The 2024 Legislature has begun with a flurry of activity, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) staff experts have been hard at work to identify our top priorities for protecting Maine’s climate, water, wildlife, and outdoors and solving other environmental problems. There are a variety of environmental issues in Maine being discussed this Read More
food waste
Support of LD 2091, Businesses’ and Consumers’ Use of Returnable, Reusable and Refillable Containers for Food, Beverages, and Nonfood Items
Senator Ingwersen, Representative Pluecker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, my name is Vanessa Berry, and I am the Sustainable Maine Outreach Coordinator for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I am here to testify in support for LD 2091, which would help businesses reduce waste from packaging Read More
News & Noteworthy: October—December 2023
We highlight news stories and opinion pieces related to Maine’s land, air, water, and wildlife in our monthly News & Noteworthy. December 2023 NRCM Staff Scientist Nick Bennett and Dan Kusnierz, the water resources program manager for the Penobscot Nation, wrote a strong op-ed about why the proposal for a mine in the Katahdin region Read More
LD 1009, An Act Regarding the Reduction and Recycling of Food Waste
Testimony in Support of LD 1009, An Act Regarding the Reduction and Recycling of Food Waste Senator Brenner, Representative Gramlich, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Vanessa Berry. I am the Sustainable Maine Outreach Coordinator for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to Read More
LD 1002, Require a 30-Minute+ Lunch to Reduce Food Waste
Testimony in Support of LD 1002, An Act to Require a Lunch Period of at Least 30 Minutes for Students and Reduce Food Waste 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 Read More
News & Noteworthy — April – June 2022
Read some highlights from June 2022 news stories and opinion pieces related to the environment, including Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife, in this News & Noteworthy from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. June 2022 We are going to cover the news from the past two weeks in this week’s News & Noteworthy. We Read More
Technical School Students Create Accessible Composter in Brunswick
We know many will agree with the sentiment that backyard composting is a lot of fun, and you don’t need expertise to do it right. But the truth is, composters are not designed with everyone in mind. The backyard composting systems on the market can be cumbersome and require physical strength and space that many Read More
Full Circle School Lunch: From Compost to Farm to Table
The Sebago Elementary School students had a very special Maine harvest lunch. The wonderful kitchen staff prepared roasted root vegetables made from locally sourced beets, carrots, and potatoes. For dessert, apples from Douglas Hill Orchard, owned by the Lucy family, were made into a delicious apple crisp. The most special part of this fantastic meal Read More
5 Ways to Reduce Food Waste at Home While Practicing Social Distancing
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
