Join I Love A Clean San Diego as we team up with the County of San Diego, Valley Center Parks and Recreation, and the Valley Center Trails Association for a litter cleanup and street-sweep on Saturday, April 28, 2018, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM in Valley Center! Volunteers will meet at Robert Adams Community Park located at 28751 Cole Grade Road, Valley Center, CA 92082, and cleanup along Cole Grade Road, Valley Center Road, and the beautiful Heritage Trail. This cleanup and street-sweep will prevent waste from entering the San Luis Rey watershed (which leads directly to the ocean) and enhance the natural beauty of Valley Center for the community!
We will have cleanup supplies, snacks, and water. We also provide community service hours and Letters of Appreciation for volunteers. This is a great opportunity for students and families to learn ways to protect our local environment!
We encourage volunteers to bring their own reusable items such as water bottles, work gloves, and buckets to promote zero-waste practices and help us in our mission to have a zero waste, litter free and environmentally engaged San Diego region!
All volunteers are required to fill out a waiver form to participate and anyone under the age of 18 needs a waiver signed by their parent or guardian.
This May, I Love A Clean San Diego will bring 1,000 elementary school students, teachers, and volunteers to the beach to become a living piece of artwork at South Mission Beach to celebrate the annual Kids’ Ocean Day.Through a partnership with the California Coastal Commission, ILACSD will host San Diego County’s 20th Annual Kids’ Ocean Day! Kids’ Ocean Day kicks off before we even reach the beach with in-school assemblies to educate the students on the importance of our ocean, how it is being harmed due to human actions, and how we each play a role in protecting the health of our oceans. Then, on May 24th, these students will unite in a beach cleanup, followed by the formation of an image only visible from the sky. Check out the video below to get a glimpse of what to expect at Kids’ Ocean Day.
This year, the statewide theme is “Waves of Change,” evoking the powerful force we can be when united in our actions. Forming the aerial art message through the collective efforts of each individual sitting in the sand is a perfect metaphor for how our combined daily habits like refusing single-use plastics have incredible power in shaping the health of our environment. We are grateful to have so many young participants engaging in this cause and hope this event will propel their momentum in acting as wise environmental stewards.
Revealing I Love A Clean San Diego’s 2018 Kids’ Ocean Day “WAVES OF CHANGE” Aerial Art Design:
2018 Kids’ Ocean Day Aerial Art Design
If you would like to be a part of this event, we’re looking for adult volunteers (18 years of age and older) to lead students during the cleanup and the aerial art. If you’re interested, you can find more details on the Kids’ Ocean Day event page or register here! As a thank you, all volunteers will receive a photo of the completed aerial art image as a keepsake! We hope you’ll come together with us this year to be a wave of change for our environment!
I Love A Clean San Diego is collaborating with the Otay Valley Regional Park Citizens Advisory Committee to coordinate the 8th Annual DiscoverOtay Valley Regional Park Day on Saturday, May 19th from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM at the Saturn Staging area of Otay Valley Regional Park located at 500 Saturn Blvd (Behind Home Depot), San Diego, CA 92154. This event will once again bring neighbors together and raise awareness in the community of the features of this regional park, safe outdoor recreation, and environmentally friendly behaviors to preserve and protect our treasured outdoor spaces. In addition to the educational booth area, we will also have a fun run and exhibitors that showcase Kumeyaay history and culture, as well as recreational activities.
Big news out of San Diego recently hit the recycling world. Zheng Chen, an assistant professor and nano-engineer from UCSD has developed a new method to recycle lithium-ion batteries. More specifically, according to a report by the San Diego Union Tribune, “He has developed a way to recycle used cathodes from spent lithium-ion batteries and restore them to the point that they work as good as new.” Considering those cathodes contain cobalt, a rare earth metal with a finite supply, this type of recycling has a momentous impact on the future of the tech world, most notably electric vehicles.
Electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries that use rare earth metals like cobalt that have a finite supply.
So what does this mean for you? Well, maybe you saw an article headline and figured you can start tossing your lithium-ion batteries into your blue bin (false!). Or maybe you’re confused because you thought you already recycled all of your batteries. While the energy in the battery itself may not be reusable (at a large scale just yet), the materials themselves are 100% recyclable. With lithium-ion batteries powering many cell phones, laptops, power tools, and other electronics, it is likely we all have a few of these floating around our home. However, according to Chen, less than 3% of lithium-ion batteries around the world are recycled. For that reason, it’s important for us all to have accurate information on the proper way to handle these batteries at the end of their lifespan. We enlisted our friends over at Universal Waste Disposal Company to help us give you the low down on recycling lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable.
Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable, but even rechargeable batteries have a lifespan. Once a lithium-ion battery is completely spent or degraded, it should be properly stored until it is able to be recycled. While you cannot simply recycle these in your blue bin, according to California Law (AB1125) most retailers that sell rechargeable batteries are required to accept and recycle these consumer batteries. If you prefer a drop off option, you can check with local retailers to find one that accepts lithium-ion batteries. For pick up recycling services, businesses like UWDC specialize in universal waste recycling.
Until you are able to recycle your lithium-ion batteries, it is extremely important to store them properly. You’ve probably heard stories of cell phones exploding or catching fire. This is related to the battery within the phone. When lithium-ion batteries “catch fire” or “explode” they are experiencing thermal runaway. Thermal runaway is essentially a chemical reaction inside the battery producing heat that causes additional chemical reactions that result in increasing heat until there is nothing left to react. So be very cautious if your device begins smoking, sizzling or popping. Stay alert! Lithium-ion battery packs typically contain several cells. If your device does catch fire, even though one cell may be extinguished, the residual heat may cause thermal runaway in the adjacent cells.
The number of lithium-ion batteries that are recycled is very low since they are housed inside of many devices. The batteries commonly remain in our homes when the old device gets tucked away in a drawer or storage space.
Thermal runaway can be the result of design flaws (inadequate venting, poor chemistry, inadequate safety features), user damage (dropping, crushing, puncturing), improper packaging or storage, or improper charging (wrong charger, cheap chargers, overcharging). To prevent thermal runaway, proper care and storage are key. While the battery is still in use, keep them out of the heat and freezing temperatures, use the charger that came with the lithium-ion powered device, keep them dry, and avoid overcharging them. When your batteries are at the end of their life, make sure to store them at room temperature. Tape over the terminals so that they do not make contact with each other.
The future of the environment is our responsibility and in this case, it’s the law.Batteries of all types must be recycled. Please be sure to locate an authorized battery recycler in your area to properly recycle your used batteries.
EDCO, the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), and the County of San Diego Departments of Public Works and Parks & Recreation are hosting a FREE Tire Collection Event. Bring your tires, scrap metal, appliances, and green waste to properly dispose of at this collection day! This free service for community residents will be offered from 7:30 AM – 12:30 PM on Saturday, April 14, 2018, at Lindo Lake Park located at 9841 Vine Street, Lakeside, CA 92040.
Tire Requirements:
Passenger vehicle tires only.
No tires from businesses.
Tires must be reasonably clean of dirt.
Only 9 tires per vehicle.
A limited number of tires with rims will be accepted.
Call 1-877-713-2784 to request pre-approval for tires with rims and loads of more than 9 tires.
Green Waste
Self-unload only.
Accepted materials: Tree limbs, plant and grass clippings, leaves, & untreated wood.
NO trash. NO bags.
NO treated wood. NO rootballs.
Free mulch for residents: self-load only.
Scrap Metal & Appliances
Accepted materials: Metals, appliances, metal car parts
For more information or for preapproval call: 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784) Se Habla Español
Join ILACSD as we team up with Councilmember Lorie Zapf for a community cleanup on Saturday, May 12th from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM at Bonita Cove in Mission Beach located at 1100 W. Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, CA 92109. We will remove litter and debris from the area and paint over graffiti as well!
We will have cleanup supplies, snacks, and water. We also provide community service hours and Letters of Appreciation for volunteers. This is a great opportunity for students and families to meet the Councilmember, as well as learn ways to protect our local environment!
We encourage volunteers to bring their own reusable items such as water bottles, work gloves, and buckets to promote zero waste practices and help us in our mission to have a zero waste, litter free and environmentally engaged San Diego region!
All volunteers are required to fill out a waiver form to participate and anyone under the age of 18 needs a waiver signed by their parent or guardian.
Join ILACSD as we team up with Councilmember Lorie Zapf for a community cleanup on Saturday, April 28th from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM at Veteran’s Plaza in Ocean Beach located at 1920 Abbott Street, San Diego, CA 92107. We will be removing litter and debris, stenciling storm drains with a pollution prevention message, and painting over graffiti around the area!
We will have cleanup supplies, snacks, and water. We also provide community service hours and Letters of Appreciation for volunteers. This is a great opportunity for students and families to meet the Councilmember, as well as learn ways to protect our local environment!
We encourage volunteers to bring their own reusable items such as water bottles, work gloves, and buckets to promote zero waste practices and help us in our mission to have a zero waste, litter free and environmentally engaged San Diego region!
All volunteers are required to fill out a waiver form to participate and anyone under the age of 18 needs a waiver signed by their parent or guardian.
Join ILACSD as we team up with Councilmember Barbara Bry for a community cleanup on Saturday, April 14th from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM at Doyle Park in University City located at 8175 Regents Road, San Diego, CA 92122. We will be removing litter and debris from the park and stenciling storm drains around the area with a pollution prevention message!
We will have cleanup supplies, snacks, and water. We also provide community service hours and Letters of Appreciation for volunteers. This is a great opportunity for students and families to meet the Councilmember, as well as learn ways to protect our local environment!
We encourage volunteers to bring their own reusable items such as water bottles, work gloves, and buckets to promote zero waste practices and help us in our mission to have a zero waste, litter free and environmentally engaged San Diego region!
All volunteers are required to fill out a waiver form to participate and anyone under the age of 18 needs a waiver signed by their parent or guardian.
The County of San Diego in collaboration with O’Reilly Auto Parts will be holding a free Oil FIlter Exchange Event on Saturday, May 19, 2018, from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the O’Reilly Auto Parts locations listed below.
Bring in a used oil filter and receive a new one free of charge! Free offer valid only during the event date and time at the following locations.
Locations:
O’Reilly Auto Parts | 1935 Main Street (Highway 67) Ramona, CA 92065 | (760) 789-7109
O’Reilly Auto Parts | 8375 Paradise Valley Road Spring Valley, CA 91977 | (619) 479-0198
O’Reilly Auto Parts | 10050 Campo Road Spring Valley, CA 91977 | (619) 670-5888
O’Reilly Auto Parts | 9732 Winter Gardens Boulevard, Lakeside, CA 92040 | (619) 561-3966
O’Reilly Auto Parts | 812 South Main Street, Fallbrook, CA 92028 | (760) 723-1109
LIMIT 1 FREE FILTER PER PERSON.
LIMIT 5 GALLONS USED OIL PER DAY, PER PERSON.
Open your Instagram account and click on the explore page, it won’t take too long for most of us to find images of vibrant, crunchy, creamy, steamy, buttered, drizzled, crystalized, smoky, aged, boiled, briny, cheesy, absolutely delightful images of what is on their plate! These days, foodie culture dominates social feeds. The farm to table movement is bigger than ever. We have never been so in tune and in love with what we are eating until now.
Documenting meals for online followers is a normal habit for foodies.
So with that, let’s imagine you just spent all afternoon preparing a pie for dinner guests. You’re are so pleased with the steaming, flaky pie that sits on the counter in front of you. It’s so aromatic and intense that you can recognize each type of fruit in the medley that is making your senses come alive! You cut it into 10 slices, making sure each one is piled high with perfectly candied pastry dough. You are almost ready to serve it to your guests, but before you even unveil it at the dinner table, before you even leave the kitchen, you scrape 4 pieces of pie directly into the garbage. It hits the trash can with a miserable thud, the amber colored gelatin is sliding down the plastic bag and the slices look more like your cat’s food than a guest-worthy dessert. While this might seem like an insane thing to do, it is a realistic picture of the amount of food being wasted in our society.
Sorry, what was I talking about? I am only thinking about pie now…
In the United States, 40% of food goes uneaten. The average Californian throws away 24 pounds of food a month.How can it be that in a time when we are so infatuated with our food, that we are wasting so much? Food waste occurs at many levels – at the farm, at the store, in our fridges, and off our plates. Farmers who grow produce that is considered too ugly, too small, too large, too uneven, or a little colorless are pushed out of the marketplace due to the retailer’s demand for consistency. Food is also lost in transportation. Food spoils in the store and in our refrigerators, but it’s not just food we are discarding without a second thought. We are squandering all of the resources that go into the production and distribution of food! Nationally, 80% of our water, 10% of our energy, and 40% of our land is utilized to grow our food. Despite all of the resources we put into the production of food, it is the leading material in our landfills! In the Miramar Landfill, 40% of the total waste is organic material that could have been mulched, composted, fed to animals, or in some cases, fed to people.
Realizing all of your food doesn’t have to be picture perfect is an easy way to prevent food from going to waste.
Our food systems are not perfect, but together each and every one of us can take a stand against food waste. Even small adjustments to our behavior can create impactful change! Here are a few simple suggestions to help you get started or continue your food waste prevention:
Shop Smart
Be prepared: create a shopping list with menus in mind to avoid impulse buys
Set a time frame: this gives you less time to buy things not on your prepared list
Know what you need: keep stock of what you have at home, note items as they run out to help create your shopping list
Be realistic: if you live alone or only need one carrot for a recipe, don’t buy a whole bag
Bulk is better: buying in bulk requires a little forethought and planning but is definitely worth it
Cut your costs: if you crunch the numbers, bulk purchases typically cost less per unit
Sensible Storage to Slow Spoiling
Practice first in, first out habits: move older products to the front of the fridge and stock unopened newer items in the back
Monitor what you throw away: throwing away half a loaf every week? Start freezing it.
Dates, not deadlines: know that expiration, best by, sell by, and use by dates, are not an exact science but merely manufacture suggestions
Leave a little room: don’t overcrowd your fridge, the air needs to circulate
Figure out your fridge’s compartments: your fridge has a crisper for a reason and the fridge door is warmer than the shelves
If you don’t know, ask: utilize the Alexa Save the Food skill to ask where and how you should store your items while unpacking groceries (like storing your asparagus cilantro, celery, carrots in water to make them last longer)
Creative Cooking
Use it up nights: designate one evening a week to focus on using up open items in your fridge
No tops or stems left behind: use every part of the produce you can – broccoli stems, beet tops, carrot tops, leave the skin on cucumbers, blend your smoothie with strawberry leaves on
Wilted doesn’t have to mean wasted: use your food up, wilted veggies can go into a stir-fry or soup, bruised fruit can be added to a smoothie or applesauce, old cheese rinds can make soups, juice pulp can be utilized numerous ways (bread, guacamole, power bites bars)
Serving, Snacking, and Sensing Satiation
Avoid over ordering: if you’re often ordering too much food, try splitting a meal with a friend or ordering smaller portions when out
Know your limit: don’t feel guilty if you don’t clean your plate as long as you save and store whatever is remaining
Leftovers tonight means lunch tomorrow: take your leftovers home or save anything you cooked but couldn’t finish (don’t forget your reusable containers for leftovers)
Smaller plate, smaller portions: we often over serve ourselves because the plate has room – a smaller plate can help you decrease the amount you dish up
