Solana Beach Eco Rotary club enjoyed a special summer social at the French Door Café in Carlsbad, a beautiful setting for celebrating Bastille Day.
]Owner Jacqueline created a warm, welcoming restaurant with a spacious patio, exceptional food, and artisanal chocolates. The club especially appreciate the café’s commitment to sustainability and waste reduction. The French Door is an Ocean Friendly Restaurant, a partner with Eco-Eats Carlsbad, and a member of the California Green Business Network. Jacqueline’s use of reclaimed vintage furniture, decorations, and dinnerware gives the space a uniquely inviting atmosphere. We all agreed we need to return soon—and we want this eco-friendly restaurant to thrive.
The Lund-Cohen Band provided wonderful entertainment, filling the evening with beautiful harmonies, classic songs, and a magical energy that had more than a few guests singing along. Niels Lund is a distinguished singer-songwriter, long term Rotarian and an important member of our SBECO Rotary club.
Although the event was designed to recruit new members, it also served another purpose: making sustainable dog and cat toys for the local Rancho Coastal Humane Society using old T-shirts. The activity highlighted a growing environmental problem. Event T-shirts are often handed out at charity events, fundraisers, fun runs, and parties, then worn once and discarded. As a form of fast fashion, they require significant water, energy, and chemicals to produce. They are often made in places with weak labor and environmental protections. When discarded, they add to landfill and incineration pollution. Even donated shirts can create problems since thrift stores cannot unload them. Unsellable T-shirts are often shipped overseas, where they contribute to textile waste. The best solution is to reduce waste by refusing single-use items and looking for durable goods when you do need to buy.
During our event, we gathered about 100 old T-shirts and turned them into play toys. We made 235 colorful toys and still have dozens of shirts left for a future project. Niki Plasse attended on behalf of the Rancho Coastal Humane Society and supported our efforts. She connected the shelter’s work to find loving homes for animals with our commitment to protecting the environment. RCHS is a wonderful place to find your next best friend. We hope every animal gets the chance for a great future—and perhaps one or two of our handmade toys to take along.