NRCM Blog

MOO(Milk) Needs YOU!

Seems like we hear it everyday: “Buy local.” “Go green.” “Buy organic.” “Support family farms.”

When a group of Maine farmers worked together to create MOOMilk, they probably were taking all that consumer buzz to heart. Their product fits all the criteria: MOOMilk is organic milk that is produced by Maine farmers. The kind of product we’re looking for so we can “walk the talk,” right?

Hmm. Maybe not.

As the Bangor Daily News is reporting MOOMilk is in danger of closing up shop, taking with it a great example of Maine’s entrepreneurial spirit in action – and the kind of product the public has been giving lip service to.

Fortunately, it’s not too late, and you can help by simply buying the product. It’s tasty and healthy, and it gives you the chance to put into action all those bumper stickers and t-shirt slogans about saving the planet – in this case, one farm at a time.

Actually, SIX farms—three in Aroostook County, three in Washington County.

And how about this for additional inspiration: in the wake of the MOOMilk’s struggles, the Aroostook County farmers could have begun shipping to another market but knew that if they did, service to the Washington County farms would stop, as they are too far out of the conventional trucking route for hauling their milk to be profitable. Instead, the Aroostook farmers have continued to band together with the farmers in Washington County.
If these farmers, whose very livelihood is on the line, can choose to stick together for the sake of a quality product like MOOMilk, can’t we stick with them, too?

MOOMilk is available at Hannafords (which recently lowered the price so that MOOMilk can more fairly compete with national, out-of-state brands). It’s also available at IGA, Shurfine, and elsewhere.

For more information about MOOMilk, please visit http://moomilkco.com/.

Allison Wells
Senior Director, Public Affairs
Natural Resources Council of Maine
(and Mom to a MOOMilk-drinking Family!)

A Zero-Waste Future: Pipe Dream or Reality?

What would you say if I told you that consumer product manufacturers are teaming up with local solid waste officials to eliminate the concept of “trash” altogether?

Does that sound like an eco-pipe dream?

Well, it’s not. Right here in Maine, electronics manufacturers have already set up and are financing collection and recycling programs for unwanted television sets, computers, monitors, cell phones, mercury-containing light bulbs and more. 

The goal of these programs is to divert these products from landfills and incinerators and get them into recycling operations where they can be broken down and turned into new products. 

While, Maine’s been on the cutting edge of this policy approach known as product stewardship (or extended producer responsibility) in the United States, we’re well behind places like the European Union and Canada, which are implementing stewardship plans to get pretty much everything you can think of out of the waste stream and into recycling operations. 

And, here’s the kicker – it’s all done by private companies and the costs are incorporated into the price of the product, instead of left to taxpayers and local governments to figure out what to do with all the unwanted stuff.

Pretty soon, we won’t be talking about “solid waste” policy anymore. We’ll be talking about “sustainable materials” policy, and that, my friends, is a heck of a lot more exciting and truly has the potential to revolutionize the way we manufacture, use and dispose of consumer products. Rather than designing products for disposal, manufacturers will now have the incentives to design their products – and packaging – for their next uses, and will create the systems to capture those unwanted products and turn them into something new and valuable.

If all this sounds exciting to you, then you need to join us in Portland, Tuesday, August 17th for "The Product Stewardship State Legislative Forum: How Business and States are Turning Today’s Trash into Tomorrow’s Products.”

This free forum, taking place in conjunction with the Council of State Governments' Annual Eastern Regional Conference and sponsored by NRCM and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, is an exciting opportunity to learn about how product stewardship is sweeping Maine and the nation and what it means for you, your business, local solid waste district, and our environment.

To register and learn more about agenda and the speakers for the event, please visit http://www.nrcm.org/product_stewardship_forum.asp.

Hope to see you there!

Matt Prindiville
NRCM Clean Production Project Director

See you in court: NRCM appeals Plum Creek decision

Today NRCM filed an appeal in Maine Superior Court of LURC’s decision on the Plum Creek development plan for the Moosehead region.  After spending countless hours reviewing LURC’s decision, and sharing the frustration of Maine people, it became clear that there were substantial grounds for an appeal and a need to do so.

We took on the Plum Creek issue knowing that the odds were stacked against us.  Appeals of this type are an uphill battle.  But we believe we have a strong case, and we are confident in the legal team that is representing us.  And without the strong commitment of our members and activists, we could not be doing this important work. 

We’ve posted information about the appeal on our website.  This includes a detailed position statement, a Question-and-Answer list, and the full text of the appeal for those of you who are interested in the details.

The bride wore green

One of the favorite parts of my job is reading the news each day to see what is happening in the world of environmental advocacy.  As I came into work early yesterday in order to beat the snowstorm, I came across an article in the Portland Press Herald about a green wedding contest in southern Maine.  (You can read the full article here.)  The finalists for this contest were selected, the article said, "not for their cutting-edge environmental strategies, but for the little ways they celebrate being green each day and interpreting that in a way others can understand."

The article goes on to describe some of the things that these finalists do each day to live a greener lifestyle like buying locally grown foods and supporting local businesses, and giving gifts that are homemade with recycled materials.  Two of the finalists are school teachers - one who has gone paperless in her art class and another who is doing composting with her students.

When I first saw the article, I thought it was going to be about how to plan and host a "green" wedding, but I was pleased to see that it was more than that - it focused on the ways these couples and their families are making changes in their everyday lives to make the planet healthier.  

What are some ways you and your family have made changes to make your lives more environmentally friendly?  If you have ideas you would like to share, I encourage you to post them on here so that others can be inspired and maybe come up with some ideas of their own. Also, NRCM has some ideas of their own that can be found by reading our Tip of the Day at www.nrcm.org.  I also encourage you to take part in our global warming challenge at www.globalwarmingmaine.org. 

And to all of the couples who are finalists in the "Green Wedding Giveaway," we wish you the best!

Beth Dimond 

Sunshine and a Summer Paddle

In this summer of wet and windy weather it has been a trick to find that weekend or evening of perfect summer weather to get outside and enjoy the warm sun. We have had to just grab them when they showed themselves. And remember that wet misty weather can be enjoyable too. Chris and I had to travel to the Ellsworth area on the weekend of August 16th to deliver some lumber. We piled the kayaks on top of the lumber and headed out, hoping for the best. We dropped off the lumber and had a few hours to spend before our dinner date and decided to find an easy access kayak point and paddle for a few hours. Out came the DeLorme Gazetteer, and we picked Toddy Pond just east of Bucksport right off Route One.

No one was there! Into the water we went, past the old camps and the new ones, paddling along the east shore watching a lone loon dive and come up, dive and come up again. We paddled on down the lake quietly soaking up the passing clouds, the spots of warm sun, and the lap of the water against the boats. Perfectly zen.

Just one more point, just one more point until the lake narrowed so that we were fairly close to both sides and there on the shore…..high bush blueberries hanging over the water! The water in the lake had to be unusually high for August and the benefit was easy access to plump juicy berries. I ate plenty of them while Chris explored around the next corner.

Then we beelined it back to the launch ramp and the promise of dinner with friends. Now that was a perfect summer day!

I would be interested to hear about your favorite kayaking spots around the state!

Leslie Burhoe