Local Environmental Scene -- What's Happening

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Monday, March 3 -- The Brunswick Town Council may consider taking action on its Cool Community Pledge to reduce global warming emissions. If you feel that Brunswick should develop a plan to reduce its carbon footprint, contact your Councilor or come to Monday's council meeting to express your opinion. Public support is critical to convince our Town's elected officials and professional staff to take meaningful action!

Tuesday, March 4 -- Environmental Health Lobby Day at the statehouse in Augusta, hosted by The Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine. For more information, visit www.cleanandhealthyme.org

Saturday, March 15 -- Spring Growth 2008, 9am to 4:30pm at MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center, Unity, Maine. A full day focusing on energy, agriculture and climate, featuring what to expect for Maine’s climate in the future and breakout sessions on energy efficiency and renewables. Keynote Speaker: Tim LaSalle, Director, Rodale Institute. For more information, visit www.MOFGA.org

Wednesday, March 19 -- 2008 Maine Water Conference, 7:30am-4:00pm, Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, Maine. The Maine Water Conference was founded in 1994 by the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research at the University of Maine as an annual forum for water resource professionals, researchers, consultants, citizens, students, regulators, and planners to exchange information and present new findings on water resource issues in Maine. For more information, visit www.umaine.edu/waterresearch/mwc/

Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22 -- F.W. Horch's first annual Spring Green Sale. Here's your chance to buy green and save some green! Save on all close-outs and overstock items, and get a sneak peek at the new products we'll be bringing in for the spring and summer. 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. 729-4050.

Saturday, March 22 -- Bicycle Film and Auction Fundraiser, 11am - 1pm, Eveningstar Cinema. To raise funds for the upcoming Brunswick Bike Fair, the Brunswick Sustainability Group is screening the film Return of the Scorcher and holding a silent auction. This half-hour documentary looks at bike culture and bike lifestyles around the world, with beautiful and inspiring scenes of bike use filmed in China, The Netherlands, Denmark, and the U.S. After the film screening, we will be auctioning entertainment items, including movie tickets from the Eveningstar Cinema, sustainable living goods from FW Horch, landscaping design services, gift certificates from area restaurants, and more!

Wednesday, March 26 -- Vanessa Levesque, the Natural Resources Planner for the Town of Brunswick, is looking for 30 volunteers to help with a mapping survey of vernal pools in the Brunswick area this spring. The data will be key in planning – both to help plan development that is near these features and to help target conservation efforts to high priority areas. There will be a two hour training session for volunteers on Wed. March 26th in the early evening (most likely starting at 6pm), food provided. If you’re interested, please email Vanessa at vlevesque@brunswickme.org.

Thursday, April 3 -- The Governor's Energy Efficiency Summit: Revitalizing Maine's Business and Energy Climate, in the Augusta Civic Center, Augusta. For more information, visit www.maine.gov/governor/baldacci/policy/EnergySummit.html

Saturday April 26 -- Brunswick Bike Fair, 11 am - 2 pm, Downtown Mall. The Brunswick Sustainability Group invites you to take part in a Bike Fair in Brunswick. The goals of the Bike Fair are to encourage attendees to view bicycling as a viable means of transportation in and around our community, to motivate people to get on their bikes, and to celebrate current bikers. Our hope is that the fair, through gear and safety demonstrations, group rides, and information by a number of organizations, will motivate people to view and ride bicycles as more than just a form of exercise but as an effective and efficient form of transportation. BSG Bike Events Contact: Maggie Soulman, ecosquirrel@hotmail.com, 617.512-0437.