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A fresh start for spring
Longer days and warmer weather often bring the urge to clean, organize and spend more time outdoors. This issue of Sustainable Carlsbad shares tips for responsible spring cleaning, ways to reduce waste and several opportunities to get involved in local sustainability programs this season.
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Join us for Earth Month events
April is Earth Month, a time to reflect on how everyday choices affect the environment and to learn about simple actions that can make a difference. Throughout April, the City of Carlsbad will host a variety of events and activities focused on sustainability, waste reduction and protecting local natural resources.
Earth Month events are designed to be interactive and practical, offering opportunities for residents of all ages to learn something new while connecting with their community. Activities often highlight ways residents can reduce waste, conserve resources and care for Carlsbad’s beaches, lagoons and open spaces.
Shred & Recycle It!
Saturday, April 11
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Carlsbad location provided upon registration
Registration opens March 23 on the Republic Services Carlsbad website
Shred and recycle sensitive documents in an environmentally responsible way for free.
Donate, Don’t Waste Collection
Saturday, April 11
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Shoppes at Carlsbad (southwest parking lot)
2561 El Camino Real
Drop off gently used clothing, household goods and other items to help keep reusable materials out of the landfill.
Earth Month Celebration
Saturday, April 18
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Poinsettia Community Park
6600 Hidden Valley Road
Love Our Planet: There’s No Place Like Earth! Enjoy hands-on activities, sustainability demonstrations and family-friendly booths highlighting ways to reduce waste and protect the environment.
Arbor Day tree planting volunteer event
Saturday, April 25
8 to 10:30 a.m.
Poinsettia Community Park
6600 Hidden Valley Road
Help plant trees at Poinsettia Community Park as part of the city’s annual Arbor Day celebration.
Creek to Bay Cleanup
Saturday, April 25
9 a.m. to noon
Locations countywide, with sites in Carlsbad
Registration opens April 1
Join volunteers across the region to remove litter before it reaches our creeks, lagoons and the ocean.
Fixit Clinic: Get ready for summer travel
Saturday, April 25
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cole Library
1250 Carlsbad Village Drive
Get your luggage ready for summer travel. Bring broken luggage or other household items and work alongside volunteer coaches to learn how to troubleshoot and repair them.
E-Waste Collection
Saturday, April 25
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cole Library
1250 Carlsbad Village Drive
Drop off old and broken electronics for proper recycling during the Fixit Clinic at Cole Library.
Learn more at carlsbadca.gov/earthmonth.
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What to do with bulky items and e-waste
Spring cleaning often turns up items that don’t fit neatly into a recycling bin or your car. For larger or hard-to-handle items, Carlsbad offers pickup services that help residents declutter while keeping reusable and recyclable materials out of the landfill.
If you can’t donate, sell or repair an item, Republic Services provides options for both bulky household items and electronic waste as part of residents’ regular waste service bill.
Electronic waste collection
- Schedule through Republic Services by calling 760-332-6464
- Residents receive three e-waste pickups per year, with up to five items collected each time
- Common items include TVs, monitors, computers and other electronics with a plug
- Electronics should not be placed in the trash or curbside recycling carts
Bulky item pickup
- Schedule through Republic Services by calling 760-332-6464
- Residents receive three bulky item pickups per year, with up to five items collected per pickup
- Best for items that can’t be repaired, reused, donated or easily transported
Before you schedule a bulky item collection, please ensure your item is eligible for pickup, typically:
- Too large to fit in a curbside cart
- Weigh less than 200 pounds
- Include items such as appliances (including refrigerators), furniture, carpet and mattresses*
*Some items require special handling. Please visit our website and watch this video for more information.
| | These services make it easier to clear out unwanted items while helping ensure materials are handled responsibly. | | |
Safely getting rid of household hazardous waste
Spring cleaning can also uncover products that require special handling, especially items like cleaners, chemicals and other household hazardous waste that should never be placed in the trash or poured down the drain.
Carlsbad residents have several convenient options for safely disposing of household hazardous waste, including drop-off and pickup services.
To make it easier, this disposal chart shows where different materials should go. The city offers both drop-off and pickup options, depending on what works best for your household.
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Household hazardous waste drop-off
Carlsbad residents can drop off household hazardous waste for free at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility in Vista:
1145 East Taylor St.
Vista, CA 92084
Saturdays only
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Door-to-door household hazardous waste collection
For residents who prefer pickup service, the city also offers front-door collection of household hazardous waste.
- $10 per appointment
- No charge for residents 65 and older
- Schedule by calling 800-714-1195
This option can be especially helpful for residents with mobility concerns or larger quantities of material.
What about household batteries?
Household batteries are considered hazardous waste, but they’re easier to dispose of than many people realize. Non-lithium household batteries include alkaline, zinc-carbon, 9-volt, AA, AAA, C, D and some button cell batteries.
Residents have several recycling options:
Only household batteries are accepted in these programs. Do not place other battery types in these bins. Handled properly, these items can be part of a cleaner, safer spring cleanup.
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Nominate a business for the Environmental Stewardship Award
Do you know a Carlsbad business that is taking steps to reduce waste, conserve resources or make sustainability part of how it operates? The Business Environmental Stewardship Award recognizes local businesses that are helping protect the environment while serving the community.
The award is presented twice each year to highlight businesses that demonstrate practical and meaningful sustainability efforts. Community members, employees and customers are encouraged to nominate businesses they believe are making a difference.
Examples of sustainability practices may include
- Reducing waste or packaging materials
- Improving energy efficiency
- Conserving water or other natural resources
- Offering environmentally responsible products or services
- Supporting sustainability initiatives in the community
Businesses can nominate themselves or be nominated by customers, employees or community members.
Selected businesses receive
- An engraved award made from sustainable materials
- Recognition from the City of Carlsbad and a photo presentation with city representatives
- A $500 solid waste services credit or a Republic Services Lunch & Learn
Applications are accepted year-round, and the next application period closes Friday, April 3.
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EcoEats pilot program connects restaurants and diners
Food waste makes up a large portion of what ends up in landfills. When food is thrown away, it wastes the water, energy and resources used to grow and transport it, and it produces greenhouse gases as it decomposes. The EcoEats Food Waste reduction pilot program helps address this challenge by partnering with local businesses to reduce food waste across the community.
Through EcoEats, the City of Carlsbad is working with small and medium-sized restaurants, cafés and food businesses committed to reducing food waste in their operations. Participating businesses choose strategies that work for their operations, while the city provides technical support, resources and marketing tools to help highlight their efforts.
Businesses that participate in the program receive:
- Ongoing technical support from city staff
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A window decal and digital badge to display to customers
- Promotional tools such as flyers and digital templates
- Recognition on the city’s website
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Residents can also support the program by choosing businesses that are taking steps to reduce food waste and by adopting simple habits at home:
- Plan meals and save leftovers
- Store food properly so it lasts longer
- Buy only what you need
- Compost food scraps at home or place them in your green cart
Learn more about the EcoEats pilot program and see a list of participating businesses on the city’s website.
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2026 Habitat Management Plan annual meeting highlights
The city recently held its annual Habitat Management Plan public meeting, where staff and land managers shared updates on how Carlsbad’s preserve system is being managed and monitored.
The meeting included presentations from the Habitat Management Plan coordinator, preserve steward and land managers, who discussed a range of activities carried out over the past year to protect sensitive habitats and monitor plant and wildlife populations across the preserve system.
Highlights from this year’s presentations include:
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Since the Habitat Management Plan was adopted, approximately 6,235 acres of habitat have been conserved within Carlsbad’s preserve system.
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Biologists conducted site inspections in 23 preserves to identify threats such as invasive plants, trash and unauthorized access, as well as opportunities for habitat restoration.
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The city is providing funds to remove invasive plants and improve conditions at the Poinsettia Station Vernal Pool Preserve. Vernal pools are shallow, seasonal wetlands that fill with rainwater in winter and dry out in summer, creating habitat for unique plants and wildlife found nowhere else.
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Targeted weed removal and habitat management continued in several preserves to help support rare native plant species, including San Diego thornmint and thread-leaved brodiaea, which are endangered species.
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The city continued monitoring and treatment efforts for Ward’s weed, an invasive plant first discovered in Carlsbad in 2007 that can spread quickly and increase wildfire risk.
- Crews removed invasive plants and dead vegetation in several preserves next to residential areas to reduce wildfire fuel and improve habitat conditions.
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Spring stormwater pollution prevention tips
Spring rain can wash pollutants from streets, yards and driveways into storm drains that lead directly to local creeks, lagoons and the ocean. Unlike wastewater, stormwater runoff usually flows into the environment without treatment.
Common pollutants such as trash, oil, fertilizers and pet waste can harm water quality and local wildlife.
A few simple habits can help prevent pollution from reaching storm drains:
- Sweep driveways and sidewalks instead of hosing them down
- Pick up pet waste during walks
- Keep yard waste, soil and mulch out of the street
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Avoid overwatering lawns and landscaping
- Apply fertilizers and pesticides carefully and avoid using them before rainstorms
Helping students understand their watershed
The city also supports watershed education programs in Carlsbad classrooms, helping students understand how water moves through the environment and how everyday actions affect water quality.
Through hands-on lessons, students learn how storm drains connect to creeks and lagoons and how pollution can travel through the watershed to the ocean.
Students explore topics, including:
- What a watershed is and how it works
- How pollution enters storm drains
- Ways to protect local waterways
- Everyday actions that help keep water clean
Watch a short video highlighting the watershed education program and how local students are learning to protect Carlsbad’s waterways.
| | These programs help build awareness and encourage students to become stewards of their local environment. | | |
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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