News & Events

July 30, 2024 Sustainability Lab @ T-REX

Details

Published on Friday June 28th, 2024

Sustainability Lab @ T-REX
Insurance and Climate Change

Tuesday, July 30, 2024
3:45pm-5:00pm Presentation & Discussion (join in person or on Zoom)
5:00pm-6:00pm Networking (in person only)

Join in Person:
T-REX (911 Washington Ave. in downtown St. Louis)
Sharptooth Boardroom (5th Floor)
Plan your trip using public transit here.

Register and Join on Zoom:
(link to be shared soon)

At this Lab, representatives from the insurance industry will be discussing climate change, insurance, and potential impacts on communities and businesses. More information will be posted here soon.

June 25, 2024 Sustainability Lab @ T-REX

Details

Published on Tuesday May 28th, 2024

Sustainability Lab @ T-REX
New Options for Reuse & Reducing Single-Use Waste 

Tuesday, June 25, 2024
3:45pm-5:00pm Presentation & Discussion (join in person or on Zoom)
5:00pm-6:00pm Networking (in person only)

Join in Person:
T-REX (911 Washington Ave. in downtown St. Louis)
Sharptooth Boardroom (5th Floor)
Plan your trip using public transit here.

Register and Join on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqcequqz0iE9aKO7K_OvioTSLaOqSEd3dN

At this Lab, earthday365 will be sharing about the environmental benefits of reuse and the effort to build a 'wash hub' in St. Louis, to expand the availability of reusable cups and serviceware. According to a life-cycle analysis of reusable and single-use cups, reusable options outperformed single-use cups across all environmental metrics. This includes single-use aluminum cups, which used more energy and created more carbon dioxide than single-use plastic options. 

Click here to download a calendar invite for this event

Food Waste Reduction Strategy Community Meeting

Details

Published on Monday May 27th, 2024

On Thursday, June 20 from 6-7:30pm, join a community conversation led by representatives from earthday365 and the Missouri Botanical Garden about your ideas for a Food Waste Reduction Strategy. As a result of local efforts to measure and reduce food waste, the City of St. Louis committed to develop a strategy by December 2024 to prevent food from going to waste, rescue surplus food, and recycle food scraps. Local efforts have been regional in nature, so the strategy partners are working on will likely extend beyond the borders of the City of St. Louis into surrounding areas.

Join in Person:
Commerce Bank Center for Science Education
4651 Shaw Blvd.
Plan your trip using public transit here.

Join on Zoom:
https://zoom.us/j/98519327933?pwd=R2ZTMmlyaFNSaitUK2ZDMThQdWZmdz09

Click here to save this event to your calendar.

Take Transit & Advocate for Transit June 20

Details

Published on Monday May 27th, 2024

Author: Anna Chott, East-West Gateway Council of Governments

Join others across our bi-state region in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by taking transit on “Dump the Pump” Day on June 20. Transit riders can save more than $13,000 per year by using public transit instead of driving. Commuters who are new to transit may register for one of 100 free monthly transit passes for the month of July. This event is coordinated by Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT), St. Clair County Transit District, and Metro Transit, in conjunction with National “Dump the Pump” Day.

Do you think transit where you live is too slow? Many planning processes underway present an opportunity to voice support for public transit improvements in your community. These improvements can include aspects of Bus Rapid Transit or more mixed-use, compact development to make transit, walking, and biking easier. Current plans underway include the City of St. Louis's Transportation & Mobility Plan and Strategic Land Use Plan, St. Louis County's Comprehensive Plan, and Jefferson County's Master Plan and Walk Bike Plan. See if your local government has a planning process coming up where you can give input.

Beyond Litter Cleanups: Reducing Plastic Waste

Details

Published on Sunday May 26th, 2024

Author: Anna Chott, East-West Gateway Council of Governments

Efforts around the St. Louis region, such as those led by earthday365, unite local volunteers to clean up litter and illegal dump sites. However, as communities struggle with constantly recurring litter and dumping, they have begun advancing efforts for policy change and elimination of single-use products, starting our region on a path toward a vision where we might no longer need to pick up litter.

According to a 2021 study, the two most-littered items along the Mississippi River in the St. Louis Region are cigarette butts and beverage bottles. Through EPA grant funding, Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative is leading efforts throughout St. Louis, in collaboration with the community members, City of St. Louis, the Redbud Foundation, and earthday365, reducing the use of disposable beverage bottles by installing water filling stations around town. Marquette Park in the City of St. Louis, for example, currently has no water filling stations or drinking fountains, so people need to bring cases of single use plastic water bottles for their events. So far, the group has identified locations for 5 new filling stations, which could result in preventing 200,000 beverage bottles from littering our waterways annually!

Refilling reusable bottles and containers is gaining popularity as a way to reduce litter, reduce waste sent to landfills, and reduce energy associated with the production and end-of-life processing of single-use products, whether that is by recycling or landfilling. Many storesin the St. Louis area offer an opportunity to eliminate disposable containers by refilling personal containers with everything from personal hygiene products, to cleaning products, to flour and spices, to olive oil and vinegar (as well as a favorite in St. Louis: refillable growlers of beer!). June 16 is World Refill Day, a great opportunity to explore these options.

One of the policy changes proposed due to local cleanup efforts includes Metropolitan Congregations United's call for scrap tire procedure reform, in order to address major issues with illegal dumping of tires. All of these efforts contribute to the collaborative work of organizations to reduce litter in our neighborhoods and waterways.

Success Spotlight: Food Shares are More than Just Food Distribution Sites

Details

Published on Sunday April 28th, 2024

Author: Amir Tibbs, all Hands on Deck

 

The St. Louis Food Share Network, founded by Casey Stinemetz and Elizabeth Vega in 2016, served as a beacon of hope in the fight against hunger in our city. What began as a twice-a-week effort to redirect surplus food from one retailer has continued to grow and blossom. It is now led by the team at All Hands On Deck, an initiative dedicated not only to expanding access to nutritious foods across food deserts and food insecure communities but also to increasing environmental sustainability and community spirit. The All Hands On Deck team now provides food assistance five days a week in underserved, under-resourced areas throughout the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County.

 

Since inception in 2016, the network has diverted a staggering 195,000 pounds of food annually from landfills, totaling approximately 1.4 million pounds to date. What sets All Hands On Deck apart is our commitment to inclusivity. Food SHARES are open to ALL without any qualifying criteria regarding residency, income, proof of identification etc., ensuring that no one in need is turned away. SHARE stands for Share Health And Resources Equitably, which embodies our ethos of fairness and accessibility.

 

In addition to addressing food insecurity, All Hands On Deck prioritizes sustainability. Donations received from local grocery stores and big box retailers are distributed—same day—to the community. We establish a direct line of distribution to those in need. Before composting the last remnants, surplus food that is past human grade but still edible is repurposed as animal feed for chickens, rabbits, and even a patron’s peacock! This aligns with the EPA’s Wasted Food Scale, which advocates for the donation or upcycling of surplus food before resorting to landfill disposal or composting.

 

All Hands On Deck’s grassroots movement transforms and nurtures community spirit too. SHARES are more than just food distribution sites. Each SHARE location has become a community hub where residents don’t just access food, they share, connect, exchange information and ideas, and support each other—all while contributing to environmental sustainability and helping decrease landfill waste. SHARES help heal divides - with an inclusive, diverse team of volunteers and patrons.

 

Support for All Hands On Deck;s vital mission can take many forms, from donations to volunteering. To learn more about how you can contribute, reach out to Amir or J at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For those in need of food assistance, our SHARE Leads operate five food SHAREs at various locations throughout the city each week, ensuring that help is always within reach. Our weekly calendar is posted on our AHOD Facebook page. 

 

Lastly, we would like everyone to get ready for an exciting day of fun in the community at our upcoming All Hands On Deck Community Clean Up and Resource Fair in Fairgrounds Park! Our event is held twice a year on the third Saturdays in May and October. Don’t miss the opportunity to join us as we come together to beautify the community, connect with valuable resources, make a difference for residents, and strengthen our bond with the community we serve.