The program is made possible through a grant from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Through a grant from the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Hall-Dale Middle School students are starting a composting program in their school cafeteria to reduce food waste, according to a news release from the council. Middle school students in the… Continue Reading
food waste
Camden’s Sea Dog Brewing Co. Reduces Use of Plastic Straws
By Susan Mustapich Village Soup news story CAMDEN — A simple suggestion from staff at the Camden Sea Dog Brewing Co. is rapidly cutting down on the number of plastic straws used at the restaurant and brewpub. Earlier this month, wait staff and bartenders stopped putting straws in most drinks, including water, unless a straw… Continue Reading
Hall-Dale Middle School Environmental Club Food Waste Reduction Project
When the HDMS Environmental Club first met in September to discuss potential environmentally focused school projects, we decided to focus on food waste reduction in the cafeteria. First, we needed to find a local farmer to pick up food waste on a daily basis, to alleviate concerns from the Manager of Buildings and Grounds and… Continue Reading
2018 Legislative Priorities for Maine’s Environment
The 2018 legislative session is well underway. This is the “short session” of the Legislature, which means the pace is fast as lawmakers attempt to adjourn by the end of April. It is also an election year for every House and Senate seat, and it is Governor Paul LePage’s final year in office, adding an… Continue Reading
South Portland Food Waste Pilot Program Increases Recycling
By Juliette Laaka The Forecaster news story SOUTH PORTLAND — Since its inception last May, a pilot program to collect food waste has increased recycling rates in two participating neighborhoods. About 600 households in the Knightville and Meetinghouse Hill neighborhoods received 6-gallon buckets to use for curbside compost collection. Additional bins were set up at… Continue Reading
Taking a Bite Out of Food Waste
Tackling climate change, food insecurity, and economic waste one meal at a time By Ryan Parker, NRCM Sustainable Maine Policy Advocate Licia Goodridge knows just how expensive food waste is. Since food is mostly water, which weighs eight pounds per gallon, and hauling contracts are based on weight, she knew her school district was wasting… Continue Reading
Maine Environment Fall 2017 Newsletter
Maine Environment Fall 2017: What’s Inside! School lunch programs are contributing enormously to food waste and the problems associated with it, included climate change. NRCM is tackling the school food waste problem in a growing number of districts around Maine. You can read about it in the article, “Taking a Bite Out of Food Waste,” written… Continue Reading
Gathering Leftover Crops to Feed Poor, Known as Gleaning, is Catching On
It would be great if more gardeners and volunteers joined in to deliver surplus produce to our neighbors. by Laura McCandlish, of Brunswick who formerly wrote “The Farm-to-Table Family” column for the Maine Sunday Telegram’s Source section Portland Press Herald op-ed As I ripped out spent Sun Gold vines and planted garlic at my Tom Settlemire… Continue Reading
Plan Not to Waste
Prevent food waste this Thanksgiving by planning your menu by portion size: The average person will eat about a pound of turkey, a quarter pound of green beans, and an eighth of a nine-inch pumpkin pie. To view more tips, click here. To subscribe to our Tip of the Day RSS feed, click here. … Continue Reading
