Joni Gabriel, Interim Director of Programs, Composting Program Manager
mailto:joni@solanacenter.org
Joni Gabriel joined the Solana Center in the summer of 2006 after a 20-year career as a science editor, specializing in biological field science and integrated natural resource management plans. Prior to her work in publishing, she served as a community organizer and fund-raiser on the staff of several not-for-profit and political organizations, including a statewide voter education project, a women’s (TM) health organization, and a U.S. Senate campaign. She studied anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh and has a certificate in fund-raising management from Indiana University’(TM)s Center on Philanthropy. She has been a docent at Mission Trails Regional Park and is an avid birder.

Elaine Carreno, Environmental Educator
mailto:elaine@solanacenter.org
Elaine recently moved to Encinitas from Miami Beach, Florida with the goal of surfing some real waves. Although her degree is in Criminal Law, she has always loved the ocean and environment. This passion led her to the non-profit world for the last several years as a naturalist and ecological educator. Elaine has traveled extensively throughout Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Panama and hopes to continue her world travels in order to spread her love of conservation. Her goal is to educate children while they're young to the importance of our earth's future.

About the Solana Center
The Solana Center for Environmental Innovation (SCEI) was founded in 1983. Known as Solana Recyclers in the early days, we pioneered the first comprehensive curbside recycling program in San Diego County and one of the first community-based recycling programs in the State of California. In 1996, we left the recycling collection business to focus our energies on community outreach, public education and creating new markets for recycled
products. The word Solana has remained and is symbolic of our work in the broader community. In Spanish, Solana means "place where the light shines." Carrying the torch of environmental awareness is something that we take very seriously, finding ways to illuminate problems, create solutions and inspire change.

Shelley: How do you see the center making an effective change in reducing the organic waste stream through the use of red wigglers in the next 10 years, 25 years?

Joni: We see the Solana Center as the bridge between the public viewing organic waste residuals as a resource to be utilized at home and not as trash to be hauled away to the landfill. This is a major life style change we are asking of the urban communities we serve. This change will be effected either through composting or vermicomposting. By reconnecting the public to their choices of food sources, whether it is from a market, an organic source or their own gardens, they will see the difference in their gardens, crops and flowers. Beginning with students in the schools we work within and having the students carry home the tools and know-how we have taught them, they will effectively change their parent’s views for us and in the future.

Shelley: Is there adequate staffing for this now and in the future?

Joni: Yes, there is. We are continually and currently training Master Composters who can assist us in the classrooms with students, with school gardens and training the Master Composters of the future to continue this work.

Shelley: What methods are you currently using to get the word out about reducing the organic waste stream?

Joni:We hold ongoing workshops throughout the County of San Diego on both composting and vermicomposting. We also do county wide school presentations, collaborating with the San Diego Master Gardener’s Association and at the Natural History Museum at Balboa Park.

Shelley: I do see your notices about workshops in the North County Times newspaper. Have you had any media attention such as TV or radio spots?

Joni: Yes, we have been on NBC recently, in April this year there was a featured article about the Center in the magazine In Style and the local Realty Times. Of course we are using and updating our website frequently.

Shelley: Elaine how do you go about applying for and using the funding you need for the Center?

Elaine: The State of California has passed a bill called the School Gardening Grant in the amount of 15 million dollars. The Solana Center is collaborating with schools which have applied for the grant funding. Each school with 500 students or more can apply for 1,000.00 for tools, garden equipment, native plants. My goal is to incorporate nutrition, good gardening practices and vermicomposting into the curriculum. At this time we have 4 schools in the City of San Diego and 4 in Encinitas involved in the grant process. The grant will be awarding the funding before the Fall semester begins.

Shelley: Elaine is recruiting the schools difficult for the Center?

Elaine: No, it is not. We are receiving 3 or 4 phone calls a week from the schools asking us to set up a worm bin. The tricky part is coordinating our time and staff to be able to fullfill these requests.