Chances are that you went to the grocery store (at least once) recently and impulsively bought way more food than usual. And I suspect that may have led to an unanticipated consequence: food waste. (Or perhaps you just guilt-ate way more than you should to prevent your food from going bad!) Reducing food waste is Read More
Nature of Maine Blog
The Natural Resources Council of Maine’s “Nature of Maine” blog gives you the inside scoop on some of the latest issues facing Maine’s environment. From environmental news to threats to opportunities, NRCM is on the frontlines of the latest goings-on—and we’re often leading the charge on efforts to protect Maine’s precious lands, air, waters, and wildlife. Read what NRCM staff members have to say and get the perspective of some of our members and supporters who have been guest contributors.
Perhaps you have an issue you’d like to write about. Maybe you’re an expert on a particular topic and are inspired to share your expertise. Maybe you’ve recently made a visit to a spectacular Maine nature preserve or other natural area and would like to write about it (captioned photos welcome!). For submission guidelines, email nrcm@nrcm.org.
Maine’s Outdoor Spaces Offer Respite During Trying Times
In E. O. Wilson’s 1984 book Biophilia, the world-renowned biologist and Harvard University professor described an innate “love of life” that humans have, meaning, we are drawn to nature. In an interview with PBS, he said this intrinsic attraction is so basic that he believed most people understand it and that it’s slowly instilling a Read More
Quarantining with Birds & Nature
With our son’s school closed and our offices at the Natural Resources Council of Maine and National Audubon doing the responsible thing of instituting work-at-home policies out of concern about the coronavirus, we have found ourselves thinking about the implications of staying here at our house. We’ve all heard the stories of people being quarantined Read More
Protecting the Nature of Maine and Each Other
I hope that you and your families are safe and healthy. At the Natural Resources Council of Maine, we are doing everything that we can to keep our staff safe and healthy as well, while continuing with the strong work that the nature of Maine needs from us. With positive cases of COVID-19 increasing in Read More
Land for Maine’s Future: 3 Reasons LMF is about More than Land Conservation
When Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) was enacted in 1987, the program was remarkably forward-looking and a harbinger of good things to come. Over the past three decades, LMF has become Maine’s most important and popular land conservation program. But the program has not received any new funding since 2012, which is why we’re working Read More
Eroding a Bedrock Law: the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
In 1918, the U.S. signed into law a piece of legislation that has shown incredible resilience over the past century. In the midst of the horrific tragedies of World War I and the Spanish Flu, a bright light shown through that resulted in the signing of the world’s first large-scale treaty among nations to protect Read More
Climate and Clean Energy Priorities for Maine in the Year Ahead
Maine isn’t hesitating to step up and tackle climate change head on, with new laws that set ambitious new targets for reducing pollution. And we have unrolled the welcome mat for solar and other clean energy solutions. In 2020, our biggest challenge will be making sure our actions meet our aspirations. We must grasp the Read More
Critter Chatter — Winter Break?
I think most of us would agree that, so far, Central Maine has experienced a fairly mild winter, especially in snow accumulation. Donald Cote of the Wildlife Care Center in Vassalboro has had to plow access to the wildlife enclosures only two or three times; snow-blowing and shoveling have been minimal. Icy paths, however, still Read More
Why the Maine Climate Council is Key to Bold Climate Action
States are laboratories for policy innovation, and nowhere is that happening more in Maine than on clean energy and climate action. In 2019, Governor Janet Mills and bipartisan majorities of the Legislature passed new laws aimed at improving public health and strengthening the economy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Read More
