The Encinitas City Council adopted a Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions which includes the implementation of a citywide zero waste program. Through the cap strategy, the city’s goal is to reduce residents’ waste generation to 5.3 pounds per person per day (lbs./person/day) by 2020 and 3.0 lbs./person/day by 2030. Achieving this goal depends on the expansion of recycling and organics recycling programs and participation from residents and businesses to reduce waste and increase diversion.

Track the City’s progress on its zero waste goals on the Climate Dashboard.

The City of Encinitas is partnering with Surfrider to help Encinitas restaurants and their customers reduce the amount of waste generated from take-out food.

Here's How It Works:

• A customer orders “Ocean Friendly To-Go”
• Restaurant staff prepares the order on dine-in reusable dinnerware
• The customer brings their own containers and bag and transfers the order themselves

The program is available to all Encinitas businesses. Resources are provided below. With questions, please contact astratakis@encinitasca.gov.

• Ocean Friendly To-Go Signage
• Ocean Friendly To-Go Staff Training Guide
• Reusable vs Disposable Cost Savings Case Study

Check Out These Printable Resource Guides!

• Steps To Being A Zero Waste Consumer Guide
• Preventing Food Waste In Your Home Kitchen
• Recycling Organics - What Should Go In The Green Cart?
• ¿Qué debe ponerse en el bote verde?

The City of Encinitas has identified plastic pollution as an environmental concern. It’s the number one source of debris found at local beaches during volunteer clean-ups! Plastic bottles, caps, straws, and utensils are polluting waterways and beaches – and threatening valuable local resources.

City Council has passed a total of three (3) ordinances to address specific plastic pollution sources including plastic straws, plastic utensils, plastic beverage containers, and expanded polystyrene products.

Restaurants: Reduce Costs and Waste with Reusables

• Reusable Food Serviceware Guide
• Single-use to Reuse Savings Calculator
• Take-Out Food Containers: Environmental Ranking
• UPSTREAM Solutions

Restaurants: Preventing Single-Use Serving Ware Waste

By replacing single-use serving ware with reusables, restaurants can save money while significantly reducing waste in the community. Additionally, restaurants may even be able to switch to a lower level of waste collection service, saving even more money.

The Clean Water Fund provides resources to restaurants and other food-serving businesses to aid them in reducing waste by shifting from single-use disposables to reusable serving ware. Please view their comprehensive Reusable Food Serving ware Guide to learn more.

The City would like to pilot a reusable takeout container program and is seeking restaurant partners. If you are interested in the program, please contact  recycling@encinitasca.gov

Cost-Savings

Restaurants can easily calculate potential costs savings from switching to reusables by using the Single-use to Reuse Savings Calculator from UPSTREAM Solutions.

Click here to see potential cost-savings.

Simple Reusable Swaps!

Every small change to reduce waste is a beneficial one. Restaurants can begin swapping reusable items for disposables as it makes sense for their business. Here are a few small, but impactful changes for in-person dining

• Plastic utensils -> silverware
• Plastic salsa cups -> metal or ceramic salsa cups
• Plastic or paper wax-lined beverage cups -> reusable plastic cups

For more examples, check out the Reusable Food Serviceware Guide

Environmentally Preferable Takeout Containers

If a restaurant is not ready or currently able to make the switch to reusables, the City encourages the use of environmentally preferable single-use containers.

• Take-Out Food Containers: Environmental Ranking

Additional Resources

• Zero Waste Tips from I Love A Clean San Diego
• Waste Diversion Guidelines for Events

The EPA estimates that more food reaches landfills and incinerators than any other single material in the typical household's trash, constituting 22 percent of discarded municipal solid waste. Surprisingly, however, one in six San Diegans is food insecure.

The state of California and the City of Encinitas are both taking strides to tackle this issue through new policies and programs to help businesses and residents avoid wasting food and divert what is left away from landfills to useful applications.

Nonprofit organization, Save the Food created resources to help Encinitas residents prevent food waste.

• 10 Easy Tips for Meal Planning
• The Refrigerator Demystified
• Fall and Winter Produce Storage Guide
• "Eat Me First" Fridge Bin Tray

Recursos en español:

• Consejos para Combatir el Desperdicio de Alimentos
• Guía para Almacenar Productos Frescos de Primavera y de Verano
• Guía para Almacenar Productos Frescos de Otoño e Invierno