Senator Carson, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Lakeman and I am the Sustainable Maine Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I appreciate this opportunity to speak to you in support of LD 544, which is part of a Read More
litter
Support of LD 937, An Act Regarding the Sale and Abandonment or Release of Balloons
Senator Carson, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Lakeman and I am the Sustainable Maine Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I appreciate this opportunity to speak to you in support of LD 937, which is one of several Read More
What You Can Do about the Unfolding Recycling Crisis
It’s been more than a year since China announced that they will no longer buy the world’s contaminated recyclables, and we are feeling the effects here in Maine. Unless the baled recycled materials (stuff we put in our household recycling bins, among other sources of recyclables) meet a very strict, almost perfect, quality standard—only 0.05% Read More
Bottle Bill Would Lower Deposit for Wine, Spirits
By Christopher Williams Sun Journal news story Advocates of a proposal that would lower the deposit on wine and liquor bottles by 10 cents say the measure would equalize returnables and simplify the process. State Rep. Ellie Espling, R-New Gloucester, the bill’s sponsor, wrote in a statement that she seeks “to implement a uniform refund Read More
Some Legislators Want to Help Road Slobs
By George Smith Bangor Daily News blog If you read this column often, you know how much I dislike road slobs, who toss their garbage out their vehicle windows onto my woodlot. I walk the road from my house to my woodlot every couple of weeks and fill one bag with garbage and another with returnable Read More
Steamrolling Forward: Multiple Maine Towns Take Steps to Reduce Plastic Pollution
You may not have noticed amid all the hubbub around national issues and politics, but some other pretty important votes took place in Maine on, or near, this past Election Day. Multiple towns took important steps to help create more sustainable communities through the elimination or reduction of plastic pollution. And that is good news! Read More
Bath Council Backs Ban on Plastic Bags, Foam Containers
By Alex Lear Forecaster news story BATH — The City Council on Wednesday granted unanimous first passage to ordinances that would ban the distribution of disposable plastic shopping bags and polystyrene containers. The panel will vote a second and final time Nov. 1. The decision follows two “Bring Your Own Bag” forums hosted last month Read More
Bath to Present Plastic Bag Ban
by Nathan Strout Times Record news story After months of work, the Bath Solid Waste Advisory Committee is preparing to present an ordinance banning single-use plastic bags and polystyrene containers, while also putting fees on paper bags. “The Solid Waste Advisory Committee has been meeting since last January or February, so for several months, examining Read More
King Middle School Students Create and Lead Community Clean-up!
More than 30 people from the King Middle School community and beyond came together to fight marine debris at East End Beach in Portland. Together, we picked up nearly 8,000 pieces of litter, most of it in one afternoon on June 4. The project was all a part of a challenge we participated in sponsored Read More
