube video.
Composting helps nourish the soil and reduce food waste
Start composting. Check out our Classroom Composting lesson plan for basics about starting a vermicompost.
Reduce paper use. Assess any print publication subscriptions (or junk mail), and find one to eliminate. Once you’ve read past copies of the periodical, contact your local library, elementary school, or scouting group to see if they’re interested in using your old copies.
Attend a community cleanup. Not only will you be removing debris from our environment, but dedicating time to collect litter from the street will spur your motivation to reduce your reliance on single-use items. Subscribe to our Facebook events to stay up-to-date on our public cleanups!
Get outside. Hike, stargaze, bike, swim, camp and explore. The more you connect with the natural world, the more dedicated you will be to preserving it for generations to come.
There’s no greater test to a zero waste lifestyle than holiday time! A zero waster strives to keep items they use out of the landfill but it can feel challenging to stick to your values with many holiday activities like gift giving. Though it can be tough, it’s also a wonderful opportunity to get creative, have a little fun and share with others how simple it is to incorporate zero waste practices any time of the year.
Need some ideas? Check out a few go-to zero waste and eco-friendly gifts from
I Love A Clean San Diego staff members:
Ex Libris Anonymous
Repurposed Book Journals – Emily
Our Education Manager, Emily, loves the handmade journals from Ex Libris Anonymous. She loves them so much, she gave me no choice but to include the Portland company in this post. If you’re a literary fan, you’ll fall in love with these interesting journals made from vintage books.
Reusable Makeup Pads tied with ribbon we saved from a birthday present (aka reused!).
Reusable Makeup Cotton Pads – Natalie
Reusable makeup pads are a great alternative to disposable cotton balls and cotton pads because they help eliminate the trash you produce on a daily basis with your beauty routine. More and more companies are selling them and they are quite durable (some boasting to last more than 1,000 washes!). Natalie, our Senior Director of Operations, likes the reusable cosmetic pads from Makeup Eraser. If you’re feeling crafty, you can make your own like above. Check out this DIY Reusable Makeup Remover Pad.
Locally roasted coffee in a reusable container
Locally Roasted Coffee – Pia
I’m all about supporting local coffee roasters. You get better quality coffee AND support the local economy. Win-win! Many local roasters are willing to work with you to fill your own containers. I love Common Good Coffee in La Mesa. You can also get bulk local coffee from the OB People’s Market.
Sustainable jewelry
Sustainable Wood Earrings – Becca
Many jewelry companies use repurposed or sustainable items for their materials. Becca, our Education Specialist, couldn’t stop raving about her favorite earrings from Green Tree Jewelry. They are made in the US from sustainably harvested trees and utilize 90% recycled ear cards. Plus, they’re stylish too!
The San Diego County Water Authority recently launched a campaign to encourage San Diego County residents to Live WaterSmart. The agency provides many free resources to support water-use efficiency as a way of life and encourage sustainable changes to homes and landscapes. This approach helps ensures our region will have sufficient water supplies for years to come.
Resources provided by the Water Authority and its partners include:
Check for leaks in your system by monitoring your water bill for abnormal changes in usage. Use your water meter to check specific areas for leaks.
Mulch, mulch, mulch! Add mulch around trees and plants to retain moisture in the ground.
Regularly check your irrigation system for runoff, leaks and broken sprinkler heads. Upgrade to a water-efficient system to be as WaterSmart as possible!
Wash full loads of laundry and dishes to save on water and energy.
Incorporate native and low-water plants into your garden. In addition to saving water, these plants typically are easier to care for. That’s good news for those of us who don’t have a green thumb!
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, shaving and lathering.
Scrape food waste into a composting container instead of rinsing it down the drain.
Replace older appliances and fixtures with efficient WaterSense® models; take advantage of rebates to save money.
Irrigate in the evening or early morning; turn off irrigation systems when it rains and for at least 48 hours afterward
Today’s blog post was contributed by one of our Education Specialists, Becca.
California recently passed Proposition 67 to ban plastic bags in our state. Most of us are probably wondering exactly how it will impact us. Having lived in Monterey when it banned plastic bags, I know it can be a process to understand the details to be prepared when the ban goes into effect. Here are a few answers to the most common questions we get.
What is the Plastic Bag Ban?
The plastic bag ban prohibits grocery stores, pharmacies, corner market stores and liquor stores from selling single use plastic bags. Instead, they will sell paper and reusable plastic bags for 10 cents each. Customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags and won’t be charged a fee when they do.
The Plastic Bag Ban will go into effect December 9, 2016
What were some reasons for passing this ban?
Protecting wildlife. Many marine animals confuse plastic bags for food. For instance, sea turtles confuse plastic bags for one of their main food sources, jellyfish.
Plastic bags do not biodegrade. Plastic goes through a process known as photodegradation. Photo means light and as sunlight shines on plastics they become more and more brittle and break down into microplastics. These microplastics can hurt wildlife and humans alike as they travel up the food chain.
Plastic bags never fully breakdown. This means less space in landfills for other waste items, as well as disruption of marine and terrestrial food chains by the presence of plastic bags.
Less than 5% of plastic bags are recycled in California.
In 2050, plastic will outweigh fish in the ocean.
When will the bag ban officially start?
December 9, 2016. If you go into a store that isn’t compliant after 12/9/16, call your city public works department to report them.
What happens if you forget your reusable bag?
You will be charged 10 cents for a paper bag or reusable plastic bag. To avoid this, bring your own reusable bags or carry items out of the store without any bagging. Always keep a few reusable bags with you to be prepared for shopping trips.
What about other plastic bags?
The bag ban only prohibits carryout plastic bags at grocery stores, pharmacies, corner market stores and liquor stores. All other plastic bags, like pet waste bags and trash bags, will still be available for purchase. If you’re inspired by the reasons behind the bag ban and wish to discontinue the use of plastic bags in other areas of your life, here are some ideas:
Pet waste bags. Picking up after your pup can be easy and zero waste! Simply purchase a small grabber and pick up your dog waste and place it immediately in a trash bin or flush it down the toilet. This method avoids bags altogether. If you need to use a bag, purchase a biodegradable bag or use a newspaper as a first option. If you desire to continue using plastic bags, reuse old bread, produce, cereal or newspaper bags. Cat lovers: we can help out your feline friends as well! For your litter box, introduce organic litter alternatives such as sawdust, mulch, or dirt. Slowly integrate these alternatives within the litter so the cats have time to adjust to the new litter. An alternative to fragrances that cover the smell is baking soda. If you prefer litter over the alternatives, purchase litter in bulk or in compostable packaging. To dispose of the cat waste, there are a few options. First, you can compost the waste in a cat waste specific compost bin and use the compost for ornamental plants. Learn more about how to do that here. If you don’t have enough space for your own compost, check to see if your local community compost collects animal waste. While you can flush dog poop, do not flush cat poop. Cats have a parasite in their feces that is not safe for humans or marine life.
Trash bags. Extend the life of your plastic trash bags by dumping out the trash in your trash can and reusing the bag. If you want to get rid of plastic all together, place newspaper or scratch paper at the bottom of the trash to collect excess trash and rinse out the garbage container every so often. We like this tutorial for a DIY Newspaper Garbage Bag. Incorporating practices to reduce your waste will create less need for trash bags such as composting food scraps and eliminating plastic packaging.
Shopping bags at other stores. Many other stores will still be using plastic bags at check out. Consider bringing your own reusable bag to clothing stores, pet stores and other retails stores to eliminate plastic bags.
I want to adopt a zero waste lifestyle. Where can I find some resources to begin my journey?
I Love A Clean San Diego’s Zero Waste 101: Home workshop will be taking place this Saturday from 1-3pm at South Chula Vista Library. It’s a great starting point to learn a few tips to begin a zero waste lifestyle at home! We welcome you to join us for this workshop and our upcoming series where we will explore how to adopt zero waste practices into your everyday life. We also offer our zero waste resource WasteFreeSD.org, where you can find more details regarding zero waste and how to enact different practices in your everyday life.To learn more about I Love A Clean San Diego and how we help protect our environment, please visit CleanSD.org!
