Environmental Happenings
F.W. Horch hours: Mon by appointment, Tue-Sat 9:30-6, Sun Closed.
Don't Forget to Vote!
Election day is November 2. As usual, there will be state bond issues.
Question 3 on your ballot asks, "Do you favor a $9,750,000 bond issue to invest in land conservation and working waterfront preservation and to preserve state parks to be matched by $9,250,000 in federal and other funds?"
For the full gory details of how this money would be used, you can read Part J of Maine Public Law Chapter 645. In short, $9.25 million would go to the Land for Maine's Future Board to leverage $9.25 million in other funds; $0.5 million would go to the Bureau of Parks and Lands to preserve state parks and properties managed by the Department of Conservation.
Local Events
Wednesday, October 13 - Climate Change: Perspectives and Realities, Surprises and Opportunities, 7 pm, Kresge Auditorium, Visual Arts Center, Bowdoin College, Brunswick. Dr. Paul Mayewski, Director & Professor at the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine Orono, is a world-renowned glaciologist and climatologist. He will discuss his research findings from around the globe including Greenland, Antarctica, the Himalayas, Tibet, and Tierra del Fuego. Dr. Mayewski's research has documented abrupt changes in the world's atmosphere, produced naturally and by human activity. He has been honored with numerous international scientific awards, published more than 300 papers and led more than 50 expeditions to remote regions. This lecture is sponsored by Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, and co-sponsored by Bowdoin's Arctic Studies and Environmental Studies Programs.
Thursday, October 14 - Designing and Building a Photovoltaic Powered Solar Hot Water System with Internet Enabled Energy Monitoring, 7 - 8:30 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Join us for our next Sustainable Living Talk. This month we invite Phil Shelton to explain his "Zero Net Energy" solar hot water heating system. Phil asks, "Why add to your electric bill when you can power your solar hot water pumps from the sun too?" Come find out how you can use a solar photovoltaic-powered pump on an evacuated tube solar hot water system, and how to design and install a monitoring system that provides a more accurate measure of the hot water actually being delivered for use. Free and open to the public. Space is limited; please call us at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.
Friday, October 15 - A National Ocean Policy: Moving Ocean Management into the 21st Century, 7:30 pm, Kresge Auditorium, Visual Arts Center, Bowdoin College, Brunswick. The way in which the United States manages its marine resources is undergoing major changes. The new National Ocean Policy recently unveiled by the Obama Administration could have significant implications for many stakeholders and for the health of marine ecosystems. The Bowdoin College Coastal Studies Center is hosting a symposium October 15-16, 2010, to examine the implications of these policy reforms. The symposium kicks off Friday, Oct. 15, at 5:30 p.m., with a reception and poster session in Morrell Lounge, Smith Union, followed by the keynote address by former Maine Congressman Tom Allen '67, co-founder of the House Oceans Caucus. The symposium continues 8 am - 6:30 pm, Saturday in Smith Auditorium, Sills Hall, with presentations by experts including 2005 MacArthur Fellow and Visiting Coastal Scholar Ted Ames, Island Institute President Phillip Conkling, University of Maine Professor of Marine Sciences and Economics Jim Wilson, and others. Registration is required; the events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Bowdoin College web site.
Sunday, October 17 - 3rd Annual Kennebunk Green Living Expo, Noon - 5 pm, Kennebunk High School, Kennebunk. Educational exhibits will include renewable energy companies, green builders, and organizations ranging from local farmers to the Maine Energy Education Program, Efficiency Maine and Borealis Breads. Local food, music. Solar, wind, geothermal exhibitors. Energy efficiency products, services & incentives. Green lifestyle companies: jewelry, clothing & more. Raffle to benefit Kennebunk High green projects. Free admission. Co-sponsored by Kennebunk High School’s eKo Club and the town of Kennebunk’s Energy Efficiency Committee. For more information, visit Kennebunk High School's eKo Club web site.
Wednesdays, October 20 to November 10 - Fishes and Loaves: A Study of the Covenant between Land and Sea, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, The Peace Center of Midcoast Maine, Midcoast Friends Meetinghouse, 77 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta. What if there were no fish? This question is at the center of a five-week program of study and reflection about how our oceans and fishing communities are being affected by environmental changes. "Using films and guest speakers, we will learn about the environmental changes currently taking place in the oceans and how these are impacting Maine fishing communities," explains Andy Burt, co-creator of the study and the local facilitator. The public is welcome to attend any or all of the Wednesday evening programs from 6:30 to 8:30 pm beginning on October 20 at the Midcoast Friends Meetinghouse in Damariscotta. The study, sponsored by The Peace Center of Midcoast Maine, concludes on Sunday, November 21 with a program and Chowder Supper from 4 to 6 pm. For more information about the program or dinner, please contact Andy Burt at 882-6848 or 380-5387.
Thursday, October 21 - Maine Gubernatorial Candidate Forum On Energy, The Environment, And A Sustainable Maine Economy, 6:30 - 9:00 pm, University of Southern Maine's Hannaford Hall, Portland. Maine environmental organizations will host a forum for citizens to hear our gubernatorial candidates discuss topics critical to Maine's future, including clean air and water, climate change and energy, wildlife and land conservation, and a sustainable economy. The event is free and open to the public. The event begins at 6:30 pm with coffee and dessert; the forum will begin at 7:30 pm. Susan Sharon of Maine Public Broadcasting will moderate. Hosted by Conservation Law Foundation, Environment Northeast, Maine Audubon, Maine Center For Economic Policy, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine. MOFGA and many other environmental groups in Maine are co-sponsoring the event. For more information, email Judy Berk at judy@nrcm.org or call 430-4103.
Sunday, October 24 - The Art of Local Food, 5 - 7 pm, Summit at Point Lookout, Ducktrap Mountain, Northport. Savor an autumn evening with neighbors who love Maine’s environment. The Art of Local Food supports the environmental work of the Natural Resources Council of Maine and showcases the culinary talents of Maine chefs. Appreciate their artful use of the catch of the day, locally-produced fruits, vegetables, cheeses and meats, and other Maine-made products. Enjoy a cash bar featuring Maine beers, wines, and spirits, live music by Tom Luther and Justin Walton, and a breathtaking view of Penobscot Bay as the moon rises. For $40, all of which supports NRCM’s work to protect Maine’s environment (and $20 of which is tax-deductible), what better way to celebrate Maine’s bounty? Space is limited. For reservations visit www.nrcm.org/artoflocalfood.asp or call Joyce Gracie at 430-0128.
Saturday, November 6 - Go Green Expo, 10 am - 4 pm, Mount Ararat High School, Topsham. Save the date for the 4th Annual Go Green Expo. You and your family and friends will discover how easy it is to make your home a green home. Find everything from hybrid cars, to alternative energy, to recycled building materials and consumer products and services. All with sustainable living in mind. New this year is a “Go Green Science Fair” featuring exhibits from area school students. There will be a food court, children’s activities and wonderful door prizes. Admission is free and there is plenty of free parking for all! For more information, visit the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber of Commerce web site.
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Local permaculture groups in Brunswick and Portland have several events planned. You can learn more about these groups and their events using the Meetup web service. Check them out at
Local permaculture groups in Brunswick and Portland have several events planned. You can learn more about these groups and their events using the Meetup web service. Check them out at
A transition town group is active in the greater Brunswick area. Find out more about them and their events at
For more news about Maine's environment, check out Maine Environmental News
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