Across the nation, and in Maine, farmers are experimenting with a perennial wheat known as Kernza that’s an environmental booster.
sustainability
Posted inTimes Record
Go local for your cut flowers
A floral arrangement is often a go-to gift, and because flowers lift our spirits, they appear at celebrations, religious services and funerals. Sadly, the conventional cut-flower industry is unsustainable, so let’s consider some alternatives. Cultivating flowers for the American market is typically resource-intensive and harmful to the environment. Large quantities of water, synthetic fertilizers and […]
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Posted inTimes Record
Next Sustainable Brunswick lecture discusses the fight to save brook trout
Join speakers from the Merrymeeting Bay Chapter of Trout Unlimited as they present “Pollution, Practices, Policy and Fighting to Save Brunswick’s Brook Trout” as part of the Sustainable Brunswick lecture series from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St. The series is organized by Brunswick Environmental Planner Ashley Charleson. Discussion topics will […]
Posted inLocal & State
University of New England students take sustainability knowledge into Maine communities
Expanded UNE Sustainability Fellowship program nears end of second year partnering students with land trusts, downtown nonprofits and municipalities on projects to protect and promote the environment.
Posted inTimes Record
Ways to make clean energy cleaner
Clean energy supports a sustainable lifestyle because it is produced from renewable sources like the sun and the wind. However, that energy is not entirely clean due to its reliance on critical minerals. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, “critical minerals” are vital to American economic or national security and possess a vulnerable supply chain. […]
Posted inTimes Record
Transform your driveway into nature’s rain sponge
During the next heavy rainstorm, watch how water flows on your driveway. Does it cascade into the street carrying oil, fertilizer and debris into local streams, or do you see rainfall puddling, then gently disappearing into the ground? If you can make the decision whether to pave over our planet or install permeable surfaces that […]
Posted inTimes Record
Maine stays the course on clean energy incentives
The new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) weakens or eliminates many of the federal tax credits which had boosted Americans’ efforts to live more sustainably. However, the state-funded, quasi-public agency known as Efficiency Maine Trust continues to incentivize a range of climate-friendly measures for individuals. If you want to buy a “clean vehicle,” save […]
Posted inNews
Our Sustainable City: Summer updates and staff spotlights — Julie Taft
What has the Sustainability Department been up to this summer? The Resilient Yards Program is in full swing, as neighbors collaborate to establish native habitat gardens, replacing lawns with resilient landscapes that benefit our ecosystem. At the South Portland Transfer Station, the Swap Shop and Electric Tool Library are brimming with residents borrowing, sharing, and […]
Posted inTimes Record
Protecting our oceans through everyday choices
If you could make one small shift in your daily routine to help safeguard the home for over 80% of Earth’s life, would you do it? Summer beach season is a perfect time to explore how our household decisions can ripple out to protect creatures we seldom encounter but that play critical roles in our […]
Posted inTimes Record
Tips for improving your soil using biochar
As we saw in our column two weeks ago, proponents of sustainability appreciate biochar for its contributions to the health of our climate. Although the science is not settled, another apparent environmental benefit is biochar’s value as a soil amendment. Gardeners should, however, do their homework before using it. Biochar is produced from a feedstock […]