Chamber moves to help businesses By Deborah McDermott Seacoast Online news story YORK, Maine — Now that the first-in-the-state ordinance banning single-use plastic bags has been approved, the town’s business leaders, citizens and officials are shifting gears and preparing for the March 1 effective date. Residents last week approved the ordinance by a vote of Read More
Sustainability
Our vision of sustainability in Maine is ensuring a healthy future for life on Earth. Maine’s clean and healthy environment strengthens the state’s economy and is central to our way of life. Holding polluting corporations accountable through systemic changes in local, state, and federal policies is the key to creating a more healthy, prosperous, sustainable future for us all.
Stop Wasting Food! Have Your Cake, and Eat It, Too.
As a micro-scale farmer who has put a lot of effort into every vegetable, egg and pork chop I sell, I’ve often thought it an unfortunate side effect of life in the land of plenty that most of us don’t really worry about throwing away food. But we need to start. Food waste may not Read More
York Enacts Plastic Bag Ban
By Tom Porter MPBN news story YORK, Maine — By a narrow margin, voters here have chosen to prohibit stores from using plastic shopping bags. This makes the southern Maine community the first in the state to introduce such a moratorium. Earlier this year Portland introduced a 5-cent fee for most plastic bags issued by Read More
Portland on Track to Be a “Top Tier” Sustainable City
New Report Profiles the People and Organizations Making It Happen NRCM news release Portland, ME—Portland is making great strides in promoting local foods, minimizing waste, using clean energy efficiently, connecting people with nature, and incorporating environmental sustainability into daily life. According to a new report released today by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), Read More
Plastic Bag Bans and Fees Catching on in Maine
Portland’s ordinance went into effect on April 15, and other communities are poised to follow. By Mary Pols, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story In the six months since Portland passed an ordinance calling for most food retailers to charge a nickel for each single-use plastic or paper bag, reusable bags have gotten extremely Read More
New Program Will Let Maine Residents Drop Off Unused Paint at Many Retailers for Free
Retail prices for paint will increase slightly to pay for the Maine Paint Stewardship Program. By Dennis Hoey, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Maine has joined seven other states and the District of Columbia in a national effort that will allow people to dispose of their unused paint at retail locations around the Read More
Maine Paint Recycling Program Begins This Month
PaintCare’s program makes paint recycling more convenient PaintCare news release AUGUSTA, ME – (October 1, 2015) – Paint recycling just got easier for all Mainers. PaintCare, a Washington, DC-based product stewardship organization for the paint industry is pleased to announce the start of a new paint recycling program in Maine. The Maine Paint Stewardship Program Read More
South Portland Joins Portland in Imposing 5-cent Fee on Plastic Shopping Bags
The City Council also bans the use of polystyrene packaging. By Dennis Hoey, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story SOUTH PORTLAND — The city of South Portland joined Portland on Monday night as the only municipalities in Maine that have adopted ordinances requiring consumers to pay 5 cents for disposable, plastic shopping bags at Read More
Falmouth Takes Step Toward Banning Plastic Bags
The town would be the first in Maine to institute an outright ban on the use of plastic shopping bags by all retailers. By Matt Byrne, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Falmouth moved one step closer Wednesday to becoming the first community in Maine to ban stores from issuing single-use plastic bags, after Read More
