Sustainable Surplus Recognized for Community Support

The Seaside Center for Spiritual Living honored the founder of Sustainable Surplus Exchange, Sue Prelozni, for her work helping the community. 

The members of the center had decided to tithe their offerings and gave a financial donation to support SSE and keep its efforts moving forward.

SSE takes donated assets from local companies and redistributes them back into the community for use.  Items include everything from office supplies to furniture to lab supplies and equipment.

SSE has benefited over 160 educational and charitable organizations in San Diego County.  “It’s really about our team and our volunteers that make this happen,” said Prelozni.  Over 75 companies have chosen the path of sustainability, diverting their items from the landfills.

 

John Ritter Joins Sustainable Surplus Board

Sustainable Surplus Exchange (SSE) welcomes its newest board member, John Ritter.  John brings over 25 years of experience in facilities management to SSE.  He is currently the Facilities Operations Manager for SDG&E where he has worked the majority of his career.  He is responsible for all areas of facilities operations, maintenance and sustainability for the Sempra Energy Headquarters facility and all SDG&E facilities located in San Diego and South Orange County, Sacramento, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.  "We are very happy John has become a part of the team," says SSE executive director Sue Prelozni. "He is very well respected in his field as a leader in sustainable business practices."

John's experience includes operations, facilities management, project management, work management and facilities sustainability. 

John currently sits on the board of the Utility Council of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).

Click on John’s bio to read more.

May BYOB Felt Just Like Christmas

 Thanks to a donation of 500 boxes of office supplies from a local pharmaceutical company, the May BYOB event at Sustainable Surplus was a huge success.   “I felt like we were Christmas shopping,” proclaimed a teacher from San Diego Unified School District.  “Only without the bill at the end!”

An estimated 35 teachers and nonprofit members attended the event. 

 BYOB or Bring-Your-Own-Box events are held monthly.  To be invited, educators and members of nonprofit organizations just need to sign up at SSE’s website.  Membership and the events are Free.

Amylin Donates Office Supplies to Sustainable Surplus

Amylin Pharmaceuticals donated over 500 boxes of office supplies to Sustainable Surplus.  “When the truck drove up I asked the driver if it was just for SSE,” said executive director Sue Prelozni.  “He told me, ‘yes,

and the truck behind us.”  She was astonished.

The boxes were full of paper, file folders, pens, staplers, tape dispensers – every office staple imaginable.  Included were desktop organizers, in/out baskets and drawer trays.

After over three hours of unloading, the sorting began.  Volunteer Michael Daly led the charge the first day.  Thereafter SSE held two “Sort and Separate” events.  Student volunteers from Mira Costa College, UC San Marcos and Trade Tech High School came to help.  “Actually, this is more like fun,” said one TTHS student.  

“We put a good dent in the pile,” said Prelozni, “but it will take several more hours to finish the job.”  The sorting is actually preparation for the BYOB – Bring-Your-Own-Box

events.  Teachers and members of nonprofit organizations are invited to bring an empty box and fill it with FREE office supplies.  BYOB’s are held monthly at SSE’s warehouse space.

The Tax Man Cometh

San Diego County Treasurer Dan McAllister visited Sustainable Surplus last week.  And it wasn’t to

collect taxes!

As it turns out, Mr. McAllister has a keen interest in sustainability and the reuse of materials.  “I love what Sustainable Surplus is doing for our community,” said McAllister.  SSE extends the useful life of many items by repurposing them to schools and charitable organizations in the community.

“We handle everything from office supplies to desks to laboratory equipment,” said SSE executive director Sue Prelozni.

While providing teachers and nonprofits with seriously inexpensive items and free office supplies, “we’re really diverting tons of materials from the landfills,” Sue added.