Jessica Cleary-Reuning – Seeking solutions to food waste in Maine
Jess is an undergraduate student at the University of Maine
Why are you interested in the problem you are working on?
Food waste is a major contributor to climate change. Every person consumes and wastes food, but not every person knows how to properly dispose of their food waste. I am interested in this project because I think that educating people about sustainable food waste management is an important part to combating the climate crisis.
How could your work contribute to a sustainable future in Maine and beyond?
The Food Rescue MAINE (FRM) website can be a spot where anyone in Maine can learn all about sustainable food waste management in Maine. Having an easy to use and intuitive hub for people to access can increase food waste knowledge among the public.
What do you feel are the most important skills that you bring to your internship?
I think that the most important skill that I bring to this internship is that I am new to this project! I am learning about what FRM does and I am new eyes to the operation. Being new gives me a better understanding of how to explain this project to someone who knows nothing about it.
What have you learned through your participation in this internship?
So far, I’ve learned a lot about all of the research that goes into food waste management. I had no idea the amount of information that can be found on this topic.
What are your personal goals for this internship? What do you hope to accomplish?
I would like to learn more about website design, using website analytics and consumer feedback to make it more intuitive and easy to use and learn from.
How do you like to spend your free time/down time?
In my free time I like to listen to music, swim, climb, and ski! The outdoors are my safe place, so anything that gets me out of the house, I’m more than happy to do.
What’s your ultimate Maine experience?
The Penobscot Bay