Thanks to a very generous donation received earlier this year, we’ve been able to restructure our program staff and hire a new person to increase our staffing capacity! Matt Cannon is now serving as our State Conservation and Energy Director and Ania Wright is now serving as our Legislative and Political Specialist. And, we are excited to announce our newest team member - Nyalat Biliew, our Chapter’s Grassroots Organizer!
Nyalat will play a critical role in organizing and supporting communities across Maine through our Community & Climate Action Teams. Nyalat comes to us with an extensive organizing background. She has organized in support of environmental justice and health, education, and racial equity. Nyalat has a burning passion for social justice and ensuring that marginalized voices and experiences are centered and valued. During her downtime she enjoys playing basketball and pickleball, hiking, crocheting clothes, and traveling worldwide. Nyalat has traveled to 5 (Africa, North America, South America, Australia, and Asia) of the 7 Continents and hopes to see Antarctica soon! Welcome, Nyalat!
(L) Photo by Natalie Chitwood for the Luupe, (R) Photo by Frances Denny for the Luupe
Register Today!
Annual Celebration Sept 16th at Rising Tide Brewery!
In line with our vision and values for climate justice, we are trying something new for our annual celebration! On September 16th, we will be hosting a panel of local activists facilitated by Representative Chellie Pingree on the importance of activism, in order to highlight the importance of intersectional and justice centered solutions to the climate crisis! Panelists are:
Luke Sekera-Flanders - Community Water Action Co-founder and Sierra Club Political Team Member
Safiya Khalid - Community Organizing Alliance Founder & Executive Director
Elayne Richard - Grandmother’s for Reproductive Rights Education Coordinator
Best of all, the 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 here today to join us at our annual celebration on September 16th from 5-7pm at Rising Tide Brewery in Portland. Can’t make it? Make a donation in support of this event instead. Interested in sponsoring our event? Contact Sarah here.
Photo Credit: Pixabay/apfeltalk
Clean Water Act Meets Industrial Fish Farming
As the 50 Anniversary of the Clean Water Act (CWA) is being celebrated, Maine regulators have been soft-pedaling enforcement. Join a virtual meeting on Tuesday, August 23 at 6:30 PM for a deep-dive into the CWA legislation with attorneys David Losee and Charlie Bering who represent Upstream Watch. Register here.
This event will unpack both the intent of the Clean Water Act and the specifics of why net pens and “open" recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) don’t meet antidegradation standards.
There are currently four high-discharge projects in Maine. Taken together, the cumulative tailpipes would release over 4 billion gallons of effluent per day to grow 102,000 metric tons of fish in confinement. The tallied nitrogen released would be equivalent to 19 City of Portland sewers, each sized for 60,000 residents, into some of our nation's cleanest and most productive bays and estuaries. Beyond nitrogen, disease and viruses could spread rapidly in monoculture environments and pose threats to wildlife.
Environmental concerns span beyond water quality as this Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production (CAAP), which are essentially Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFO’s, create multidimensional impacts that include large carbon footprints for both construction and operation. Their power requirements are often 15 to 30 megawatts each, enough power for multiple Maine towns often requiring expensive corridor expansions. These massive industrial projects threaten Maine’s stunning and relatively pristine coastline that fuels our tourism and wild-capture seafood economy.
In this session you will hear from experts on how Maine can effectively enforce the existing Clean Water Act laws. Register today!
Photo by Markus Spiske
Congress Must Pass the Inflation Reduction Act Immediately
On July 27th, the Senate unveiled the text of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which, if passed, will be the largest package of investments ever in clean energy, environmental justice, and climate action. The Sierra Club is calling on Congress to pass this legislation without any further delay.
In response, Sierra Club President Ramon Cruz shared: “The Sierra Club thanks Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Congressional Democrats, and President Biden for their persistent efforts to reach an agreement on a historic suite of investments for communities and families struggling with the interlocking crises of climate change, rising healthcare and energy costs, economic inequity, and racial and environmental injustice. Let’s finish the job and pass this bill immediately.” You can read Sierra Club’s full statement here.
Sierra Club Maine is hiring a Philanthropy Officer to help improve the long term sustainability of our work. The Philanthropy Officer will work closely with staff and volunteer leaders to develop and implement effective fundraising strategies and programs.They will coordinate the Chapter’s fundraising efforts, work with major gift donors and foundations, and support volunteers in fundraising activities. Learn more and apply here!
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 courtesy of Veterans Organizing Institute
Veterans Organizing Institute Leadership Retreat
This September, Common Defense will be launching the Veterans Organizing Institute (VOI) leadership training retreat, and is accepting applications . This program will give participants the skills to take action in support of a clean energy transition in a way that benefits working families. If you are not familiar, Common Defense is the leading progressive veteran’s organization in the country, and has partnered with Sierra Club in the past with our outdoors program.
VOI is an intensive four-day retreat that gives veterans the skills they need to be more effective leaders, organizers, and spokespeople. This retreat will offer participants the skills to take action in support of a clean energy transition that benefits working families, and to elevate diverse veteran voices to protect our communities and our country. If you are a veteran who cares about these issues, apply today! The cost of travel and lodging are 100% covered by the program, but space is limited. Apply here.
Photo by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration News 2013 September 4 (CC BY 2.0)
Green Tip of the Month
By Logan Hagerty, Intern
Sun, sand, and... microplastics? Have you visited the beach this summer just to find plastic pollution? Did you know you ingest over a credit card’s worth of plastic every week?
You’ve likely heard of microplastics; these are tiny, plastic particles created by pollution, and also by washing synthetic textiles like polyester. Below are some tips to avoid (A) creating and (B) ingesting microplastics, to improve our planet’s health and your physical health!
Dusting: Microplastics are in the dust in your home that you breathe in every day. Consider sweeping or dusting less intensely but more regularly, opposed to heavy vacuuming, so as to use less electricity.
Thrifted Fits: Vintage clothing is all the rage, and it’s not just because of TikTok fashion trends or the new season of Stranger Things. Thrifting synthetic-based clothing cuts down on the creation of new synthetic clothing, which prevents additional microplastics from being introduced into our drinking water and oceans from washing cycles.
Eat Less Lobster: While it may prove difficult during peak lobster season and upcoming festivals, consider eating less lobster than normal. Shellfish contain large amounts of microplastics because plastics settle to the bottom of the ocean where shellfish live and eat.
August is National Make-A-Will Month! Are you celebrating by making a will to take care of your family and the environment that you love? Writing a will is one of those tasks that can fall by the wayside—but luckily, you can use online services like www.freewill.com to create yours in under 20 minutes.
Everyone needs a will, whether you’re 18 or 80. And, there’s no better moment than now to find some peace of mind in planning for the future. While you’re writing your will, you’ll also have the opportunity to join the amazing people who have helped Sierra Club Maine by including legacy gifts in their wills.
There is no greater commitment to nature than to ensure it’s cared for after you’re gone. Whatever legacy you create during your lifetime can continue, in your name, with a bequest to Sierra Club Maine through the Sierra Club Foundation. Learn more here or contact Sarah at sarah.leighton@sierraclub.org or 207-761-5616. When there's a will there's a way to protect the environment!
The Month Ahead
Here are some of the meetings and events we have coming up. We hope to see you soon!
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.
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.
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act, join us for a virtual meeting for a deep-dive into the Act with Upstream Watch Attorney David Losee and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Senior Staff Counsel Charlie Bering.
