91. That’s the number of times the Empire State Building could have been filled from top to bottom with the amount of food wasted in the United States in 2010. And the problem gets worse every year. United States Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, representing Maine’s First Congressional District, recently unveiled and introduced legislation to tackle this Read More
sustainability
Beyond Our Borders
I’d like to cap off 2015 with a short note about a big topic: our place in the international community.
York Prepares for Start of Plastic Bag Ban
Chamber moves to help businesses By Deborah McDermott Seacoast Online news story YORK, Maine — Now that the first-in-the-state ordinance banning single-use plastic bags has been approved, the town’s business leaders, citizens and officials are shifting gears and preparing for the March 1 effective date. Residents last week approved the ordinance by a vote of Read More
York Enacts Plastic Bag Ban
By Tom Porter MPBN news story YORK, Maine — By a narrow margin, voters here have chosen to prohibit stores from using plastic shopping bags. This makes the southern Maine community the first in the state to introduce such a moratorium. Earlier this year Portland introduced a 5-cent fee for most plastic bags issued by Read More
Portland on Track to Be a “Top Tier” Sustainable City
New Report Profiles the People and Organizations Making It Happen NRCM news release Portland, ME—Portland is making great strides in promoting local foods, minimizing waste, using clean energy efficiently, connecting people with nature, and incorporating environmental sustainability into daily life. According to a new report released today by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), Read More
Plastic Bag Bans and Fees Catching on in Maine
Portland’s ordinance went into effect on April 15, and other communities are poised to follow. By Mary Pols, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story In the six months since Portland passed an ordinance calling for most food retailers to charge a nickel for each single-use plastic or paper bag, reusable bags have gotten extremely Read More
New Program Will Let Maine Residents Drop Off Unused Paint at Many Retailers for Free
Retail prices for paint will increase slightly to pay for the Maine Paint Stewardship Program. By Dennis Hoey, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Maine has joined seven other states and the District of Columbia in a national effort that will allow people to dispose of their unused paint at retail locations around the Read More
Students Lead the Transition to Clean Energy
Students have been the driving force behind the continuing decline in energy costs at Camden Hills Regional High School since it opened in 2000. While the school owns and operates the 155-foot tall wind turbine erected in 2012, the genesis and work to bring wind power to the high school came from the Windplanners, a Read More
South Portland Joins Portland in Imposing 5-cent Fee on Plastic Shopping Bags
The City Council also bans the use of polystyrene packaging. By Dennis Hoey, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story SOUTH PORTLAND — The city of South Portland joined Portland on Monday night as the only municipalities in Maine that have adopted ordinances requiring consumers to pay 5 cents for disposable, plastic shopping bags at Read More
