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
sustainability
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
Midcoast Communities Gear Up for Plastic Bag, Styrofoam Bans
By Lauren Abbate, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story A ban on single-use plastic bags and polystyrene foam containers approved by Rockland officials earlier this year will take effect at the start of the new year. A similar ban will also take effect in April for Camden residents. The Rockland City Council approved the 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
Maine Schools that Divert Food Waste
The number of Maine schools that are diverting food waste is growing! Some schools have signed up for a composting service, while others compost their food waste on site. Other schools send their food waste to an anaerobic digester or partner with local pig farmers. If you don’t see your school on the list we Read More
Why Develop School Food Waste Reduction Programs?
Maine K-12 schools generate an estimated seven million pounds of food waste annually (1). That is a staggering amount for our small state, and it reflects the larger, global food waste problem. At home, almost one-third of the garbage Mainers throw out is food waste and scraps. Meanwhile, one in five Maine kids may not 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
