BLeaflet | Issues 1 - 7

2 Last Tuesday, November 15th, the Sustainability Committee had the pleasure of hosting a Lunch N Learn entitled “The Benefits of Land Conservation” presented by Tom Dougherty, a representative of the Allegheny Land Trust in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Continuing with the theme of land conservation and stewardship, the Allegheny Land Trust is a non-profit organization that purchases land for the purpose of ensuring sustainable development and maintenance of lands that are utilized for various uses. If you didn’t get a chance to see the Lunch N Learn live, the session is recorded and is available for viewing on the intranet. To find a land trust near you, use the following link: https://landtrustalliance.org/land-trusts SPOTLIGHT: The Allegheny Land Trust Thanksgiving Food and Waste On behalf of the Sustainability Committee, Happy Thanksgiving, Employee Owners! The holiday season is upon us, and it is a wonderful time to reflect and express gratitude for all that we have, including our wondrous planet. While you’re celebrating and preparing for the holidays this year, consider the environment in your planning and be mindful about wasting food. Did you know that food waste is actually the single largest category of material in municipal landfills? An estimated 305 million pounds of food are wasted on Thanksgiving Day! The Thanksgiving holiday presents a great opportunity to consciously consider our food consumption and waste. Food waste can be understood as food that is fit for consumption but is consciously discarded. When consumable food product is wasted, the energy, land, labor, water, and other resources utilized in growing, transporting, and preparing the food is also wasted. Moreover, as food waste in landfills decays, significant quantities of methane are produced over time, contributing to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The generation of food waste can also be considered a social issue. If you think you’ve purchased too much, instead of making that second casserole (which might get bypassed to save room for pie) consider donating safe, unopened foods to individuals and families in need. Check out these EPA provided “Thanksgiving Food Waste Reduction Tips:” • Create and stick to shopping lists. • “Shop” the refrigerator and pantry first, so that food does not go to waste and shopping needs are reduced. • Plan an “eat the leftovers” night as a great way to use Thanksgiving ingredients and leftovers. • “Befriend” the freezer. Freeze extra food such as side dishes or meat. • Consider safely sharing extra food with family or donating unopened, non perishable food items to a local charity. (Always contact food rescue organizations in advance of a drop off.) Additional Ideas: • Take smaller portions and then come back for seconds (or thirds!). What’s left in the tray can be saved for another meal. • Get creative with leftovers! Turn those potatoes into a pancake or save turkey bones for soup stock. • Feed animals or compost what is safe for your pets and the garden.

This message is brought to you by the Sustainability Committee - Giving Back to the Earth.