If you are persuaded by Aristotle’s idea that in small worlds we see the ordering of complex larger worlds — that the microcosm reflects the macrocosm — then you might want to pause to consider the momentous occasion of the official beginning of Chebeague Island’s independence on July 1, just a few days ahead of
Increasingly-Popular Water Disinfectant Raises Concerns
In order to meet EPA water safety guidelines, North Haven recently constructed an ultra-modern water treatment plant that cost the island’s ratepayers $2.2 million. But shortly afterwards, the EPA tightened regulations to lower the allowable level of disinfection byproducts in drinking water. North Haven’s water didn’t pass the new standards. “It was kind of frustrating,”
Islesboro explores options for its historic school building
Years of inadequate maintenance, a leaking roof and a declining school population have forced the Islesboro school board to re-evaluate the current school building and to determine whether the town will renovate the historic building, build a new school, or even turn the school into a private academy. Islesboro Central School is housed in the
On Frenchboro, Scott Sell’s job description just keeps growing
Scott Sell is a study in perpetual motion. As the William Bingham Fellow for Rural Education on Frenchboro, his days are a dizzying sequence of activities that range from preschoolers’ sleeve-tugging demands to equally exhausting Internet research for a future telemedicine unit on the island. During the school year you can find Scott teaching music,
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
A Man at Risk, a Waterfront’s Worth of Helpers
“We all work together,” said Deer Isle Memorial Ambulance Corps’s (MAC) Service Chief Wilda Eaton, of the way islanders join forces to help when someone is hurt. “Because we’re an island, we have definite boundaries like other people don’t,” added Susan Oliver, of Stonington,. “If you live in Blue Hill, you have all these surrounding
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
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.
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
A Handmade Life: In Search of Simplicity
Chelsea Green Publishing, 2002 Crafting Our Lives with Our Own Hands Coperthwaite, a Maine native, has traveled the globe extensively over the years, but still calls Maine home, with his handsome hand-built 3-story yurt on Dickinson Reach in Machiasport. Yurts are what Coperthwaite is best known for, that circular shelter originally used like tents by