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
plastic pollution
Opposition to LD 399 and LD 437 Related to Waste-to-energy Renewable Energy Credits
Testimony in Opposition to LD 399, An Act to Amend the Portfolio Requirements for Class II Resources; and LD 437, An Act to Eliminate the Repeal Provision on Waste-to-energy Renewable Energy Credits Senator Lawrence, Representative Zeigler, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, my name is Sarah Nichols, and I Read More
Loons, Balloons, and Pontoons
A local radio station asked the question earlier this week, “What have you done this summer that you have never done before?” My answer: My husband, Chris, and I bought a boat. Yup. That’s right. We spent a day out on my brother- and sister-in-law’s pontoon boat and decided that was the life for us! 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
Poll Affirms Mainers Overwhelmingly Support Policies to Reduce Waste, Act on Climate
NRCM news release May 6, 2022 (Augusta, ME) – The vast majority of Mainers support policies to curb pollution by reducing waste and acting on climate according to a new poll of Maine voters conducted in Spring 2022. The poll confirms that actions taken by the Maine Legislature over the past few years to encourage 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
News & Noteworthy — July – September 2021
Here are some highlights from news stories and opinion pieces related to the environment, including Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife: September 2021 In good renewable energy news, Governor Mills celebrated National Climate Week and Clean Energy Week at Dave’s World in Dover-Foxcroft. She was there to celebrate a milestone toward Maine’s goal of installing Read More