(L) Photo by Natalie Chitwood for the Luupe, (R) Photo by Frances Denny for the Luupe
Save the Date - Sept 16th at Rising Tide Brewery!
At Sierra Club Maine, we know that climate justice is social justice and we cannot save the environment without also creating a just society. We want our annual celebration this fall to reflect this and as a result, we will be hosting a panel of local activists to be facilitated by Representative Chellie Pingree on the importance of activism! Keep an eye out for our panelist announcement coming soon.
Best of all, all proceeds raised from this event will be divided equally among Sierra Club Maine and the organizations our panelists represent because we’re all in this together!
Space is limited! Register today to join us at our annual celebration on September 16th from 5-7pm at Rising Tide Brewery in Portland. Can’t make it? Consider making a donation in support of this event instead. Interested in sponsoring our event? Please contact Sarah Leighton: sarah.leighton@sierraclub.org.
Seeking Executive Committee Nominations
Do you want to make a meaningful difference by helping Sierra Club Maine ensure a clean and just economy, elect pro-environment candidates, and protect Maine’s woods and waters for generations to come? Consider serving as a member of Sierra Club Maine’s Executive Committee. The committee sets the Chapter’s priorities, goals, and strategies which directly impact our state.
Committee positions are available to all Sierra Club members. If you’re a member (or know a member) with an interest in supporting Sierra Club’s work in Maine, please complete this form by August 5th. The Sierra Club is committed to seeking a diverse pool of candidates and encourages members from any geographical region in Maine, background, race, gender, age, or identity to apply.
Photo by Anna Siegel
30 Year Bird Study
By Anna Siegel, Volunteer
Boreal forests are integral to Maine’s identity. Vast expanses of conifers earn us the moniker “Pine Tree State” and contribute to our economy with rough wood and paper on our top ten list of exports. Our commercial forest, where these exports originate from, is the largest contiguous tract of undeveloped forest east of the Mississippi. The words “undeveloped” and “commercial” do not mean that it is empty, however. This 10-million acre forest boasts a wide variety of habitats that provide a home and resources for bears, moose, and dozens of bird species.
Sierra Club supports offshore wind (OSW) and recognizes its important role in Maine's and New England's renewable energy future. In the search for offshore wind port development locations for the Gulf of Maine, MaineDOT has organized the Offshore Wind Port Advisory Group (OSWPAG). In that process, Sierra Club, as part of the national 30x30 initiative and Sierra Club’s 30x30 work , is advocating for Sears Island to remain undeveloped.
Alternatively, an OSW port at Mack Point would consolidate heavy industry in a single, already developed location. Building OSW facilities at Mack Point literally would remove unused physical remnants of the outdated energy infrastructure (fossil fuels)that OSW intends to replace with cleaner, renewable, more sustainable energy production for Maine’s future.
To learn more about these efforts and to participate in the on-going public process, you can stay tuned here.
Join our new Building Electrification Team! We are looking for volunteer members and a volunteer leader.
As part of our Chapter’s strategic planning process, we reorganized our Energy Team, breaking it into three subteams—transportation, clean energy, and electrification.
Among other things, our building electrification work calls to:
Establish the goal of a zero-emission buildings sector no later than 2045 with interim enforceable targets;
Strengthen standards for buildings and appliances to require zero emissions;
Improve affordability of electrification through incentives, rate reform, and financing, with a priority focus on low-income residents;
Educate and inspire consumers and the workforce; and,
Remove roadblocks and common barriers to electrification, particularly for low-income and environmental justice communities. Learn more in this Sierra Club toolkit for climate leaders.
We hope you can join us for our first team meeting on July 6! RSVP here.
Come and explore Portland with Sierra Club Maine's new Meetup hiking group. You can join the group here and meet new fellow adventurers every Wednesday at 5:30pm. We hope to see you there!
Additionally, we are still looking for outings leaders and to start more groups across the state. If you are interested in leading outings in any part of Maine, especially focused on veterans, the differently-abled, or other underserved groups, please let Matt Cannon know at matthew.cannon@sierraclub.org.
Green Tip of the Month
As we continue to experience the effects of climate change, rain will not always come when we want it to. One way to protect our wells and reduce our environmental impact is to harvest rainwater and use it for our gardens. According to our friends at the University of Maine, “rainwater harvesting is the collection and storage of rain from roofs or from any surface area for future use. The water is generally stored in tanks, barrels, cisterns, ponds, or directed into rain gardens or other areas which recharge the groundwater.”
Led by a Sierra Club Maine Outings Leader, these walks are typically 2-4 miles and about 1.5 hours on established trails or walkways. Check out our Hiking Meetup Group for more information.
Join us for a leisurely-paced walk on a beautiful stretch of the Little River! Meet some Sierra Club Maine active volunteers and learn about what we do and opportunities to get involved. We will walk 2-3 hours and there will be an opportunity to meet up for dinner with other volunteers if interested.
Join us for our biweekly legislative team meeting. This summer we're working on bill planning for the 2023 legislative session! If this is your first meeting, reach out to ania.wright@sierraclub.org for more information.
Donors of all sizes are encouraged to join us on the edge of picturesque Penobscot Bay for a unique conversation with climate-champion, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Sierra Club volunteer leaders from across the state. Refreshments will be available potluck-style, so please bring something to share! There is no cost to attend.
Maine Public Health Association is hosting Enock Glidden for a virtual presentation about Outdoors for All. As a lifelong resident of Maine and a disabled adventurer, Glidden has made it his life's mission to explore the world. From downhill skiing to scaling the face of El Capitan, he has gleaned firsthand the benefits of outdoor recreation for the disability community. Attendees will hear stories and insights into the life of Enock, including what outdoor recreation has meant for his mental and physical well-being. He will also be showing a short film of his ascent of El Capitan.
