March is a transitional month for those of us with seasonal employment. We start to get back into the swing of things. The palpable changes and surges of energy are not limited to small towns, but they are quite visible on a little island with a diminished winter population. By the houses and shops of
Why is Blue Power Green and Green Power Blue
The governor’s energy policy is simple to explain, but has been harder to sell—at least to legislators this past session. The policy is to bring cheaper electricity into Maine and lower costs to Maine residents. What’s not to like about that? That depends on who you ask. This year, in addition to bringing more inexpensive
Maine Lobsterman Memorial to Remain on Washington D.C. Waterfront
Senator Susan Collins and other U.S. senators have been working with Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.’s non-voting delegate to the U.S. House) regarding legislation to ensure that the Maine Lobsterman statue on the D.C. waterfront will remain on display after a major redevelopment is completed there in the near future. The statue is a replica
The Ashley Bryan School on Islesford
Cranberry Isles voters knew immediately it was going to be a different kind of town meeting, when, at the entrance to the Islesford Neighborhood House, we encountered a 10-year-old holding a sign that read “Vote for the Ashley Bryan School.” Islands with dwindling populations feel increasing tension when hard decisions have to be made at
From Cape Split to Cape Lookout
The first Maine island I ever visited was a dream come true. A lobsterman dropped me on a beautiful rugged island off the Washington County coastline midway between the treacherous waters of Petit Manan Point and the sheltering harbor of Cape Split to collect ecological data for The Nature Conservancy. Flint Island had everything an
Drawing the Seascape
I dig clams. Dug my way through school,” said artist Jen Casad of Boothbay. It is still a part of her life; “clams in the summertime, art in the wintertime.” When you see a Jen Casad picture, you could easily mistake it for a fine black and white photograph. Her detailed, accurate pencil drawings document
Deer Reduction Plan Faces Final Vote
Without a special hunt following the regular expanded archery season in early December, it is unlikely that Islesboro and nearby Seven Hundred Acre Island will be able to reduce the deer herd to 10 deer per square mile, a level considered necessary for Lyme and other tick-borne disease prevention. In late August 2011, Islesboro, faced
Bird Cuisinarts
Bird Cuisinarts, avian blenders, aerial chopper—these are a few of the words and images that wind turbines have conjured up in the minds of local citizens and bird conservationists anxious about the siting of turbines in their communities. And because wind energy has been promoted as an environmentally friendly source of electric power by many
Linda Greenlaw Launches New Brand
Sword boat captain and New York Times best-selling author Linda Greenlaw has teamed up with swordfish and tuna distributor Great Oceans, LLC to create Linda Greenlaw Select® brand fresh sword and tuna. The partnership aims to provide the highest quality fish available, harvested with environmentally friendly methods to sustain the fisheries while promoting healthier diets
Students Work with Businesses to Foster Sustainability
This past semester, students from the College of the Atlantic collaborated with two Mount Desert Island businesses, the Atlantic Brewing Company and the Acadia Corporation, to find new ways for the businesses to strengthen their environmental and economic sustainability. Owners of the two businesses said that working with the students has led to creative and