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 360, which I believe is the Read More
recycling
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
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
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
As Demand for Recycled Material Shrinks, Consumers Can Take Action
Steps include reducing waste, learning what is accepted locally and redeeming beverage containers. by Sarah Lakeman, Special to the Press Herald Portland Press Herald op-ed AUGUSTA — Global recycling markets are changing, and cities and towns across Maine are responding – some by abandoning their recycling programs. This is a big wake-up call that will Read More
Plastic Waste is Everywhere. Here are Some Ideas for Mainers to Reduce Their Use of It.
By Abigail Curtis, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story Shlomit Auciello of Rockland hasn’t bought plastic wrap, or new Tupperware-style plastic containers, in decades. She avoids using microfiber fleece and washes plastic bags to reuse them again and again. She knows that makes her a bit quirky by modern American standards, but she hopes Read More
What You Can Do about the Unfolding Recycling Crisis
It’s been more than a year since China announced that they will no longer buy the world’s contaminated recyclables, and we are feeling the effects here in Maine. Unless the baled recycled materials (stuff we put in our household recycling bins, among other sources of recyclables) meet a very strict, almost perfect, quality standard—only 0.05% Read More
Beer in Cans: A Greener Way to Go
By Bonnie Washuk, Staff Writer Sun Journal news story LEWISTON — From an environmental standpoint, canned beer is better than bottled. “Beer cans are twice as likely as beer bottles to be recycled,” said Luke Livingston, 33, founder and owner of Baxter Brewing in Lewiston. Environmentalists agree that cans are recycled more than bottles. Worldwide, Read More
Bottle Bill Would Lower Deposit for Wine, Spirits
By Christopher Williams Sun Journal news story Advocates of a proposal that would lower the deposit on wine and liquor bottles by 10 cents say the measure would equalize returnables and simplify the process. State Rep. Ellie Espling, R-New Gloucester, the bill’s sponsor, wrote in a statement that she seeks “to implement a uniform refund Read More
