Starting with its annual Fourth of July celebration on Saturday, South Portland will attempt to generate zero waste at all city-sponsored events.
That’s according to Julie Rosenbach, the city’s new sustainability coordinator, who said reducing waste at municipal events is the next step toward reaching the goal of increasing South Portland’s recycling rate to 40 percent by 2020.
This week Rosenbach told the Current that aiming for zero waste at a highly attended public event, like the upcoming Family 4th celebration, “is a great opportunity to let people know how easy it is to do this, not only at events, but also at work and at home.”
She added, “People are beginning to shift away from a trash-centered model of waste to a materials-centered model, realizing that what we throw away can be reused and/or turned into compost.”
Rosenbach said she’s counting on South Portland residents, and visitors, to embrace the new zero waste program.
“I think South Portland residents will welcome this initiative. Many people are already composting and see that it is economically, environmentally and socially beneficial,” she said.
While Rosenbach freely admits it’s unlikely for no trash to be generated at a public event where more than 3,000 people are expected, she did say success this weekend would mean “a majority of what people throw away (would) go into recycling and composting” instead.
Lisa Thompson, the senior leisure services manager for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department agreed, and said accomplishing zero waste “for this first event might be a stretch. But I am hoping we can start educating the public on it and definitely reduce the amount of waste from last year.”
In a press release announcing its zero waste initiative, the city said it would provide bins for composting and recycling at the July Fourth event and also partner with Garbage to Garden, a local curbside composting company.
The overall goal, according to the press release, is to “divert up to 90 percent of what is thrown away into recycling and composting.” South Portland’s Energy & Recycling Committee did a similar thing at Willard Fest last year and “only one bag of trash was generated from an estimated 1,600 participants,” the release added.
During the Family 4th celebration at Bug Light Park there will be two centralized waste tents, satellite bins and volunteers on hand to help answer questions about what goes into the trash or the recycling and compost bins, according to Rosenbach.
She said this week, “I think a key part of our success will be how many people we can talk with and educate about what goes in the trash, recycling and compost bins and why.”
Rosenbach said that city staff working at the Family 4th event will all be trained to answer questions, but Garbage to Garden staff and volunteers will also “be manning the bins and talking to people.”
She also said, “Our goal is to have a lot of education – signs and volunteers to talk with people and answer questions. Wherever there are trash bins there will be recycling and food waste bins clearly marked and people walking around in bright green T-shirts to help.”
In terms of Garbage to Garden, Rosenbach said the company would bring all the discarded food waste to the Benson Farm in Gorham where it will be “professionally composted and certified organic.”
Although Thompson acknowledged that, “change can be hard for many, I hope in time the public will not only support (the zero waste goal), but they will embrace it.”
She said, “It’s important because it’s the right thing to do and takes little effort. The city should be setting an example for recycling and preventing waste as it will help reduce our costs in the services and programs that we provide.”
In addition to trying for zero waste at public events, the city is also hoping to institute a similar program for city staff, including at the upcoming employee appreciation picnic.
According to Rosenbach, South Portland’s Wellness Committee, which is organizing and catering the event, will be using reusable, recyclable and compostable materials, such as paper plates, recyclable fruit cups and 5-gallon water jugs.
Other measures put in place to help the city reach its sustainability goals include the purchase of reusable metal water bottles for all city employees. “We’re doing away with single-use plastic water bottles,” Rosenbach said.
At the employee appreciation picnic, Garbage to Garden will also be on hand to collect discarded foot materials. “About the only thing we expect to see in the trash are the utensils, and next year we’re aiming to make those compostable as well,” she said.
Rosenbach has also already taken steps to update recycling bins in municipal buildings and to site new bins at outdoor locations, such as at Willard Beach. “We want to show the community how easy it can be to reduce the amount of trash we generate,” she said.
And, in terms of public education, the after-school and teen center programs at the Redbank Community Center will learn the benefits of composting as they begin their own composting program this summer.
“In working with Garbage to Garden, the children and staff will be composting their snacks and meals and learning how composted waste will benefit the community garden at Redbank,” Thompson, said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
