350 Coming to Midcoast

350 Maine is starting a Midcoast chapter. For those who don’t know, 350 is an environmental group with the goal of lowering the planet’s carbon emissions and healing the environment. In the Midcoast Maine chapter, our main focus so far is on solar energy. Dependence on oil is costing us the health of our planet, our security, and our self-sufficiency. Solar is the way forward, and how quickly we choose to move is up to us. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to waste any time.

Thanks to the years and years of great work that people have done to raise awareness and mobilize people for positive change, we are now at a point where enough people know what’s wrong with fossil fuel dependence and are ready to support a progressive path forward. In a time of uncertainty, nothing is more empowering than coming together to secure our own clean, renewable, and free source of power. All Mainers can agree that we want a healthy environment, and we can all agree that it’s better when our way of life is not dependent on people and resources from far away — especially when those people just want our wealth and when they use resources to pollute our planet.

The cost to produce a watt from solar photo-voltaic (PV) cells was $60 in 1976; today it is just $0.66 for a watt. While coal and oil will only become more expensive as supplies diminish, solar will continue to become cheaper. The future leads to solar, but the quicker we get there, the better will be our lives, the lives of future generations, and the health of Earth.

The Midcoast chapter of 350 Maine will have their first meeting in Bath on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 6:30 PM at the Patten Free Library. Come join us as we discuss options for campaigns and other actions to promote solar energy in Maine.

For more information, contact Mike White at (207) 371-2030

Daniel White,
Georgetown

Thank You from Tri-County Literacy

All of us here at Tri-County Literacy would like to thank everyone who helped make this year’s Candy Cane Train a tremendous success. It was our first time partnering with the Amtrak Downeaster and the Brunswick Downtown Association, and with the help of our staff, our board, and more than 100 volunteers, the two-day event enjoyed a huge turnout, both on the train and in Brunswick Station. On the train, there was Santa and his elves, Nor’easters Barbershop Chorus, holiday story readers, and cookies. In the train station, Mrs. Claus and the Maine3Railers offered entertainment for all ages. We are grateful to our major sponsors, including the Amtrak Downeaster, the Davenport Trust Fund, Avangrid, the James and Betty Jacobs Family Charitable Trust, and Bath Savings Institution. The success of this event will help us fulfill our mission of providing free literacy services in Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and northern Cumberland counties. We hope to see everyone again next year!

Lucille Stott, Chair
Tri-County Literacy Board of
Directors