For much of the past year, if someone asked how I was, I would give the same reflexive response: “Well enough…for 2020.” I heard this addendum frequently: from friends, coworkers, and family; an acknowledgment that the year forced us all to confront hardship, fear, loss, and the unsettling suspicion that the ground had shifted irreversibly Read More
COVID-19
Timeless Lessons from a Native Garden in Uncertain Times
When we purchased our home, the first thing we did was designate a portion of our yard that we would allow to grow wild with native plants. Like most offices, the Natural Resources Council of Maine started working remotely as a result of the pandemic. Because of that, I’ve had the opportunity to pay closer attention to the changes in my native wildflower garden. There are a Read More
News & Noteworthy — September 2020
Read the latest news stories and opinion pieces related to the environment, including Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife, in this month’s News & Noteworthy. September 30, 2020 This week starts off with more solar news. A new solar array in Southport, on the Maine coast near Boothbay Harbor, went online. The Portland Press Herald celebrates Read More
Revisiting Trails and Revealing New Insights
One reason I love living in Maine is access to public land. I am reminded of the importance of the Natural Resource Council of Maine’s goal of protecting Maine’s environment whenever I spend time outdoors. When my husband and I find ourselves in a different area of the state, we often seek out a new Read More
2020 Report from the Frontlines: Adapting NRCM Advocacy in a Time of Pandemic-induced Change
2020 Report from the Frontlines: What’s Inside! This year, our Legislative Report Card looks a little different. The Maine Legislature left Augusta in mid-March due to COVID-19, so many bills didn’t receive hearings or votes. In this special report, NRCM staff provide short essays describing how we continue to press forward with NRCM’s work to Read More
New Perspectives on Caring for the Nature of Maine
As a college student attending a New England liberal arts institution, my understanding of environmental issues has sometimes been limited in scope. I learn about the global impacts of climate change; the cyclical nature of forming, passing, amending, and repealing policies at the federal level, and the difficulties that plague the entire world as we Read More
Environmental Health is Public Health
One would be hard pressed to find a topic or issue that is as interwoven in our lives and well-being as the environment. As a public health professional, I don’t treat people or provide direct services, but I do work to ensure policies, programs, and systems are in place to prevent people from getting sick Read More
Reusable Bags are the New Comeback Kids
Small victories need to be celebrated, particularly when you’re up against the monstrous plastic industry and fossil fuel companies. Store managers can now allow customers to bring in reusable shopping bags, according to the COVID19 Prevention Checklist Industry Guidance provided by the Maine Department for Economic and Community Development. This is a small but meaningful Read More
The Hard Work Continues
Greetings to you, dear NRCM members. This is a time of tremendous social upheaval. The blatant racism we have witnessed has shaken me to the core. I am greatly concerned that we are also dealing with a pandemic, and there is so little helpful leadership in our country now. I lived through the 1960s and know what violence and hate can do. Read More
