Take the Five Steps to Zero Waste

Bright Ideas No. 37

SHORT TAKES III: Zero Waste, McKibben’s Third Act, Getting to Know You

BRIGHT IDEA: Take the Five Steps to Zero Waste

Discarded food is the single-largest component of US landfills and the country’s third-largest source of methane. Here’s what you can do to change that.

1. Reduce. Stop buying more than you can eat. Plan your menus and know how much you can freeze or store. Never shop hungry.
2. Feed Your People. If you bought it, eat it. Use culinary imagination to avoid throwing away perfectly good food because you no longer find it interesting.
3. Feed Other People. If you have too much food, share it. Consider taking extras to a food pantry or set up a Blessing Box (like a Little Library) in your building or neighborhood.
4. Feed Animals. This can be tricky if you don’t live on or near a farm. Backyard chickens are excellent for recycling leftovers.
5. Compost. A good way to make soil from excess food and scraps. On Earth Day 2021, Portland started a composting drop-off pilot project with five sites. After a successful year, the project is now being expanded. Check the City’s website for locations at portlandmaine.gov/727/Composting-Food-Waste-Reduction. If you live in the West End, look for the new site on the Clark Street side of the Reiche School. Try a worm box – great fun! FMI: check out www.wormmainea.com.
   -Adapted from Sierra Club Magazine, Winter 2021

BRIGHT IDEA: Get Onboard with Elders’ Third Act

Joining a national effort to deal with our climate challenges as well as the threats to our democracy, Elders for Future Generations has regrouped to align itself with Bill McKibben’s new Third Act initiative. The elders’ group has officially changed its name and promises to be actively engaged (rather than focusing so extensively on information sharing). Interested elders are encouraged to join the fun by identifying with any of four sub-groups: Third Act Maine, Protect the Vote, Environment, and Education. Go to www.thirdact.org for further information.

BRIGHT IDEA: Let’s Get to Know Each Other

Ever wonder, “Who writes this column? Who is behind it and what is PCAT (the Portland Climate Action Team)?”  

The short answer is that we are a small group of about two dozen active members who share a deep concern about the state of our climate.  The group, affiliated with the Sierra Club, is seven years old and has worked in close collaboration with Portland’s Sustainability Office. We have helped facilitate a number of noteworthy projects such as the solar array on the Ocean Avenue Landfill.  

Bright Ideas first appeared four years ago in the form of a small pamphlet placed in coffee shops throughout the city.  The West End News then expressed interest in having a regular Bright Ideas column.  Ever since, our three-person team – Espahbad Dodd, Rosanne Graef, and Liz Parsons – has written 37 monthly columns using information from a wide variety of sources. Please direct your welcomed feedback and ideas to portlandclimateaction@gmail.com.

Bright Ideas is brought to you by Portland Climate Action Team which meets monthly on the fourth Thursday, 6-7:30 p.m. All are welcome to join in. FMI: portlandclimateaction@gmail.com.