Climate change affects everyone, but people living in poverty — especially people living outside — are most vulnerable to rising temperatures, natural disasters, and global threats to food security.
Sustainability is built in at the Preble Street Food Security Hub (FSH), where we address urgent food security needs. The Food Security Hub is currently undergoing renovations that will allow us to expand to better meet the needs of the community with the ability to create up to 10,000 meals per day. These renovations are allowing us to invest in more energy-efficient equipment and methods of food production and distribution. While reducing energy use helps our environment, the associated cost savings ensure we have more resources available for food and programs that support vulnerable Mainers.
Highlights of the planned and future sustainability efforts at the FSH include:
Partnerships with local farms: The partnerships we have developed with local farms and waste management agencies keep massive amounts of food waste from entering Maine’s landfills by turning it into nutrient-rich compost. We also source our produce locally, cutting down on transport emissions while ensuring the meals we create are full of nutrients!
Solar energy: Thanks to the support of ReVision Energy and a generous donor, solar panels are producing renewable energy that will offset a substantial portion of the FSH energy needs, including LED lighting and efficient appliances throughout the building. These solar panels could offset up to 137,491 lbs of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) annually, which is equivalent to:
- 13 cars removed from the road
- 7,015 gallons of gasoline not burned
- or 1,500 pounds of coal not burned
Heat Pump Dehydrator: Our new food dehydrator allows us to extend the life of food, reduce waste, and maintain the quality of food, including color, texture, nutrients, and essential ingredients. By installing a heat pump-powered dehydrator, which uses up to 60% less energy than conventional gas-powered dryers, consumption of fuel and emissions of combustion products are eliminated.
Energy Recovery System Dishwasher: This system captures exhaust heat and repurposes it to heat incoming cold water. This “free” heated water reduces overall energy consumption and energy costs.
Variable Speed Kitchen Hood: Demand-controlled ventilation applied to kitchen range hoods uses sensors and microprocessors to respond to the real-time exhaust needs of a kitchen. This creates savings in electricity use (25-70%) as well as savings in reheating or re-cooling the incoming air.
Roof Drip Edge Filter: The Food Security Hub is located within Long Creek Watershed, a waterway which has been historically polluted as its surroundings have been developed. The significant loss of permeable ground cover has resulted in direct stormwater runoff into Long Creek. When stormwater filters through the soil before entering a waterway, many pollutants are eliminated, improving the health of the overall ecosystem. To help reverse this legacy of pollution, Preble Street will install a Roof Drip Edge Filter to reduce runoff from our property. This building addition will capture runoff from approximately 16,000 square feet of roof area and direct it to permeable ground cover so that it does not drain directly into Long Creek.
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