November 13, 2015
Maine’s diesel islands find a role model, 3,500 miles away
“I decided, after reading about the 15 Maine Islands, that we’re most similar to Matinicus,” said AlexAnna Salmon, Village Council President of Igiugig, Alaska and speaker at the Island Energy Conference. “We are not an island, but we are like an island in that you can only get there by air charter.”
November 11, 2015
Commercial Currents: Establishing an Online Presence
Are you in search of buoyant stories from Maine’s island and remote coastal communities about economic stability and resilience? The Island Institute’s Economic Development staff welcome you to this new resource for island and coastal small businesses.
November 6, 2015
A little moth, a lot of love
On Vinalhaven in 2012, something started eating the trees. Leaves on the south end of the island were desiccated, and the culprit was the newly arrived, invasive winter moth. Science teacher Amy Palmer decided that the best Vinalhaven residents to take on the pest were her students. Over the next few months, Amy and a small group of students worked after school to monitor, document, and manage the moths.
October 15, 2015
Lessons from Samsø, a year later
How to translate lessons from an island in Denmark back to Maine? After a year spent implementing energy efficiency efforts here on Peaks, five learnings have helped Sam Saltonstall stay focused on island energy work.
October 6, 2015
Announcing the Aquaculture Cohort
Aquaculture in Maine—primarily mussels, oysters, and kelp—has huge economic potential. The area covered by all of Maine’s current aquaculture leases could fit inside Rockland harbor, but don’t let the small size fool you: it is a growing industry and the established producers can’t keep up with demand. Maine’s cold, clean, waters can produce a superior product, and when combined with the Maine “brand,” sales are ready to expand throughout the Northeast and beyond.
September 15, 2015
Update: Peaks Island CEAT
Peaks is one of a number of Maine islands to have formed Community Energy Action Teams with financial support from the EPA through the Island Institute. Our team has named itself the Peaks Energy Action Club (PEAC), and looks forward to addressing some of the energy challenges identified here on Peaks Island. Our mission is to provide informational resources to our community about energy efficiency and renewable energy options. The Island Institute has provided us with educational materials and state-of-the-art tools to help us investigate local energy projects of our own choosing.
September 15, 2015
Update: Vinalhaven CEAT
The Vinalhaven Energy Club seeks to improve energy and resource efficiency for residents of the Fox Islands. Energy education and awareness are essential if we are to maintain affordable, warm, and well lit homes and buildings. We have helped promote energy efficient projects such as utilizing smart grid technology, encouraging use of electrical thermal storage units, weatherizing, and installing interior storm windows. Our members are Bill Alcorn, Patrick Trainor, Naill Conlan, Karol Kucinski, and Del Webster.
September 8, 2015
From school basement to sunny yard: starting a garden on Frenchboro
Island Fellow Luke Milardo worked with the Frenchboro school students to start a garden under grow lights this spring, then shared the seedlings with the whole community.
September 8, 2015
Monhegan CEAT Uses Classroom Education to Make a Real-World Impact
The Monhegan Community Energy Action Team (CEAT) was created to serve a simple purpose: help people in the community lower the cost and environmental impact of their energy use through education about energy efficiency and conservation, and renewable energy.
August 25, 2015
Update: East Casco Bay CEAT
An update on the work going on with the East Casco Bay Community Energy Action Team (CEAT), one of five teams pioneering intergenerational education and leadership around energy issues in seven year-round island communities in Maine.