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<br />Local Businesses Invited to ‘Love Food Not Waste’ with Commercial Composting <br />This month a new collaboration between the City of Eugene and local haulers, commercial composters, and <br />businesses hit the ground running. The Love Food Not Waste campaign is a new addition to commercial garbage <br />hauling services that licensed haulers can provide to area businesses. The <br />program is targeting the over 10,000 tons of organic material that is thrown away <br />each year by commercial accounts. The initiative aims to divert 3,200 tons of food <br />waste from local landfills. <br /> <br />This is a win-win-win for the City, area businesses, and the environment. The <br />program will reduce the amount of food waste going to Short Mountain Landfill <br />which in turn will reduce the community’s greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing <br />commercial food waste was identified as a high priority action in the 2010 <br />Community Climate and Energy Action Plan. City staff worked collaboratively with <br />licensed haulers to develop a service rate for the new program that would cover <br />the costs of the service, and also provide a financial incentive for businesses to <br />separate out food waste. The new rates went into effect in October and the food <br />waste rate is 20 percent below that of a same-sized garbage service. <br /> <br />The City’s roll-out includes providing staff assistance and resources to overcome <br />any hurdles for local businesses to adopt the program. This includes a free employee training that will help each <br />business tailor the program to their individual needs, free 23-gallon bins for food scraps in kitchens and prep areas, <br />window decals of the Love Food Not Waste program, and the opportunity to learn more waste prevention management <br />practices that can further improve the bottom line. <br /> <br />For more information, contact Waste Prevention and Green Building Manager Ethan Nelson at 541- 682-5224 or <br />ethan.a.nelson@ci.eugene.or.us. <br /> <br />Stock Up for Winter: Used Mystery Novel Sale at Eugene Public Library <br />Mystery lovers: It’d be a crime to miss the Friends of Eugene Public Library’s Used Mystery Novel Sale on Saturday, <br />Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., at the Downtown Library. All proceeds will go to support Eugene Public Library <br />programs. <br /> <br />Choose from thousands of popular, gently used detective stories and spy thrillers priced at just $1.00 each. From <br />classics to current bestsellers, the books will be sorted by authors' last names, making it easy to find favorites. <br />Admission and parking are free. <br /> <br />For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. <br /> <br />Neighborhood Leaders Learn Skills and Tools for Neighborhood Outreach <br />Neighborhood Services offered a fall training series on neighborhood outreach on Oct. 20 and 27, and Nov. 1. Overall, <br />17 different neighborhood associations were represented, with 35 - 40 people in attendance at each session. All three <br />sessions focused on what makes outreach successful, creating an outreach <br />plan, and how to get more people, and new people, involved. A common <br />thread was that building relationships is essential. Training evaluations show <br />satisfaction levels were high among participants. <br /> <br />The first session focused on the why, or the goals, of outreach. Participants <br />used their draft 2011 Neighborhood Analyses, a compilation of 2010 Census <br />and other City data, to look at who they might need to do outreach with and <br />what assets and needs their neighborhood might have. (Final Neighborhood <br />Analyses will be available in December.) The second session focused on “the <br />power of inclusion” – helping participants explore their own biases and comfort <br />zones and how they affect one’s ability to do outreach. The topics of where <br />and how to connect with people were also addressed. The third session <br />focused on new technologies for building and maintaining contacts, such as Facebook, Twitter and email subscription <br />services, and tips and tools for organizing successful meetings and events. <br /> <br />For more information about this training series, please contact Lorna Flormoe of Neighborhood Services, in the City <br />Manager’s Office, at 541-682-5670 or lorna.r.flormoe@ci.eugene.or.us. <br /> <br /> <br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 <br />November 10, 2011 <br />