Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events
May 2022
We all play a part in preventing stormwater pollution. Here are some ways to get involved in May and help protect our local waterways! All events are free unless otherwise indicated.
 Photo courtesy of I Love A Clean San Diego
I Love A Clean San Diego Community Cleanups – Several in-person cleanup events are being offered in May to divert litter from their respective watersheds and local communities.
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May 7, 9am to 11am – Watershed Warriors Bonita Community Litter Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 9 am and then collect trash from around the Bonita community to divert litter from the Sweetwater Regional Park Trail and keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean. Offered in partnership with the County of San Diego. Learn more or register.
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May 14, 8am to 10am – Watershed Warriors Spring Valley Community Litter Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 8 am and then collect trash from around the Spring Valley community to divert litter from the San Diego Bay watershed. Offered in partnership with the Spring Valley Community Alliance and the County of San Diego. Learn more or register.
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May 19, 4pm to 6pm – Sunset Sweep: Swan Canyon Community Cleanup – Attend the kick-off at the cleanup site at 3 pm and then get out there to beautify the Swan Canyon neighborhood and divert trash from the San Diego Bay watershed. Offered in partnership with San Diego Canyonlands and Think Blue. Learn more or register.
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May 21, 9am to 11am – San Diego River Days Cleanup – Join this event to clean up litter around the River to divert it from the San Diego River watershed to keep it from traveling to the Pacific Ocean. Offered in partnership with the San Diego River Park Foundation. Learn more or register.
Aqua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation – Lagoona Kahuna 2022 Team and Individual Cleanup Challenge – May 6th (event timeslots and fees vary) – Help clean up the Aqua Hedionda Lagoon by participating in small/large team (The Big and Small Kahuna Events) or individual/dynamic duo cleanups (The Mini Kahuna) throughout the day. The day includes a scavenger hunt cleanup effort via kayak, paddle board, or shoreline stroll along the lagoon, and afterwards a competition in team building challenges. Points will be awarded on the amount of trash collected, weeds and invasive species removed, and scavenger hunt participation. Learn more or register.
San Diego Canyonlands Cleanup and Restoration Volunteer Events – Join San Diego Canyonlands and various communities in their local habitat restoration and cleanup efforts. The work at each event varies but can include planting/caring for native plants, removing invasive plants, and removing trash and debris from restoration areas.
San Diego River Park Foundation – The following river cleanup and preservation, field assessment, and water quality monitoring events, are being offered throughout the month of May. Sign up for events as individuals or as a group.
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May 14, 9am to 12pm – Clean & Green River Cleanup – Support a healthy river while interacting with a group of like-minded people by helping the core volunteer team with River Cleanups! Learn more or sign up.
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May 22, 9am to 1pm – Riverfest 5K Run, Walk & Talk and 1K Tot Trot ($$ fees vary) – Participate in a family-friendly event to celebrate the preservation of the San Diego River and specifically the ‘Western 9’ (the last nine miles of the San Diego River leading to the Pacific Ocean). Additional activities include food/drink vendors and community partner booths, live music, educational activities, relaxing and cleansing yoga session, and awards ceremony. Dress up as your favorite bird to show your support for our feathered friends. Learn more or register.
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River Rescue Cleanups – Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am to 12pm – On Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the month, come out and assist the core volunteer group with river cleanups. Locations change weekly and will be emailed to you the Wednesday prior to the Saturday cleanup events, and on Friday prior to the Wednesday cleanup events. Learn more and sign up.
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River Assessment Field Teams (RAFT) – Tuesdays and Fridays, 9am to 12pm – On Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the month, the RAFT will walk different segments of the San Diego River to identify issues affecting the River, such as trash, debris, and illegal dumping. Learn more and sign up.
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RiverWatch Team Monthly Water Quality Monitoring – Every 3rd Friday, 8:30am to 12:30pm, and 3rd Sunday 8am to 11:30am. Come join the RiverWatch team to learn how to monitor the water quality of the San Diego River at various locations. Learn more and sign up.
Surfrider San Diego Beach Cleanups – Join the San Diego chapter of the Surfrider Foundation in its ongoing beach and neighborhood cleanups. Meet at the designated locations below and look for the blue Surfrider tent.
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Ongoing – Solo Cleanups – Participate in safe, physically distant ‘solo’ cleanups on your own – at the beach, in your neighborhood, at your local park – or anywhere in your watershed. Learn more about solo cleanup guidelines, how to tally your trash cleanup activity, and how you can make a difference in preventing trash from reaching the beach in the first place.
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May 7, 9am to 11am – Ocean Beach Pier Cleanup – Help with a beach and street cleanup at Ocean Beach Pier. Meet at Ocean Beach Veterans’ Plaza. Learn more.
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May 14, 9am to 11am – River Day Cleanup at Ocean Beach – Help with a beach and street cleanup at Ocean Beach Pier. Meet at Ocean Beach Veterans’ Plaza. Learn more.
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May 21, 9am to 11am – Moonlight Beach Cleanup – Help with a beach and street cleanup at Moonlight Beach. Meet near the restrooms. Learn more.
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May 21, 9am to 11am – Imperial Beach Cleanup – Help with a beach and street cleanup in Imperial Beach. Meet at The Spirit of Imperial Beach Statue and look for the blue Surfrider tent! Learn more.
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve – Friday Stewardship Sessions – May 6, 13, 20, and 27, 9am to 12pm – Join stewardship volunteers on Fridays in May in caring for the resources of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve by establishing, restoring, and maintaining the native plant gardens and habitat, removing graffiti and litter, and helping to clean up the beaches. Learn more or register for the May 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th events.
San Diego Coastkeeper Cleanup Event – The following cleanup is being offered in May.
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Six Cleanup Challenge, Flexible Dates/Times – Form a group and participate in the Six Cleanup Challenge to positively impact communities and outdoor spaces up and down the watershed. Pick up trash from two challenge sites in three categories – coastal, inland, and urban – and receive a certificate of completion and appreciation packet as a prize. Learn more and see list of challenge sites.
Preserve Calavera Restoration Events – Join Preserve Calavera to help with their May restoration events to improve the conditions of local watersheds. Help remove invasive species and/or plant native plants and seeds.
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May 14, 9am to 10:30am – Rancho La Costa Preserve, Carlsbad. Learn more.
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May 21, 9am to 10:30am – El Corazon, Oceanside. Learn more.
City of Oceanside Quarterly Neighborhood Cleanup – May 21, 9am to 12pm – Join Neighborhood Services, Code Enforcement, and the Green Oceanside Team to clean up City neighborhoods, parks, and beaches to keep Oceanside beautiful. This quarter’s event will be held at the John Landes Recreation Center. Learn more.
WaterSmart Residential Landscape and Irrigation Webinars and Workshops – The San Diego County Water Authority’s WaterSmart Program is providing the following free events during the month of May. These classes are sponsored in part by Member Agencies and the County of San Diego.
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WaterSmart 3-Hour Landscape Online Workshops – Participate in free online workshops taught by a local landscape design professional with a ‘do-it-yourself’ approach.
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May 4, 5:30pm to 8:30pm – Plan Ahead: Understanding Soil and Site Assessments – Learn about the steps needed to turn water-thirsty turf into a beautiful and sustainable landscape including how to rethink, redesign and renovate your landscape and the important role of healthy soil in a successful landscape. Learn more or register.
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May 18, 5:30pm to 8:30pm – Design: Shape Your Space – Learn how to integrate your landscape into your personal lifestyle. Learn more or register.
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WaterSmart 4-Class Landscape Makeover Series – Summer Saturdays In-Person 4-Class Series – May 28th, and June 4th, 11th, and 18th, 9am to 12pm – Participate in a free educational program that helps you gather the skills needed to transform your high-water-use lawn into a beautiful, sustainable landscape. In-person classes will be held at the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center. Learn more and apply now.
University of California Cooperative Extension’s (UCCE) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - Healthy Garden – Healthy Home Program – Controlling Ants the Healthy Way Workshop – May 7, 10am to 11:30am – Learn how to make your garden less attractive to ants and why spraying chemicals does not provide effective ant control. Learn more or register.
Rose Creek Native Plant Garden Work Party – May 14, 9am to 11am – Join the Friends of Rose Creek to work on The Nature School’s native plant interpretive garden behind Rose Creek Cottage in Pacific Beach. Help weed, water, remove invasive non-native plants and trash, and plant native species. This is an easy one-to-two-hour project and great for children of all ages. Learn more.
Mission Bay Marshes: Work Party at Kendall-Frost – May 21, 9am to 11am – Join the Friends of Mission Bay Marshes to help remove non-native plants, plant and maintain native plants, and more. Learn more.
The Water Conservation Garden – The following garden events will be offered in May.
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May 18, 9:30am – Storytime with Ms. Smarty-Plants – Join Ms. Smarty-Plants™ on the 3rd Wednesday of every month for a featured story followed by a craft. Storytime is free with Garden Admission. Learn more or register.
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Saturdays in May and June, 9:30am to 11:30am – Butterfly Releases 2022 ($$ fees vary) – Join the Garden in their beautiful outdoor Butterfly Pavilion and native Habitat Garden to release your very own butterfly to nectar on nearby flowers. Learn more or register.
Landscape and Water-Savings Webinars – A series of landscape and water-savings webinars are being offered throughout the month of May. Dates and times vary. Hosted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. See calendar and learn more or register.
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Garden Design Workshop – Learn how to identify critical steps for successfully designing a watershed-wise landscape including developing a successful planting plan, developing a palette of climate-appropriate plants, and sizing/siting rainwater capture area.
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Rainwater Harvesting – Learn how to design your yard using watershed-wise landscaping including criteria and considerations when selecting rain capture methods such as swales, berms, cisterns, and integrating hardscapes.
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Deciphering Your Irrigation Controller – Learn about your irrigation controller including understanding irrigation’s role in maintaining a soil moisture balance, outlining the purpose of a weather-based controller, reviewing basic terminology and programming principles, identifying special functions like cycle & soak, and troubleshooting typical problems.
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Irrigation & Water Use Efficiency – Learn how to design a yard using the principles of watershed wise landscaping. Topics include overview of an irrigation system, programming a controller, why drip over spray, and easy ways to conserve water.
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California-Friendly Native Plant Webinar – Learn how to design a yard using the four principles of gorgeous and watershed-wise landscaping including building healthy soil, capturing rainfall, selecting native plants that minimize water use, and controlling irrigation.
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Turf: Remove, Replace, or Maintain Organically – Learn how to design your yard using principles of watershed-wise landscaping including removing your lawn without chemicals, building healthy soil, and selecting climate-appropriate and water-wise plants.
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Drip Irrigation Fundamentals – Learn how to save your landscape by understanding soil moisture balance, key components of a properly installed drip system, typical problems with drip and how to avoid them, and developing a successful maintenance practice.
 Recycling of organic waste, such as food scraps and waste from homes and businesses, is the next step to achieving California’s Zero Waste goals.
I Love A Clean San Diego Waste Reduction Events – Join I Love A Clean San Diego and its partners in the following waste reduction events during the month of May.
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Green Business Solutions: Commercial Kitchen Food Scraps Recycling and Food Waste Reduction Webinars – City of San Diego – Join I Love A Clean San Diego and the City of San Diego for a two-part webinar series focused on commercial kitchen food scraps recycling and food waste reduction. Both webinars will include a Q&A session with a City of San Diego Environmental Services representative.
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May 4, 3pm to 4pm – Part 1 – Food Scraps Recycling – Topics include details on upcoming organics recycling regulations and how to meet requirements, as well as best practices from local businesses who have implemented changes successfully. Learn more or register.
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May 11, 3pm to 4pm – Part 2 – Food Waste Reduction – Topics include tips and tricks for food waste reduction in commercial kitchens, information on how to increase employee and consumer engagement, and case studies from local businesses who have implemented changes successfully. Learn more or register.
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May 7, 10am to 12pm – Green Routines In-Person Workshop – Learn about zero waste home practices in your bathroom, laundry, and common areas of your home. This event will be held in person at Live Oak County Park in Fallbrook. Learn more or register.
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May 14, 10am to 2pm – Used Oil & Oil Filter Recycling Event, San Diego County – Attend a used oil and oil filter recycling event taking place at participating Auto Zone locations throughout San Diego County. Bring in a used oil filter, get one free! In partnership with the County of San Diego. Learn more.
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May 21, 10am to 11am – Conscious Closets Webinar – Learn about sustainable clothing, textile recycling, and the environmental costs of fast fashion. Learn more or register.
Solana Center for Environmental Innovation Waste Reduction Events – The following residential and business events are being offered in May.
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May 4, 10am to 11am – Commercial Food Waste Prevention Webinar – Learn strategies to reduce food waste, save money, and get ahead of state regulations impacting your business. Topics will include impacts of food waste on your business and the environment, food waste legislation (SB 1383), practical tips and strategies to prevent food waste and save money, and guidance on food donation, liability protection, tax incentives and how to get started. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling. Learn more or register.
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May 7 through June 11, 9am to 12pm – Master Composter In-Person Course – Spring Valley – This five-week Master Composter course provides training in the art and science of composting covering topics on traditional composting, vermicomposting and Bokashi, compost bin building and troubleshooting, environmental impacts, and more. Course includes lectures, guest speakers, demonstrations, and a field trip. Eligible for Master Composter certification upon meeting certain requirements. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling in partnership with the Spring Valley Branch Library. Learn more or register.
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May 12, 6pm to 7pm – Raising Backyard Chickens In-Person Workshop – Alpine – Learn about raising backyard chickens and how they can improve the quality of your soil, reduce waste, and help save you money. Topics include local regulations for keeping backyard chickens, basic requirements for making a home sweet chicken home, feeding and keeping hens healthy and happy, and local and online resources. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling in partnership with the Alpine Garden Club. Workshop will be held at the Alpine Branch Library. Learn more or register.
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May 14, 9:30am to 11:30am – Backyard Composting Basics In-Person Workshop – Bonita – Learn how to improve the quality of your soil, and reduce waste and air pollution, while saving energy, money, and water. Topics include the importance of composting, building and maintaining a compost pile, and necessary tools and materials. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling in partnership with site provider, Resource Conservation District, Greater San Diego County. Workshop will be held at the Sweetwater Community Garden in Bonita. Gardeners holding plots at Sweetwater Community Garden are eligible to receive one free Soil Saver compost bin per person, per garden plot by attending the workshop, courtesy of the County of San Diego. Email compost@solanacenter.org to reserve your free bin by 12pm on Thursday, May 12. Learn more or register.
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May 18, 10am to 2pm – Free E-Business Waste Pickup – Coastal North County Cities – A FREE e-waste pick-up service is being offered to businesses in coastal North County cities. Register by the second Friday of the month. Urban Corps will contact you to confirm pick-up. Offered in partnership with Urban Corps. Learn more or register.
On-Site and Virtual Compost Workshops – The Living Coastal Discovery Center and City of Chula Vista are offering the following compost workshops in May where participants will learn the basics on how to start their own compost pile and turn food waste into nutrient-rich soil. Learn more or register. Pre-recorded video compost workshops also available.
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Every Sunday in May, 2pm to 3pm – On-Site Workshop free with admission
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May 1, 2pm to 3pm – Virtual Workshop. Chula Vista residents can purchase a Soil Saver compost bin for $35 after attending virtual workshop.
Center for Watershed Protection 2022 Webcast Series: Webcast 4 - Agriculture and Watersheds ($$ fees vary) – May 25, 10am to 11:30am Pacific Time – In this webinar, learn about agriculture’s influence on watersheds and stream health and the holistic land management practices in place to improve soil health, crop resilience and increase soil organic matter. Note: Time is listed on registration link as Eastern time zone. Learn more or register.
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