Testimony in Support of LD 1418, An Act Concerning Single-use Disposable Water Bottles and Water Refill Stations Senator Brenner, Representative Gramlich, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Nichols, and I am the Sustainable Maine Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I am here Read More
Plastic Pollution
NRCM is working hard to bring plastic pollution solutions to Maine. Together, we can reduce Maine’s impact on this catastrophic global problem and provide inspiration for others around the world.
Plastic pollution in Maine is a more devastating problem than you may think. Plastic is present throughout the environment everywhere on earth. Maine is no exception. Plastic is polluting our waterways, coastlines, forests, and open spaces, choking wildlife, and making its way into the food web.
The sources of plastic pollution in Maine are unnervingly diverse, and the flow of plastic into the environment is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, it is increasing. The amount of plastic litter we can see is astounding, but even more worrisome is the staggering amount of plastic pollution we cannot see—so-called microplastic. A growing body of evidence is revealing plastic pollution’s devastating impact on our health and the environment.
LD 957, An Act Requiring Water Bottle Filling Stations in New and Renovated Public Schools
Testimony in Support of LD 957, An Act Requiring Water Bottle Filling Stations in New and Renovated Public Schools Senator Rafferty, Representative Brennan, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, my name is Vanessa Berry. I am the Sustainable Maine Outreach Coordinator for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I Read More
Opposition to LD 425 and LD 572 to Repeal Maine’s Single-use Plastic Bag Ban and Fees
Testimony in Opposition of LD 425 and LD 572, Legislation to Repeal Maine’s Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags and the Fee on Other Bags Offered at Retail Stores Senator Brenner, Representative Gramlich, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Nichols, and I am the Sustainable Maine Director for Read More
Going Plastic-free: My Family’s Month-long Challenge
I started my new job with Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) in early March 2022. At the time, my wife and I, spurred on by the growing concerns of plastics in the environment, had been thinking about ways to further reduce plastics in our waste stream. We had long since adopted strategies such as Read More
Let’s Look at Plastic in Daylight, and Leave the Smoke and Mirrors to Hollywood
Corporations that spew out plastic packaging want us to pay no attention to the man behind the (plastic) curtain. The consumer brands that thrust the barrage of plastic pollution on the world seem determined to confuse and mislead people into believing plastic packaging is good for the environment even though the facts are undeniably to Read More
Nature Links Students Raise Awareness of Plastic Pollution
When it comes to plastic pollution, people often want to do more than just learn—they want to stop it. That is exactly what happened at Nature Links for Lifelong Learning, a nonprofit adult education center in Blue Hill, Maine. The Natural Resources Council of Maine is always working to engage Mainers in environmental activism. We often Read More
Maine Businesses Allowed to Implement Reusable Food Containers
News release from Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainable Solutions and the Natural Resources Council of Maine Augusta, ME (October 12, 2021) – Policy changes to Maine’s Food Code now allow businesses to save money and protect the environment by offering reusable and returnable take-out food containers. Environmental advocates and business owners applauded the Read More
New Maine Law Will Shift Recycling Costs to Producers of Packaging Waste
EPR for Packaging Will Save Taxpayer Money and Improve Recycling News release Maine has joined more than 40 jurisdictions around the world to require companies that create packaging waste help pay for the costs of recycling. It becomes the first state in the nation to pass an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging law (LD 1541) Read More
Explainer: How Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging Will Benefit Maine
Maine is the first state in the nation to hold big corporations and brands accountable for the plastic waste and packaging they have created. Our new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging law (LD 1541) will increase recycling rates, reduce packaging pollution, and save taxpayers money. This is a very big deal, folks. And not because we’re the first, but because it Read More
