Photo by Megan Steele Photography
Sierra Club Maine's 2022 Impact Report
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It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when thinking about all of the environmental problems that need to be addressed. And the spotlight often shines on the greatest environmentalists of our time who have made it their life’s mission to protect our planet. But at Sierra Club Maine we’re inspired by everyday heroes consistently doing what they can and driving important change here in Maine.
Our goal as an organization isn’t to work with a few experts to protect the environment because that’s not how we will solve our climate crisis. Our goal is to empower everyday Mainers to protect the place we lovingly call home. And, at Sierra Club Maine, we know that everyone has a role no matter their experience, knowledge, or skills.
In this year’s impact report, we invite you to read the inspiring stories of just some of your neighbors who show up for Maine’s environment. Everyone is needed to solve the climate crisis—including you. We hope these stories will inspire you to join us. Enjoy!
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The Civil Rights & Environmental Justice
BIPOC Tour of the South
By Nyalat Biliew, Sierra Club Maine’s Grassroots Climate Action Organizer
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I had the honor of traveling with a civil rights and anti-racism tour that stopped in New Orleans, Alabama, and Georgia.
I'm happy for the chance to work with the Black Action Team and plan an illuminating historical tour. My desire to better our understanding of environmental racism and establish direct contact with impacted communities is in line with the goals of my work. It has been a wonderful experience that is both unexpected and very valued. The Black Action Team has given me a secure place to discover my purpose and develop alongside others who share my experiences. I am incredibly grateful to Miss Joselyn and the crew for all the work they put into this tour. We started Monday with a welcome session before we began the 5-day bus tour! The welcome session allowed me to network and establish connections with other Sierra Club members I hadn't previously interacted with.
Knowing my coworkers and how they prioritize this vital work in their everyday lives was important.
In a powerful session, our guest speaker Joan Gardner passionately shared the story of her father's involvement in the Civil Rights movement, shedding light on the immense struggle and injustice they faced. Her words conveyed the deep impact of their fight for equality, emphasizing the significance of their actions. Continue reading here.
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Join Us to Celebrate the Legislative Team!
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Join the Sierra Club staff, volunteers, and other community members to celebrate the hard work, success, and impacts of the legislative team this year! The team will be hosting a celebratory potluck at Mill Park in Augusta on July 22nd from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Attendees will be asked to bring a dish, drink, or dessert to share with others. Sign up here to join us!
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Wrapping up the Legislative Session
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The 131st Legislative Session continued through the end of June with contentious floor debates leading late into many evenings. The session is expected to wrap up early this month. Throughout the session, the Sierra Club Maine Legislative team submitted over 80 pieces of testimony to advocate for climate justice, energy democracy, and environmental protection. With the session wrapping up, here are a few highlights for our priority bills:
Stay tuned for more updates on the end of the legislative session, and thank you to our Legislative Team for all their hard work advocating for our priorities!
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Nuclear: Not A Climate Solution for Maine
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As we continue to work for clean energy solutions to the climate crisis, nuclear power has begun to reenter the conversation as a ‘clean energy alternative,’ despite the dangers it poses to our communities and environment. This past legislative session, LD 1549, “An Act to Direct the Public Utilities Commission to Seek Informational Bids Regarding Small Modular Nuclear Reactors in the State,” got a positive vote in the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee, and its fate is yet to be decided in the Legislature this session.
Sierra Club remains in opposition for new nuclear energy, and advocates for a nuclear free future.
The United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported this year that society is only roughly eight years away from exceeding catastrophic climate tipping points. In April the IPCC reported that renewable energy (like solar and wind, which are abundant in Maine) is ten times more efficient than nuclear in mitigating CO2 in the atmosphere. Furthermore, we can fully meet our clean energy goals without new nuclear
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Continue reading here.
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Sierra Club Maine Seeks
Executive Committee Nominations
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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 open to all Sierra Club members. Committee members are elected on two year terms. 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 1st. 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.
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Chart courtesy of pnas.org
How We Spend Our Time Will Determine the Sustainability of Our Planet
By David von Seggern, Sierra Club Maine Volunteer
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In one of the most enlightening articles ( The global human day, 2023) I have read in months (years?), an international set of authors analyzed how the human species spends its time. Drawing on diverse datasets and applying interpolation and extrapolation as needed, the authors provide charts of how the world’s population spends its time, and the results are provocative. Here is a quote from the article explaining the purpose and need:
“A complete and holistic quantification of how global humanity allocates its ~190 billion hours per day could therefore provide a firm grounding from which to assess how human behavior is changing over time, as well as the scope and plausibility of strategies to simultaneously achieve multiple goals, such as the 17 internationally agreed upon Sustainable Development Goals.”
The article makes some interesting revelations in regard to the use of energy and to sustainability. For instance, the authors show that humans spend on average 35 minutes per day creating the human technosphere—products, infrastructure, artifacts—while spending an average of less than a minute in waste disposal and treatment. This ratio needs to change in order to establish a circular economy to underpin a sustainable world. Continue reading here.
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Green Tip of the Month:
Collaborative Economies
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Have you ever asked your neighbor for a cup of sugar? How about to borrow their ladder, power washer, or bicycle? If you have, you’ve taken part in a collaborative economy, where individuals give, borrow, share, or swap goods with one another.
There are loads of benefits to collaborative economies. It decreases the number of goods that need to be produced (which in turn reduces our environmental footprint!), allows you to test out equipment you’ve had your eye on, or try a new activity without purchasing the required gear.
An example of this is Maine GearShare—a Collaborative Outdoor Gear Library in Brunswick. They have a large inventory of hiking, camping, and backpacking equipment. They allow you to be part of positive change within your community: ”By using Maine GearShare, you are participating in a collaborative economy model that supports the mission of connecting more people to the outdoors. Not only are you reducing your environmental footprint by sharing gear with others, your rental fees directly support our equity-based model of membership for groups committed to breaking down the barriers to the outdoors.”
Feeling inspired? Start your own collaborative economy with your friends, family, neighborhood, or town! You can share outdoor equipment, books, crafts, or gardening supplies. The possibilities are endless. Do you have a green tip that you would like to have included in a future newsletter? Please share it with us here!
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Photo by Anna Siegel
The Month Ahead
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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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Mondays at 4:30pm: Legislative Team Meetings
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Thursdays, biweekly, at 4pm: Events Team Meetings
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Help us organize events to educate and engage Mainers across the state.
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July 18 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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July 22 at 4:30pm: Legislative Celebration (Potluck) at Mill Park in Augusta
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Join the Sierra Club staff, volunteers, and other community members to celebrate the hard work, success, and impacts of the legislative team this year!
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