Artwork by Ed Nolde, Artist & Sierra Club Maine Volunteer
May 2024
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Alongside grassroots activists, we’re trying to STOP the Maine Turnpike Authority’s $250,000,000+ mistake, which would sacrifice Smiling Hill Farm, Red Brook, farms, forests and fields all to shave ~4 minutes off of some rush hour commutes. We need your help to stop this unnecessary highway. Sign this petition to support our effort!
Also, if you live in the towns/cities impacted, we encourage you to get more involved. There are Town Captains organizing folks to speak out at a town meeting, send comments to town council members, knock on doors, and more. If you want to get more involved, contact the campaign at mainers4smartertransportation@gmail.com
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“Covenant of the Salmon People”
Film Screenings a Great Success!
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On April 18th and 19th, Sierra Club Maine, representatives of the Nez Perce Tribe, the Wabanaki Alliance, and conservation partners across the state welcomed over 400 people to Brunswick and Bangor for screenings of “Covenant of the Salmon People” a film that chronicles the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho’s cultural, spiritual, and ecological relationship with wild salmon and their struggle to protect this iconic species.
As a dammed river system and climate impacts threaten the extinction of Chinook salmon, a cornerstone of their culture and ancestral diet, the Nez Perce continue to do their part to uphold this relationship. The covenant with salmon is woven into their culture, history, and now their modern-day species restoration work. The Nez Perce people are the oldest documented civilization in North America, with archaeological sites along Idaho's Salmon River dating back 16,500 years.
Following the screenings, Sierra Club Maine’s Director, Pete Nichols, facilitated a panel discussion to discuss the recovery of Atlantic salmon here in Maine. Panelist representation included the Nez Perce, Wabanaki Alliance, the Penobscot Nation, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Atlantic Salmon Federation, and Downeast Salmon Federation.
Additional screenings are scheduled around Maine. Interested in hosting a screening in your community? Please contact Pete at pete.nichols@sierraclub.org. |
Earth Day Events Ones to Remember
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Sierra Club Maine celebrated Earth Day with three days of local events to celebrate nature and give back to our communities. A HUGE thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to give back, and a very special thank you to our partners for their support! Your support and commitment to improving our community and environment is seen and heard.
View photos from the events here. A few highlights:
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Over 50 dedicated individuals cleaned up Scarborough Marsh
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Over 25 volunteers, including Senator Nicole Grohoski, spent 3 hours cleaning up Sears Island. The team hauled 5 gallon buckets full of litter, tires, lobster buoys, styrofoam cups, a tarp, a broken kayak and even an aluminum boat!
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A group of 7 volunteers cleared invasive plants and cleaned up winter damage from the adaptive boat launch on Salmon Falls River in Berwick. They also made a plan for planting new native plants in the coming months!
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South Berwick community members cleaned up roadsides in the downtown area as well as along routes 91 and 236. A big thank you to Kristie Rebasca from Integrated Environmental Engineering for supplying special bags for the collection of cigarette butts to be mailed in for recycling!
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15 volunteers, including Rep. Michele Meyer, cleaned the trails of Eliot Town Forest.
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We helped Peaks Island School with their school-yard cleanup. A team of about 50 students and 15 adults removed trash and invasive plants, tended to garden beds, and stewarded the school grounds. They played a game of soccer to end the day with some fun!
We had a wonderful time celebrating and cleaning up with our communities, partners, and volunteers. We deeply appreciate everyone who participated and we look forward to continuing to explore, enjoy, and protect our planet not just on Earth Day, but every day.
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Coal Updates: New England Setting a New Path
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For decades, coal has threatened the health of our New England neighborhoods, ecosystems, pocketbooks, and the planet. When the Beyond Coal campaign started, there were 8 operating coal plants in New England. Air pollution from these plants was responsible for an estimated 1,000 asthma attacks, 117 heart attacks, and 64 premature deaths in 2010 when our Beyond Coal campaign began. Each year without coal, these health impacts are avoided.
With the announced retirements of Merrimack and Schiller, New Hampshire joins its five coal-free neighbors, marking the country’s second entirely coal-free region. New England is setting a new path forward for the nation. Our region is leading the charge toward cleaner energy and communities for all. Continue reading here.
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Transit to Trails Ensures Public Land Accessibility
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As part of our ‘Outdoors for All’ campaign, Sierra Club has launched Transit to Trails, to help ensure that public lands are in reach for everyone, regardless of income level, race, ethnicity, neighborhood or health.
‘Transit to Trails’ is a commonly used phrase used to describe public transportation services and provisions that provide access to green spaces and public recreational amenities. Those amenities include hiking trails, parks, conservation areas, recreation areas, ski areas, waterways, and more. Across the U.S. 100 million people—including 28 million children— cannot safely walk to a park or green space from their home. Transit to Trails projects are integral to undoing the transportation and environmental inequities baked into the American landscape because of policy decisions including highways that divide communities, disinvestment, and redlining. There’s currently
a bill in Congress that would make a big impact to further our work.
The public can help showcase the need for Transit to Trails by participating in the Epic Trails and Epic Fails challenge. To participate, visit the Transit to Trails story map.
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If you were able to visit a public green space via an established Transit to Trails route, showcase your experience via Epic Trails (this can highlight examples of what we want more of: simple routes that go from city centers to nearby parks, accessible subway stations, efficient public transport, etc.)
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If your area is in need of a Transit to Trails public transportation route, document this “Epic Fail” by charting the “series of ridiculous steps” that it takes to get to your local public green space without a personal motorized vehicle. Get creative—you can do it yourself or tag-team with a group. Did it take you 2 hours to make a 10-mile journey? Take photos, video clips, or write notes. Submit your story via the Epic Fails button link.
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Legislative Session is Coming to an End
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The 131st legislature is finishing its second session, after two years of hard work and policy making. Its most recent major act was the approval of the supplemental budget on April 17th. At the time of this writing, though the majority of the work is done, the legislative session is still not over—we await ‘
veto day’ from the governor, and a final outcome from the special appropriations table.
The 131st short session brought some major successes, such as the passage of the Wabanaki Alliance priority LD 2007, major progress made on the Maine Trails Bond, and Maine joining the
National Popular Vote Compact.
However, the 131st short session also brought major roadblocks:Stay tuned for more analysis of the short session, and the entire 2-year 131st session, as it is wrapped up over the next few weeks. In the meantime, this we know to be true: the grassroots advocacy of the Sierra Club Maine Legislative Team had an impact on these outcomes through testimony, lobbying, and public engagement. We hope you will join us for the 2025 session! Reach out to ania.wright@sierraclub.org for more information.
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Evans Notch Interchapter Hike June 8thBy David von Seggern, Sierra Club Maine Outings Leader
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| The Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire Sierra Club chapters have joined together to offer a day hike in the scenic Evans Notch area of the White Mountain National Forest on June 8th, 10am-6:30pm. Explore scenic Evans Notch, the eastern-most mountain pass in the White Mountains, just inside the ME-NH border, on one of several trails through beautiful forest, cool streams & water holes, and stunning mountain vistas.
In addition, view a recently logged section of the White Mountain National Forest and learn about the U.S. Forest Service approach to forest management. You will be encouraged to support the New Hampshire Sierra Club campaign to stop Forest Service plans to log the Sandwich Range. Registration is required for this outing. We hope to see you there! |
Our outings program provides opportunities to get outside to enjoy Maine's spectacular natural places, which is a core part of our mission here at Sierra Club Maine. We are hoping to grow the program so that even more community members can benefit from its services.
If you or someone you know is interested in getting involved or becoming an outings leader, please reach out to us at maine.chapter@sierraclub.org. All are welcome, regardless of experience. And, stay tuned for local gatherings this spring to meet your local outings leaders and build community. We look forward to seeing you!
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Redefining Conservation Podcast Wraps Up
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As our Redefining Conservation Podcast wraps up, we reflect on the journey that led us here. We extend heartfelt thanks to the remarkable individuals who contributed diverse perspectives on a variety of topics.
In Episode 1, we introduced the dedicated staff and volunteers of Sierra Club Maine, setting the stage for engaging discussions. Episode 2 featured a webinar panel with experts from American Farmland Trust, Maine Farmland Trust, and state officials, providing insights into the status of Maine forests. Subsequent episodes delved into critical issues such as land access, water rights, forestry conservation, outdoor access, and biodiversity.
Throughout the season, feedback from listeners and partners highlighted the impact of our conversations, sparking introspection and advocacy. Notably, our involvement in the Maine Climate Council process showcased the podcast's influence on policy making. Moreover, our engagement with diverse organizations fostered collaboration and community-building, embodying grassroots organizing principles. We anticipate our next season to center new conversations that inspire action and foster community empowerment. Together, we continue to redefine conservation and amplify diverse voices for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
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Photo by Esperanza Doronila on Unsplash
Green Tip of the Month:
Reduce Your Dryer Usage
By Michael Trombley, Sierra Club Maine Volunteer
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Now that the spring months are upon us, many of us wonder if we should air dry our laundry more often. It’s a green action that anyone can do—no fancy technology or purchases required. And, yes, the effort is worth it: clothes dryers alone account for about 6% of all residential electricity usage. You don’t need to air-dry 100% of your laundry to make a difference. Here are some quick tips to reduce your dryer usage:
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Too much laundry to hang up? You don’t have to line dry all of it! Hang up the items that will air dry easiest: t-shirts, socks, underwear, etc.
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Short on space? Use an inexpensive folding rack that you can move from room to room, or in your yard.
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Don’t have a rack? Hang a few articles of clothing on plastic coat hangers. You can hang them from the shower curtain rod in your bathroom overnight.
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Don’t like the feeling of stiff towels? Air dry them until they’re just slightly damp, and then finish them in the dryer for five minutes.
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Clothes taking too long to dry? Place a small fan on low next to the drying clothes. The electricity usage is still a significant savings over a 3,000-watt dryer.
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Here are some of the meetings and events we have coming up. We hope to see you soon!
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Events Team Meetings: Biweekly on Tuesdays at 3pm
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Help us organize events to educate and engage Mainers across the state.
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Legislative Team Meetings: Mondays at 4:30pm
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Help us organize events to educate and engage Mainers across the state.
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May 6 at 7pm: Our Sustainable Kitchen Cooking Class
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Chef Diana Goldman is back! She will show you how to make delicious, plant-based food at home. She'll also be glad to answer your questions about plant-based food preparation and nutrition. This event is free, virtual, and open to the public. Hosted by our friends on the Massachusetts Sierra Club’s Plant-based Planet Team.
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May 9, 8am-5pm: Summit on Maine's Economy & Climate Change
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Join ClimateWork Maine and Sierra Club Maine at the Augusta Civic Center for the 2nd Annual Summit on Maine's Economy & Climate Change. The Summit brings together industry experts, thought leaders, and passionate individuals like yourself, all committed to limiting climate damage and preparing for Maine’s future. It is the state's largest gathering of people who are focusing on how Maine is changing and how climate change will reshape our economy.
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May 14 at 6:30pm: "Saving Walden’s World" Film Screening
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Saving Walden's World follows Belfast's own author and engineer Jim Merkel as he sets off to three earth-efficient societies; Cuba, Slovenia and Kerala, India, in search of clues to save the world his son Walden will inherit. Along the way he encounters a force that could recover planetary balance – powerful women! This screening will take place at the Colonial Theater (163 High St.) in Belfast. Merkel will be on-site for a post-screening discussion about the film's themes and production cycle.
Tickets here.
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May 17-18: Center for an Ecology-Based Economy's Climate Convergence
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CEBE's fifth annual climate convergence will be keynoted by Living on Earth's Steve Curwood and polar scientist Dr. Susana Hancock. Mark your calendar to join us Friday, May 17th and Saturday, May 18th in Norway, Maine for two days of inspiration, knowledge sharing, and power building. Dr. Susana Hancock will join us on Friday, and Steve Curwood will join us on Saturday. Register here.
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May 21 at 12pm: Clean Energy Team Meeting
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Join our team and ensure a clean and just energy future for Maine, specifically focused on renewable energy development!
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May 30, 5-6:30pm: On Culture and Climate Justice with Intersectional Environmentalist Diandra Esperza
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As part of Wild Seed Project's 10 Year Anniversary series, Diandra Esparza, Executive Director at Intersectional Environmentalist, will share the ways her heritage and art influence her climate justice activism, and how we can harness our own cultural backgrounds to take action for people and the planet. What is a culture keeper? How does maintaining and honoring cultural traditions support climate resilience? Join this virtual talk to learn just that! Register here.
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June 8, 10am-6:30pm: Evans Notch Interchapter Hike
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Enjoy a day hike in the scenic Evans Notch area of the White Mountain National Forest. Explore beautiful forest, cool streams & water holes, and stunning mountain vistas. In addition, view a recently logged section of the forest and learn about the U.S. Forest Service approach to forest management. Registration is required.
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Volunteer With Sierra Club Maine
Interested in helping to protect Maine’s environment? We invite you to join us at our next volunteer orientation— view our events calendar here! No matter your background, we have a role for you—no experience necessary.
We are always looks for photos from across the state to feature in our marketing materials. Professionals and amateurs alike are encouraged to submit images of Maine landscapes, nature, and wildlife. Please submit your photo here.
Questions? Email us at maine.chapter@sierraclub.org.
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