Artwork by Ed Nolde, Sierra Club Maine Volunteer
May 2026
In this issue:
- Make a Meaningful Impact--One Tree at a Time
- Our 2026 Legislative Re-cap
- No to Kings, but Yes to What?
- You're Invited! Schoodic Rockweed Excursion with Dr. Susan Brawley
- The "Seedlings" National Youth Essay Contest
- 2026 CEBE Climate Convergence
- Community Conversation with John Farrell from the Institute for Local Self Reliance
- Canoe the Allagash River Waterway with Registered Maine Guide Tomas Dundzila
- Work with Youth Activists at JustME for JustUS!
- Green Tip of the Month
- The Month Ahead
- Volunteer With Sierra Club Maine
Make a Meaningful Impact--One Tree at a Time
By Lauren Strohmeier
Make a meaningful impact on your community and environment by joining the Sierra Club Maine Chapter for a special native tree planting event at Deering Oaks Park. Nestled just west of downtown Portland, this beloved green space is the perfect setting to come together and help cultivate a healthier, more sustainable future.
Starting at 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 16th, participants will have the unique opportunity to learn directly from local experts, including Mark Reiland, City Arborist for Portland, and Leyla Hashi of the Portland Parks Conservancy. Their guidance will ensure a rewarding and educational experience as you help plant native trees that will thrive for generations.
There’s something deeply powerful about planting a tree. It’s a simple act, but one that creates lasting change—for our environment, our communities, and future generations. Trees do so much for us. They clean the air we breathe, provide shade on hot days, support wildlife, and even improve mental well-being. By signing up for this event, you can contribute to a healthier, more sustainable world. Beyond the environmental benefits, this tree-planting event is a great way to connect with others. You’ll meet people who care about the same issues.
This event is also incredibly rewarding on a personal level. You don’t need any prior experience—just a willingness to help. Whether you come alone, with friends, or bring your family, you’ll leave with a sense of accomplishment and a tangible impact you can be proud of.
After the planting session, stay and continue making a difference with a park clean-up effort. You can choose to participate in one or both activities—every moment you give contributes to the beauty and vitality of this shared space. Ultimately, this event is about growing community, fostering environmental stewardship, and leaving a lasting legacy.
To sign up for this tree planting event, please RSVP HERE today.
Our 2026 Legislative Recap
By Matthew Cannon
Sierra Club Maine’s Legislative Committee, lobbied on and mobilized for several important pieces of legislation. Some of our biggest priorities have been priorities for years, and saw significant progress, including funding Land for Maine’s Future and recognizing Tribal Sovereignty. The rest of our priority bills were focused on clean energy. As our continued reliance on fossil fuels causes electric bills to rise and the effects of climate change become more clearly felt in Maine, the Democratic-majority Legislature enacted a series of bills that would bring down energy costs while enabling more rapid buildout of clean energy.
The most significant piece of climate legislation before the Maine Legislature this year was LD 1870, which will create the first-ever comprehensive study to assess and document the financial damage climate change has inflicted on Maine. Even with a substantial amendment that made this a study, it moves us closer to real accountability for fossil fuel corporations. Next year, we will continue to advocate the Legislature to pass a bill to hold the world’s largest oil and gas companies financially responsible for the damage wrought to Maine through climate change based on their share of emissions. Maine residents and taxpayers would stand to recoup millions of dollars in disaster relief funding, storm recovery costs, and more.
Days of Action:
Make Polluters Pay January 15th
Mainers from across the state are seeing the damage of the climate crisis first hand and paying the price. We participated in a lobby day to support the Maine Climate Superfund Act, one of our EPC priorities this year. We co-hosted a pop-up art gallery featuring photos that illustrate the impact of the climate crisis on our towns and cities, livelihoods and environment. An Op Ed from our very own Nate Davis and a podcast episode from NRCM (also featuring Nate), highlight the importance of this work.
Photo Credit to Maine Conservation Voters
Conservation + Wabanaki Alliance + Youth Lobby Day
Additionally, we stood alongside our Indigenous and Youth allies at Conservation Lobby Day. We submitted testimony and sent action alerts for tribal sovereignty. The Governor signed LD 785 (and LD 395).
We also stood with our Land for Maine’s Future coalition allies and mobilized hundreds of members to ensure long-term funding for Land for Maine’s Future. Our Chapter Director, Jane Brekke had a published Op Ed to highlight how integral the program has been to her outdoor recreation experiences. We texted over 6,800 supporters, with an overwhelmingly positive response, and as a result, had hundreds of folks sign our petition and contact legislators directly.
Our priority Energy Bills:
- LD 1949 - Energy Fairness
- increases utility accountability and transparency, protects low-income and vulnerable populations from abrupt service shutoffs, and establishes standards for clean energy apprenticeship programs (ENACTED) - LD 1730 - Plug-in Solar
- allows multi-family building dwellers and renters to plug in small scale solar systems to offset some of their energy demand (ENACTED) - LD 1870 - Climate Superfund
- charges the biggest fossil fuel companies a fee in proportion to the emissions they are responsible for and puts those funds toward community resilience and climate mitigation projects (AMENDED-ENACTED) - LD 838 - Transmission Authority
- explores public ownership of transmission and distribution infrastructure to enable more rapid deployment of solar, wind, and battery storage projects as well as grid upgrades to support the clean energy buildout (PART of DOER Study) - LD 2112 - Community Choice Aggregation
- allows cities, towns, and counties to take charge of their electricity supply and enables more local control over prices and renewable energy procurement (ENACTED) - LD 1966 - Maine Community Power Cooperative (MCPC) - saves MCPC from falling victim to the compromised changes to net energy billing last year and ensures this model for community solar survives and continues to benefit low and moderate income Mainers. (ENACTED)
- LD 307 - Data Center Moratorium -
creates a council to study data center development and enacts a moratorium until policymakers can grapple with all the issues that affect local communities. (VETOED)
As we look forward to next year, the first year of the two-year Legislative session with a new Governor, we are planning to have a robust, grassroots network to ensure our priorities are made into law. Stay tuned for how you can help next Legislative session!
No to Kings, But Yes to What?
By Sue Inches
The first step in social change is to say “No”. Over eight million Americans said “No” at the No Kings rallies March 28. Very good. But then what? What comes next?
Quaker activist and author George Lakey spoke to these questions at a small gathering I attended recently. When asked what we can do to head off the growing authoritarian regime George said, “Say No but Yes”.
Saying no he explained, opens the door to change. Saying yes invites a positive vision to come through that door. And once we can envision a desirable future, energy flows towards that future.
Read Sue's Full Article for Free!
You're Invited! Schoodic Rockweed Excursion with Dr. Susan Brawley
By Corrine Kucirka-Adamowicz
Put on your hiking boots, pack your lunch, and join Susan Brawley, Ph.D., for a coastal adventure in the intertidal zone at the Schoodic Institute. Dr. Hannah Webber, Director Marine Ecology at the Schoodic Institute, will introduce you to the ecological research that is underway. Susan will then lead a hike in the nearby intertidal zone. After meeting the "citizens" of the intertidal zone, you'll enjoy your lunch with a view! After lunch, you can use microscopes to examine some of the marine algae's features (e.g., reproductive structures, epiphytes such as diatoms and hydroids) and/or do more hiking (e.g., a wooded trail, the Sundew Trail runs from the Institute's campus to the shore of Frenchman's Bay).
Join us Tuesday, May 26th on the Schoodic Peninsula for this unique outing! The event is free except for a nominal entrance fee to enter the Schoodic section of Acadia National Park. This outing requires registration and attendance is limited to a maximum of twelve participants.
This is a follow up Outing event to Susan Brawley's November 11, 2025 Community Conversation on rockweed biology, (e.g., sexual reproduction, regeneration mechanisms), ecology/ecological roles, and value as a sustainably harvested crop. We will look at rockweeds, and a variety of green and red macroalgae and associated invertebrate animals in the intertidal zone, including tide pools, at Schoodic. The feeding of some of these animals on the algae is particularly interesting at this time of year.
Susan Brawley has published extensively on rockweed biology (distribution, ecology, cell and developmental biology, relationships among different rockweeds) beginning with her Ph.D. thesis on rockweeds at UC-Berkeley (1978). She is a Professor Emerita of Plant and Marine Biology at the University of Maine. Susan has been a Life Member of the Sierra Club since 1978 and belongs to the Sierra Club's Sequoia Circle.
Last Call! The “Seedlings” Essay Contest
Pick a park. Take a hike. Then write about it—you just might get published in Sierra magazine!
Choose a state or national park near you, go explore, and then write an essay about what the experience was like and why protecting that natural area is important to you.
Deadline for submissions: May 15, 2026
Maximum word count: 1,500
Sierra, the national magazine of the Sierra Club, is an award-winning publication focused on stories about exploring, protecting, and living in harmony with the natural world. We specialize in eco-literary nature writing that features sparkling storytelling and captivating photography and original illustrations. In our quarterly national print and digital edition and on Sierramagazine.org, we report on the issues that matter most to our planet.
In 2025, the magazine launched "Seedlings," a special issue for young readers and families, and plans to publish it every summer. This year, to coincide with the second “Seedlings,” we are hosting a national essay contest in partnership with the Sierra Club’s Outdoors for All campaign. We invite young writers up to age 18 to craft an essay or reported story about public lands that matter to them. At a time when these lands need our protection more than ever, we encourage young people to visit a local state or national park (or any other wild place in nature), take a few photos, and write about their time there, then submit their work to us.
The winning essay will be published in the digital edition of the Summer 2026 “Seedlings” issue.
2026 CEBE Climate Convergence
By Sierra Club Maine
The Center for Ecology Based Economy is hosting their annual Climate Convergence conference from May 15-16th! This incredible educational event held in the foothills of the White Mountains in Norway, Maine is an opportunity to connect with leaders in climate adaptation across the state, and join workshops and conversations about the variety of ways Mainers are rising to the challenges of a rapidly changing environment.
Join CEBE and their partners to learn about topics such as clean energy solutions, permaculture, environmental justice, flood resilience, climate communication, and more. Register today to take part in this exciting event!
Community Conversation with John Farrell from the Institute for Local Self Reliance
By John Farrell
John Farrell is a co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and directs the Energy Democracy Initiative. Widely known as the guru of distributed energy, he has received accolades for his vivid illustrations of the economic and environmental benefits of local ownership of decentralized renewable energy. He hosts the Local Energy Rules podcast, discussing monopoly power, energy democracy, and how communities can take charge to transform the energy system. He frequently discusses the ownership and scale of the energy system on Twitter, @johnffarrell.
John authored Energy Self-Reliant States, a state-by-state atlas of renewable energy potential highlighted in the New York Times, showing that most states don’t need to look outside their borders to meet their electricity needs. He’s also written extensively on the economic advantages of Democratizing the Electricity System and community renewable energy, published a rich interactive map on solar grid parity, and polished the policies (like Minnesota’s solar energy standard) necessary to support locally owned renewable energy development.
John provides data-rich presentations on local renewable energy for the common citizen, and has wowed crowds from Presque Isle, Maine to San Francisco to Berlin. He’s keynoted conferences like Solar Energy Focus in Washington, DC, and the Midwest Energy Fair.
Join us virtually on May 19 from 4-5pm to learn more about his work!
Canoe the Allagash River Waterway with Registered Maine Guide Tomas Dundzila!
By Corrine Kucirka-Adamowicz
This is a great opportunity to join a Sierra Club National Outing on our beautiful Allagash River Wilderness Waterway with Registered Maine Guide and Sierra Club Maine Chapter member Tomas Dundzila. Beginning on June 28th, you will paddle in the homeland of the Wabanaki, the People of the Dawn, who have lived here for thousands of generations in what is known today as the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. This epic paddling journey follows much of a 100-mile-long chain of lakes and rivers, and one of the few eastern rivers that can be paddled a week or longer without coming into contact with modern civilization.
Indigenous people paddled these waters for thousands of years. European settlers arrived and logged the surrounding forests. Eventually the Allagash was designated a National Wild and Scenic River in 1970. The Allagash has it all -- from tranquil lakes (less tranquil when the wind kicks up in the afternoon), to easy flowing flat water river sections, to some quick water and class II whitewater paddling (with options to portage these sections). The Allagash is more than a wildlife park. It is wild - a prime moose feeding area with otter, mink, muskrat, beaver, loons, ducks, geese, bald eagles and other birds of prey as well.
“Primeval, untamed, and forever untamable nature” is how Henry David Thoreau described the Maine woods after his explorations in 1846. Today much is unchanged. The vast forests, rivers, and lakes are not so different then when Henry David Thoreau journeyed here in the 1800s, to canoe its waterways.
We will paddle the Allagash roughly 80 miles north accompanied by a registered Maine Guide and Sierra Club Maine Chapter member, Tomas Dundzila, who offers a wealth of history, lore, and knowledge of the river. This outing is geared toward paddlers who enjoy backcountry camping. Our campsites have fireplaces, picnic tables and privies. We will take turns with cooking and clean-up. You will set up your tent, and have additional camp duties, but also have time to relax, explore the surroundings, read, take photographs, or identify plants. Each day we will talk about conservation in Maine and your local area.
Canoe rentals and shuttle are included in the trip price. Please use the below link to see the full itinerary, cost, and to sign up.
Work with Youth Activists at JustME for JustUS
JustME for JustUS is hiring for multiple positions for young people ages 15-30: both Rural Youth Organizers and a Communications Coordinator!
Our Rural Youth Organizers are the leaders of our work, creating campaigns to make lasting change. Our organizers meet virtually with our team across the state, then lead work directly in their communities. This fall, we will lead nonpartisan vote work to make sure that young people have the resources to make their voices heard this election season. No experience necessary! 5-10 hours per week at $21/hr. More information here.
Our Communications Coordinator leads our social media presence, creates engaging storytelling campaigns, and creatively shares out about the amazing work that our Rural Youth Organizers are leading. They work closely with JMJU's Advocacy & Storytelling Coordinator and JMJU's Director on communications strategy and branding. This position is intended to be year-round at 15-20 hours per week at $22-25/hr. More information here.
Applications close at 11:59pm on Wednesday, May 6th.
Photo by Hilary H., Pexels
Green Tip of the Month
By Jessian Choy, Sierra Magazine
Ever wondered what’s the greenest kind of household battery? Jessian Choy at Sierra Magazine has the answer: “Rechargeable ones. Standard batteries often contain toxic chemicals such as cadmium. None of the batteries we use are exactly great for the environment—mining for their components creates pollution and so does disposing of them in landfills and incinerators. On the positive side, low self-discharge nickel-metal hydride rechargeables last longer than single-use batteries. And, on average, you only need to buy about 12 rechargeables, instead of 200 single-use batteries, every four years.” Read more.
Do you have a green tip that you would like to have included in a future newsletter? Please share it with us here
The Month Ahead
Here are some of the meetings and events we have coming up. Hope to see you soon!
- 5/2 Energy Open House in Westbrook
- Join us at a Volunteer Leader's home in Westbrook for an Open House to learn about the transition from fossil fuels to a 100% electric home with heat pumps and an electric vehicle.
- 5/16 Tree Planting at Deering Oaks Park in Portland
- Join Sierra Club Maine Chapter at a special native tree planting event in Deering Oaks Park, Portland.
- 5/7 and 5/21 Events Team Meetings
- Help us organize events to educate and engage Mainers across the state
- 5/19 Community Conversation with John Farrell
- Learn about John's work with the Institute for Local Self Reliance
- 5/26 Rockweed Outing with Dr. Susan Brawley
- Join us and the Schoodic Institute in Acadia for an educational excursion
- 5/27 Club Chat
- An opportunity for you to get updates from our Chapter staff team, to have your questions answered, and to offer your feedback and ideas.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Interested in helping to protect Maine's environment? Join us at our next volunteer orientation! No matter your background, we have a role for you--no experience necessary.
SUBMISSIONS
Submit a photo, article, or event for us to include in our next newsletter!