VOLUNTEER WITH SOLANA CENTER

What volunteers can do

Mission - Get involved

Volunteer at the Center

Support Solana Center programs from our home base! We have several monthly volunteer opportunities that support our Encinitas-based Climate Solutions Resource Center including taking care of composting worms, e-waste recycling program support, and more.

Kids garden

School Programs

Support the next generation of eco-stewards! Assist a Solana Center educator at one of these school events, where students get hands-on experiences with composting, recycling, and other environmental subjects. Help build compost bins for their school, teach them to sort their lunch waste properly, or dive hands in with the worms.

Booth Outreach

Community Outreach Booths

Help Solana Center educate people about key environmental topics such as composting, vermicomposting, recycling, and watershed stewardship at major community or private events across the County. Our booths attract many visitors with our intriguing signs and interactive displays.

Workshop

Compost Workshops

Help our community learn about improving the quality of our soil, reducing waste and air pollution and saving energy, money, and water through composting! Assist one of our educators during a 2-hour presentation and, at the same time, learn the basics of backyard composting, Bokashi, or vermicomposting (composting with worms).

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Thank you, Volunteers!

Volunteers are the backbone of our many programs, enabling us to bring sustainable living practices to thousands of San Diegans each year.

We have many ways for people to get involved in our sustainability programs. Whether you like working with children, or working with bugs, whether you like teaching others about composting or diving headfirst into the compost pile yourself, there is something for everyone. Our programs go all over the County to schools and community centers, to fairs and concerts, or they happen right here in our backyard. They are open to people of all experience levels (unless otherwise specified).

We hope you can join our team in making the community a greener place! Find out about new opportunities in our Volunteer Newsletter.

Want to get even more involved? 

Learn about our Docent Program where you can take on a dedicated volunteer role.

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Group Volunteer Events

Our volunteer programs are a great opportunity for groups to give back to the community and learn about local sustainability. Engage your team in a meaningful volunteer experience that makes an impact on the San Diego community and environment and gives them hands-on learning opportunity in topics like compost, zero waste, watershed protection, and sustainable gardening. 

Does my group qualify for this program?

This program is for any company or group that meets the activity requirements and is able to pay an associated fee. If you are a single or couple individual employees looking to make a difference, check out our regular volunteer opportunities from the list above (please keep in mind many of them are limited to one or two volunteers).

Why do we have a fee for group volunteer events?

Volunteers can do so much good. Even with the donation of labor, having a volunteer program is still costly. When you corporate volunteer you double your impact by giving the gift of your time and also by alleviating the cost that goes into coordinating volunteers so you are purely benefitting the organization!

Worm Wranglin'
Worm Wranglin' - Help us Care for our Composting Worms!

Our resident worms help us teach San Diegans about the value of vermicomposting (composting with worms). Our worm bins act as a demonstration site, a nursery for providing worms to community members who compost at home, and a source of nutrient-rich castings for use in gardens. 

Help care for these amazing compost critters and promote sustainability in our community by separating worms from their castings, sifting castings, feeding worms, building new worm beds, and moving breeder worms to new homes. In other words, all things worm care! Must be able to handle live worms!

Build and Beautify - Help us Maintain our Center!
Build and Beautify is a day for volunteers to get involved with the development of our home base and support Solana Center programs from the ground up! 

In joining us for this activity, you will help beautify our grounds, creating a space for engaging our community in our sustainable offerings. Activities vary based on needs and may include some of the following:

  • Painting 
  • Gardening and pruning
  • Staging rain barrels
  • Maintaining and building demonstration sites that help teach topics in sustainability
  • Chipping and moving mulch
  • Beautifying our grounds
  • Preparing and implementing site improvements and new programs
Harvest Volunteer

Upcoming events

March E-Waste Recycling and Store Assistant, Thursdays and Saturdays

Mar 02, 2024—Mar 30, 2024

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Event Support: Encinitas State of the City – Encinitas

Mar 21, 2024 5:00PM—8:30PM

Encinitas Community Center 140 Oakcrest Park Dr Encinitas, CA 92024

March Build and Beautify 2024

Mar 21, 2024 9:00AM—12:00PM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Workshop Support: Backyard Composting Basics – Encinitas

Mar 23, 2024 12:30PM—4:30PM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N. El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Event Support – Taking on Textile Waste (Two Shifts Available)

Mar 23, 2024 9:00AM—1:30PM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Outreach Support: Booth at Barnard Elementary School STEAM Day- San Diego (Two Shifts Available)

Mar 23, 2024 12:00PM—5:00PM

Bernard Elementary School , CA

2024 Food Cycle Program – March Compost Harvest

Mar 24, 2024 9:00AM—11:00AM

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation 137 N El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Education Support: Valley Center Ag Day – Valley Center

Apr 05, 2024 8:00AM—2:00PM

"Old School Farm" 28933 Cole Grade Rd Valley Center, CA 92082

Education Support: James E Potter Junior High – Fallbrook (Two Shifts Available)

Apr 09, 2024 8:30AM—4:00PM

1743 Reche Rd Fallbrook, CA 92028

Education Support: Julian Middle School – Julian (EVENT FULL)

Apr 09, 2024 7:30AM—12:30PM

Julian Middle School 1704 Cape Horn Ave. Julian, CA 92036

Education Support: Fallbrook STEM Academy – Fallbrook

Apr 10, 2024 7:00AM—11:30AM

Fallbrook STEM Academy 405 W Fallbrook St. Fallbrook, CA 92028

Education Support: Spencer Valley School – Santa Ysabel (EVENT FULL)

Apr 11, 2024 10:30AM—2:30PM

Spencer Valley School 4414 Highway 78/79 Santa Ysabel, CA 92070

Workshop Support: All About Worms – Rancho Bernardo

Apr 16, 2024 4:00PM—7:30PM

Rancho Bernardo Library 17110 Bernardo Center Dr. San Diego, CA 92128

Education Support: Campo Elementary School – Campo

Apr 16, 2024 8:30AM—2:30PM

Campo Elementary School 1654 Buckman Springs Rd. Campo, CA 91906

Outreach Support: Booth at Fallbrook Avocado Festival – Fallbrook (Two Shifts Available)

Apr 21, 2024 6:30AM—6:00PM

111 S. Main Ave. Fallbrook, CA

Workshop Support: Backyard Composting Basics – Spring Valley

Apr 27, 2024 9:00AM—12:30PM

Spring Valley Library 836 Kempton St. Spring Valley, CA 91977

Workshop Support: Water Wise Gardening – Pine Valley

Apr 27, 2024 9:00AM—1:00PM

Pine Valley Branch Library 28804 Old Hwy 80 Pine Valley, CA 91962

Education Support: Rodriguez Elementary – Logan Heights (Two Shifts Available)

Apr 29, 2024 7:00AM—2:30PM

Rodriguez Elementary School 825 S. 31st St. San Diego, CA 92113

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