Senator Brenner, Representative Gramlich, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, 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 of Representative Gramlich’s amendment to LD 295. Plastic pollution is a Read More
sustainability
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
Behind the Scenes: How Maine Modernized the Bottle Bill
Maine’s most effective recycling and litter reduction program just got a major upgrade! Two new laws passed this year make long awaited upgrades to the Bottle Bill that will help keep local redemption centers and make sure Mainers are able to redeem their bottles and cans well into the future. During the summer of 2022 Read More
New Law Moves Maine Toward Lower-cost Mercury-free Light Bulbs
LD 1814, a bill to phase out the sale of mercury-containing fluorescent bulbs in favor of more affordable, energy-efficient, and mercury-free lighting options, became law in Maine. A study by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project shows that the bill could lead to $216 million in utility bill savings statewide by 2050. Maine joins Vermont, Rhode Island, California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Oregon as states poised to phase out the sale of common fluorescent lighting.
Sharing is Caring: Maine Gear Share Programs
Warm weather means it’s time to get outside and adventure! Are you looking to try out a new activity before making the investment in the gear? Or maybe you only want to do something a couple times a year, so it doesn’t make sense to buy it. Consider checking out one of Maine’s gear share Read More
How to Tackle Maine’s Waste Problem
Two recent events that impact how communities deal with trash in Maine have highlighted the systemic stresses on our local waste management systems. First, a decision by the City of Auburn to stop its recycling program, opting to dispose of recyclable materials instead, is devastating for many community members who have committed themselves to improving Read More
Redemption Centers are the Beating Heart of Maine’s Bottle Bill
Step into your local redemption center and what you will see is the beating heart of Maine’s most effective recycling and litter prevention program. At Patman’s Redemption Center in Windham, hard-working employees are in a constant state of motion — hand sorting thousands and thousands of bottles and cans being brought in by a seemingly Read More
LD 1660 An Act To Provide that Advanced Recycling Facilities are Subject to Solid Waste Regulation and That Advanced Recycling Does Not Constitute Recycling
Testimony in Support of LD 1660, An Act To Provide that Advanced Recycling Facilities are Subject to Solid Waste Regulation and that Advanced Recycling Does Not Constitute Recycling 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 Read More
Emergency Bill to Rescue Local Redemption Centers Passes
An emergency bill that would provide immediate financial relief to struggling redemption centers has been approved by the Maine Legislature and is heading to Governor Mills’ desk. Redemption center owners and environmental groups were urging lawmakers to quickly pass LD 134 with the two-thirds vote necessary for it to be implemented right away. They Read More
