Environmental Happenings

Thursday, July 9 - Electric Scooters Test Ride, 6 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Test ride an eGo electric scooters, then join Scoot USA for a discussion of fossil-fuel-free personal transportation options, including folding bikes. "Scoot to commute!" For more information, please call 729-4050. Free and open to the public.

Friday, July 10 to Sunday, July 12 - 21st Annual Maine Bike Rally, Fryeburg, Maine. The Maine Bike Rally is a much-beloved tradition that brings together hundreds of bicyclists from throughout the United States and Canada. The 2009 rally offers three days of road and off-road bike rides in beautiful western Maine and the Mount Washington Valley of New Hampshire for all levels of cyclists, plus a full weekend of family entertainment. For additional information, contact the Bicycle Coalition of Maine at (207) 623-4511 or email info@BikeMaine.org.

Tuesday, July 14 - Portland Greendrinks, 5:30 - 8 pm, Sebago Brewery, 48 Sanford Drive, Gorham Industrial Park, Gorham. Greendrinks brings together a lively mix of people from all walks of life: academics, NGOs, local businesses and government agencies. The goal is to create an organic, self-organizing network where everyone is welcome. It's a great way to catch up with people you already know, as well as an opportunity to meet new people and make new connections. The July Greendrinks event is co-sponsored by the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Association (MeVLA) and the Sebago Brewing Company. While the two don't have much in common, they both keep the environment at the top of their respective lists of priorities when doing business. For more information, visit www.PortlandGreenDrinks.com/greendrinks

Tuesday, July 14 - Transition Town Brunswick meeting, 7 pm, Morrell Meeting Room, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Transition Town Brunswick will be screening a filmed presentation by activist and author, Guy Dauncey, entitled "The Great Energy Revolution: Practical Solutions to the Climate Crisis and Peak Oil", taken during his keynote speech at the Climate Change Town Hall Conference in Grass Valley, California. "[Be] inspired to implement some of these ideas here in the Brunswick area so we can start the essential and exciting process of transitioning away from fossil fuels," writes Amory Weld, organizer of the event.

Saturday, July 18 - Birding at Moosehead Lake, 7:30 am, North Woods Outfitters, Greenville. Join Bob Duchesne, author of Maine Birding Trail, and Lisa Pohlmann, NRCM's deputy director, to explore a variety of habitats that create some of the best bird diversity in the state. Boreal Chickadees, Gray Jays, Spruce Grouse, and a variety of warblers, thrushes, and other songbirds more common to the boreal forest of Canada draw bird enthusiasts to Maine from far and wide. If you have questions about this trip, please feel free to contact Beth Dimond at beth@nrcm.org or (207) 430-0106.

Saturday, July 18 - Maine Animal Coalition's Fifth Annual Vegetarian Food Festival, 11am to 3 pm, East End Community School, 195 North Street, Portland. A half day of vegan food samples, exhibitors, workshops, cooking demos, kids activities, a raffle and more! For more information contact the Festival Chair: Angela M Bell, 207-409-3917, maineanimalcoalition@myfairpoint.net

Sunday, July 19 - Cultivating Community's Boyd Street Bash, Noon to 2 pm, Boyd Street Urban Farm, Boyd Street @ East Oxford Street, East Bayside Neighborhood, Portland. Beginning in 2004, Cultivating Community took an underused and contaminated land in the City of Portland's park bank and began to nurture it back to ecological health. Celebrate the community and the garden with a delicious sampling of food with ingredients straight from the garden, a showcase of green and low-impact technologies for your home and garden, Japanese Taiko Drumming and other music to serenade you, children's activities including "mud buddies" and face painting, and a tour of our planting beds, orchard, and community garden plots.

Saturday, July 25 - Eighth Annual Maine Lobster Ride & Roll, Rockland District High School, 400 Broadway, Rockland. The state’s most scenic and tastiest bicycle ride follows country roads and the rock-bound coast. The fully supported ride includes four distance options: 16, 30, 50 or 100 miles. Cyclists can look forward to a freshly made lobster roll lunch (tuna and veggie options available) and live Tour de France coverage at the end. The Maine Lobster Ride & Roll supports the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s safety and education programs. For more information, please visit www.BikeMaine.org/lobsterride or call (207) 623-4511. Fees will be announced on the website.