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
sustainability
Falmouth Takes Step Toward Banning Plastic Bags
The town would be the first in Maine to institute an outright ban on the use of plastic shopping bags by all retailers. By Matt Byrne, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Falmouth moved one step closer Wednesday to becoming the first community in Maine to ban stores from issuing single-use plastic bags, after Read More
South Portland City Council Approves 5-cent Shopping Bag Fee, Ban on Polystyrene Packaging
The new ordinances mirror similar steps approved in Portland in April. By Joe Lawlor, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story SOUTH PORTLAND — The City Council on Wednesday approved a 5-cent charge for disposable shopping bags at retailers and a ban on polystyrene products, mimicking Portland’s ordinances that went into effect in April. Both Read More
South Portland Eyes Major Solar Energy Expansion
By Alex Acquisto The Forecaster news story SOUTH PORTLAND — Powering city facilities with solar energy is now a tangible goal on the not-too-distant horizon. A request for proposals was sent out to bidders across the country Sept. 4 by City Manager Jim Gailey for the installation of solar photovoltaic systems for eight municipal buildings Read More
Farmington Turns Waste Into Cash…and Gardens
Farmington, Maine has partnered with the local campus of the University of Maine to put an unused recycling center to good use, generating cash for the town and fertilizer for local gardeners. When the Sandy River Recycling facility closed in 2004, Farmington officials and residents wondered what they would do with the site and the leftover Read More
Composting Heats Up in Maine
Cities and towns start to realize the value of turning food waste into black gold, and companies vie for the business. By Mary Pols, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUBURN — Inside the steaming rows of piled-up compost at the We Compost It! operation in Auburn is your standard smorgasbord of commercial and Read More
A Bold Initiative in South Portland
South Portland is serious about sustainability. This year the city hired its first Sustainability Coordinator, and in her first year on the job Julie Rosenbach has set some ambitious goals for the city. Earlier this year South Portland announced a new goal — zero waste at all city events. This new benchmark is part of Read More
South Portland Council: ‘It’s Time’ for Bag Fee, Packaging Ban
By Alex Acquisto The Forecaster news story SOUTH PORTLAND — A single-use bag fee and ban on polystyrene in the city seem increasingly likely after Monday night’s City Council workshop. How similar the ordinance language should be to Portland’s, and whether to go beyond the limits of that ordinance, remains to be decided. The question Read More
Port to Power Up Solar Charging Station
By Duke Harrington, Staff Writer Mainely Media news story KENNEBUNKPORT — Selectmen in Kennebunkport have committed themselves to conservation efforts, agreeing to give $4,500 to help install a solar-powered charging station for electric cars. The Clipper Creek Level II EV unit will be placed at the Village Fire Station on Brown Street, where it will Read More