Hepburn Center seniors getting served thanksgiving dinner by staff. people smiling.

Food Waste and the Holidays

This year's Thanksgiving is likely going to be different for everyone due to COVID-19. Some of us are having virtual Thanksgivings, some of us are hosting much smaller gatherings than ever before, and some of us may be trying Thanksgiving alfresco/outdoors for the first time. Regardless, it's going to be different and we will likely have to adjust.

One meaningful way you can adjust is to be cognizant of food waste this Thanksgiving. In the United States, 40% of food goes to waste. Across the supply chain, an average of 1,200 calories a day is wasted for every American, adding up to more than 400 pounds of wasted food a year per person. Most of that wasted food is sent to landfills, making up the largest component taking up space inside US landfills and 22% of municipal solid waste. In 2016 we estimate that 8,910 tons of food waste in Hallandale Beach was thrown in the trash. If global food waste was a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses in the world.

All of this food waste happens while 37 million people across the US, including 11 million children, suffer from food insecurity. In Hallandale Beach, 17.2% of households receive SNAP benefits (aka Food Stamps), a higher rate than our County and Nation on average.

What can you do?

Embrace ugly or odd-shaped produce.
Plan your meal and menu to prepare "just enough", not more than is needed.
Make plates of leftovers for senior, lonely, or at-risk neighbors and friends and deliver them in a way that does not involve contact with others (for example, leave them on the porch).
If you bought more non-perishable goods than you needed, consider donating them to the Hepburn Center or other food pantries in the City.
Encourage friends and family to take leftovers home. Ask all your guests to bring their own Tupperware(s) with them.
Freeze vegetable and meat scraps to make stock or broth at a later date.
Store leftovers in the freezer to enjoy after you've had a break from them for a little while.
Compost food scraps if you are able.

Regardless, please follow these CDC recommendations for Thanksgiving celebrations during the pandemic. Stay safe this Holiday Season.

Get involved and share your ideas!

As the old adage goes: ?? ?? drop by drop, the container fills. We want to fill the container of our Climate Action Plan and strategy to reduce citywide greenhouse gas emissions with the "drops" of your ideas, inputs, requests, and ways to address your concerns. We can't do that, however, without your engagement. Many actions that reduce carbon pollution also improve the quality of our lives like increasing tree canopy, improving bike and pedestrian infrastructure, adding shade where it's especially hot, and building trust throughout our community. Please get engaged today and share your ideas, concerns, comments, and complaints. Anything helps. Visit www.haveyoursayhallandale.org or click the photo below.

Website screenshot of www.haveyoursayhallandale.org

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Two Seats Available for Youths on the Sustainability & Flood Mitigation Advisory Board

The Sustainability & Flood Mitigation Advisory Board assists the City Commission to identify and recommend affordable strategies associated with sustainability, climate change, and flood mitigation. This Board works directly with the City's Green Initiatives Coordinator.

Because what we do now impacts future generations, we have designed this Advisory Board to include participation from youths who either live in Hallandale Beach or go to school in Hallandale Beach. There are currently 2 open positions on this Board which are held for individuals who are under the age of 18.

If you know a young person who has a high level of interest in helping move the City in a more sustainable direction, please have them submit an application to join this Board.

The application is available here.

Final sea turtle nesting season count is 28 leatherback nests, 2565 loggerhead nests, and 235 green turtle nests

Get in touch or involved with Green Initiatives

If you're interested in learning more about Green Initiatives or if you want to get more involved, please reach out to our Green Initiatives Coordinator Alyssa Jones Wood at ajoneswood@cohb.org and visit cohb.org/green.