Iconic Maine Photos: An Offbeat Errand, Now a Revered Image

Posted January 18, 2017 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

Down East Magazine scoured 175 years worth of images to find the 10 Most Iconic Maine Photos of All Time. Acclaimed to obscure, joyful to haunting, they’re the shots that tell Maine’s story. Peter Ralston’s stories have stories. That’s how it feels, anyway, when you walk into the 66-year-old photographer’s Rockport gallery, intending to talk about a single exquisite image from 1980, but instead you end up — delightedly — following a series of digressions upon digressions, road tales from a decades-long career in photojournalism.

The Chris Wolf Show discusses Weatherize Rockland initiative with the Rockland Energy Committee

Posted January 16, 2017 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

Representatives from the Rockland Energy Committee joined The Chris Wolf Show on December 28, 2016 to talk about the Weatherize Rockland initiative, energy efficiency, and energy incentives for the local community.
Guests included committee representatives Larry Pritchett and the Island Institute’s Brooks Winner.

Four films focus on changing coastal climate

Posted January 13, 2017 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

The future of fisheries and the changing ocean in the Gulf of Maine and elsewhere are explored in four short films to be screened at College of the Atlantic’s Gates Community Center on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 6:30 p.m.
The free screening of the films, produced by The Island Institute, will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Island Institute marine scientist Susie Arnold and University of Maine doctoral student Sam Belknap.

Weatherize Rockland — Five Reasons to Sign Up

Posted January 5, 2017 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

Do you have one of those leaky homes? If so, the Rockland Energy Committee’s Weatherize Rockland initiative can help you. Weatherize Rockland is helping local residents sign up for energy assessments, air sealing, insulation, and other energy services at discounts of up to 95%. Here are five reasons to sign up, or partner with home performance agencies in your area, to save money and make your home more energy efficient year round.

Chebeague Island shoreline attracts new grower of seaweed

Posted December 28, 2016 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

The waters off Chebeague Island will be even greener than usual this winter.
Shearwater Ventures is moving in, joining another company, Portland-based Ocean Approved, in growing and harvesting seaweed in Casco Bay.
Nathan Johnson, who started Shearwater last year, just signed a state lease on nearly 4 acres of seabed. Johnson intends to grow sugar kelp, his foray into the $5 billion worldwide kelp industry.

Comfort, if not safety, in numbers as towns face climate change

Posted December 15, 2016 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

On Friday, December 9th, the Island Institute co-hosted GrowSmart Maine’s December Smart Growth Forum, “Sea Level Rise: Practical Tools and Community Implementation,” at our Rockland offices. In this community contributed piece, Phil Crossman, a Vinalhaven resident and selectmen, offers a recap of the event. For more information, including speaker presentations, visit the GrowSmart Maine event page.

Consider the Lobster and Electricity: Helping Meet the Energy Challenges of Maine’s Small Islands

Posted November 28, 2016 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

Most island communities do not have economies of scale or local fossil fuel resources, two key factors contributing to significant increases in energy costs relative to mainland peers. A case in point is two islands located off the coast of Maine—Isle au Haut and Monhegan, both of which are currently weighing their energy futures. The Energy Department and EERE are helping to address those challenges through the Energy Transition Initiative (ETI), which provides technical assistance and resources to support communities that want to achieve clean energy goals and in the transition to a clean energy economy.

Report details Island Institute’s 2016 impact on islands and coast

Posted November 28, 2016 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

The Island Institute has published its 2016 annual report, which showcases its community-building initiatives in 15-year-round island communities and 105 coastal communities.
The Rockland-based nonprofit reported operating revenue of $5.47 million and almost $5.4 million in operating expenses, which included $883,179 being spent on community development and $1 million on economic development.
Read more about the highlights included in the 20-page report.

Trump has been elected, so what’s next for sustainability?

Posted November 27, 2016 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

Mainers who have dedicated their careers to science and environmental advocacy offer their thoughts, and a call to action.

Things Mainers can do to combat climate change

Posted November 27, 2016 by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.

What is one small thing Mainers can do in their everyday lives to help combat climate change? We asked our panelists that question. They overwhelmed us with good ideas, small and large. Try some. Or all. An edited list follows.