Environmental Happenings

Fri, 9/30 - Wild Plants of Maine taste test, 5 pm, Shift Sustainable Home Goods, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick.  Interested in wild edibles? Join Tom Seymour, author of Wild Plants of Maine, for a free talk at Shift in Brunswick (formerly F.W. Horch).  Taste testing will be a part of the evening, too!  For more information, call 729-4050.

Fri, 9/30 - Multimedia Presentation of Alaska Wilderness, 7:30 pm, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 100 Main Street, Kennebunk (next to the Kennebunk Public Library).  Emmy-award winning filmmaker Richard Kahn has spent the last twelve summers paddling through wilderness on rivers in the Brooks Mountain Range and North Slope of Northwestern Alaska.  On Friday, Richard will share a multimedia presentation of his travels in the wild, undeveloped, unprotected, and threatened wilderness of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.  The presentation will be accompanied by music from composer John Luther Adams, and the record company, Cold Blue.

Fri, 9/30 & Sat, 10/1 - Volunteer for New England Cottontail Rabbits, 9 am - 12 pm, parking lot for Crescent Beach in Kittery, Maine, on Sea Point Road.  The Wildlife Volunteer Corps has teamed up with Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge to restore habitat for endangered New England cottontails for years.  Come help make sure these rare bunnies survive.  RSVP online at action.defenders.org.

Sat, 10/1 - 2011 National Solar Tour.  Homes and businesses throughout the nation will welcome visitors to tour their sites and see how they use solar energy. Many sites in Maine will participate on this national tour date -- see list under September's sustainable living tip.

Sat, 10/1 - Apple Day, 10 am - 2 pm, Gilsland Farm, Falmouth.  Join Maine Audubon for a day celebrating fall and Maine wildlife.  Enjoy cider pressing, children's activities, live music by folk musicians The Sea Slugs, delicious and healthy food, face painting, a wildlife exhibit table, and a nature scavenger hunt.  At 10:30 am, children's local author and illustrator Cathryn Falwell (author of Pond Babies, Splash, and Mystery Vine) will present a reading and activities from her new book Gobble, Gobble; and at 11:30am, Ed Morgan a.k.a. The Music Man from the Children's Garden will perform original and classic singlaongs for children ages 1-99.  For more information, visit habitat.maineaudubon.org

Sat, 10/1 - Paddle on the Sheepscot Bog, 10 am - 12:30 pm, Palermo.  Join the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association and the Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance for a paddle on the Sheepscot Bog.  The bog, accessible from the southeast corner of Sheepscot Pond, is actually a mosaic of many diverse wetland types encompassing 1,300 acres; its exemplary peatland ecosystem is unique in the watershed. The group will paddle into the bog’s remote and quiet interior, which includes a large kettle pond, by way of Deadwater Slough.  This event is free to the public. Participants should bring their own kayak or canoe. For specific directions to the put-in site, contact SVCA at 586-5616, or email svca@sheepscot.org.

Tue, 10/4 - Maine Wind Industry Initiative Business Networking and Reception, 5:30 pm, Maine Maritime Museum, Bath.  A wine and cheese reception sponsored by Tetra Tech, followed by a wind industry update by Angus King and business to business networking.  Learn from Paul Williamson about recent activities to market Maine capabilities that are bringing opportunities and investment to Maine.  Also view the new Maine Maritime Museum exhibit Aloft!: Topsails to Turbines; August 19-November 27; an exhibit exploring the wind driven economy of Maine, past to future. Please RSVP to pw@mainewindindustry.com

Fri, 10/7 - The Fruits and Fruit Trees of Monticello, Thomas Jefferson and the Origins of American Horticulture, 4 pm, Woodlawn Museum, Route 172 (Surry Road), Ellsworth.  Peter Hatch, director of grounds and gardens at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, will be present for a book signing at 4 pm, and a talk at 5 pm, followed by a question and answer session.  Hatch’s presentation is part of Downeast Heirloom Apple Week. From October 1-9, the Downeast Food Heritage Collaborative, a partnership between the College of the Atlantic, Woodlawn and Healthy Acadia, supported by a grant from the Hancock County Fund at the Maine Community Foundation,  will feature a series of activities aimed at educating people about Maine’s rich apple history including talks by national experts, school programs, a daylong apple festival on October 8, and an apple pie contest during the Woodlawn Farmers' Market on October 9.  For more information on Downeast Heirloom Apple Week, visit woodlawnmuseum.org or call 667-8671.

Fri, Sat and Sun, 10/7, 8 and 9 and/or 10/14, 15 and 16 - PV Workshop Series, 17 Rockwell Rd, SE, Jonesport.  Each weekend begins on Friday evening with a free lecture, from 7 to 9 pm, and includes hands-on workshops Saturday & Sunday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.  Program: PV and How to Start a PV "Cottage Industry", Friday, 7 pm, a free lecture by Dr. Richard Komp.  PV Assembly Workshop: participants will experience the complete PV assembly and encapsulation process. Saturday Oct. 15: Special Solar Air Heater Workshop. Rebuild two solar air heater collectors in a solar home; learn solar heater design principles.  Fees: one weekend for $150; both weekend sessions $275; one day  $80. For more information, call 207.546-1639, 516.669-2442, or 207.497-2204 by September 30.

Fri, 10/14 - Chemicals, Obesity and Diabetes: How Science Leads Us To Action, 8:30 am - 5 pm, Colby College, Waterville.  The Environmental Health Strategy Center, in partnership with the Goldfarb Center at Colby College, will bring together national and state scientific and public health scholars, practitioners, and advocates, as well as national and state policy-makers, faculty and students to explore two questions about chemical "obesogens": 1) What is the current state of the science that links chemical exposures to obesity, diabetes and other diseases? 2) What public health policy actions are appropriate based on the current  evidence? For more information, visit www.PreventHarm.org. Registration fee: $50 (includes lunch).

Mon, 10/17 - 2011 Fall Beginner Beekeeping School, 5 consecutive Monday evenings, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, UMaine Regional Learning Center, 75 Clearwater Drive, Falmouth. Over 500 new beekeepers have been trained in this course offered by UMaine Cooperative Extension since 1992.  For more information, please see the schedule and the registration form online at

http://umaine.edu/cumberland/programs/2011-fall-beginner-beekeeping-course/

If you are interested in participating in the course, please return the form with a check for $80.00 (made payable to CCEA). The fee is for an individual or couple and covers the cost of the textbook, a bee disease publication, beekeepers reference notebook and other materials. Please return the registration form before October 12, 2011. The course is limited to 46 registrants.  Enrollment is done on a first-come, first-serve basis.  This course always fills up fast.  Registrations may also be taken over the phone by calling 1-800-287-1471 and using a credit card.

Sun, 10/23 - The Great Maine Apple Day, noon to 4 pm rain or shine, Common Ground Education Center, 294 Crosby Brook Rd, Unity.  Celebrate the history, flavor and tradition of Maine apples.  Educational workshops and talks: apple art, cooking with old time apple recipes, Maine's rich apple history, wine and cider making, organic tree care, see & taste rare & heirloom apples, bring your own varieties to show and taste, identifying your mystery variety -- our Dream Team of Maine apple identifiers will help you identify your apples. Apples, apple products, home-made goodies, cheeses and other local products.  Apple pie contest: bring your apple pie to share! Tasting will be at 3:30 pm.  Sponsored by MOFGA, Fedco, and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.  Admission $4, $2 for members of MOFGA & Maine Pomological Society.  For more information, visit www.mofga.org

Tue, 10/25 - Birds Lecture, 6:30 pm, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham.  Find out about the birds we can expect to see this winter as Stantec biologists tell us about the migration of some of our favorite avian friends. Where do they go when they are not here, and what brings them back year after year. Learn about some truly amazing journeys and discover a new appreciation for the songbirds we take for granted in our own backyards.  For more information, contact the Cathance River Education Alliance at 798-1913 or crea@creamaine.org

Sun, 10/30 - The Art of Local Food, 4:30 to 6:30 pm, The Summit at Point Lookout, Northport.  Come savor the best that Maine has to offer: wonderful local foods and drinks, Maine-inspired artwork, live music, and a breathtaking view of Penobscot Bay at NRCM's 3rd annual Art of Local Food event.  Dozens of local restaurants, farms, bakeries, and other culinary professionals will be creating the finest appetizers, nibbles, and desserts. This year, NRCM will also hold an Art of Local Food Art Sale. 50 Maine artists have contributed artworks inspired by the beauty of Maine for sale the night of the event. A cash bar will feature an assorted of Maine beers, wines, and liquors. Enjoy live music provided by Tom Luther on piano and Justin Walton on guitar.  Tickets are $40 per person, all of which supports NRCM’s work to protect Maine’s environment ($20 of each ticket purchase is tax-deductible).  For more information, contact 

Joyce Gracie at (207) 430-0128 or jgracie@nrcm.org.

Environmental Happenings

Fri 5/13 - All Species Parade, 4 pm, downtown Maine Street, Brunswick. Come in costume or mask, help carry the puppets ~ only three rules apply: no live animals, no motorized vehicles and no banners or messages. Brought to you by Spindleworks and Arts Are Elementary.

Sat 5/14 - Wolfe's Neck Farm Spring Festival, 10 am - 2 pm, 134 Burnett Road, Freeport. Enjoy food, music, games, demonstrations and learning activities in a country setting. Explore the trails and gardens, interact with the animals, learn about seeds and plants, and try your hand at fiber arts. Come watch for newborn lambs and get up close to a Belted Galloway cow. For younger children, there will be craft activities, face painting, a hay pile and tractors to climb, as well as hayrides and fiddle music. Admission: $5/person or $20/family; Members attend free!

Sat 5/14 - International Migratory Bird Day, 10 am - 4 pm, Maine Audubon, Gilsland Farm, Falmouth. This day-long event celebrates the migratory birds that are making their way north for the summer. 10-11 am: Live Raptors Demonstration $15/$10 for adults, $10/$5 for children - advance registration is required. Noon - 2 pm: Piping plover and Least Tern Protection Seminar - FREE. Noon - 2 pm: Have a Blast with Birds - Kids will be blown away by this fun series of bird-related games and activities. FREE. 2:30 - 4 pm: Backyard Birding Basics - This crash course covers identification, habitat concepts, and how to make your backyard more bird-friendly. $10/$15; advance registration is required. For details, visit the Maine Audubon web site.

Mon 5/16 to Fri 5/20 - Commute Another Way Week. Since 1995, this annual event has challenged hundreds of employers and thousands of commuters throughout Maine to show their support for sustainable transportation options. There are all kinds of ways to go green with your daily commute in Maine: carpooling, public transit (bus, ferry, rail), bicycling, and walking are just a few!

Wed 5/18 - Sustainability through Innovation: A New Perspective, 7:30 am - 12 pm, Hilton Garden Inn, Freeport. Have you ever wondered how to protect your online business image? Or your innovative ideas? Or what to do to reinvent yourself when the economy heads south to keep your business afloat or even expand it? Or what concrete steps you can take to become more innovative and expand your bottom line? If so, please join Maine Businesses for Sustainability for their spring workshop. MBS Members $40
Non Members $60. For more information, contact MBS at 338-8908 or info@MaineBusinessesforSustainability.org.

Wed 5/18 - Brett Thompson, "From the Ground Up: Soils", 6:45 pm, Community Room, Patten Free Library, Bath. Part of a six-week series for beginner gardeners, featuring Master Gardeners from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension as instructors. To register for an individual session or for the entire series, please call Patten Free Library at 443-5141 x12, or sign up in person at the reference desk. This program is free and open to the public.

Thu 5/19 - Compost and Soil Management, 5:30 - 6:30 pm, Cumberland County. Eric Sideman, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association's Organic Crops Specialist, will lead the workshop with about 30 minutes of presentation and time for open questions/discussion afterward. This will be an outside event at the home of a MOFGA member, with a rain date of June 2. There is limited space in the backyard; to secure yourself a spot and get directions email mofgacc@gmail.com.

Fri 5/20 to Sun 5/22 - Northeast Livestock Expo 2011, Windsor Fairgrounds. The Maine Beef Producers, The Maine Sheep Breeders Association and the Boer Goat Breeders of Maine have again joined together to present the annual Northeast Livestock Expo. MOFGA is sponsoring this event along with many other organizations working to promote successful livestock production in Maine. The livestock expo draws beef cattle, sheep, boer goats, rabbits, equine and alpaca for shows, youth events and auctions. See the schedule of events. Volunteers are needed. For general information about the Northeast Livestock Expo, contact Kim MacKay by phone at 207-453-7890 or by email at cnkangus@roadrunner.com.

Sat 5/21 - Annual Plant Sale, 9 am - 1 pm, Wolfe's Neck Farm, Freeport. As soon as the soil thaws, you can start digging up those perennial clumps that need to be divided. 'Tis a perfect time because the roots love the cool soil. If you don't want to re-plant all of those clumps, the Wolfe's Neck Plant Sale would appreciate any extras! Pot them up, water them well, and either drop them off on the Farm's front lawn on Friday May 20th, or call Linda at 865-6916 to arrange for early drop-off. Volunteers gladly welcome!

Sat 5/21 - Animal Tracks and Tracking, 10:30 am, D.A. Hurd Library, North Berwick. Learn the skills of a tracker, how to observe and record wildlife, and make plaster casts of their foot tracks. Each participant will make and keep a plaster cast. Taught by Jocelyn Hubbell, Cornerstones of Science Executive Director and former park ranger/naturalist. Parents are encouraged to attend this family-centered program; children age 7 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited, so please pre-register by calling the D.A. Hurd Library at 676-2215.

Tue 5/24 - Preserving the Harvest: Hands-on Food Preservation, 5:30 – 8:30 pm, UMaine Regional Learning Center, Tidewater Farm, Falmouth. Ever wonder how to preserve all those great garden vegetables? This hands-on food preservation workshop will teach you the basic steps for canning and freezing. Workshop leaders will be Kate McCarty. Bring a pot holder to class. Cost: $10. For more information, contact Lois Elwell at 780-4205 or lelewell@maine.edu.

Wed 5/25 - Wallace Pinfold, "Landscaping: Garden Design", 6:45 pm, Community Room, Patten Free Library, Bath. Part of a six-week series for beginner gardeners, featuring Master Gardeners from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension as instructors. To register for an individual session or for the entire series, please call Patten Free Library at 443-5141 x12, or sign up in person at the reference desk. This program is free and open to the public.

Tue 5/31 - Vernal Pools, 6:30 - 8 pm, Topsham Public Library. Vernal pools are center stage this time of year, and this talk explains what they are, why they are important, and what people are studying in the vernal pool on the Cathance Preserve in Topsham. Join Amanda Shearin, Ph.D. Candidate from the Ecology and Environmental Sciences department of the University of Maine as she discusses how to identify common vernal pool amphibians and invertebrates, what makes a vernal pool ‘significant’ at the state level, and the larger ecological role of vernal pools. FREE and open to the public.

Tue 5/31 - Fish Friendly Turbines? 7 pm, Morrell Meeting Room, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay for a talk by Alexander Gorlov on the topic of fish friendly turbines. For more information, contact Ed Friedman at 666-3372 or edfomb@comcast.net.

Sat 6/4 - Linton Studdiford, "Growing Vegetables", 10:30 am, Community Room, Patten Free Library, Bath. Part of a six-week series for beginner gardeners, featuring Master Gardeners from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension as instructors. To register for an individual session or for the entire series, please call Patten Free Library at 443-5141 x12, or sign up in person at the reference desk. This program is free and open to the public.

Sat 6/4 - Backyard Farmer Field Day, 11 am - 3 pm, Wolfe's Neck Farm, Freeport. In conjunction with Cumberland County Extension and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Wolfe's Neck Farm will offer workshops and demonstrations on how to make backyard farming projects successful. From fruit trees to ruminants to food preservation and beekeeping there'll be plenty of knowledge to gain from the pros.

Thu 6/9 - Vital Maine Communities Conference: Building Boom in a Recession, Lewiston. Sessions will help community leaders learn how preserving historic buildings is critical to a feasible downtown revitalization strategy, explore how to grow communities with compact development surrounded by rural open spaces, examine the new statewide building and energy code and discover the latest in green rehabilitation practices. For more information, contact Roxanne Eflin at the Maine Downtown Center 626-3117.

Fri 6/10 - Vital Maine Communities Conference: Making Maine's Downtowns Work, Skowhegan. The dynamic keynote speaker will be Kennedy Smith of the Washington, D.C. based Clue Group. Kennedy is the former director of the National Trust Main Street Center and is an internationally respected leader in asset-based downtown and community development. A dozen workshops will provide practical training with real solutions for Maine. For more information, contact Roxanne Eflin at the Maine Downtown Center 626-3117.

Sat 6/11 - Sally Ward, "Growing Annuals and Perennials", 10:30 am, Community Room, Patten Free Library, Bath. Part of a six-week series for beginner gardeners, featuring Master Gardeners from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension as instructors. To register for an individual session or for the entire series, please call Patten Free Library at 443-5141 x12, or sign up in person at the reference desk. This program is free and open to the public.

Sat 6/18 - Bernardo Feliciano, "Caring for Shrubs and Trees", 10:30 am, Community Room, Patten Free Library, Bath. Part of a six-week series for beginner gardeners, featuring Master Gardeners from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension as instructors. To register for an individual session or for the entire series, please call Patten Free Library at 443-5141 x12, or sign up in person at the reference desk. This program is free and open to the public.

Tue 6/21 - Active Communities Conference, "Walking, Biking, Physical Activity and the Built Environment," Bowdoin College Campus, Downtown Brunswick. The theme of this year's conference is "Linking Transportation, Economic Development, Health and People, to Improve the Quality of Maine Communities." The keynote speaker will be Mark Fenton, a renowned national expert on walking, biking, physical activity and the built environment. Brought to you by the Maine Department of Transportation, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Maine State Planning Office, Maine Department of Conservation, Maine Office of Community Development, Maine Office of Tourism, Maine Downtown Center, Bicycle Coalition of Maine, GrowSmart Maine, National Park Service, and the Maine Safe Routes to School Program. Agenda and registration information coming soon! Questions? Contact Dan Stewart at 624-3252 or dan.stewart@maine.gov.

Sat 6/25 - Bonnie Studdiford, "Culinary Herbs", 10:30 am, Community Room, Patten Free Library, Bath. Part of a six-week series for beginner gardeners, featuring Master Gardeners from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension as instructors. To register for an individual session or for the entire series, please call Patten Free Library at 443-5141 x12, or sign up in person at the reference desk. This program is free and open to the public.

Environmental Happenings

Mon 3/7 - Start Your Farm Business The Right Way: By Planning To Make A Profit!, 9 am to 4:30 pm, MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. Workshop led by Richard Wiswall, owner/operator of Cate Farm in Vermont, and author of The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook. Registration: $50, which includes lunch. Register online.

 

Tue 3/8 - Portland Greendrinks, 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Empire Dine and Dance, 575 Congress Street, Portland.  Portland Greendrinks is a monthly happy hour to connect people who care about the environment and sustainability.  The events are a great opportunity to relax, have a drink, and meet new people who care about environmental issues.  The Environmental Health Strategy Center will be the non-profit host for Greendrinks next week, at the door collecting a $2 donation from people who bring a mug and $5 from those who do not bring a mug.  Inside the event there will be a variety of free local beers and lots of great people to meet.  For more information, contact Rachelle at 699-5789 or rcurran@preventharm.org.

 

Wed 3/9 - Home Energy Efficiency Workshop, 6:30-7:30 pm, City of Bath Council Chambers, Bath. The Midcoast Council of Governments will conduct four workshops to educate homeowners on the financial benefits of making energy efficiency improvements and to provide guidance on easy, inexpensive and effective ways homeowners can improve their home's performance.  Energy auditors, building contractors, heating equipment contractors and other experts will be on hand before, during and after to answer your questions. Several home energy audit coupons worth $200 each will be given away at each workshop.  For more information, contact Jason Bird at 443-5790 or jbird@midcoastcog.org.

 

Thu 3/10 - Green Tea Breakfast, 7:30 - 9 am, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Portland.  What do the arts and sustainability have in common?  Find out at the next Green Tea Breakfast sponsored by The Sunrise Guide and Maine Businesses for Sustainability.  Jennifer Hutchins, executive director of Creative Portland Corporation and Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance, will present and lead a discussion on their vision for Maine, the LiveWorkPortland.org promotional campaign, and how small businesses can benefit from initiatives in the arts.  $8 MBS members and SunriseGuide advertisers, $15 all others.  Tasty treats provided by Coffee by Design and the Rosemont Market and Bakery.

 

Thu 3/10 - An Exploration of the World’s Most Amazing and Mysterious Fish, 7 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick.  Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay for a presentation featuring James Prosek, artist, author and activist who follows the incredible, ubiquitous and endangered eel from New Zealand to Maine, Japan and the Sargasso Sea.  Eels are our only catadromous fish species, spawning in the ocean and living in freshwater rivers for 15-50 years before attempting to out-migrate back to their spawning grounds in the Sargasso Sea.  For more information, call Jim Mason, Executive Coordinator, Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, at 619-1945 or fomb@comcast.net.

 

Sat 3/12 - Environmental Action 2011, 9 am - 5:30 pm, Bentley University, Waltham, MA.  The premier community activist conference in New England, Environmental Action 2011 will offer over 20 workshops, discussions, and panels, designed to help you prevent pollution, tackle climate change, ensure clean drinking water, protect open spaces and develop skills and strategies to create healthy and safe communities.  For more information, Visit www.MAEnvironmentalAction.org or call (617) 747-4362.

 

Wed 3/16 - Home Energy Efficiency Workshop, 6:30-7:30 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. The Midcoast Council of Governments will conduct four workshops to educate homeowners on the financial benefits of making energy efficiency improvements and to provide guidance on easy, inexpensive and effective ways homeowners can improve their home's performance.  Energy auditors, building contractors, heating equipment contractors and other experts will be on hand before, during and after to answer your questions. Several home energy audit coupons worth $200 each will be given away at each workshop.  For more information, contact Jason Bird at 443-5790 or jbird@midcoastcog.org.

 

Thu 3/17 - Kitchen Licensing Workshop, 6:30 - 9 pm, Houlton High School. Co-sponsored by MOFGA and Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District. For those interested in processing food at home for resale. Contact: SASWCD, 532-2097, Ext. 3, or angela.wotton@me.nacdnet.net.

 

Tue 3/22 - Ag Day at the Maine Legislature, Hall of Flags in the State House in Augusta. Approximately 20 agricultural organizations generally participate. MOFGA will have a table.

 

Tue 3/22 - The Future of Local Food, 6:30 pm - 7 pm, Freeport Community Center, Freeport.  John Piotti, Executive Director of Maine Farmland Trust, will provide a window into the world of local food, presenting about the struggle farmers have finding land, where local agriculture is headed, and how we all play a part.  Admission is $5.  For more information, contact the Wolfe's Neck Farm Education Coordinator at 865-4469.

 

Tue 3/22 - Backyard Composting, 6 - 8 pm, Belfast Free Library. Free presentation led by MOFGA's Organic Landcare Specialist C.J. Walke. Would you like to learn how to turn your food waste into a usable soil amendment for your yard or gardens? Have you tried composting but were not satisfied with the results? Join us for an hour-long presentation on composting in your backyard. Learn different ways to build your compost pile, what to use for materials, and how to cater to the microbes that make it all happen. The presentation will focus on home composting, but will also address different approaches for larger, farm-based composting systems. There will be plenty of time for discussion, questions and answers. The Belfast Free Library, the Belfast Coop and MOFGA are co-sponsoring the event.

 

Sat 3/26 - Maine Garden Day, 7:30 am - 3 pm, Lewiston High School, 156 East Avenue, Lewiston.  The 18th annual Maine Garden Day features workshops, educational displays, and a trade show.  $50.  Advance registration only!  Seating limited; first come, first served.  Register online.

 

Sat 3/26 - Organic Orcharding Workshop: Renovating Old Trees, 10 am - 2 pm, two locations: Swanville (on Mount Desert Island) and Palermo. This course is focused on pruning and feeding non-productive fruit trees in order to bring them back into fruitfulness. This workshop will be taught by Tree Warden Phil Norris in MDI and MOFGA's Organic Orchardist CJ Walke in Swanville, ME. Please bring pruning tools and a bag lunch with you. Fee $30. Pre-registration required.

 

Sun 3/27 - Seed Swap and Scion Exchange, noon - 4 pm, MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity.  The Maine Tree Crop Alliance, the Maine Seed Saving Network, Fedco and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association will host the eleventh annual combined Seed Swap and Scionwood Exchange. For gardeners and orchardists, it’s like the most wonderful flea market in the world. Not only that but most of the best stuff is free!  Please bring any seeds, scionwood, or cuttings you have to share freely with others. Last year scionwood from well over 100 fruit varieties was given away.  Labels and tape and markers will be supplied. On sale will be T-shirts, books, grafting supplies and rootstock.  Please note that this event, formerly held on Saturdays, is on SUNDAY this year.

 

Tue 3/29 - Green Homes Lecture Series: "Greening" Your Home Overview and Financing, 6 pm, ReVision Energy Showroom, 142 Presumpscot Street, Portland.  This is the start of a six-week lecture series designed to help homeowners make good, green decisions about their homes.  If you're considering a home renovation, an upgrade to your home's systems, or just want to learn more about greening your home, then this series is for you.  In this first session, Peter Taggart of Taggart Construction will provide an in-depth overview of "green" building: energy efficiency, occupant health and environmental impact.  Learn about available financing, incentives, tax rebates and how to manage your home's energy efficiency improvements or green renovation project like a pro.

 

Sat 4/9 - Exploring Faith and Sustainability in an Age of Climate Change, 9 am - 5 pm, Maple Hill Farm, Hallowell.  Maine Interfaith Power and Light and Maine Audubon invite clergy, lay people, community leaders, and others to a summit for people of faith who care about protecting life on the planet.  Facilitated by Good Group Decisions.  Keynote speaker will be Malcolm Burson, Climate Adaptation Program Manager, Maine Department of Environmental Protection.  $25 (includes lunch). Register at www.meipl.org.  For more information, call 721-0444 or email info@meipl.org.

 

Sat 4/9 - The Healthy Home book tour, time TBD*, Shubert Theater, Boston, MA.  Anne Olivo writes, "You are invited to see and hear Dr. Myron Wentz and his son, Dave Wentz, authors of The Healthy Home. The book tour will be an event to remember, with audience participation and engaging presentations to demonstrate the science behind the solutions in the book. More importantly, you will walk away armed with information to start protecting your family from the toxic burdens society has created, packaged, and sold to you as 'necessities' for everyday life. ADMISSION IS FREE to this life-changing event. Take this chance to discover what you can do to improve your family’s most important resource -- your health. You don’t want to miss it.  *No time has yet been announced for the Boston event. For further information, contact Anne Olivo at anne_olivo@yahoo.com."

 

Thu 4/14 - Protect Maine’s Children from Toxic Chemicals Lobby Day with the Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine, 8:30 am - 1 pm, Augusta State House.  For more information, contact Laura Stevens, Community Organizer, Toxics Action Center, 871-1810, laura@toxicsaction.org.

Environmental Happenings

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is taking place in Cancun, Mexico, from November 29 to December 10, 2010. Representatives from the world's governments are meeting to decide what, if anything, to do about climate change after the Kyoto Protocol expires at the end of 2012. You can learn more about the conference and even "virtually participate" through the official UN Climate Change Conference web site.

Events in Maine

Wednesday, December 8 - Last of the Kennebec Log Drives, 7 pm, Bath City Hall Auditorium. Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay to hear Dave Calder talk about the last of the Kennebec Log Drives. A former log driver, Dave grew up in the Skowhegan area and started working on the river drive at the age of sixteen. Dave worked on the drive 10 years until it ended in 1976. Following that, he worked in heavy construction until he retired. Dave has written some songs and stories about river driving which he performs on occasion. Aside from writing he enjoys reading, gardening, some traveling, and time with his grandchildren.  Dave lives in Canaan with his wife, Maureen, their dog and three goats. The FOMB Winter Speaker Series takes place monthly from October-May on the second Wednesday of each month.  For more information, contact Ed Friedman at 666-3372.

Thursday, December 9 - Sustainable Season's Greetings, 7 - 8:30 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Join us for our next Sustainable Living Talk, featuring Shari Burke. Sustaining our own personal peace of mind, sense of well-being, feelings of joy, and personal connections with others can be challenging during the frenzy of activity that is culturally and often personally expected of us in December. Come discuss how we can meet this challenge to create a different kind of holiday experience -- one that is more meaningful and joyful for us and better for the planet.  Free and open to the public. Space is limited; please call us at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

Friday, December 10 - Ventilating New & Existing Homes, 8 am - 12:15 pm - Central Maine Power Company, Augusta. Properly ventilated homes minimize the risk of exposure to indoor environmental pollutants (radon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, combustion pollutants, chemicals) and minimize the risk of moisture damage in the building envelope and subsequent biological contamination. This program stresses why controlling ventilation in a home is necessary to protect occupant health. It will discuss the most common sources of indoor air pollution in homes and how they get there, and what physical processes are present (air flow, pressure, moisture) that affect indoor air quality. The program provides practical strategies to achieve core ventilation goals. Limited space available.  To register, contact Dick Tarr at Lapointe Lumber Company, 622-5025.

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

• http://www.meetup.com/Brunswick-Permaculture/
• http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/

A transition town group is active in the greater Brunswick area. Find out more about them and their events at

• http://www.meetup.com/Transition-Town-Brunswick/
  

For more news about Maine's environment, check out Maine Environmental News

Environmental Happenings

F.W. Horch hours: Mon by appointment, Tue-Sat 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

 

The US Gulf of Maine Habitat Restoration and Conservation Initiative is a public/private effort that has been working since 2008 to develop and implement a unified plan to restore and protect the ocean and coastal habitats of the Gulf of Maine.  A draft plan, calling for investment of over $3 billion into Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, is now available for public comment.  According to the Boston Globe, "The plan, when finalized, will be made available to the US Congress to be considered alongside similar plans for the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, Florida Everglades, and other degraded aquatic ecosystems whose ecological health is considered vital to the nation’s economic well-being."

Read and comment on the plan by visiting the Gulf of Maine web site at www.gulfofmaine.org.

 

Local Events

Wednesday, November 10 - Words for the Wild, 7 pm, Dresden Public Library, Bridge Academy, Rte. 127, Dresden. Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay for the second presentation of their 14th annual Winter Speaker Series. This program, “Words for the Wild,” features Gary Lawless, Gulf of Maine poet, publisher and co-owner of Gulf of Maine bookstore in Brunswick.  Canoeing down the Concord River in 1839 Henry David Thoreau penned the famous question: “Who hears the fishes when they cry?”  As Thoreau and many others speak out from and of their heart-land, so too Lawless reaches deep into the Gulf of Maine bioregion to carry its message to all who will listen.  Gary Lawless is a nationally recognized poet and has published 16 poetry collections, 12 in the U.S. and 4 in Italy including Caribouddhism and Poems for the Wild Earth. His writing deals with issues of environmental and social justice, and listening to the voices of the underprivileged and overlooked. Gary has traveled throughout the world, reading and sharing his poetry and leading workshops for traditional and nontraditional audiences.  The FOMB Winter Speaker Series takes place monthly from October-May on the second Wednesday of each month.  For more information, contact Ed Friedman at 666-3372.

Thursday, November 11 - Living Sustainably and Saving Money, 7 - 8:30 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Join us for our next Sustainable Living Talk. This month we invite "Mr. Sustainable," Guy Marsden of Woolwich, to discuss the practical steps he has taken in his own life to reduce his environmental impact. Guy notes, "I do not believe that sustainability comes into conflict with living comfortably. My family has made very few sacrifices in the process of reducing our energy footprint." Come find out how you can live more sustainably and save money, too! Free and open to the public. Space is limited; please call us at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

Tuesday, November 16 - Among the Bears, 6:30 pm, Colonial Theatre, 163 High St, Belfast.  Naturalist and acclaimed black bear specialist Ben Kilham will present "Among the Bears," a slideshow and stories about New England's black bears.  Kilham has lectured widely and been featured in a number of TV shows and magazines including Field and Stream, National Geographic and People.  He has raised 26 cubs over a span of nearly 20 years and successfully returned them to the wild. His experiences have given him new and startling insights into the lives of bears. Black bears exhibit behaviors thought to be found only in humans and great apes, such as an intricate system of communication and cooperation, empathy and altruism.  Admission will be $8, $5 for students and free for children younger than 8. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance, which conserves land in the headwaters of the Sheepcot River in Freedom, Liberty, Montville and Palermo. For more information about SWLA and its educational and recreational programs, visit swlamaine.org; or contact Buck O’Herin at 589-3230 or buckoherin@fairpoint.net.

Thursday, November 18 - Wine and Chocolate Party to Celebrate Environmental Health Strategy Center's 8th Anniversary, 5:30 - 8:30 pm, Whitney Art Works, 492 Congress Street, Portland. Join the Environmental Health Strategy Center to celebrate their work to secure a clean and healthy environment where we live, work and play, and develop sustainable solutions. Stop by for a glass of wine or to sample some organic chocolate, celebrate some of our heroes from the past year, and visit with EHSC staff and friends to talk about what's ahead in 2011! For more information, visit www.preventharm.org

Saturday, November 20 - Maine Pesticide Summit, 9 am - 3 pm, Brunswick Unitarian Church, 15 Pleasant Street, Brunswick. Laura Stevens of Toxics Action Center invites you to participate in a day of sharing, discussion and strategy around the issue of reducing pesticde use in Maine.  Best-selling author, journalist and Maine resident Paul Tukey will be the keynote speaker.  According to Laura, "Communities across Maine have been up in arms against pesticide use lately. From Scarborough to Camden, and Fryeburg to Yarmouth, citizens are saying 'Stop the Spray'! Opportunities abound for reducing pesticide use in Maine: We're one of nine lucky states in the US without a pre-emption law, making pesticide bans in towns legally feasible. And there is political support for change at the state level as well."  For more information, contact Laura Steven at 871-1810 or laura@toxicsaction.org.

Sunday, November 21 - By Land and By Sea, 4 - 6 pm, The Peace Center at Midcoast Friends Meeting, 77 Belvedere Road, Damariscotta.  Community Chowder Supper will follow a presentation, By Land and By Sea, that examines a growing movement linking farmers and fishermen around their common challenges and opportunities to build local foods systems and food security. Amanda Beal and Ellen Tyler, Tufts graduate students and local foods advocates, will share the outcome of this project in Maine. The supper will include seafood/sea vegetable chowders, breads and desserts Donations accepted.  For more information, contact Andy Burt at 882-6848.

###

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

• http://www.meetup.com/Brunswick-Permaculture/
• http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/

A transition town group is active in the greater Brunswick area. Find out more about them and their events at

• http://www.meetup.com/Transition-Town-Brunswick/
  

For more news about Maine's environment, check out Maine Environmental News

Environmental Happenings

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.

###

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

• http://www.meetup.com/Brunswick-Permaculture/
• http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/

A transition town group is active in the greater Brunswick area. Find out more about them and their events at

• http://www.meetup.com/Transition-Town-Brunswick/
  

For more news about Maine's environment, check out Maine Environmental News

Environmental Happenings

Global News

BP reports that it has spent $8 billion due to the Deepwater Horizon drill rig explosion that killed eleven people and caused an uncontrollable flow of oil from the Macondo reservoir into the Gulf of Mexico between April 21 and July 15. BP successfully stopped the leak by capping the well. A relief well is expected to be in place by mid-September that will allow the company to permanently "kill" the leak from the bottom. The Macondo oilfield, which is owned by the United States, is estimated to contain 45 million recoverable barrels of oil, worth less than $4 billion at today's prices. BP has a 65% stake in the field, Anadarko Petroleum Corp has 25% and MOEX Offshore 2007, a Houston-based unit of Japan's Mitsui & Co, holds 10%.

State News

Maine homeowners can get up to $4,500 for energy efficiency projects with state and federal incentives. For details of the Home Energy Savings Program, visit EfficiencyMaine.com.

Local Events

Tuesday, September 7 - Public Forum: "Food and Energy," 7pm-9pm, Frontier Cafe, Brunswick.  All voters in legislative District 66 in Brunswick are invited to a series of public forums between September 7th and 15th to meet their candidates for Representative to the Legislature and to discuss key issues. Each forum will take place from 7 pm to 9 pm. The schedule will be as follows: "Food and Energy," Tuesday, September 7th, at Frontier Cafe; "Transportation and Redeveloping the Base," Monday, September 13th, at Curtis Memorial Library; and "Health Care and Education," Wednesday, September 15th, at Curtis Memorial Library.

Thursday, September 9 - Deep Energy Retrofit, 7 pm - 8:30 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Join us for our next Sustainable Living Talk. This month we invite Al Heath to explain his deep energy retrofit of a 1940’s duplex in Bath, Maine, into an energy efficient, well insulated single family home. His goal was to double the efficiency of the building -- reducing the heating cost to the bare minimum. Free and open to the public. Space is limited; please call us at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

Friday, September 10 - Rally to Restore the Shad, 3:30 - 6:30 pm, Brunswick Mall Gazebo. Rally to restore the American shad to the Androscoggin River. Gather at the gazebo in downtown Brunswick, then march with the giant shad down Maine Street to the Topsham bridge. Rally to be followed by a press event and refreshments at the Frontier Cafe. Bring friends! For more information, contact Neil Ward, Program Director of the Androscoggin River Alliance, at 933-5268 or nward@fairpoint.net.

Friday, September 17 - Sedgeunkedunk Symposium and Celebration, 1 - 4 pm, Fields Pond, Holden.  The Friday afternoon symposium will emphasize research on changes to the ecosystem since the Meadow Dam was removed in 2008 and will highlight the dam removal process as a model for ongoing restoration projects in other parts of the Penobscot River watershed as well as a model for other communities that may own dams and are exploring ways for changing the dams that they own.  For more info visit habitat.maineaudubon.org.

Sunday, September 19 -  Brunswick Topsham Land Trust Race 4 Space, 9 am,  Livesay Field
Corner of Middle Bay & Pennellville Roads, Brunswick.  The 4 mile route passes 6 beautiful properties protected from development by conservation easements or open space plans. An open meadow, soccer field, cow pasture, coastal farm, sledding hill and bird sanctuary. Turn around is at a small swimming beach and boat launch. PLUS! Walking tour of nationally registered historic district and kids fun run (distance dependent on age). Register at www.active.com "Race 4 Space."

Friday - Sunday, September 24-26 - Common Ground Country Fair, 9 am - 6 pm Fri & Sat, 9 am - 5 pm Sun, Common Ground Education Center, Unity. Join hundreds of vendors, exhibitors and demonstrators, more than 1,000 volunteers, and tens of thousands of fairgoers to share knowledge about sustainable living; eat delicious, organic, Maine-grown food; buy and sell beautiful Maine crafts and useful agricultural products; compete in various activities; dance; sing and have a great time. Come visit our store's booth in the Energy & Shelter section. For directions, visit www.MOFGA.org. See you at Common Ground!

Monday, September 27 - Birds of the Gulf of Maine, 7pm, Morrell Meeting Room, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick.  Shearwaters, Storm-petrels and Phalaropes.  Luke Seitz will present photos and tales from his summer as the whale and seabird spotter on the Odyssey Whale Watch out of Portland, Maine as well as other pelagic birding experiences on the Gulf of Maine. Luke is a birder, photographer and artist from Falmouth, Maine.  Free and open to the public. Refreshments. Contact: Ted Allen 729-8661.

Saturday, October 2 - Apple Day, 10 am - 2 pm, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, Falmouth.  Autumn is a dynamic and bountiful season well worth celebrating. Discover how Maine’s wildlife prepares for the coming winter in all sorts of interesting ways through migration challenges, scavenger hunts for young and old, games, and kids crafts. Our annual harvest festival includes something for everyone - cider pressing, storytelling, organic markets, live music, contra dancing, and more!  For more info visit habitat.maineaudubon.org.

Sunday, October 3 - Belgrade Lakes Member Paddle, 9 am - 2:30 pm, Castle Island Boat Launch, Long Pond, Belgrade Lakes.  This paddle is open to Natural Resource Council of Maine members and area residents who want to join us for a beautiful fall paddle on Long Pond. NRCM staff and Ellen Blanchard, a local naturalist, will be leading this trip for you.  If you don't have your own kayak, you can rent one for $25 per person by contacting Stacie Haines at shaines@nrcm.org or 430-0127.

Environmental Happenings

F.W. Horch hours: Mon by appointment, Tue-Sat 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

 

Global News

 

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is the worst oil spill in United States history. According to Time magazine, by the end of May the undersea gusher had released at least 20 million gallons of crude oil -- almost double the amount of oil spilled off the coast of Alaska by the Exxon Valdez. BP, the company responsible for the event, has used nearly one million gallons of chemical dispersants on the surface and at the wellhead in an effort to break up the crude and accelerate the evaporation process. Scientists warn that the effect of the oil and chemicals together could devastate wildlife populations in one of the world's most productive ecosystems.

 

United Nations climate talks involving representatives from 182 countries opened in Bonn, Germany, on Monday, May 31. The goal of the meeting is to pick up where last December's Copenhagen Accord left off, and set the agenda for next December's 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Mexico. Under the non-binding Copenhagen Accord, developed nations indicated that they would provide "new and additional resources, including forestry and investments through international institutions, approaching $30 billion for the period 2010-2012 with balanced allocation between adaptation and mitigation."

 

Local Events

Saturday, June 5 - Merrymeeting Bay Shoreline Cleanup, 12-2 pm, Abbagadassett Point in Bowdoinham or Butler Cover in Bath.  Celebrate National River Month with Friends of Merrymeeting Bay for their annual Merrymeeting Bay Cleanup. This year volunteers will gather in two locations.  Help your community by scouring the shoreline for trash; make this magnificent watershed even more beautiful. You can bring the kids too!  Pre-registration is required. To register for the Bowdoinham cleanup please contact Helen Watts at 666-3920 or 522-9366. For the Bath cleanup please contact David Barber at 442-9335 or boatshop@gwi.net.  Trash will be collected, documented and sorted for recycling and disposal. Please dress for the weather, wear sturdy footwear and bring work gloves.

Sunday, June 6 - FRESH the Movie, 4 pm, Colonial Theatre, Belfast.  Premier screening of FRESH the Movie, followed by interactive talk on the topic of revving up the connections between traditional family farms and local consumers. Led by a panel including John Piotti, Executive Director, Maine Farmland Trust; Troy Nelson of Nelson Family Farm, a fifth generation cattle farmer in Palermo who sells his meat direct off the farm and at the Camden Farmers' Market; Dr. Joseph Anderson of Belfast Pediatrics, a local advocate of the 5-2-1-0 Initiative, which teaches and promotes the integration of healthy habits in every area of children's lives; Vyvenne Ritchie of Healthy Waldo County. Sponsored by Our Town Belfast (a Maine Downtown Network community organization), the Belfast Farmers' Market, Healthy Waldo County and the Belfast Co-op. Maine-made drinks and snacks. More about the film at freshthemovie.com. For more information or to purchase tickets contact Anne Saggese 338-0651 or Larraine Brown at 323-2747 Advance tickets available at the Green Store on Main Street in Belfast and at Sweet Henry's at the Belfast and Camden Farmers' Markets.

Tuesday, June 8 - Maine primaries and referendum.  Don't forget to vote!

Tuesday, June 8 - Healthy Eating As A Vegan, Vegetarian or Omnivore, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Barrel's Community Market, 74 Main Street, Waterville.  Panel discussion hosted by the Sustain Mid-Maine Coalition. Cheryl Wixson, MOFGA's Organic Marketing Consultant, will serve as the omnivore panelist.

Wednesday, June 9 - Music Inspired by the Environment, 7-10 pm, Liberal Cup, Water Street, Hallowell.  Join host Allison Wells and other Natural Resources Council of Maine  staff for an open Mic Night.  Bring your guitar, shakers, and your favorite environment-inspired songs, or just come, meet NRCM staff, and enjoy the friendly atmosphere and the Liberal Cup’s homemade English pub-style food and beverages.  NRCM staff will be performing some of our own favorites – and inviting you to sing along!  Admittance is free and open to the public.  If you would like to perform a song, please email your song title and artist to beth@nrcm.org.

Thursday, June 10 - Going Solar: Energy From the Sun, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Join us to learn how to harness the sun's energy for heat and power. John Capron of ReVision Energy will explain how solar power systems work, how much solar energy is available at different times of the year for space heating, hot water and electricity, and how much different options cost. For more information, please call 729-4050. Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, June 15 - Evening paddle on the Cathance River, 6:30-8:30 pm.  Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay member and kayak guide, Ian Ramsey, for an evening paddle on the Cathance River.  To pre-register please contact Ian Ramsey at 751-7569.

Wednesday, June 16 - Sustainable Living Presentation, 6 - 8 pm, Falmouth Memorial Library, 5 Lunt Road, Falmouth.  Dr. Catherine Elliott, Extension Specialist and co-author of "Living Sustainable: It’s Your Choice," will explore the concept of sustainable living, discussing three of the barriers to living sustainably in the United States and suggesting ways to overcome them.  If you wish to adopt sustainable living practices, such as buying local foods, service, and products; spending more time outdoors; being more active; reducing carbon footprints; reducing use of toxic substances; living within your means and sharing rather than buying, or wish to reduce waste by reducing, reusing, recycling, repurposing, refusing, composting, or donating, this presentation is for you.  Free and open to the public.  UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals.  For more information on the Tidewater Learning Center, to donate to the building campaign, to get involved or to learn about future events, visit: www.extension.umaine.edu/tidewater/ or call 780-4213.

Friday, June 18 - LL Bean Green Expo, 10 am - 4 pm, LL Bean, Freeport.  Visit LL Bean's flagship store in Freeport for a day of green events. See "The Big Green Bus," a bus that runs on waste vegetable oil; learn about "Bean Green," LL Bean’s commitment to environmental stewardship; try "Greening your Home," with representatives from Efficiency Maine, Revision Energy, and Sunrise Guide; watch "Local Sustainability: Maine Roundtable," a multi-media presentation by The Green Living Project showcasing sustainability-related projects in Maine; and enjoy a "Pedal Power Smoothie," whipped up by a bicycle-powered blender.

Saturday, June 19 - Cathance River Education Alliance 10 Year Anniversary, Wild Duck Pub, Highland Green. Celebrate a decade of CREA with hikes, golf, games, a band, cookout, and ecology center tours. Speakers: John Rensenbrink, John Wasileski, Rick Wilson, and Angela Twitchell, Executive Director of the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. For more information, visit creamaine.org.

Friday, June 25 - Meet Your Farmer premier, 6 - 9:30 pm, Strand Theatre, Rockland. Eight short documentaries by filmmakers Cecily Pingree and Jason Mann tell the diverse stories of eight Maine farms: from Aroostook to York, from potatoes to dairy, from large commercial operations to small farms that sell directly to local people. Farm-Fresh Food from 6:00-7:15 pm. 7:15 pm doors open. 7:30 pm films start with commentary and Q&A. 9:00-9:30 pm: Coffee and Chocolates. Tickets: For the entire event - $20 for Maine Farmland Trust members; $25 for non-members. Film and coffee reception (doors open at 7:15) - $10. Purchase tickets through Maine Farmland Trust by calling 338-6575 or by emailing Anna Abaldo
. More about Maine Farmland Trust at www.mainefarmlandtrust.org

Friday, July 2 to Sunday, July 4 - Northeast Permaculture Convergence, MOFGA Common Ground Education Center, Unity.  The 6th Annual Northeast Permaculture Convergence hopes to continue the tradition of bringing the permaculture community together to share, learn, collaborate and celebrate.  For more information, please visit northeastconvergence.wordpress.com.

###

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

• http://www.meetup.com/Brunswick-Permaculture/
• http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/

A transition town group is active in the greater Brunswick area. Find out more about them and their events at

• http://www.meetup.com/Transition-Town-Brunswick/
  

For more news about Maine's environment, check out Maine Environmental News

Environmental Happenings

F.W. Horch hours: Mon by appointment, Tue-Sat 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

Global News

On January 28, the United States informed the United Nations that we will "associate with" the Copenhagen Accord. Our emissions reduction target by 2020 is "in the range of 17%" less than the baseline year of 2005.

Fifty-five countries, including all European Union countries as well as China, Japan, India, Russia, Brazil and Indonesia, have formally made pledges. China and India promised to reduce their carbon intensity, while the U.S. and other countries pledged to reduce actual emissions compared to a base year or compared to "business as usual."

According to Leo Johnson, PricewaterhouseCoopers partner for Sustainability and Climate Change, "The Copenhagen Accord pledges are relatively unchanged from those made prior to the Copenhagen Summit. At 9.7 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, the pledges total just under half the [...] reduction required from business as usual to stay on the low carbon pathway. There is still a big gap between the pledges and the 2 degree pathway."

State News

The implementation of a major home energy efficiency program in Maine was announced in January.

Funded by a federal grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the state-run Home Performance Program will offer incentives of up to $3,000 for the first 4,000 qualifying home weatherization projects for all income levels. Details are available at

http://www.efficiencymaine.com/residential_programs_mhp.htm

Local Events

Wednesday and Saturday mornings - Farmer for the Morning, 10 am, Wolfe's Neck Farm, 184 Burnett Road, Freeport. You and your pre-schooler are invited to have fun helping with chores and getting to know the animals. After chores, have story time in the Haze Hut. On Wednesdays, enjoy a farm- or nature-themed craft project. Families may purchase a season pass, which allows kids to develop a relationship with the Farm and the animals over several seasons. No reservations required. $5/child/session. Season pass $40/child. For more information, call 865-4469.

Saturday and Sunday, February 6 and 7 - NRCM documentary film on Maine Public Television. The Natural Resource Council of Maine's documentary film, "Protecting the Nature of Maine: Fifty Years of the Natural Resources Council of Maine," will be broadcast on MPBN three times during the month of February:
* Saturday, February 6 at 11:00 a.m.;
* Sunday, February 7 at 1:30 p.m.; and
* Sunday, February 28 at 10:30 p.m.
The half-hour documentary was produced entirely in Maine and features stunning footage - from Rockport’s Beech Hill to Mt. Katahdin, Moosehead Lake, Acadia National Park and beyond. The Maine Public Broadcasting Network includes: WCBB Augusta Channel 10, WMEM Presque Isle Channel 10, WMEB Orono Channel 12, WMEA Biddeford Channel 26, and WMED Calais Channel 13. For a sneak preview, see the trailer and more at http://www.nrcm.org/NRCM_film.asp

Saturday, February 6 - Canning Skills: Roasted Garlic Jelly, 10 am - 12:30, Wolfe's Neck Farm, 184 Burnett Road, Freeport. Learn (and do!) the basics of water bath canning, and go home with a jar of a delicious preserves. Fee: $20. Materials Fee $3. Work trade option available. For more information, call 865-4469.

Monday, February 8 - "Your Home: Questions & Answers" with Dewitt Kimball, 7 - 8 pm, Freeport Community Library, Community Meeting Room, 10 Library Drive, Freeport. Your home ~ it's one of the most important investsments you have. At this free question and answer session with Dewitt Kimball of Complete Home Evaluation Services in Brunswick you can get answers & learn more about a broad range of home ownership topics. Wondering about mold in your home & how to eliminate it safely? Would you like some Do-It-Yourself ideas of how to make your home more energy efficient and less expensive to heat? Wondering what it means to live "green" and how to make your living environment more green? Dewitt has an extensive background in the building profession and environment studies. He is a certified home inspector specializing in a wide variety of energy and safety related issues.

Tuesday and Wednesday, February 9 and 10 - 9th Annual Soil Quality Conference: Bringing Life and New Understandings to Agriculture, 8:30 am to 5 pm, Bangor Motor Inn, 701 Hogan Road, Bangor. Speakers: Joel Salatin, Norman Uphoff and Paul Hepperly. Presented by The Heart of Maine RC&D. Cost includes handouts, refreshments and lunch each day: delicious, locally grown food from farmers you know! Registration: $145 per person / $240 two people from the same farm. To register, pay online at: www.heartofmaine.org. For more information, please contact Heart of Maine Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) at 947-6622 x 142 or tessa@heartofmaine.org.

Wednesday, February 10 - On Deposit: Maine Vessels and the 19th Century Guano Trade, 7 pm, Bath City Hall Auditorium, 55 Front St., Bath. Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay (FOMB) as Local Maritime Historian, Bud Warren, shares some lesser-known but colorful chapters in our nation’s maritime history. For thirty years or so the Guano Trade kept a number of Maine ships in service and made fortunes for those involved. But then, as so often has happened to "inexhaustible" supplies of natural resources which have been there for the taking, the guano ran out and the trade faded into history. To receive more information on FOMB’s programs call Misty Gorski, Executive Coordinator, Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, at 737-8508 or fomb@gwi.net.

Thursday, February 11 - Seed Starting Workshop, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Come learn learn how to start garden seeds and build your own low-cost light stand. "We'll show you how to grow an indoor salad and at last have real baby greens!" says master gardener volunteer Brett Thompson, who will be conducting the workshop. For more information, please call (207) 729-4050. Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, February 23 - Citizen Action Day, 8:30 am - 2 pm, NRCM, 3 Wade Street, Augusta. Learn firsthand from Natural Resource Council of Maine staff about their priorities for the upcoming legislative session, participate in the legislative process by meeting your legislator during our visit to the State House, and meet other NRCM members and activists who care about Maine’s environment. A tentative schedule (subject to change):
* 8:30-9:00 am Arrive at NRCM’s office
* 9:00-9:15 am Brownie Carson, NRCM’s executive director, welcomes you
* 9:15-10:00 am NRCM project leaders provide an overview of environmental priorities
* 10:00-10:30 am Expert advice on speaking with your legislators
* 10:30 am Walk to State House for brief tour. NRCM staff will help you find your legislators.
Then back to NRCM for lunch and debrief. Expect to wrap up between 2 and 2:30 pm. To participate, please contact Leisa Dennett at leisa@nrcm.org or 430-0111.

Tuesday, February 23 - "The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the End of the American Dream", 7:30 pm, Frontier Cafe, Brunswick. Suburbia, and all it promises, has become the American Dream. As we enter the 21st century, serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, The End of Suburbia explores the American Way of Life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. Tickets cost $5; a work exchange at Wolfe's Neck Farm in Freeport is an option.

Thursdays, February 25, March 4, 11, and 18 - Top Bar Beekeeping 101, 6 - 8:30 pm, Freeport Adult Education. Here's your chance to get the buzz on why top bar beekeeping is so green... and why it makes sense, AND get a good close look at the Gold Star Top Bar Hive. Registration is required. Gift Certificates are available. Tuition Fee is $75 (non-RSU5 $85). For details, call Christy Hemenway at 449-1121.

Friday, February 26 - How Permaculture Can Save Humanity and the Planet, but Not Civilization, 6:30 pm, greater Portsmouth area (location being confirmed). Toby Hemenway, author of the acclaimed "Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Homescale Permaculture" will be giving an evening lecture co-sponsored by the Portland Permaculture Group and the newly formed Greater Seacoast Permaculture Group. In his talk Toby will examine the question of whether "Sustainable Agriculture" is an oxymoron. Feeding ourselves is not only central to our culture but central to our survival and this will be a rich look back as well as a look forward at the options and pathways before us. Attendees will gain a solid understanding of basic permaculture concepts as well as the context within which it is experiencing a renewed interest. For details, please visit http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/

Sunday, February 28 - Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and Community Supported Fisheries (CSF) Fairs, 1 to 4 pm, statewide. Come to one of the 12 fair locations statewide to learn about buying a share, become acquainted with local seasonal foods, meet your local farmers and fishermen, and discover how you can grow a relationship with them. (Community Supported Fisheries may not be represented in all locations.) The fairs are sponsored by Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, the Maine Council of Churches, and local organizations at each site. Free admission. Each location will have its own local flavor including local produce and other farm products, light refreshments featuring local, seasonal foods, a Seafood Throwdown cooking competition with local chefs and more. For more information, contact Melissa White Pillsbury, MOFGA's Organic Marketing Coordinator, by email at melissa@mofga.org or by phone at 568-4142.

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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

• http://www.meetup.com/Brunswick-Permaculture/
• http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/

For more news about Maine's environment, check out Maine Environmental News

Environmental Happenings

Global Events

At the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference (the "Copenhagen Summit") in December, the United States, China, South Africa, India and Brazil brokered a non-binding Copenhagen Accord that recognizes "the scientific view that the increase in global temperature should be below 2 degrees Celsius," calls for the establishment of greenhouse gas emission targets by 2020, and asks developed countries to commit new resources "approaching $30 billion for the period 2010 - 2012" to developing countries to implement the The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, the Copenhagen Accord has no legally-binding consequences and no clear mechanism establishing sources of revenue. No countries have yet signed on to the Accord. The Conference merely "takes note" of the Accord, which means delegates acknowledged its existence without expressing support for it. By January 31, 2010, developed countries that agree to the Accord will submit emissions targets for 2020 and developing countries will submit "nationally appropriate mitigation actions."

It is unclear which, if any, countries will sign on to the Accord, and what impact it will have on greenhouse gas emissions. The Copenhagen Summit has been described as everything from a "near disaster" to a "home run." One of the critical questions to be decided in 2010 is whether international cooperation to address climate change can be organized successfully under the auspices of the United Nations, or whether more meaningful negotiations will happen among a smaller group of countries in a different context, such as at the Group of Twenty summits in Toronto and Seoul.

Local Events

Thursday, January 7 - Sustainability Across Maine, 7-9 pm, Frontier Cafe, Brunswick. Green Living Project is proud to premier its first multi-media event on unique sustainability projects in Maine. Learn about Maine Huts & Trail's cool new hut-to-hut system, Chewonki's unique sustainability programs, Primo's backyard organic farm, Local Sprout's popular local food movement, Maine Compost School, Inn by the Sea's leading green initiatives, and Island Institute's pioneering wind-energy projects along the islands of Midcoast Maine. Explore cutting-edge sustainability issues and find out how you can get involved. Free and open to the public.

Saturday, January 9 - The Road to Successful Beekeeping, 9:30 am - Noon, Wolfe's Neck Farm, Freeport. This class will walk participants step by step through the process of starting your own hives. Wolfe's Neck Farm is an historic 626 acre farm on the Maine coast dedicated to sustainable agriculture, environmental education, and community well-being through the enjoyment of our natural landscape. For more information about programs at the farm, call 865-4469.

Tuesday and Wednesday, January 12 and 13 - First Annual Maine Association of Building Efficiency Professional’s (MABEP) Training Conference, Holiday Inn By-the-Bay, Portland. The Maine Association of Building Efficiency Professionals has been established to represent and advance the interests of energy auditors, energy retrofit contractors, energy efficient green builders, insulation contractors, weatherization professionals, installers of wind turbine, geo thermal, heat pump, and solar technologies, installers of energy efficiency materials and equipment, installers of non-fossil fuel generating devices, manufacturers and suppliers, home inspectors, architects, engineers, interior designers and all other persons and businesses who seek to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commecial buildings and to reduce our dependence upon fossil fuels. Registration for the training conference closed on January 5, but you can learn more about MABEP at http://www.efficiencypros.org/

Thursday, January 14 - Make Your Own Interior Storm Windows, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Due to popular demand, we're offering this seminar again! Come learn how to make reusable insulating storm windows to keep heat in and stop drafts. Properly measured, made and installed, interior storm windows will significantly reduce your heating bills year after year. These window inserts can be installed and removed without the use of tools or fasteners. Rendon Sabina of Downeast Interior Storms will demonstrate his affordable design, using wood, polyolefin film, and open cellulose foam. For more information, please call (207) 729-4050. Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, January 19 - Growing Greens in Maine All Winter Long, 1:45 pm, St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 95 Court Street, Belfast. Imagine -- growing your own fresh greens all winter without a heated greenhouse. For more than six years, NRCM communications director Judy Berk has done so. She will share her secrets, successes, and failures, in a talk at the Belfast Garden Club’s January 19 meeting. The Belfast Garden Club meetings are open to the public. Plan to arrive at 1:00 pm to attend the business meeting and a mini-horticultural talk, or arrive at 1:45 pm for Judy’s 2:00 pm talk.

Wednesday, January 20 - Protecting the Nature of Maine, 6:30 pm, Bates College, Keck Classroom, Pettingill Hall, 4 Andrews Road, Lewistion. Join the Natural Resources Council of Maine for a showing of their documentary film, "Protecting the Nature of Maine," followed by discussion with NRCM executive director Brownie Carson, registered Maine Guide and NRCM board president Bill Houston, and other environmental activists. Free and open to the public. RSVP through email or phone to Gretta Wark 207-430-0108.

Thursday, January 21 - Going Green to Stay in the Black, 6-8 pm, USM Glickman Family Library, Portland. Glen Brand, National Cool Cities Director, Sierra Club as well as Lita Semrau and Andy Hyland of the United States Green Building Council Maine Chapter will speak about green building, what it is, why it is important and how we can make it happen locally in our Maine communities. Anyone interested in green building and policies in their communities -- contractors and construction employees, town officials, and homeowners -- should attend. Refreshments will be served. For more information please contact Sandy Amborn at 761-5616 or email sandyamborn@yahoo.com

Thursday, January 28 - Sustainability: Then and Now, 6:30 pm, Freeport Community Center, Freeport. Local historian Fred Koerber will talk about changes in the use of land and water throughout history. Using examples from Maquoit Bay, he will connect historic land use to our contemporary search for sustainability. Community discussions to follow the talk.

Friday, January 29 - Keeping Foundations Warm and Dry, 9 am - Noon, USM Mitchell Center, 37 College Ave, Gorham. In partnership with the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, the Maine Association of Building Efficiency Professionals presents a free training for site work and foundation construction. Learn about the physical processes at work below grade and understand how these processes are addressed by the new Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code. Registration by January 22 is necessary. For more information, contact Becky Morgan, 622-4466 or becky@mabep.org.

Saturday, January 30 - Top Bar Beekeeping Demonstration, 10 am - 2 pm, F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Christy Hemenway of Gold Start Honeybees will be at our store to demonstrate how to keep bees in a top bar bee hive. The Gold Star Top Bar Beehive promotes healthy honey bees by allowing bees to make their own natural beeswax. This helps bees by strengthening their immune systems, helping them to fight off parasites and other bee problems without the use of toxic chemicals in the beehive. Christy will be demonstrating using an empty hive -- you'll have to imagine the bees and the honey!

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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

• http://www.meetup.com/Brunswick-Permaculture/
• http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/

For more news about Maine's environment, check out Maine Environmental News

Environmental Happenings

Add bats to the growing list of species whose numbers are in dramatic decline. According to Bat Conservation International (BCI), White-nose Syndrome has devastated bat populations across the northeastern United States over the past four years. "This is the worst crisis I've ever seen," says Merlin Tuttle, the organization's founder.

Since the disease was discovered in New York 2006, BCI estimates that it has killed at least one million hibernating bats of six species in nine states. Moving beyond the Northeast last winter, White-nose Syndrome is reaching into West Virginia and Virginia. Ultimately, bats across North America are at risk.

To learn what you can do to help our bats, visit the Bat Conservation International web site.

Environmental Events

F.W. Horch fall hours: Mon by appointment, Tue-Sat 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

Our store will be closed on Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26, while we are at Common Ground Country Fair. If you're going to the fair, please stop by our booth in the Energy and Shelter section!

Thursday, September 10 - Super-Efficient Homes: Build New or Renovate, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Come learn how to build new, renovate or retrofit your existing home to new energy efficiency standards. Al Heath, a certified energy auditor and former carpenter, will share lessons learned from his own experience designing and building a super-efficient home for his own family. For more information, please call 729-4050. Free and open to the public.

Sunday, September 13 - Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Race 4 Space, 9 am, Livesay Soccer Field on Middlebay Road, Brunswick. Enjoy a beautiful race or walk and support the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. Four mile race starts at 9 am. Guided walking tour of historic Pennellville starts at 9:15. One mile race for junior runners starts at 10 am. Fun run for kids starts at 10:15. Registration fees $5 to $20 depending on event; proceeds benefit the land trust. For more information, visit www.btlt.org.

Wednesday, September 16 - Protecting the Nature of Maine: Fifty Years of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, 7 pm, One Longfellow Square, Portland. Join the Natural Resources Council of Maine for the Gala Film Premiere and Reception for an inspiring new documentary film featuring interviews with dozens of prominent Mainers, filmed in scenic locations from York to Mount Katahdin. Event starts with an introduction by the film's director, Richard Kane, and others involved. Reception, refreshments, cash bar to follow. $10. For more information, visit www.nrcm.org.

Saturday, September 19 - 2009 Wonder of Wood Fair, 10 am - 3 pm, Sullivan Gym, University of Southern Maine, Portland. Join Forests for Maine’s Future for a celebration of Maine woodlands. Bring the kids in for a Chewonki workshop featuring live forest critters. Take a course in chainsaw safety. Even learn how to brew your own beer. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.forestsformainesfuture.org.

Sunday, September 20 - How to Create a Wildlife-Friendly Backyard, 1 pm, Morrell Meeting Room of the Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick. Gretchen Kamilewicz, Habitat Steward, will teach you how to attract wildlife, while adding to the beauty of your home landscape, using shrubs, trees, perennials, and other plants. These improvements will benefit birds, butterflies, mammals, and other wildl ife during Maine’s four seasons. Hosted by the Brunswick Park and Gardens project. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 833-5125.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 25, 26 and 27 - Common Ground Country Fair, gates open at 9 am, Unity. Don't miss the 33rd annual Common Ground Country Fair! Visit farmers and their livestock, eat delicious, Maine-grown organic foods, enjoy music and entertainment, learn basic gardening skills and see vendors of Maine-made crafts, folk arts, food, plants, agricultural tools and products for sustainable living. Be sure to drop by our tent in the Energy and Shelter section. Adults $10 / Seniors $8; Free admission to children under 12, MOFGA members, and Volunteers. For more information, visit www.MOFGA.org.

Saturday, October 3 - First Annual Maine Cool Congress, University of Maine, Augusta. Maine Partners for Cool Communities is calling together local Cool Teams, energy committee members, and municipal leaders for an all day event that will include speakers, networking, and valuable workshops. The conference will be held simultaneously at three locations across the state; The University of Maine in Augusta, Machias, and Presque Isle and will be connected through telecommunications in order to reduce traveling and to connect a greater number of communities. $25. For more information, call 761-5616.

Saturday, October 3 - Green Building Open House, locations throughout Maine and New England. The annual solar home tour is now the "green building open house." See how your neighbors are reducing their energy bills and carbon footprint through the power of the sun, wind, and smart building design. On Saturday, October 3, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association welcomes the public to visit local sustainable homes and buildings on the tour throughout Maine and New England to view clean renewable energy at work. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.nesea.org.