Over 100 Maine farmers and landowners are developing 120-plus mw of community wind – that’s enough power for 39,000 homes. Community wind and landowners especially in the farming and forestry communities have a natural connection. This showcases Maine farmers’ ingenuity and leadership in not only providing food for our tables, but also stably-priced, home-grown electricity.…
By Dan Kolbert, Guest Columnist For the past two years, Maine Green Building Supply in Portland has hosted a monthly Building Science discussion group. As the moderator of the group, I try to come up with questions and ideas that will spur a conversation on the topic of the month. One goal that underlies almost…
By Lynn Ascrizzi In only a few decades, “hydroponic” has become a household word. Today, commercially grown hydroponic tomatoes, greens and herbs are sold regularly at farmers’ markets and grocery stores in Maine, and elsewhere. One of the beauties of hydroponics is that the system enables fresh, local crop production, year-round. Scott Howard, owner and…
By David Homa, Guest Columnist On a good year, the home garden can grow from April to October in Maine. But often crops are lost to early fall or late spring frosts. These days, the climate is even more unpredictable with early snows and heavy rains. A great option to consider adding to your garden…
By Molly Gallagher Burk Summer in Maine means lots of time spent playing and lounging on our lush, grassy lawns; but all of that green grass can come with a price. The products we use on our lawns and gardens can run off into our waterways and be absorbed into our air. Lawn chemicals such…
Composting is a natural process that transforms discarded kitchen and yard waste into a nutrient rich soil additive for your garden. It’s easy to get started and you’ll be amazed at how much less waste you produce when you compost your kitchen and yard waste. What’s needed for a healthy compost pile? A healthy compost…
After more than 20 years as an interior designer, Jan Robinson recently opened EcoHome Studio; a showroom featuring eco-friendly and affordable furniture and home decor for the public. Jan has joined us this month to tell us all about the products and services she offers, and the many options for “greening” your home interior. …
University of Maine Cooperative Extension — Putting Knowledge to Work for the People of Maine University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Cumberland County is offering a Master Gardener Training Course to begin February 8, 2013. The 2013 training program will focus on ecological landscaping and herbaceous and take place on 15 consecutive Friday afternoons in Falmouth.…
Last month, the Environmental Working Group released their “2012 Guide to Healthy Cleaning,” safety ratings for over 2,000 cleaning products. The cleaning product categories included in this database are: Air Fresheners, All-Purpose, Bathroom, Dishwashing, Floor Care, Furniture, Kitchen, Laundry, and other. This latest guide joins the ranks with EWG’s “Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database,” “Shopper’s…
(AUGUSTA) – Efficiency Maine is accepting incentive applications from commercial, municipal and non-profit organizations across Maine for the second round of its Competitive Program. Under this program, Maine businesses are able to compete for a portion of $2.5 million to fund large electrical energy efficiency and distributed generation projects. Funding for projects ranges from $100,000…