Artwork by Ed Nolde, Artist & Sierra Club Maine Volunteer
July 2024
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You're Invited:
Annual Celebration September 19! |
Sierra Club Maine will hold its annual celebration for social and environmental justice September 19th, 6:30-8:00pm at Maine Beer Company in Freeport. The public is invited to join us as we celebrate our impact in 2024 and discuss our collective goals for the future. Doors open at 5:30pm. |
The evening will include a live auction, a presentation of annual awards, and a special address from Sierra Club Maine’s Chapter Director, Pete Nichols. “We are really excited to bring our amazing members and supporters together to celebrate our collective work over the past year and showcase inspiring things on the horizon for the chapter,” Pete shared. Please register here and stay tuned for updates on
our website
and social media: Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.
Sierra Club Maine would like to thank its sponsors: GoGo Refill, Tandem Coffee, Gorham Savings Bank,
Piper Shores,
Lamey Wellehan, Ecology School, Union of Concerned Scientists,
Maine Beer Company,
Inn by the Sea, Sea Bags, and Maine Audubon, and its host committee: Becky Bartovics, Jonathan Fulford, Beverly Roxby, and Dinah Minot—thank you!
Interested in sponsoring this event? Please contact
maine.chapter@sierraclub.org.
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Sierra Club Maine Launches New Coastal Program
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This month, Sierra Club Maine Chapter launched its new Coastal Program! Dedicated to the holistic protection of Maine’s iconic coastline, the program has four core areas of focus:
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Holding regulators accountable for ensuring Maine’s waterways are clean and healthy;
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Promoting “green” marine industry practices;
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Increasing clean, renewable energy generation through offshore wind;
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Advocating for investments in climate resiliency for Maine’s coastal communities.
In the past year, Maine has experienced 100-year floods, a 25 percent increase in wildfires, and historic coastal damage. The Gulf of Maine is also one of the fastest warming locations on Earth, leading to the rapid decline of local aquatic opportunities. The time has never been better for the Sierra Club to be a strong voice advocating for the protection of Maine’s coast.
The Chapter also hired Andrew Blunt as its new Coastal Advocate to launch the program. He joins the chapter with wide-ranging organizing and campaign experience in energy, conservation, and climate issues. Please reach out to him at andrew.blunt@sierraclub.org to learn more about the program and to get involved!
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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 advocate for 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. 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 no later than 5:00pm EST on August 9th, 2024. 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. Questions? Please contact
maine.chapter@sierraclub.org. |
Offshore Wind Saves Money
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“Charting the Wind,” a new report from Synapse Energy Economics Inc., seeks to quantify the benefit of offshore wind to ratepayers, the climate, and public health in New England. Currently, our region is trapped in a cycle of high and spiking electricity costs spurred by over reliance on natural gas for power generation and the extreme weather and geopolitical events that increase imported gas prices. By investing in offshore wind, New England can wean itself off natural gas and ensure energy savings, health, and climate benefits for families and businesses.
According to the Report, 9 GWs of Offshore Wind by 2030 would:
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Reduce New England electricity customers’ bills by approximately $2.79/month to $4.61/month, depending on future gas prices.
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Save New England an average of $630 million annually on electricity costs, with net savings in some years surpassing $1.3 billion under a mid-case natural gas price.
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Retain approximately $1.57 billion in New England that would have otherwise flowed out to purchase gas fuel.
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Cut 42% of annual CO2 emissions from the New England power sector. That’s 14 million short tons of CO2 gone.
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Provide $362 million in annual public health benefits by avoiding 3,700 short tons of NOX emissions, 824 tons of SO2 emissions, and 641 tons of PM2.5 emissions annually.
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Pine Tree Amendment Moves to Sierra Club Maine
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We have exciting news! As of June, the Pine Tree Amendment Campaign (PTA)—a campaign for constitutional right to clean water, clean air and a healthy environment for all—has officially moved to the Sierra Club Maine Chapter.
After building a robust grassroots campaign over the past several years the PTA made the decision to move the campaign in order to grow and take advantage of the resources that the Maine Chapter has to offer. We’re excited to continue the work the PTA started to protect the rights of all people in the state—including present and future generations—to a clean and healthy environment and to the preservation of the natural, cultural and healthful qualities of the environment.
We’re encouraged by the local ordinances being passed in Maine, the lawsuits happening nationwide, and the potential that the upcoming state elections have for our efforts. Though the PTA has had a difficult outcome from the 131st legislative session, it’s not going anywhere! This summer, we will be re-evaluating our campaign and strategy, and looking forward to the 132nd session.
If you’re interested in getting involved in the Pine Tree Amendment efforts, please reach out to Ania: ania.wright@sierraclub.org.
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Make Your Voice Heard:
Take the Maine Climate Council Survey!
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Electrify Your Home
for Safety, Comfort, and Savings!
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The City of Portland is excited to announce a third round of its Electrify Everything! program aimed at helping Portland residents lower their energy bills by improving their home’s energy efficiency. Portland residents may be eligible for up to a $250 rebate toward the purchase of certain energy efficiency and weatherization products:
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Outdoor clotheslines and clothes drying racks
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Weather stripping
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Window and door caulking
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Insulation techniques
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Portable induction cooktops
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Energy Star certified refrigerators & dishwashers
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Electric lawn tools
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Power strips
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Smart thermostats
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LED light bulbs
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and more!
Weatherizing and electrifying existing buildings are some of the most effective tools we have to lower our energy bills and fight climate change. Small investments to tighten up your home, such as caulking around window frames or weather stripping around doors, can help you stay warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Check out the program details, eligible products, and resources here.
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A New Kind of Outing
By Pam Blake
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Sierra Club Maine is excited to announce its offering of a different kind of activity, “An Outing to Look More Closely,” with an easy walk in Winslow Memorial Park in Freeport on Sunday, July 28, 2-4pm. On this special excursion David von Seggern, Sierra Club Outings Leader, is joined by Pam Blake who is new to leading hikes in Maine but is a seasoned outings leader and avid nature journaler in the southern California desert.
Together, we will explore what nature journaling is—and is not—and practice this way of engaging with nature and creating a written record of the encounter. The most important tools required for this outing are curiosity and wonder. We will use these three prompts to inform how we fill our pages: “I notice,” “I wonder,” and “It reminds me of.” We each bring our own intention to the practice. Pam’s is twofold: a meditative escape from quotidian worries and ever increasing botanical knowledge, which she and a nature journaling friend are using to create a book about the desert flora of southern California. David has been keeping a hike journal for years.
You will each determine how best to use your journal to explore, learn about, and experience the natural world and your place in it. Don't forget to register here!
You can learn more about nature journaling by checking out John Muir Laws and Marley Peifer. The only caveat? Don’t be intimidated by their skills—they’ve both drawn many pencil miles!
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Photo by Photo by Marc Wieland
Green Tip of the Month:
Get Started With Induction Cooking
By Michael Trombley, Sierra Club Maine Volunteer
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You may have heard about the health and environmental hazards of gas stoves. For a lot of people, though, solutions are neither cheap nor easy. Maybe you want to replace your gas range with a cleaner electric one, but you aren’t yet ready to drop a thousand dollars or more on a new appliance. Or perhaps you rent, and buying a new range just isn’t a choice you can make. Luckily, it’s not all or nothing. You can start cooking greener with a countertop induction burner for less than $100. Induction burners release no fumes, they offer
84% efficiency compared to a 40% rate for gas, and they’re faster than gas. What’s the catch, then? Well, the pots and pans you have now might not work on an induction cooktop. If you have any cast iron, though, that will work fine. With an old cast iron pan and maybe a new pasta pot, you might be able to replace a significant portion of your gas cooking.
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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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July 16 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 28 at 2pm: An Outing to Look More Closely
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David von Seggern and Pam Blake will provide an opportunity to learn and practice nature journaling on an easy walk in Winslow Park, Freeport. Pam finds it a form of meditation that lets her put aside everyday concerns. Expand upon your curiosity and desire to learn more about the natural world and, perhaps, your place in it.
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Political Team Meetings
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Join us bi-weekly on Tuesdays to discuss the upcoming November election and endorsements! Email ania.wright@sierraclub.org for more information.
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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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