Best BYOB Yet

With over 40 participants, the Sustainable Surplus BYOB continues to be a great success among local schools and nonprofit organizations.

“We repurposed over 100 boxes of office supplies,” said Sue Prelozni, SSE executive director.  Attendees came from as far away as Tecate and as close as our own backyard in Carlsbad.  This was the largest BYOB event ever hosted by SSE.

Sustainable Surplus Director Nominated for Leadership Award

Sustainable Surplus Exchange, executive director, Sue Prelozni, was nominated for the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. (http://irvine.org/leadership)  The award is designed to recognize and award a person whose work addresses an issue that is critical to California's future and is anticipated to affect the quality of life of a substantial number of Californians in the future.

Alan Ball, Chairman of the California Center for Sustainable Energy, nominated Ms. Prelozni for the award.  “Sue has created a truly unique business model that resolves an environmental issue – sustainability, and a social issue – supporting local educational and nonprofit organizations,” Ball stated.  

Read the Press Release here 

A Visit to City Hall

Members of Sustainable Surplus Exchange (SSE) were busy at City Hall last week, meeting with supervisors 

and staff.  “A key goal was to share awareness of our mission and engage them on sustainability concerns here in San Diego ,” said sustainability coordinator Sandy Atkinson. She and, executive director Sue Prelozni, had an insightful meeting with Supervisor Dave Roberts and his land use policy advisor Sachiko Kohatsu.  A key element of that meeting was discussing how SSE diverts tons of waste from landfills.

Earlier in the week, Prelozni also met with the Joshua Ramirez, policy advisor for Supervisor Bill Horn, who was very helpful outlining several approaches the county’s programs could help support SSE.

“On the surface, it might seem like we were meeting with polar ends of the philosophical magnet,” said Sue Prelozni.  “But there was definitely a common thread in both meetings when we discussed ways to support our community and our environment.”  Everyone embraced the goals of SSE and explored ways the city could contribute.

Sustainable Surplus To Attend SDG&E Earth Fair

Sustainable Surplus will be participating in the SDG&E Annual Earth Fair & Alternative Fuel Vehicle Car

Show event at Century Park.  The event is Thursday, April 11, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

SSE will be joined by nearly a hundred ‘green-minded’ compatriots.  “This is a wonderful opportunity to be part of an educational event that recognizes the importance of sustaining our environment,” said SSE executive director Sue Prelozni.

And we'll be rubbing elbows with some incredible neighbors:  CA Center for Sustainable Energy, Car2Go, Clean Tech SD, I love a Clean San Diego, Agua Hedionda, Equinox Center and Project Wild Life – to name a few!

The event is led by the SDG&E Green team – a multi-department group of individuals keeping the focus on sustainable business practices.

I'll Gladly Pay You Tuesday...

Not for a hamburger, but for a truck today! 

Sustainable Surplus has had many collaborators step up and offer the use of their trucks or that have moved donations to our warehouse.

But last week was a redefining moment.  "We 'paid' the San Diego Rescue Mission in socks!," said executive director, Sue Prelozni. 

That’s right.  A palette-full of men’s merino wool socks.  The socks were donated to SSE we and  paid them forward.

In EXCHANGE, folks from the SD Rescue Mission helped moved some furniture to SSE's warehouse.  It was a win-win for all parties.  “Our recipients can always use socks; it’s a staple for them,” commented Herb Johnson, SDRM president/CEO.  The incoming donation of several thousand pair should keep them warm through next winter!