Our mudroom at home is full of sandals and swimsuits, but it won't be long before boots and parkas reappear. Wouldn't it be great to capture the delicious warmth of July and August to keep toasty during the heating season?
Now you can! Replace #2 heating oil with domestically-grown "biofuel." Please join us tomorrow, at 7 pm on Thursday, August 9, for our next Sustainable Living Talk: "Biofuel for Clean Energy Independence".
Read on for more about that and other happenings in the world of sustainable living.
Warmly,
Fred Horch, Founder
Biofuel for Clean Energy Independence
Join us for "Biofuel for Clean Energy Independence", our next Sustainable Living Talk from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on Thursday, August 9th.
Learn how biofuel -- which can be produced from any plant or animal fat or oil source -- can be used in place of fossil fuel for heating oil and diesel fuel.
"Biofuel is an intelligent solution to the energy security and environmental issues facing our nation today," says speaker Joel Glatz, co-owner of Frontier Energy of South China, Maine.
Joel is nationally known as a speaker and consultant in the area of biofuels. His brother, Garry Glatz, is the owner of Independence Fuel, which delivers BioDiesel and BioHeat(tm) blends throughout the midcoast region including Bath / Brunswick, and south to Kennebunk.
Our Sustainable Living Talks are on the second Thursday of each month at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick.
News from Energyworks
Join us next month, Thursday, September 13, for a talk by Fortunat Mueller of Energyworks South here at the FW Horch store in Brunswick. These talks are a great way to find out about the latest renewable energy technology being used here in Maine, as well as to network with people who share your interests. Whether you are a complete novice or an old pro, I encourage you to attend. Check out next month's edition of Green Tidings for more details about the topics to be covered.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or projects, call Energyworks North (in Liberty, Maine) at 1-877-enworks or Energyworks South (in Portland, Maine) at 221-6342. Or visit their web site at www.enworks.net.
Product News
We finally have metal compost pails back in stock. One of our most popular items, these are a stylish metal pail that makes it easy to collect and carry out compost scraps. We are also very excited to be working with local potter Cicy Po, who has designed beautiful and functional hand-made ceramic compost crocks. Produced here in Brunswick, these are truly works of art yet remain eminently practical!
Dryer balls are another product we've had a hard time keeping in stock. Pop a couple in your dryer to reduce drying time and eliminate the need for disposable dryer sheets. A simple, practical way to save energy and reduce waste.
One final item to mention on the theme of keeping things in stock, we now have a good amount of bulk cleaning supplies on hand. My sincere apologies to anyone who was inconvenienced last month when we ran out of bulk laundry detergent. It's wonderful to see so many customers have embraced the idea of bringing back plastic bottles for refills. You can save money and save the planet. We're ready for you now!
Besides keeping up with demand for existing products, we have been busy evaluating and bringing in new products. We now have a number of camping and emergency preparedness products. Whether it's battery-free flashlights, super-efficient head lamps, or portable water purification, we can help you responsibly enjoy (and survive) the great outdoors.
Welcome Hillary Shende!
We are delighted to announce that Hillary Shende has joined our staff! A Brunswick resident, Hillary will be handling customer service and special orders, bringing her superb calm competence to bear on our controlled chaos. Drop by to say hi to Hillary mornings during the week.
What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene
A subsidiary of National RE/sources, a real estate development company based in Connecticut, has proposed a $1.5 billion Twin River Energy Center to convert coal and wood biomass into fuel to fire a 700-megawatt electricity generator on the site of the former Maine Yankee nuclear power plant site in Wiscasset. In addition to electricity, the proposed plant also would produce a diesel-equivalent liquid fuel. The proposal has generated skepticism among Maine's environmental community, who point out that coal would need to travel long distances to the site, and that the proposed design would increase Maine's emissions of carbon dioxide, which is linked to global climate change.
The Brunswick local redevelopment authority (BLRA) is in charge of developing a reuse plan for the Brunswick Naval Air Station when it closes in 2011. They will be presenting two reuse plan alternatives for public review at "BRAC to the Future 2: Plan Alternatives" on Thursday, September 6 from 7 - 9 pm at the Old Brunswick High School, 44 McKeen Street. For more information, visit the BLRA web site.
On Monday, August 6, the Bath railroad station re-opened for passenger service as part of Maine Eastern Railroad's Brunswick to Rockland route. In the Department of Transportation's 2008-09 budget, a combined $1 million is earmarked for the state-owned Rockland branch rail line infrastructure and its connection points in Bath and Rockland. Capital investments have also been set aside to prepare the tracks between Portland and Brunswick for passenger service.
