Our Midcoast Abounds with the Signs of Nature’s Resilience–And the Good Works of Many
We are living in a singular, bursting moment. Words don’t capture the myriad shades of green, the subtlety of leaves bursting forth, the frenzy of ants building their hills.
And it’s also a fractious time: the hope of a Maine spring moves forth alongside the struggles of a divided and challenged town and country. Climate work feels like just the right antidote to it all: each move and step we take toward a world where we chose to live within the bounds of Nature helps restore our hope in righting some of what’s off track.
Let’s hope we can carry this spirit of greening, of bursting forth, into the work we do. You’ll read below about some of the many, many climate initiatives underway—we hope these are as uplifting and hope-giving as these warm, sunlight days.
Wild Yards Project
We’ve mentioned how the communities of Portland and South Portland are mobilizing teams to help neighbors turn lawns into potent habitats. You can get an overview of this exciting initiative at this 100 Resilient Yards site. While we haven’t yet formed a rewilding branch of our climate corps in Camden/Rockport, we also wanted to offer you this link from farther afield for four DIY videos for inspiration.
Climate Action Community Collaboration Grant
Spring burst forth with the announcement that Rockport and Camden are the co-recipients of a Climate Action Grant entitled “Climate Action Through Collaboration: Building Resilience in Camden and Rockport,” via the Community Resilience Partnership, an initiative of the Maine Climate Council.
The two-year grant’s aim is two-fold: 1) help residents reduce the energy needs of their homes via a free Neighbor-to Neighbor Energy Coaching Program; and 2) build community emergency resilience via education and outreach for potential disaster scenarios, including flooding, fires, extended power outages, etc. The work will be undertaken by the combined efforts of the Rockport Conservation Commission and CamdenCAN (with the support of the municipalities). You can read more about the grant here.
During the next few months watch this space, as we’ll be offering free Energy Coach training, as well as scheduling for free energy coaching visits.
Solar Happenings
Community Solar Offerings. Confused about those community solar farms that advertise 15% off your electrical bill? Wondering why your bills from them are so confusing, and if you are really benefiting the environment or saving money? Turns out you are not alone. We attended a presentation by Maine Conservation Voters (MCV) designed to help answer some of those questions. This won’t be the last of those sessions. If you’re interested in getting some of your own answers, and helping MCV pass legislation to reduce the opacity of utility billing, see their work on the Energy Fairness Act (Maine LD1949) now moving along in the Maine legislature.
Camden Solar Buyout, Paths Forward. There’s been great progress on this initiative for a buyout of a small existing array on town property at Sagamore Farm and on forging a path forward for more municipal solar. If you’d like to find out more and maybe add your voice to the discussion, attend the June 3, 2024, Camden Select Board meeting at 6:30 pm. Check the Select Board web page here to find the meeting packet and link.
Upcoming Green Events
May 29, Thursday, 5 – 7 pm, Rockport Opera House, and live-streaming. Rockport Harbor Resilience Planning Public Meeting #2. See more here.
May 30, Friday, noon – 4 pm. SEA Fair, at the Camden-Rockport Middle School, 34 Knowlton Street in Camden. CamdenCAN will have tomato seedlings for interested students. Last year representatives of 21 environmental organizations had tables. Students from Camden Hills High School and the Watershed School helped prepare and run student activities. Of the approximately 500 attendees last year, about 100 were adult members of the larger community and 400 were students and staff members at CRMS.
June 3, Tuesday, 6:30 pm. Camden Select Board meeting, solar buyout agenda item. Get more about the meeting at this link to the Select Board.
June 7, Saturday, 3 – 4:30 pm, Camden Public Library, Seed Library Launch. Witness the unveiling of the brand-new Seed Library, hear from and chat with seed-growing and seed-saving experts, participate in a community seed swap, learn how to make your own DIY seed packets out of scrap paper, and more. Camden Seed Library currently has herbs, vegetables, and flowers of many kinds from Arugula to Zinnia and many varieties in between. The mission of the Camden Seed Library is to be a central point for sharing seeds and gardening resources to support efforts at biodiversity and self-sufficiency in the local community. See more here.
June 7, Saturday, 10am-3pm, Belfast Climate Resilience Fair, Steamboat Landing. 40+ local businesses and nonprofits with resources and examples of preparing for climate change. Speakers from across the state. Family activities, music, food trucks.
June 10, Town Meeting Day. Visit your town’s website to check out the ballot to prepare.
June 11, Wednesday, 5 pm, Searsport, Zero Energy Homes demonstration house before the public open house—small insider tour for building/energy professionals and Happy Hour folks. Contact Amanda (amanda@beechhillresearch.com or 802-448-2992) for carpooling from Rockland and Camden. Leave Rockland by 4pm and Camden by 4:10pm to arrive by 5pm (considering Route 1 traffic). And subscribe to the Midcoast Climate Happy Hour substack here.
June 26, Thursday, 6 pm, First Congregational Church, Camden. Save the date for a Camden/Rockport Joint Climate Community Potluck. Details to follow.
Concluding Thoughts
Growing, greening, tending, and cultivating—all verbs usually associated with gardening. We’d like to suggest they also apply to the connections we’ll need in our communities as the planet warms and we’re faced with increased challenges—everything from repairing overwhelmed sewers, preparing for hurricanes and sea-level rise, to housing climate migrants. Communities that pull together in advance of emergencies fare better.
While we have an election day ahead of us, the divisions we’ve sown as a town won’t go away when the voting is over without our concerted efforts to tend and cultivate community.
Let’s hope these bright, brilliant days of spring sow ideas about common values we can cultivate to unite instead of divide us.
What seeds can you plant toward a resilient, thriving, and unified Camden and Rockport?