Non-profits have an important role to play in reducing global emissions, but it can be difficult to reduce your environmental impact if you have limited resources. Based on efforts in Balboa Park from the past year, below are some tips for non-profits and businesses with limited budgets that are looking to use less energy and find new ways to be … Read More
Successful Strategies to Improve Recycling at Events: Accomplishments at the Cherry Blossom Festival
After benchmarking the recycling and waste at the Japanese Friendship Garden’s Cherry Blossom Festival in 2018, we were excited to work with their staff to put sustainability efforts into action at this year’s event. We specifically focused on “waste diversion” – the practice of reducing how much trash you send to the landfill by increasing how much you recycle or … Read More
Balboa Park Conservancy: Preserving Balboa Park’s Urban Forest
The Balboa Park Conservancy is continuing to offer an outstanding example of environmental protection through their new Tree Stewards volunteer program. Through this initiative, the Conservancy trains volunteers on how to take care of Balboa Park’s vibrant, urban forest. Volunteers will learn important skills including tree identification, proper planting techniques, irrigation of new and established trees, and general tree maintenance. … Read More
Friends of Balboa Park: Sustaining Balboa Park for the Future
Friends of Balboa Park, one of 29 member organizations of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, is an organization that aims “to preserve Balboa Park’s legacy for future generations through park-wide projects.” Sustainability is a multifaceted field, but the Merriam Webster’s definition is “capable of being sustained.” While our program focuses on environmental sustainability within Balboa Park member buildings and operations, Friends … Read More
Japanese Friendship Garden: Sustainable Practices at December Nights
December Nights has been a San Diego tradition for 41 years. Each year, locals and visitors alike celebrate the holidays by visiting Balboa Park’s museums, sampling international foods, and watching festive performances. Run by the City of San Diego, this year, the event had a visible Sustainability Commitment. Each year SDG&E enhances the main hub of the park – the … Read More
Green Business Practices: Fleet Science Center E-Waste Program
The Fleet Science Center not only strives to be a leader in presenting and adopting innovative science and technology, but they also take the responsibility of properly disposing of hazardous e-waste. Started as an internal measure to properly dispose of hazardous electronic waste, the program quickly expanded to service Balboa Park’s arts and culture organizations. So far this year, 3,060 … Read More
Balboa Park Pledges to go Strawless in April!
With the arrival of the month of April comes nicer San Diego weather and, of course, Earth Month. April is always full of sustainability initiatives to celebrate Earth Month and Balboa Park is no exception. This year, to celebrate and to avoid single-use plastic straws, staff members of 14 Balboa Park organizations have signed a pledge to go strawless for … Read More
San Diego Civic Youth Ballet: Recycling, Reusing & Redesigning Costumes
San Diego Civic Youth Ballet has been the resident classic ballet school in Balboa Park for over 70 years, providing high-quality, affordable, year-round training in the Casa del Prado studios for students ages 4 to adult. In addition, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet is able to provide a special arts and culture opportunity to over 600 students in San Diego public schools through their … Read More
Small Measures Make Big Impacts: Composting at the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory
2018 Balboa Park Sustainability Award Winner The arts and culture organizations within Balboa Park range in size from a staff of two to the largest with over 300 employees. We get excited when we can spotlight the sustainability initiatives in the small-but-mighty organizations because they usually face the biggest challenges with limited staff, time, space and budgets. The San Diego … Read More
Sustainability Partners’ Breakfast
The Balboa Park Sustainability Program presents the fourth annual Sustainability Partners’ Breakfast. This breakfast brings together San Diego community and Balboa Park stakeholders to build awareness on current sustainability issues. Additionally, we will honor Balboa Park institutions for their exceptional work in the field of sustainability and energy efficiency through the 2017 Balboa Park Sustainability Awards. To register click here.