The South Portland Office of Sustainability is hiring.

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We’re seeking an energetic and environmentally conscious waste reduction intern to assist the sustainability program manager with the launch of our new South Portland Electric Tool Library and to help manage the city’s Swap Shop.

The electric tool library is a new edition to South Portland’s sustainability initiatives that furthers our waste reduction goals outlined in One Climate Future, the city’s climate action plan. Opening in April, the electric tool library will provide residents the opportunity to borrow electric lawn care equipment, free of charge.

The Swap Shop is a valued city program that allows residents to donate and exchange approved household items, diverting materials from the city’s waste stream.

This internship will be largely self-directed with the intern working off-site at the electric tool library and Swap Shop, which are housed at the city’s transfer station. Primary responsibilities for this role include assisting residents with signing out equipment, determining acceptable donations, and maintaining both the library and Swap Shop spaces.

No experience with electric tools is necessary, as we’re learning about this equipment ourselves. The ideal candidate must be available to work on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the duration of the internship from April 1 through Nov. 15. In addition to Saturdays, the intern will build a regular schedule during the week which will include consistent availability on two non-consecutive week days, for a total of up to 20 hours/week. The internship will be paid at $17/hour. This is an excellent opportunity for a student looking to fulfill an internship requirement.

If this sounds like you or someone that you know, please email your resume and a cover letter explaining your interest in the position to Karla Giglio at kgiglio@southportland.org by Feb. 24. For a full description of the position, visit the city of South Portland Human Resources webpage under the Sustainability Waste Reduction Internship link: www.southportland.org/departments/human-resources/job-opportunities/.

Our circular economy

A circular or sharing economy is a socio-economic system built around the sharing of resources. Our mission as the sustainability office is to guide the development of policies and practices that simultaneously promote economic well-being, strong community connections, and a healthy environment. Our primary focus is to implement the city’s One Climate Future plan by making our community as a whole more sustainable. The South Portland Electric Tool Library, and this position in particular, further our goals for a community-wide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions amidst our push for electrification, while also helping us to work towards our waste reduction goals.

Creating a sharing economy in this way helps us to divert materials from our waste stream while at the same time reducing our reliance on gas-powered equipment; a win-win for our entire community.

Our Sustainable City is a recurring column in the Sentry intended to provide residents with news and information about sustainability initiatives in South Portland. Follow the Sustainability Office on Instagram @soposustainability.

Steve Genovese is a Greater Portland Council of Governments Resilience Corps fellow serving in the South Portland Sustainability Office on an 11-month term. He can be reached at sgenovese@southportland.org.