TOPSHAM — For the first time, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has awarded its Environmental Leader Certification to a retirement community — The Highlands in Topsham.
Typically reserved for hotels, this state accreditation recognizes Maine lodging businesses with more than 20 rooms that have worked to systematically reduce their impact on the environment.
In October, representatives from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the Maine Legislature, and the town of Topsham presented The Highlands Go Green Committee with an official certification plaque to mark the achievement.
To become certified, Highlands residents established the Go Green Committee in 2012 to design and implement a long list of environmental protection initiatives covering nearly every aspect of the community’s operations. Today, The Highlands composts 144,000 pounds of food waste and other biodegradable materials and recycles 7 tons of cooking oil every year, in addition to using only organic and environmentally friendly products for maintenance and grounds keeping, among numerous other programs.
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