What’s in the SunriseGuide?

Come for the coupons, but stay for the content.
Part handbook, part coupon book, the SunriseGuide is a resource for learning about, supporting and living in a healthy and sustainable way in southern and coastal Maine.

Content
The SunriseGuide is divided into 6 easy-to-read and informative chapters, plus a special section on weatherization and efficiency.

Food & Dining

Food production has a huge impact on the health of our environment, from the overuse of pesticides and chemical fertilizers (that degrade soil quality and can run off into our lakes and streams) to the petroleum that is burned in food processing and transportation, releasing harmful greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere and the air we breathe. There are choices we can make to support healthier food production with a reduced impact on the environment.

Food & Dining chapter In this Chapter:

  • Fresh local foods
  • Greening groceries & restaurants
  • Farmers’ markets
  • Making sourdough
  • Top produce to buy organic
  • Cooking classes
  • Agricultural fairs
  • Food preserving resources

Home & Garden

We spend half of our lives or more in our homes. And, our home life habits have a large impact – for better or worse – on our health, the health of our families, and the health of our environment.

Home & Garden chapterIn this Chapter:

  • Houseplants clean the air
  • Make your own cleaners
  • Japanese beetle trap
  • Protecting coastal waters
  • Master the art of gardening
  • Heat from the earth
  • Sunny news for Maine
  • Wood pellet heating
  • Green building resources

Special Section: Weatherization & Efficiency

The thought of weatherizing your home can be overwhelming, but there are some easy low-cost things you can do right now that can make a difference for your emissions and your wallet. For the more ambitious, there are lots of local resources for professional assessment and monetary incentives.

Weatherization & Efficiency chapterIn this Chapter:

  • The first step–assessment
  • Make your own draft stopper
  • Low-cost energy savers
  • Financing efficiency upgrades
  • Weatherization myths & facts
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Health & Outdoor Living

We are fortunate to live in a state with incredible resources for getting outside year-round. Whether your activity of choice is walking, biking kayaking, hiking, fishing, swimming, birding, snow shoeing, ice skating, or skiing, chances are there is a place to enjoy that activity nearby.

Health & Outdoor Living chapterIn this Chapter:

  • Have a picnic
  • Healing with reflexology
  • Hiking coastal trails
  • X-country skiing resources
  • Make your own energy drink
  • Girl talk: healthier, greener feminine products
  • Proper pharmaceutical disposal

Travel & Transportation

Cars and trucks are the biggest sources of air pollution in Maine, and since every gallon of gasoline burned releases 20 lbs of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, driving probably produces more greenhouse gas than anything else you do! We need to get around, so what can we do?

Travel & Transportation chapterIn this Chapter:

  • Getting around in Maine
  • Use public transportation
  • Cleaner driving habits
  • How do I get there by bike?
  • How to change a bicycle tire
  • Exploring Vacationland
  • Maine’s green-certified lodging

Style & Personal Care

Like food production, there is a direct connection between what we wear and the health of our earth. From the pesticides we use to grow cotton and other natural fibers, to the chemicals used to color and treat fabrics, what we wear has a huge impact on the environment.

Style & Personal Care chapterIn this Chapter:

  • Natural skin care
  • Upcycling
  • DIY: Give new life to an old sweater: make mittens!
  •  Join the donate movement
  • Safe and environmentally friendly toys
  • Repair and renew: cobblers and tailors

Community & Culture

Our connection with our community is an important part of living in a healthy and sustainable way, and the opportunities to cultivate it are endless. Whether it’s participating in your neighborhood association, volunteering for your local school, or helping to develop trails and safe outdoor recreation resources, engaging in community introduces us to people we might not otherwise meet and adds depth to our lives.

Community & Culture chapterIn this Chapter:

  • Rediscover your local library
  • Maine’s green economy
  • Green MBAs and sustainable business programs
  • Green apps
  • Cohousing and sustainable communities
  • Coworking to create community, share resources
  • Recommended reading
  • DIY: Make your own clay
  • Art walks