We all know moving can be stressful. Before you think about throwing items into the dumpster that will eventually find their way into our local landfills, we have some tips to make your move more efficient (and hopefully more stress-free)! The key is to stay organized and plan ahead.

Bedrooms & Home Offices

Donate your bedroom and home office furniture to your local thrift store and call to confirm if it offers bulky item pick-up. Bed mattresses and bed frames should be recycled through a participating Bye Bye Mattress recycling program location.

Donate clothes that are in a good/reusable condition to a local thrift store. Clothes, sheets, towels, etc. that are torn, stained, or old, should be recycled through a local textile recycling program.

Electronics that are no longer working (also known as electronic waste or e-waste) include items such as televisions, radios, telephones, cell phones, and printers. Many recycling locations will accept electronic waste at no cost and collection events are available for select neighborhoods on specific dates and times. Working electronics should be taken to a local thrift store.

Tip: Electronic waste does not include fluorescent light bulbs/tubes (they contain mercury) and any type of batteries. 

Bonus Tip: Remove all sensitive information from hard drives before donating or recycling.

 

Kitchen

Working or newer appliances can be taken to organizations that reuse or resell appliances like Habitat for Humanity ReStore locations. For any non-working appliance, drop-off at a local scrap metal recycler.

If items like dishes, pots, pans, and silverware are in reusable/good condition, donate them to a local thrift store. If the item is stainless steel and is old/overused, take it to a scrap metal recycler.

Cleaning products like all-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, degreasers and stain remover are considered household hazardous waste and should be disposed of at a collection facility. 

All non-perishable food should be dropped off at a local food bank.

 

Bathroom

Loose medication can be put into plastic bags then deposited at kiosks located at participating San Diego County Sheriff’s departments. Please ensure any liquid medication is enclosed in secure containers before depositing and please remove any personal information from medicine bottles. Prescription drug take back days occur twice a year. Permanent drop-off locations are available at participating sheriff’s stations or police departments. 

Needles/sharps should be transported to a proper collection center in a rigid, puncture resistant, and tightly sealed container. Some examples of proper containers include bleach bottles, liquid detergent bottles, or coffee cans with lids. Containers should be no larger than 2 liters or 1/2 gallon. Label the container “Needles” or “Sharps” before disposing of it at an approved residential needles/sharps collection drop box or at your local household hazardous waste collection facility.

Garage/ Shed 

Hand tools and power tools can be donated to a local thrift store or recycled at participating locations. Certain gardening tools powered by gasoline such as a lawnmower will have to be completely drained before donating or recycling. 

The following products typically found in the household like gardening chemicals and automotive fluids are considered household hazardous waste: 

• Fertilizer 
• Pesticide 
• Herbicide 
• Insecticide 
• Motor oil
• Gasoline 
• Antifreeze 
• Batteries 
• Flight bulbs/tubes 
• Paint Household hazardous waste should be taken to a designated household hazardous waste collection facility.  

Additional Information

Looking to sell or give away an item? Donating and recycling are not the only options! Residents can host a garage sale or attend a swap meet to sell or trade items. Many websites and apps also allow users to post items to sell or to give away for free, including:

• Facebook Marketplace
• Craigslist 
• Freecycle
• OfferUp
• PoshMark

 

Tips on how to reduce the need for cardboard boxes

• Remember to pack up your belongings in containers you already have such as reusable bags, dresser drawers, or suitcases
• Start saving up cardboard boxes a couple of months ahead of time. 
• Check some of the donation sites listed above to look for any additional cardboard boxes. 
• Any reusable cardboard boxes should be donated. Find a location at WasteFreeSD.org
• Remember to recycle leftover cardboard boxes in the blue recycling bin. Please break down the box before recycling it.  

 

Plan early

• All household hazardous waste collection facilities require proof of residency and an appointment. Have an inventory of everything you plan to drop off, including quantities and the condition of your items, before calling to make an appointment. 
• Some thrift stores offer free pick-up, but there may be a wait time of up to a month to receive service. Plan accordingly. 
• Remove all personal information from electronics, prescription medication bottles, sensitive documents, etc., before donating or recycling. 

To review a list of what can go in the curbside recycling bin, find recycling centers, donation locations, and local household hazardous waste collection facilities, or for waste reduction guides, visit WasteFreeSD.org.

Happy spring! As the weather gets warmer and the days become brighter, this time of the year becomes the perfect opportunity to add new plants to your garden. 

If you like gardening, choosing to plant native plants from your region can help you save on water, fertilizers, and pesticides. Native plants easily adapt to new environments and are uncomplicated to take care of. If you have native plants at home, you eliminate the use of mowers and big water bills. They grow in harmony with the environment and self-sustain over time. Set the right conditions for your native plants to thrive and watch a beautiful garden unfold in and around your house. 

Below are some tips on how to get started planting natives.

• Get Familiar with native plants. 

Check how big native plants grow, what they look like, and which grow in areas similar to your yard. Access these online Native Planting Guides and Native Gardening Resources by the California Native Plant Society for a complete list of native plants organized by region or visit you local botanical garden!

• Group plants with similar needs. 

An easy way to organize your native garden is to determine each plant’s need for shade or sun. Usually, California native plants need adequate drainage and uncrowded conditions. Group together based on their needs.

• Incorporate other natural features.

Get creative and add some boulders, rocks, pebbles, stones, or mounds around your plants. Check out this article about Landscaping Ideas with Rocks and how to add some unique character to your backyard!

 

• Consider when you are planting.

Planting in late fall is optimal, but winter and spring also have ideal conditions. Avoid planting during the heat of the summer and give plants enough time to grow strong before peak weather season. 

 

• Fire Safety Plants

Given that native plants are small in size, low to the ground, and have limited water needs, these types of gardens are a safe choice against fire. Native plants don’t contain oils or resins that are best in areas of high fire risk. Check your local nursery for more advice on fire-resistant plants best for your area.

Happy gardening! Please consider throwing your yard waste into the green organics bin. Visit wastefreesd.org and find more information about Green Bins and organic waste services available to your home!

Thrift shopping is a fun, financially friendly, and a more sustainable alternative to traditional shopping. Textile waste is increasing due to the demand for fast fashion and massive clothing production. In 2014, the average consumer bought 60% more clothing than in 2000, but kept it all for half as long. Studies show that the average American throws away about 82 lbs. of textiles every year, making 5% of our landfills textile waste.

So what can we do? Support your local thrift shop and shop second-hand items to give them a second life and divert them from ending up in our landfills. You can find one-of-a-kind clothing pieces that make your style feel unique and fresh by shopping second hand. Here are some tips to maximize your next thrifting outing: 

1. Have a Plan

Go in with specific things you are looking for. If you want to find a cool Hawaiian shirt for your next trip to the beach, head straight to the button-down rack and start looking for a design that calls your name. Be ready to dig through the options and remember to be patient with the process.

2. Upcycle the items you purchase

If you find an item you were looking for but it seems a bit worn down, get creative and find new ways to upcycle and remodel your product. Recently, an ILACSD staff went thrift shopping for furniture and found a worn down picnic-style chair. They sanded the chair down and repainted it green, adding just the right pop of color to her patio! Check out the DIY Inspired website for more crafty tips and upcycling projects.

3. Ask yourself some questions before purchasing

Do you already have something that looks similar? Do I really need this or is this a temporary want? By doing some self-reflection before check-out, you can detach yourself from the process of shopping and enjoy it as a peaceful and creative activity for self-expression.

4. Explore other second-hand resources

There are multiple other options other than thrift shops where you can find second hand items! Check out Offer Up and Facebook Market Place for second hand items being sold in your local areas. Buy Nothing groups on Facebook have items usually for free, garage sales and yard sales happen on the weekends, and vintage shops are great places to find curated items. 

Another great idea is to exchange items that you already own with your friends and family. Check out our latest blogpost on “How to Host Your Own Clothing SWAP” for more details.

5. Don’t overwhelm yourself

Thrifting should be fun! Explore one section of the store during your visit and check-in with yourself on time. Bring some headphones to listen to music and get in the zone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help to find what you are looking for and ask other shoppers for opinions on items!

6. Don’t feel like you need to buy everything at the thrift store!

Just because prices may be cheap does not mean you should be purchasing everything you picked out. Remember, the whole idea is to reduce the unnecessary textile waste that ends up in the landfill and purchasing additional items may make it more tempting to toss out old ones. Choose your top items to buy at a thrift store. 

7. Donate Your Items

Remember that by donating items keeps the thrifting cycle alive. The next time you find yourself at a thrift store, think to yourself: if I bring an item into my closet, what item can I take out and donate? By donating items you help create a circular economy!

Looking to go thrifting? Find your local thrift shop or closest donation center near you on WasteFreeSD.org. 

Want to attend a Clothing SWAP? Check out www.cleansd.org/events to find our next SWAP event near you!

Going out for a meal is an experience we all enjoy. In this blog, we have compiled 6 easy tips to ditch waste and reduce our environmental impact when dining out. Start by applying just one of the tips below during your next food journey and, over time, the more you repeat the tip the more it will become a habit. You got this and Bon Appetit! 

1. Bring your reusable food containers from home for your leftovers.

Did you know that you are allowed to bring your home containers to restaurants? 
The CA Retail Food Code, section 114121 (b) states that consumers are allowed to take a personal container as long as an employee fills it and there is no cross-contamination with the utensil that is being used to serve the food. The law states that “consumer-owned containers returned to the food facility for refilling may be refilled and returned to the same consumer if the container is refilled by an employee of the food facility or the owner of the container if the dispensing system includes a contamination-free transfer process that cannot be bypassed by the container owner. © Consumer-owned containers that are not food-specific may be filled at a water vending machine or system.”

We recommend storing containers in your car so you can be ready next time you need to pack up some leftovers. Check out these affordable 3 piece stainless steel tupperware!
Bonus Tip: Repurpose jam or yogurt containers and bring them along to hold sauces like salsa and ketchup!

2. Ask for no straws or bring your own reusable straw from home.

Straws are a single-use plastic with little to no utility. Based on the Association of Zoos & Aquariums “Five hundred million straws are used each day by people in the United States alone.” Most plastic straws are not biodegradable and end up in our waterways which ultimately pollute animals, plants, people, and the environment.

If you or any of your family members have to use a straw for medical reasons, or if you just prefer to use one in your daily use, we recommend buying a reusable or biodegradable straw. Check out these silicon and stainless-steel foldable straws by FinalStraw that are easy to clean and keep around! 

3. Following our previous tip, we encourage you to bring your own set of silverware or chopsticks instead of single-use plastic utensils to avoid creating unnecessary waste!

Set the example with reusable utensils to avoid creating waste. Check out this all-in-one bamboo silverware set from Brut Essentials!

4. Don’t ask for a water cup unless you really need it!

Zero-waste tries to eliminate single-use items. Restaurants are now only giving out water cups on request to help minimize water and plastic cup waste. Ideally, bringing a reusable water bottle would be a great strategy to contribute to the change. You are bound to drink some water after a big meal. Pack your water bottle and bring it to your next meal out to avoid using single-use water bottles or cups. Every habit makes a difference. 

5. Order only as much as you will eat

According to a report by the National Restaurant Association, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, and the Food Marketing Institute, half a pound of food waste is generated on average for each meal ordered in restaurants, either from what’s leftover on the plate or when cooking in the kitchen. If we consciously order meals based on our capacity to consume, we can avoid unnecessary waste to be created from our meals.

6. Give the restaurant feedback!

Most restaurant managers would love to hear your positive comments or feedback on their recycling and composting practices! With the new Organics Law SB1838 becoming active in the state of California, citizens can play a leading role in educating more public restaurants about the changes needed to be implemented to take better care of our environment and properly recycle organic waste. 

If you want to learn more about eco-friendly restaurants, guidelines, and utensils check-out these resources below:

• Green Restaurant Association – Earn a Green Employee Accreditation

Do you work in the restaurant industry? Help our planet today by educating yourself on restaurant sustainability facts in six environmental categories. After you go through the Green Restaurant Association Education Section, you can take a test to become a Green Restaurant Accredited Employee (GRAE

 http://www.dinegreen.com 

• Surfrider Foundation – Ocean Friendly Restaurants

We’re building an inclusive community of eco-conscious restaurants, activists, and patrons that support a healthy lifestyle for ourselves and our planet to find more joy and peace in our everyday lives.

https://sandiego.surfrider.org/ofr