https://mailchi.mp/cf83d912aade/southern-oregon-food-solutions-spring-2022-newsletter

View our Newsletter on line with the above link.

Events

• Electrifynow.net is a group out of Portland that is making great strides toward sustainability and outreach. They are hosting a week of webinars Mar. 14 – 18 on the subject of carbon sequestration. On March 15 from Noon to 1:30, the webinar will cover regenerative agriculture. To get more info on the presenter and to register, here is the link: Link to register for Mar 15 Regenerative Agriculture event by ElectrifyNow.net

• Rotary of Ashland will hold a program on commercial composting at noon on Thursday May 5. The guest speaker will be Kiya Villarreal, sustainability officer for the North Coast Food Co-op, who will share details about the evaluation, installation and operating of the coop’s leased commercial food composter. This scalable and simple machine (Arcata’s is the size of a large chest of drawers) handles bones, meat and scraps from the coop’s behind-the-scenes operations, as well as some food scraps brought in by customers. The manufacturer targets schools, grocery stores, colleges, etc. and offers a full line of composters from small to large. Villarreal will talk for 15-20 minutes and then take your questions.

  • Please email Flavia Franco (flavita10s@gmail.com) if you’d like the link. I’ll pass along your name to Candace Turtle, chair of Rotary’s new Environment and Sustainability Committee, who will introduce you briefly (name and organization) at the Zoom meeting. Questions? Contact Candace at

    turtle.candace@gmail.com

• Earth Day events are currently being planned, and SOFS is looking to do some tabling activity. As more details come about, they will be posted on the Events section of the website.

• Food Waste Prevention week is April 4-8. The Oregon DEQ is a sponsor of Florida’s event Florida Food Waste Prevention Week (savethefoodfl.com). DEQ is hoping that some Oregon groups will participate. More details to come, check back to the website.

 

Associations

With national support to fight climate change blocked in Washington, D.C. local action becomes even more important. It is an effective response to the frustration of inaction and brings with it a growing sense of community and empowerment.

SOFS is interfacing with many organizations that have overlapping issues of concern. It is hoped that relationships develop into mutual support and a louder voice when there are opportunities to push for positive change.

These are some of the groups we have crossed paths with:

Corvalis Sustainable Coalition
Sustainable Rogue Valley
Bellview Grange # 759
Southern Oregon Pachamama Alliance
Rotary Club – Ashland
Ashland Climate Collaborative
SOCAN City County Project
Bellview Elementary School Food Forest Project
Rogue Valley Food System Network
Institute for Local Self Reliance (ILSR)
Association of Oregon Recyclers
Oregon Green Schools
Ashland Food Co-op
Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV)
Emerging Futures
Electrifynow.net
City of Ashland Conservation & Climate Change Outreach Commission

Developments Around Outreach and Food Waste

As the world is starting to embrace the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of reducing Food Waste, real changes are starting to be made. Vermont and California have now implemented state-wide policies to divert food waste from landfills. With Governor Brown’s Executive Order # 20-04, Oregon now has the formal goal of a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030.

Starting March 1, 2022, the Rotary club of Ashland has funded and arranged to have two 32 gallon compost collection bins to be stationed at the Tuesday Ashland Farmers Market. They have organized and trained volunteers to answer questions and encourage farmers market shoppers to start bringing their food scraps to drop off when they shop every week.

SOFS will also have a table near the Rotary Club compost bins to raise awareness about food waste and to promote composting. Stop by and say “Hello”.

Curriculum is being prepared for a class related to food waste and composting, and also one related to sustainability. If all goes well, they will be offered to the community later in 2022.

A Facebook Page has been created for Southern Oregon Food Solutions. If you are on FB, please go to the page and like it. You’ll see when articles and SOFS related news gets posted.

Southern Oregon Pachamama Alliance is gathering input to host a Water Summit later in 2022.