Sustainable Scarborough Day

Sunday, October 1, 2023
10:00am-2:00pm
Wentworth School
20 Quentin Drive, Scarborough

Celebrate being green in your community! The Town of Scarborough is hosting its first ever Sustainable Scarborough Day, bringing together everyone from the environmentally conscious to the eco-curious for a day of learning and fun.

Meet with experts, local businesses, nonprofits, and enthusiasts on topics ranging from sustainable living, efficient homes, transportation, landscapes, recreation, waste management, land conservation, and climate action.

Walk the municipal campus for activities at the Scarborough Public Library, Wentworth School, and the farmers market at Town Hall. Test drive an electric vehicle, attend one of the several workshops, and learn more about saving money with new state and federal efficiency rebates and tax credits. This is a family friendly event with activities for all ages!

Workshops

Hear from experts on a range of sustainability topics in a series of 25-minute workshops! Workshops will be ongoing throughout Sustainable Scarborough Day. All workshops will be held in the Wentworth School cafeteria. 

Download the full Workshop Schedule Flyer

Schedule

10:30 am

Reduce, Reuse & Refill to Stop Plastic Pollution!
Presenter: Laura Marston, GoGo Refill
View Presentation Slides

Learn about the plastic pollution crisis, how it relates to the overall climate crisis, and how we as individuals can make a difference. The workshop will cover the big picture, as well as daily tips, tricks, habits, and products to help reduce your reliance on single-use plastic.

11:00 AM

Energy Incentives to Save You Money
Presenter: Andy Meyer, Efficiency Maine
View Presentation Slides

Learn about incentives, financing, technical resources, and Efficiency Maine's database of independent installers.
Incentives include State rebates, discounts, and federal tax credits. Focus will be paid to heat pumps, hybrid heat pump water heaters, insulation, and electric vehicles.

11:30 AM

Home Energy Upgrades, A Case Study
Presenter: Deb McDonough, Scarborough resident
View Presentation Slides

The McDonough family moved to Scarborough in 2001, choosing their home for its location and only later developing an interest in energy efficiency. Their house, built in 1996, had an oil boiler, standard fiberglass insulation and a typical energy profile. One step at a time, the McDonoughs have invested in upgrades, each selected to pay for itself before the expiration of any warranty. Deb will describe how their economical upgrades reduced their home's CO2 load by 94% and lessons learned along the way. 

12:00 PM

YardScaping: From Lawns to Landscapes
Presenter: Ali Clift, Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District
View Presentation Slides

Create wildlife habitat, grow food for your family, and protect your local waterways while improving the appearance and functionality of your yard. This workshop will provide you with ways to reduce your lawn and associated maintenance by swapping it for pollinator gardens, edible landscapes, rain gardens, vegetative buffers, and other natural landscapes to make your yard work for you.

12:30 PM

Intro to Vermicomposting
Presenter: Mark Follansbee, WormMainea
View Presentation Slides

Do you compost outdoors in the summer and want to continue all winter? Are you new to composting and want to give vermicomposting a try? Learn how to build a worm bin for less than $15 and keep your worm bin trouble-free. We’ll discuss feeding and monitoring your bin; harvesting and using vermicompost as a soil amendment; and making vermicompost tea.

1:00 PM

Climate Policy & Action
Presenters: Peter Dugas, Citizens Climate Lobby & Thea Dugas, 8th grade student
View Presentation Slides

The alarming news about climate change demands that we make informed decisions on what actions we can pursue to address this crisis. Learn about the relative effectiveness and equitability of various climate policies and actions using MIT's EN-ROADS Climate Simulator and discover concrete actions you can take to build the political will to ensure a livable future.

Food Trucks

Come hungry! Local food businesses Empanada Club and Terra Firma will have food available for purchase.

Raffles

Enter into drawings for sustainable raffle prizes! Our grand giveaway is a heat pump water heater, generously donated by FW Webb. Public Works is giving away a rain barrel and a lobster trap composter.

Join as a Vendor

We're looking for local nonprofits and sustainable brands to educate attendees and help make this event a success! Sign up to participate so we can keep you up to date as the event nears.

Vendor Participation Form