Articles
Kennebec River Initiative maps long range plans
In 2005, a group of Kennebec River enthusiasts decided to introduce Maine’s Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan and his assistant at the time, Karen Tilberg, to the section of the Kennebec between Waterville and Sidney. Neither McGowan nor Tilberg had ever seen that stretch, which runs through a fairly heavily settled urban area, but retains a
Phippsburg plans Popham Colony’s 400th anniversary
“I’m glad this happens only once every hundred years,” says Bill Perkins, co-chair with Bill Murray of a 12-member volunteer committee that is making sure the Popham Colony’s 400th anniversary receives suitable recognition. The group has planned four days of festivities Aug. 23-26 to celebrate the colony, which through the efforts of Maine’s First Ship,
Before you tuck into that lobster, consider its carbon cost
A new twist has appeared on the scene of lobster and other seafood marketing: the “carbon stamp,” which quantifies greenhouse gas emissions that were released during production and transportation of a product. This carbon cost label, which would be similar to the present food nutrition label, may be visible on products in the not-too-distant future.
Entrepreneurs race to refine biodiesel in Maine
At this time, a small portion of 100 percent biodiesel used in Maine is manufactured in the state. Much of that is produced by individuals or groups such as The Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, a leader in biodiesel use in the state, that produce just enough to power their own vehicles. Most of Maine’s biodiesel
Deep Fat in the TankMarine Biodiesel makes headway in Maine
When fishermen in the Miller family come in to fuel their boats, they’re riding on the edge of a new wave in Maine and throughout the country. They’ve begun to use B20, biodiesel fuel, a mixture of 80 percent petroleum diesel mixed with 20 percent biodiesel, which is derived from plants such as soybeans and
Biodiesel: The Basics
WHAT IS BIODIESEL? Biodiesel is an alternative to petroleum diesel or “petrodiesel.” It is a renewable fuel made from vegetable oil that can be blended with petrodiesel and used to heat homes or to operate any diesel-powered engine. Biodiesel manufacturers adhere to quality standards, and many engine manufacturers will warranty use of biodiesel up to
Basin Preserve protects habitat and public access
Bob Cummings, one of the founders of Phippsburg’s Land Trust, observes that Phippsburg recently acquired a status that is rare, possibly unique among Maine’s coastal towns. It can now boast of having 27 percent of the town’s property in protected status: about 900 acres at Popham Beach State Park, 300 to 400 acres owned by
Passionate collector preserved Deer Isle’s genealogy, history
Anyone who wants to do research on families from the Deer Isle-Stonington area will find more information than they could hope for by making a trip to the Deer Isle – Stonington Historical Society on Sunset Road in Deer Isle. There, in a small room in the archives building, they can look through the 43
Event celebrates Maine oysters and mussels
What could be slower for the average person than opening and consuming oysters on the half shell? At the recent oyster and mussel event sponsored by Slow Food Portland, attendees didn’t have to go through the entire process — professional shuckers were on hand — but in the Slow Food tradition, they were able to
Coastal grower’s goal is year-round fresh vegetables
It is mid-morning on March 6, and the thermometer has moved up about 10 degrees from its early morning reading of two degrees Fahrenheit. The record-breaking month of cold is still hanging on. Even so, when Christopher Hahn picks up an end of a row cover in his greenhouse, a surprising mass of bright green