Category: Blog

Energy can be expensive and unreliable for island communities everywhere. Through our work over the last decade and our collaborations with communities in Maine, New England, and across the globe, we’ve learned that by bringing the right ideas and partners to the table we can help address the very real needs and common challenges we… Read more »

Along with our friends at Luke’s Lobster, we wanted to celebrate International Women’s Day by highlighting a few of the courageous, talented, and smart women who are making huge contributions to our oceans and our planet every day.

As we know all too well, high-speed internet is extremely important to daily life—from remote work and education to assuring that government can continue to function. The State of Maine, through the ConnectMaine Authority, plays an important role in helping to close the digital divide.

During these unprecedented times, Island Institute Community Development Officer & Education Specialist Yvonne Thomas and other members of the Community Learning for ME (CL4ME) team are working to reimagine education in Maine.

In early March, before Governor Mills issued a statewide lockdown, the Island Institute’s Lisa Millette traveled to the home of Maine artist Basil Cake and his wife Mia, to learn more about his work, life, and inspiration.

As we began to talk about hosting a leadership training for young people, I kept thinking about something former Mount Desert Island High School student Thomas Korsanje said to me during an interview about local students organizing to address the climate crisis. He said, “People don’t take us seriously.” His point was that so many adults… Read more »

We’ve come a long way since 1970, when economist Milton Friedman told the world that companies have no responsibility to society or to the planet, only to increase profits for their shareholders. Friedman’s doctrine kicked off an era of unbridled greed in American business. 50 years later, our business community is starting to be on… Read more »

As we begin the new year with ambitious goals for our collaboration with Luke’s Lobster, we’re reminded of the value of B Corps, and the other partners in our state, which focus on a purpose that goes beyond profits. Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance,… Read more »

We will remember 2020 for the rest of our lives. And the way we remember will be colored by where we were as it unfolded. The view from Maine’s coast and islands drove many of our stories this past year. Not all policy decisions, community initiatives, and business developments were tainted by COVID-19, but much was.… Read more »