ENCINITAS — A local nonprofit that educates people on living a greener life, recently celebrated a milestone birthday.
The Solana Center for Environmental Innovation held a special event at the city’s Community Center on Saturday to mark four decades since it opened. Staff members and local leaders, including Mayor Tony Kranz, who last week issued a proclamation in the center’s honor, attended the center’s birthday celebration, “Waste to Wonder.”
The nonprofit, originally called “Solana Recyclers,” pioneered the first curbside recycling program in San Diego and one of the first in the state of California.
It now offers a wide range of programs, including composting advice for residents, a tool-lending library and worm workshops for schoolchildren.
Jessica Toth is the center’s executive director.
“We make the possible practical,” Toth said. “We have lots of things going on, many of them supporting residents who want to come up and learn about the different environmental and sustainability programs.”
One such program is called “Green Convene,” where locals can borrow reusable plates, dishes and glasses for anything from birthday parties to weddings.
The center has strong ties with the community. In 2016, it supported the campaign to ban styrofoam food containers in the city of Encinitas. It also helped residents and businesses adapt to Senate Bill 1383, which requires everyone to reduce the amount of organic waste sent to the dump.
The center may have achieved a lot during the past 40 years, but Toth thinks the best is yet to come.
“Our textile program is on the horizon, and we’ll be doing more on electronic waste, which is very hot,” she said.