Katrina Venhuizen, Senior Environmental Educator, ecomaine You’ve reduced, re-used and recycled everything you can, carefully following the guidelines for what can and cannot be recycled by your city or town. But perhaps you still feel guilty about throwing something away. Or maybe you accidently put something in the recycling bin hoping it was recyclable but…
Maine offers a wealth of green retirement options By Andrea Lani Maine’s retirement-age community is robust and growing, with a quarter of the population aged 60 years and older and around 5,700 people 55 and older moving to the state in 2016, according to the US Census Bureau’s most recent data. As Baby Boomers enter…
An opportunity for Maine and beyond By Thomas Abello FOR NEARLY THREE DECADES, The Nature Conservancy’s home in Maine has been leased space in the Fort Andross mill complex along the shores of the Androscoggin River. In the fall of 2016, Conservancy staff conducted an extensive review of options to lease or build new office space…
By Amy Paradysz Matthew Brown is a financial planner as well as a home brewer. But not just any home brewer. Brown is so invested in his craft that the Maine Brew Bus made a stop at his house in Portland’s Back Cove so customers could visit his basement brewing operation during Portland Beer Week.…
Have some household items you are done with but that aren’t yet at the end of their lives? Consignment and thrift shops are a great place to turn to with gently used clothing and accessories, plus some household items. And you can donate many goods to nonprofits like Goodwill, Salvation Army, Preble Street Resource Center…
By Wes Covey Good news in the fashion industry: green is in, not only as a color but as a way of thinking as well. That’s right, fashion is making a shift toward sustainability. The fashion industry is one of the five biggest contributors to global pollution. The average garment goes through 101 steps before…
If you’ve yet to discover the Portland Gear Hub, you’re in for a treat. From being one of the region’s best sources for finding gently used and affordable outdoor gear, to providing all of the tools and coaching you need to fix your own bike under the guidance of experienced bike mechanics, the Gear Hub…
Roughly 40% of the food produced for human consumption in the United States is wasted annually. To put this into perspective, imagine buying a bag of ten apples and throwing 4 of them straight into the garbage. Now imagine doing that with 40% of everything (follow this link for more information on food waste in…
By Ryan Parker Many a Mainer still remembers the grandmotherly advice against wasting food. Yet in this day-and-age, that sage advice too often goes unheeded. Roughly 40% of the food produced for human consumption in the United States is wasted annually. To put this into perspective, imagine buying a bag of ten apples and throwing…
WE’VE HEARD by now of the dangers of BPA and other toxic chemicals leaching from plastics and into our food—not to mention all that waste that is produced from plastic bags, bottles, packaging and more. Chances are, you’ve taken some steps, such as replacing plastic water bottles with metal or glass, to reduce your use…