In this week’s article, we’d like to introduce you to Jenna d’Arcy, our new Greater Portland Council of Governments Resilience Corps fellow. Jenna joined us in early January to lead our department’s outreach and communications. In fact, you have probably seen her name before in the byline of this very column. Follow along to hear more about Jenna’s role.
What have you been working on so far?
Some of my key areas of work are writing for the Sentry’s sustainability column, posting on our social media outlets, and assisting with program planning and research. I love being able to share opportunities, events, and other important information with the community. To stay up to date, feel free to read our weekly Sentry sustainability column or follow our instagram @SopoSustainability.
What is the Resilience Corps?
The Resilience Corps is a partnership between Greater Portland Council of Governments and Americorps, where a cohort of individuals support regional resilience projects for host municipalities and nonprofits in Maine. So far, I’ve really enjoyed being a Resilience Corps fellow because I’ve met so many people with the same passion for helping communities, whether it’s making them more equitable, diverse, safe, climate-prepared or resilient.
What led you to pursue the sustainability field?
When I was 5 years old, I joined Girl Scouts of America. For the next 15-plus years, I connected with people and the earth in hundreds of different ways, whether it was mentoring young girls, learning outdoor survival skills, or fundraising for our local animal shelter.
My experience as a Girl Scout encouraged me to protect our earth and support the quality of peoples’ lives, which then led me to pursuing a degree and career in environmental planning and sustainability.
What were you doing before joining the SoPo sustainability office?
Before joining SoPo, I was working at Lindt & Sprüngli Chocolatier headquarters in Stratham, New Hampshire, leading a sustainability waste diversion project. I answered questions like, “How can we ensure our waste is being disposed of properly?” or “What are the most common materials being thrown away?”
During the process, I learned a lot about waste management and how Lindt commits to sustainability. Did you know that Lindts’ cacao beans are sustainably sourced? This means that Lindt keeps track of where and how its beans are produced. Their farming program supports ethical farming practices, like ensuring farmers are receiving fair wages and providing resources (i.e. schools or clean water) to the surrounding community.
You’re always researching new topics to write about for the Sentry. Can you share something impactful that you learned that has stuck with you?
A few weeks ago, I learned about the importance of planting native plants, which was really interesting! Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the garden with my mom planting flower beds and vegetables. Until my talk with Andrea Berry at the Wild Seed Project, I never really considered that planting native plants can be beneficial.
Primarily, native plants bring more biodiversity to your garden and support the local ecosystem (Including pollinators!). Also, because native plants are adapted to the local climate conditions, they are much more likely to be resilient toward extreme weather conditions and require far less water than non-natives. I hope to start planting natives this spring.
What are you most looking forward to taking on during your service term this year?
Because I currently reside outside of South Portland, I am looking forward to connecting with South Portland residents more, whether it’s at events or through media. I hope to learn more about how my role can be a catalyst for change in the community and ultimately help others feel happy, inspired, safe, and resilient in their daily lives. I love receiving emails about the sentry articles or any posts I create, so please reach out whenever, I’d be happy to connect.
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.
Jenna d’Arcy is an AmeriCorps/GPCOG Resilience Corps fellow serving in the South Portland Sustainability Office through September 2024. She can be reached at jdarcy@southportland.org.
Copy the Story LinkComments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
