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As we head into summer, with its longer days and warmer temperatures, it’s the perfect opportunity to spend more time outdoors enjoying our beautiful environment. It’s also a good time to remember the small steps we can take anytime to help protect our natural resources.
This issue of Sustainable Carlsbad shares tips for keeping the Earth Day spirit going all year, information about upcoming events and news about local green businesses.
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Residents connect at local Earth Month events
Thank you to everyone who joined us throughout April to donate, repair, recycle and celebrate all things sustainable. Your participation helped keep items out of the landfill, protect our beaches and waterways, and even plant new trees for future generations.

About 200 people attended this year’s Earth Month Celebration on May 18 at Poinsettia Community Park. The annual celebration included hands-on workshops, family-friendly activities and practical tips to help reduce waste and repurpose everyday items. Participants learned how to pickle vegetables, took part in a clothing swap, created reusable beeswax food wrappers and enjoyed live music and earth-minded activities throughout the celebration.
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Keep the Earth Month spirit going
Earth Month was a great time to learn more about small actions we all can take at home to make a difference. Now that summer is approaching, we can keep that momentum going by continuing some of the practices we learned about. These include:
- Keeping food out of the landfill by planning meals, saving leftovers and composting food scraps
- Protecting local waterways by keeping litter out of streets and storm drains and properly disposing of household hazardous waste
- Recycling right by keeping recyclables clean and dry and checking what belongs in each cart
- Reducing waste at home by using reusable bags, bottles and containers and choosing products with less packaging
- Saving water outdoors by watering efficiently and choosing drought-tolerant plants for your yard
- Using energy wisely by turning off lights, unplugging devices when not in use and shifting energy use to off-peak hours when possible
Learn more about how every Carlsbad resident can make a difference on the city’s How to Help the Environment webpage.
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Annual progress report available
The City of Carlsbad continues to make progress on its Climate Action Plan, a long-term roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting a more sustainable future.
The City Council approved an updated version of the plan in November 2024 and in May, city staff shared the first annual progress report since the changes.
- The report highlights gains made in 2025 — the first full year of implementation under the updated plan.
- The updated plan built on years of work and set new targets for the community.
- So far, seven of the plan’s 100 actions are complete, 13 are underway and on schedule, and many others are ongoing as part of day-to-day city operations.
Overall, the city is still working toward our long-term goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 50% below 2016 levels by 2035 and 85% below 2016 levels by 2045.
2025 highlights
Some of the progress that stands out over the past year includes:
- Switched all city facilities and operations to 100% renewable electricity through the Clean Energy Alliance
- Launched a public Climate Action Plan dashboard so the community can track progress over time
- Completed an updated citywide tree canopy assessment to understand tree coverage, identify trends and track progress on sustainability goals
- Added 3,000 trees to the city’s inventory since late September 2019 under the Community Forest Management Plan, meeting a key goal over approximately six years
- Advanced planning for electric vehicle and bike charging infrastructure across the city
- Secured grant funding with regional partners to update Carlsbad’s greenhouse gas inventory
- Continued updating the city’s fleet strategy to support more zero-emission vehicles
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Business Environmental Stewards
Congratulations to Park Hyatt Aviara, Carlsbad’s newest Business Environmental Stewardship Award recipient.
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The award is one of the ways Carlsbad highlights businesses that are leading the way in environmental sustainability by implementing practices that are innovative and efficient. Applications are reviewed each spring and fall for sustainable practices such as using efficient lighting, donating surplus food and using reusable dine-in foodware.
Know a Carlsbad business making a difference through sustainability? Nominate them for the next award.
Local green businesses recognized
The Carlsbad City Council recently recognized more than a dozen certified green businesses for taking steps to implement sustainable practices, such as installing low-flow water fixtures, upgrading lights to more energy efficient options and making sure waste is sorted and disposed of correctly.
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The City of Carlsbad certified 11 organizations for the first time last month and recertified three. That brings the total number of certified businesses and buildings in the Carlsbad Green Business Program to 72.
Learn more about the program.
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Look for this migratory bird at lagoons
This season, we’ll take a look at one of the many species of birds that travel to Carlsbad each spring in search of food and nesting grounds.
Fast facts about the cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
- Migrates from South America each spring to its breeding grounds in southern California.
- Establishes large, social colonies in structures that have a vertical wall and horizontal overhang.
- Adults have dark blue-black backs and light brownish rumps.
- Eats insects all year round and forages in groups near water sources.
- Lives in distinctive mud nest colonies.
| Carlsbad is a popular spot for migrating birds because it’s located along what’s called the “Pacific Flyway,” one of four bird migration routes in North America. The flyway spans from Alaska to the tip of South America. The city’s more than 6,000 acres of protected open space, managed through our Habitat Management Plan, provide a welcome stopover for cliff swallows and other migratory birds. Preserving Carlsbad’s natural open spaces is one of the top goals in the City Council’s Five-Year Strategic Plan. | | |
Local Creek to Bay effort removed trash and invasive plants
Thanks to 19 people who volunteered locally to participate in this year’s Creek to Bay cleanup effort, an estimated 350 pounds of trash and 250 pounds of invasive plants were removed from the Buena Vista Creek Watershed.
The City of Carlsbad partnered with I Love a Clean San Diego and San Diego Habitat Conservancy on the April 25 cleanup project. The local site was one of more than 100 across the county that were part of the larger Creek to Bay coordination.
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Get help repairing kitchen and garden tools
The next Fixit Clinic is coming up on June 13 with a focus on reusing or repairing home and garden items.
Bring your broken or non-working items, including electronics, small appliances, bicycles, clothing and more, to work alongside volunteer coaches to troubleshoot and repair them. In addition to fixing everyday items, this clinic features a kitchen and garden theme with hands-on activities and resources.
Participants can:
- Bring garden tools for sharpening
- Learn tips for food waste recycling and get a free kitchen caddy
- Make a simple fertilizer starter kit
- Take part in a succulent swap
- Explore the seed library
City staff and volunteers will provide workspace, specialty tools and guidance. Even if an item cannot be fixed, you will learn how it was made and how it works.
Advance registration is highly recommended to ensure participants are paired with the best coaches. Walk-ins are welcome until 12:30 p.m.
Fixit Clinic: From Kitchen to Garden
Saturday, June 13
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dove Library
1775 Dove Lane
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Commute to work or the beach May 21
There are so many safe and beautiful places to bike across Carlsbad, so it’s only natural that there would be pit stops here as part of the annual Bike Anywhere Day, which is Thursday, May 21.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: 5791 Van Allen Way
- Michael Baker International: Carlsbad Boulevard and Cannon Road
- Carlsbad Commuter: Pine Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard
Bike Anywhere Day (formerly Bike to Work Day) is a free, annual event that SANDAG has hosted for more than 30 years. Register to participate and ride to one of the pit stops to pick up a free t-shirt on Thursday, May 21, from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m.
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Protecting Carlsbad’s environment starts with small choices at home and grows through community involvement. Whether you're decluttering responsibly, supporting local sustainability programs or joining upcoming events, every action helps support a cleaner and healthier community.
Thank you for staying connected to sustainability efforts in Carlsbad.
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