Sustainability to us means achieving quality growth in a manner that doesn’t deplete our natural environment while preserving the culture, history and heritage of our local community. We strive to balance the number of visitors and capacity of our given environment while promoting interaction and enjoyment with the least destruction.
Tourism has the potential to increase public appreciation of the environment and to spread awareness of environmental issues when it brings people into closer contact with nature and the environment. Our local agencies and initiatives ensure a better future for the Oceanside community, along with local businesses working to make a difference.
Agritourism Master Plan – Oceanside is working with the farmers in South Morro Hills to develop additional Agritourism activities to Oceanside, including visits working farms, ranches and wineries, etc.
Active Transportation – The City of Oceanside was recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community in May 2017. Oceanside has approximately nine miles of bike paths, 17 miles of bike routes, and 70 miles of bike lanes.
Coast Highway Master Plan – City council approved the plan to make improvements to the Coast Highway corridor that include improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, enhancing access to transit, modifying the roadway with improvements such as roundabouts to improve traffic flow, improving parking access to businesses along the corridor, and encouraging economic development through improvements in mobility and the public streetscape.
Green Oceanside – The Green Oceanside campaign was established to educate residents, businesses and visitors about how to be better stewards of the earth and to implement programs that protect and conserve natural resources.
Sand Replenishment – Visit Oceanside is actively working with local, regional, state, and federal authorities, to seek a solution which will protect and preserve our beaches from coastal erosion and winter storms.
Pure Water – Pure Water Oceanside will purify recycled water to create a new, local source of high-quality drinking water that is clean, safe, drought-proof and environmentally sound. The program will produce enough water to provide more than 30% of the city’s water supply.
Flourish + Live Well – is an uplifting, upscale boutique featuring a carefully curated selection of hemp-derived CBD products and socially conscious gifts.
Mr. B’s Necessities – Located in the collaborative space of The Rising Co. They offer pure, sustainable, plant-based bath and body products and candles.
Rais Case – Located in the collaborative space of The Rising Co. . They offer handbags and accessories with the well-being of the planet in the forefront of their minds at all times.
Sonora Refillery – Sonora Refillery offers plastic free alternatives to bath, body, and home products. Refill the products you normally buy in crude oil based plastics.
Sustainable food is food that is safe and healthy. It’s produced without hazardous pesticides and chemicals, non-essential antibiotics or growth promotion supplements, and often locally to reduce the environmental impact of transportation. Oceanside’s farmers are on the forefront of new technologies to keep crops chemical free. Local neighborhood farms are producing food for chef-inspired restaurants for a true farm to table experience.
Beach House Winery – Their venture into establishing “Vigna al Mare” (Vineyard at the Sea) offers panoramic views of North County and the Pacific Ocean, as well as producing high quality grapes complimenting the grapes sourced for producing fine wines for all to enjoy.
Cyclops Farms – A CCOF, Certified Organic Farm in the middle of Fire Mountain. Farmer, Luke Girling, graduated from The Center for Agro-ecology and Sustainable Food Systems farming program at The University of Santa Cruz and is passionate about “Keeping an Eye Our Food Systems”.
Mraz Family Farms – The farm is committed to peace in the world through organic regenerative agriculture, fair trade, and kind words. They currently produce avocados, passion fruit, and exclusive coffee.
Oceanside Farmer’s Market – The Oceanside Farmers Market is held each Thursday morning in downtown Oceanside from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The event features vendors offering a rich variety of fresh local produce, flowers, and nursery items. It also features a huge selection of gourmet goodies including artisan baked goods, organic honey, salsa and chips, dips and sauces, olives and olive oil, and so much more.
Approximately 18% of our landfill is comprised of food waste which makes diverting food a top priority in San Diego.
Unique to Oceanside is the One Kitchen Collaborative, in coordination with Green Oceanside. The “OKC” supports zero waste efforts by partnering with local farms and food businesses to divert and rescue fresh produce to nourish and educate our community. They have cooking and canning classes, and also do catering for private parties and events.
If you’re interested in learning about vegan cooking techniques and using the produce from leaf to root, book a class for you or your group with Liz Murphy of Santosha Nutrition. She also has sample pop-ups around town and partners with local restaurants on farm to table dinners.
One of the hottest restaurants in town is the vegan restaurant The Plot, by owners Jessica and Davin Waite. Their motto is Plant Based. No Waste. While they employ techniques to not only use the whole of the produce, they also are conscious about the volume that is sent to compost. Their goal is to be truly Zero Waste.
Whether traveling to Oceanside as part of your voluntourism initiative or you just like to lend a helping hand wherever you visit. Here are some great volunteer opportunities while you’re in Oceanside.
Give Back Opportunities
Whether traveling to Oceanside as part of your voluntourism initiative or you’d just like to lend a helping hand. Here are some great volunteer opportunities while you’re in Oceanside.
Surfrider Foundation Beach Cleanups (Ongoing)
Join Surfrider Foundation on the first Saturday of every month for a beach and street cleanup at Oceanside Pier! They have supplies on hand, but please bring your own as our supplies are limited. By bringing your own reusable gloves, reusable bag/bucket and/or reusable water bottle, you help us create zero waste at our cleanups. Wear comfortable clothes, closed-toed shoes and sunscreen. As a volunteer, you play an active role in determining the sources of trash on our beaches. To see all beach cleanups happening in San Diego County, including Oceanside, visit San Diego Surfrider’s website. https://sandiego.surfrider.org/events/
Creek to Bay Cleanup (April)
I Love A Clean San Diego’s Creek to Bay Cleanup empowers an estimated 6,000 volunteers to give back for Earth Day at 117 cleanup sites around San Diego County. Volunteers including residents, corporate groups, and civic organizations transform their appreciation for San Diego’s environment into action for Mother Earth by putting in the time and effort to give back in their local communities. During this three-hour cleanup, volunteers enhance the overall health and beauty of San Diego’s natural environment by removing more than 120,000 pounds of trash and debris from San Diego County. https://www.creektobay.org/
Oceanside GleanUp Day (May)
ProduceGood partners with City of Oceanside for a community-wide gleaning event. Residents are invited to glean their own citrus trees, or have ProduceGood harvest their orchards. All the bounty is brought to El Corazon Senior Center and distributed amongst local feeding agencies. In the past they have harvested over 8,000 pounds of nutritious produce, equaling 24,000 servings, and keeping 4 tons out of the landfill! In addition to GleanUp Day, ProduceGood hosts food reclamation events throughout the year, but they do fill up fast. Click to view events: https://producegood.volunteerhub.com/
Team Building for Good
If you’re traveling to Oceanside with a group, considering a teambuilding event that not only creates bonds with each other, but also a deeper connection with the destination, by giving back to the community. https://feetfirstevents.com/community-social-responsibility-csr/
