by Deborah McDermott Seacoast Online news story YORK, Maine — A proposed ordinance banning polystyrene containers is heading to a public hearing on Feb. 11, and perhaps again on Feb. 25, as selectmen work to ensure the broadest number of people have an opportunity to comment on it — particularly the business community. The decision came Read More
plastic pollution
Support of LD 102, An Act to Improve the Manufacturing of Plastic Bottles and Caps
Senator Carson, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Lakeman and I am the Sustainable Maine Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I appreciate this opportunity to speak to you in support of LD 102, An Act to Improve the Read More
Making a Difference for Maine’s Environment in the Classroom and Cafeteria
Mainers can be proud of their schools for a variety of reasons. Every time I visit a new school I am impressed by the innovative ways they are preparing students for the future. Making changes in the way the students relate to food is no exception. This fall I was particularly impressed by the School Read More
Containers Ban Arriving in New Year
by Brian P. D. Hannon Free Press news story In Bea Dodge’s 28 years working at Wasses, only two customers asked her not to serve their hot dogs and fries under the folding white lid of a Styrofoam container. When the Rockland takeout spot begins a new year of business on January 2, the choice Read More
Bring Your Own Bag Midcoast Receives Spirit of Goodwill Award
In October of 2018 I joined fellow Bring Your Own Bag Midcoast (BYOB) volunteers at the Abromson Community Education Center in Portland where Goodwill Industries of Northern New England (GWINNE) presented us with the Spirit of Goodwill award. During the award ceremony Rich Cantz, President and CEO of GWINNE, expressed his continued support for our Read More
MDI Town Latest Maine Municipality to Ban Plastic Shopping Bags
By Bill Trotter, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story Southwest Harbor is the latest town in Maine to adopt a ban on the distribution of single-use plastic bags by local retailers. The Mount Desert Island town held a special town meeting on Tuesday, a week after the statewide midterm elections, to consider whether to Read More
Maine School Cafeterias Reducing Plastic Pollution and Waste
We are all familiar with the challenges of using plastic cutlery. These utensils notoriously fail at the only task they are made for: cutting and picking up food. In addition, they create a lot of single-use trash, are not recyclable, and there are reusable options. In recent years, schools have brought plastic cutlery into lunchrooms. Read More
Waterville Approves Plastic Bag Ban by Fewer than 150 Votes
The City Council had overriden Mayor Nick Isgro’s veto of its vote to let voters decide whether to ban plastic bags, a proposal initiated by the Sustain Mid-Maine Coalition. by Amy Calder, Staff Writer Central Maine Newspapers news story WATERVILLE — Voters on Tuesday approved a proposal to prohibit larger retail and commercial businesses from dispensing Read More
One Big Recycling Success: Maine’s Bottle Bill
By Bonnie Washuk, Staff Writer Sun Journal news story While recycling in Maine is in the dumps with a tough market and a need for recycling education, there’s a bright spot: Maine’s 40-year-old bottle bill. The bin collecting bottles and cans is in many Maine kitchens. Mainers have been paying deposits and religiously returning cans Read More
