Sunset Sweep: Zena Canyon Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego, Rolando Park Community Council, and Think Blue San Diego for a litter cleanup in Zena Canyon! We will divert litter from the San Diego Bay Watershed and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.

Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table at the entrance to Zena Canyon. Join us at 4pm to learn about the canyon and recycling right, then grab supplies and help us clean up!

This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.

Watershed Warriors: Escondido Community Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego, the Escondido Creek Conservancy, and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup in Escondido! We will divert litter from the Carlsbad Watershed and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.

Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table at Escondido Creek in Harmony Grove. Join us at 9am for a talk by our Education Team about our watersheds and recycling right, then grab supplies and help us clean up!

This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.

Watershed Warriors: Fallbrook Community Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego, Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free, and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup in Fallbrook! We will divert litter from the Santa Margarita Watershed and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.

Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table at Don Dussault County Park. Join us at 9am for a talk by our Education Team about our watersheds and recycling right, then grab supplies and help us clean up!

This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.

San Diego River Days Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the San Diego River Park Foundation for a litter cleanup around the San Diego River! We will divert litter from the San Diego River Watershed and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.

This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.

Watershed Warriors: Spring Valley Community Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego, the Spring Valley Community Alliance, and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup in Spring Valley! We will divert litter from the San Diego Bay Watershed and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.

Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table at Lamar County Park. Join us at 8am for a talk by our Education Team about our watersheds and recycling right, then grab supplies and help us clean up!

This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.

Watershed Warriors: Sweetwater Community Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup in Sweetwater! We will divert litter from the Sweetwater Regional Park Trail and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.

Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table at Sweetwater Regional Park’s Morrison Pond Area. Join us at 9am for a talk by our Education Team about our watersheds and recycling right, then grab supplies and help us clean up!

This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.

Sunset Sweep: Swan Canyon Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego, San Diego Canyonlands, and Think Blue San Diego for a litter cleanup in Swan Canyon! We will divert litter from the San Diego Bay Watershed and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.

Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table at the Menlo Mini Park. Join us at 4pm to learn about the canyon and recycling right, then grab supplies and help us clean up!

This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian.

Watershed Warriors: Casa De Oro Community Cleanup

Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego for a litter cleanup in Casa De Oro! We will divert litter from the Sweetwater Watershed and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean.

Our staff will be set-up with a check-in table at Estrella County Park. Join us at 9am for a talk by our Education Team about our watersheds and recycling right, then grab supplies and help us clean up!

This event requires a signed release-of-liability waiver for all volunteers, and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a guardian. 

7th Annual Zero Waste Fair

Save the date for a fun and unique celebration of all things zero waste this summer! I Love A Clean San Diego, in partnership with the City of Encinitas, will be hosting the seventh annual Zero Waste Fair on Saturday, June 25th, from 10AM-1PM.

Our Zero Waste Fair is back in-person this year at the EUSD Farm Lab in Encinitas! Come ready to experience a wide array of zero waste activities, including informative presentations, booths from sustainable companies, and hands-on low waste DIYs.

This one-of-a-kind event will highlight tips on low-waste living, composting, recycling, sustainable swaps for everyday products, and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to discover local zero waste businesses, and win eco-conscious prizes!

Register here and be sure to keep a look out for more event details in the coming months. Can’t wait to see you there this summer!

How and Where to Recycle Real Christmas Trees in San Diego County

Christmas Tree Recycling Guide: How and Where to Recycle Real Christmas Trees in San Diego County

Among other benefits over fake trees, real Christmas trees can be composted or turned into mulch and returned to the earth. Trees sprayed with fake snow (flocked) trees cannot be composted.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY (Dec. 15, 2021) – Cut or living Christmas trees are more environmentally friendly than plastic trees. Selecting the real deal reduces the use of toxic materials and fossil fuels to produce their lifelike counterparts. Moreover, real trees can be returned to the earth as mulch or through composting, which returns valuable nutrients to the earth, reduces landfill space and greenhouse gas emissions.

For this year’s Christmas tree collection, the County of San Diego and I Love A Clean San Diego make it easy for residents to recycle their real Christmas trees. The countywide Christmas Tree Recycling Guide at WasteFreeSD.org, has a 2021 listing for curbside and drop-off locations in the region.

According to the EPA, organic materials like Christmas trees, food, and yard clippings are the number one material sent to landfills, composing two-thirds of the solid waste stream. In California, state law (SB 1383) is here to change that. It will require the recycling of Christmas trees as well as other organic waste-food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard trimmings and non-hazardous wood waste (i.e. lumber, pallets, etc.). To learn more, contact your local city or county and/or waste and recycling hauler about organic waste recycling in your area.

Before a tree is turned into mulch or composted, follow some simple tips to ensure they can be fully recycled.

Christmas Tree Recycling Tips

  • Do not flock or buy flocked trees. Fake snow (flock) contains chemicals that interfere with the composting process
  • If you choose to use tinsel it must be completely removed (and placed in the trash) from your tree before it can be recycled. Best option, don’t buy tinsel. It is a wasteful single-use plastic.
  • Make sure to remove all ornaments, garland, lights, nails, tree bags, and tree stands (metal or plastic) before recycling.
  • For areas where curbside tree recycling is available, trees taller than four feet should be cut in half. It is recommended that pieces be under four feet.
  • Reuse or donate artificial trees that are in good condition. Purchasing new plastic trees create more waste and greenhouse gasses.
  • Don’t let real trees sit around too long after the holidays. They can dry out and become fire hazards.
  • Organic wreaths and similar decorations can be recycled with trees.

About I Love A Clean San Diego

Founded in 1954, I Love A Clean San Diego is an environmental nonprofit supporting residents and businesses of San Diego County through youth and adult education, and local action through impactful volunteer events and workshops. As San Diego’s most influential advocate for sustainability, I Love A Clean San Diego’s programs are an environmental catalyst, awakening passion and inspiring action to empower everyone to be leaders in conservation and waste-free living. Our community is passion in action to maintain and improve the health of the home we love. For more information, to volunteer or donate, visit CleanSD.org or call (619) 291-0103. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.