by Laurie Schreiber Mainebiz news story Increasing numbers of Maine food businesses and lodgings are putting themselves in the forefront of national and international trends to switch out from petroleum-based items like straws, to-go containers and disposable cups and plates, to eco-friendly compostable versions. The Migis Hotel Group switched from plastic drinking straws to paper… Continue Reading
plastic pollution
Persuasive 2nd-Grader Prompts Portland to Ban Plastic Straws in City Hall Cafe
The city manager says he’s happy to implement ‘Phoebe’s Rule’ banning plastic straws, and hopes that others will do the same. by Julie Pike, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Portland has joined the growing backlash against disposable plastic straws by ending their use in the Clock Tower Cafe at City Hall. The move… Continue Reading
Maine Environment Spring 2018 Newsletter
Maine Environment Spring 2018: What’s Inside! In this issue of Maine Environment, we feature an important story about big-picture implications of plastic waste, and why we need to shift away from the use of “convenience plastics.” It also highlights the work Sarah Lakeman, NRCM’s Sustainable Maine project director, is doing with local Maine towns to… Continue Reading
Plastic Bag Bans Signal Imminent Shift Away from Convenience Plastics
People everywhere are talking about plastic pollution more than ever. Researchers all over the world are studying the unnerving prevalence of plastic in the environment and documenting its devastating impacts on our ecosystems—and their findings are startling. You may have heard the terrifying estimate that plastic will outweigh fish in the ocean by 2050; or… Continue Reading
Manchester Votes to Ban Plastic Bags in Retail Stores
The vote appears to make Manchester the first capital-area municipality to ban single-use plastic bags in local stores. By Keith Edwards, Staff Writer Central Maine Newspapers news story MANCHESTER — Residents agreed Tuesday in secret-ballot voting to ban plastic bags in retail stores in town. The vote appears to make Manchester the first capital-area municipality… Continue Reading
July 14, 2018: “Bag It” Movie Screening, Bethel
Have you ever thought about how much plastic our society consumes? Plastic bags, straws, food wrappers, cups, utensils, and other “disposable” single-use plastics made from oil are filling our landfills and polluting our oceans. How can we all take steps in our own lives to reduce our plastic consumption? This epidemic is the focus of… Continue Reading
June 23, 2018: “A Plastic Ocean” Movie Screening, Campobello Island
NRCM Sustainable Maine Project Director Sarah Lakeman was the featured speaker following a screening of the film, “A Plastic Ocean,” on Saturday, June 23 on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada. Screening of “A Plastic Ocean” Saturday, June 23 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. (Atlantic Standard Time) Welshpool Hall, 11 Welshpool Wharf Road Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada… Continue Reading
June 4, 2018: “A Plastic Ocean” Movie Screening, Damariscotta
kNOw S.U.P. (No Single-Use-Plastics) hosted a screening of “A Plastic Ocean,” on Monday, June 4 at the Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta. The film begins when journalist Craig Leeson, searching for the elusive blue whale, discovers plastic waste in what should be pristine ocean. In this adventure documentary, Craig teams up with free diver Tanya Streeter and an… Continue Reading
Bath’s Bag Ban Kicks Off Sunday…on Earth Day
by Nathan Strout, Times Record Staff Times Record news story The city of Bath will celebrate Earth Day on Sunday by banning single-use plastic bags and polystyrene containers. The ordinance was approved by the city council in November 2017 with almost zero opposition. The long interim period between passage and the ordinance going into effect… Continue Reading
