A Special Advertising Section of the Bangor Daily
•Friday, April 18,2025
News
Scrapdogs Community Compost Offers Healthy Alternative to Landfills
BY WANDA CURTIS
Every year millions of tons of waste are dumped in landfills throughout the nation. The EPA reports that 146.1 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) were sent to landfills in 2018. About 24 percent of that waste was food waste, plastics accounted for 18 percent, paperboard contributed 12 percent, and rubber, leather, and textiles made up 11 percent. Other materials contributed less than 10 percent.
According to the EPA, landfills or dumps are one of the most common forms of waste management in the world. At landfill sites, waste is broken down into smaller components and compacted with layers of soil and organic materials.
Maine is home to a number of active landfills. The largest is the state-owned Juniper Ridge Landfill located in Old Town and Alton. It currently encompasses 780 acres but was approved to add 1.9 million cubic yards to their facility. Maine DEP has reported that the state is running out of space for landfills.
Although landfills are used for waste management in Maine, concerns have been expressed about increasing costs, environmental issues, and health risks. Some of those include air pollution, emission of methane gas, destruction of natural habitats for wildlife, groundwater contamination, and health threats to people who live near landfills.
Composting At A Community Level
Another form of waste management in Maine is composting. Food scraps are collected, mixed with a combination of nutrients, and compacted between layers of soil. The owners of Scrapdogs Community Compost Davis Saltonstall and Tessa Rosenberg said that nearly half of all the food waste sent to Maine landfills and incinerators each year could be composted.
“All material has the potential to be transformed into a new valuable resource, including food scraps,” they said. “By collecting and composting food waste, we not only reduce material sent to landfills and incinerators, but we recapture important nutrients and microorganisms, return them to local soils, and promote stronger and healthier local food production and consumption.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SCRAPDOGS COMMUNITY COMPOST
ScrapDogs Community Compost is a Rockland-based composting operation servicing 700 customers in the midcoast region from Belfast to Thomaston, the Kennebec Valley region from Waterville to Hallowell, and commercial-only customers between Wiscasset and Warren. They’re currently working on expanding services to Gardiner, Farmingdale, and Randolph. They collect food scraps from residential customers, schools, non-profits, businesses, restaurants, cafes, and community events such as the Lobster Festival.
Food scraps which they collect for composting include fruits, vegetables, bread, dairy products, meats, bones, pits, skins, and cooked food. Yard wastes such as leaves, grass cuttings, deceased house plants, and plant debris are also accepted. Uncoated paper such as paper towels, napkins, paper coffee filters, tea bags, and chopsticks are also accepted. Items with paper coatings shouldn’t be contributed to prevent PFAS (a hazardous substance which has contaminated some Maine wells) from entering compost. Scraps are placed in special buckets provided to customers after they register. Then buckets are transported to a farm where the scraps are converted into compost.
“We bring the food scraps we collect to our composting facility in Washington, Maine, where we mix them with wood chips and manure based on our predetermined recipe,” Rosenberg said. “We utilize an open windrow process, where the compost piles are mixed and turned on a regular schedule optimized to Department of Environmental Protection standards. The piles take approximately three months to break down completely, and are then left alone to cure for six months before being screened. The finished compost, approved for organic use by MOFGA, is then returned to our customers or sold locally.”
Benefits of Composting At A Community Level
According to Rosenberg, the most important benefit of composting at a community level is that it keeps food waste out of landfills and incinerators, which helps to reduce the high levels of greenhouse gas emissions associated with landfills, and helps to combat the growing impact of climate change. There are also the benefits of the compost itself, which not only increases plant growth and health but also increases biodiversity, improves soil quality and structure, retains water and nutrients, and reduces runoff and compaction, she said.
Mainers Take Charge: Own a Power Plant Through Member-Owned Community Solar Looking
for an investment that benefits your wallet and your community?
Across Maine, more residents are discovering the real benefits of owning a stake in locally generated power, thanks to ReVision Energy’s innovative Member-Owned Community Solar projects. Unlike traditional subscription-based solar farms, ReVision Energy’s model allows Mainers to directly own part of a large renewable energy project—providing tangible financial savings, meaningful environmental benefits, and greater control over their energy independence.
How Member-Owned Community Solar Works:
• You purchase a share in a local community solar project sized to cover all or some of your electric bill
• You receive credits directly on your monthly electric bill for each unit of solar electricity your share produces
• You receive a 30% tax credit when you file your taxes for 2025, further boosting your saving
• Your shares are fully transferable within CMP territory, whether this happens by passing it to an heir or by selling it to a third party.
This inclusive model ensures everyone, including apartment renters, condo owners and part-time residents, can become a power plant owner.
“As an employee-owned company, we’re committed to ensuring that solar benefits build long-term wealth for Mainers. Unlike subscription models, which are more profitable for developers, member-owned community solar directly benefits residents with tax credits and bill savings—just like on-site solar. Member-owners receive all the same
benefits of their own clean energy generation even though they don’t have panels on their property.”
– Thomas Tutor, residential sales manager at ReVision Energy.
Solar with Integrity
ReVision Energy’s ownership model differs dramatically from subscription programs, which have faced criticism in Maine for misleading advertising, unclear warranties, and unexpected fees. ReVision Energy emphasizes transparency through honest communication, straightforward financial returns, and detailed explanations of electricity credits.
Life as a Power Plant Owner
Nancy and Nate Nickerson, member owners of community solar, said, “Our primary motivation was to change to a greener lifestyle and mitigate our personal carbon footprint. We’re increasingly aware of the need to get ourselves off fossil fuels. The impact of burning oil and gas on the planet is just devastating. But now, we haven’t had an oil delivery in two years.” Member-owned community solar delivers financial benefits while empowering Mainers to electrify their homes. Longtime member-owners Jon Biehler and Karin Sadtler used their community solar benefits to invest in efficient heat pumps and battery storage, cutting fossil fuel use and improving year-round comfort. As they phased in electrification, they later purchased a second community solar share to fully offset their electric bill. Investing in member-owned community solar isn’t just about savings—it’s about choosing to have your money work for you, while owning an asset that provides all the benefits of solar energy. It’s an opportunity to build wealth and contribute to a more equitable, community-driven power grid.
Dover-Foxcroft Church Goes Green
BY JODI HERSEY
“Church
does evolve. Church is not stuck in one place. Our mindset does not stay in the same place, because we are always learning and growing.” -
Pastor Rachel Dobbs
Usually, a 200-year-old church’s mission is to repair the steeple, fix a roof, or maintain the tower clock, but for the DoverFoxcroft Congregational Church, it’s all about going green.
In 2022, the church formed a Green Team to look at ways to update the building and reduce the environmental impact it has on the community with a goal of achieving carbon neutrality. Some of those changes included adding a solar array to the roof and changing over from oil burning heat to heat pumps.
“Now we produce in excess of 40,000 kilowatt hours of what we’re consuming,” said Green Team member and church moderator George Barton.
It’s been a costly change that has taken time, money, and a whole lot of faith to implement. The Green Team and church staff spent months looking into funding, grant programs, and tax rebates in order to make these updates. It also approved an energy audit and raised funds within the congregation to make going green a reality.
“We came up with over $80,000 in three months from over 150 people in the congregation,” Barton said. “And it’s because we have a strong faith in this church that God is still speaking to us, and to
never put a period where God intends a comma.”
Barton’s wife and fellow church member Jan said it’s been wonderful watching these environmental changes become a reality.
“It’s always pleasant when you have a thought and a belief and an idea of how things should go and they end up going that way,” she said.
The Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church’s efforts to go green are going so well it’s now looking at more ways to reduce its emissions.
“We’re considering getting rid of paper towels in the restrooms and getting electric dryers,” said George Barton. “We’re also looking at cutting the waste stream from our [weekly community] take-out meals by getting rid of all the plastics involved in that.”
Pastor Dobbs said being good stewards of the building and the church’s finances is paying off.
“Our energy costs are so small compared to what they were,” she said.
So now the group is moving forward in faith and relying on God to further their future endeavors to improve the environment.
“I think he’d say, ‘Keep going. What more can you do? How can you be a good neighbor? How can you share your resources,’” Dobbs said.
DidKnow?you
COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE
How Earth Day Got Its Start...
Earth Day is now a global event, but its origins are somewhat humble.
Prior to the 1960s, awareness of the link between public health and pollution was minimal. However, according to EarthDay.org, the 1962 publication of Silent Spring by American marine biologist, writer and conservationist Rachel Carson was a watershed moment for the environmental movement. The book did much to raise awareness of the effects of pollution on public health. Indeed, the publication of Carson’s book proved a pivotal step toward the eventual establishment of Earth Day in 1970, which EarthDay.org characterizes as the dawn of the modern environmental movement.
How Electric Vehicles Are Helping The Enviroment...
Consumers increasingly are turning to electric vehicles (EVs) because of their perceived benefits to the environment and additional perks. The United States Environmental Protection Agency says EVs typically have smaller carbon footprints than gasoline cars, even when accounting for the electricity used for charging. In addition, EVs can be more efficient in regard to energy use. However, it is important to note that mining the materials that are used in the batteries required for EVs can make the EV manufacturing process more energyintensive than making internal combustion energy vehicles (ICE), according to Earth.
org. The Internetwork for Sustainability says EVs and hybrid cars emit more carbon dioxide than traditional cars during production. The additional environmental cost of transporting these batteries also results in a higher carbon footprint than ICE vehicles. However, the EPA points out that the greenhouse gas emissions associated with an EV over its lifetime are typically lower than those from an ICE vehicle, even when accounting for manufacturing.
Tips for Transitioning to a Native Garden
BY CASEY BERNARD
Recently, my husband and I inherited a property with a large yard with mowed lawns and well-tended traditional gardens. The design includes hostas, arborvitae, and daffodils that announce spring has arrived. Not only was the mowing bill more than we wanted to pay, but we knew that gas powered lawn equipment is a major contributor to greenhouse gases. According to a report by the EPA, a single gas-powered lawn mower emits as much pollution in one hour as driving a car for 45 miles. One of our first goals was to take a more relaxed approach to the garden, including a plan to stop use of pesticides and to add more native plants to the design. Looking for advice, I spoke with Emily Baisden, Seed Program Director at the Wild Seed Project for tips on how to approach our newly acquired land.
Begin by letting the lawn go without mowing to find out what is already in the seed bank in your yard. Using apps like Go Botany and iNaturalist or books like “Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide or the Northeast Native Plant Primer,” identify the plants that are already there. Then, after identifying and determining what you want to keep and encourage, begin editing by pulling out the plants you do not want or want less of and determine which plants you want more of. Get to know the soil and light in the area to determine the right plant for the right place.
Recognize that old ways of thinking about gardening might not be what a native garden needs. Baisden gave the example of gardeners who were worried about a patch in the yard where nothing grows. She encouraged them to leave it as it was because an empty patch of soil can be a habitat for ground-nesting bees. According to the Bee Conservancy, 70% of the world’s bee species live underground and bees are important pollinators in the garden.
Stop using pesticides — even organic pesticides. Pesticides will kill the unwanted bugs, but they will also harm the wanted insects like butterflies. Instead of spraying pests like aphids, brush them off with water or wipe them off the leaves. Eventually wasps or ladybugs will arrive to take care of the infestations. Nature has a way of balancing out if we leave it alone.
Some die off is natural and an important contribution to the ecosystem. The stump of a tree that needs to be cut down could become a welcome home for insects and birds. Dead leaves in the yard not only add important nutrients to the soil, but also create habitats for insects to overwinter. Those insects will pollinate next summer’s plants and become food for birds and small mammals.
Be prepared that not everyone will be supportive of your newly shaggy lawn. Baisden joked that a neighbor keeps trying to loan her a lawnmower since she has let her lawn grow. But as more gardeners learn the importance of going more native, more neighbors will be understanding and might even ask how they can take a similar approach to their yard.
Remember ecological time moves slower than human time. Be patient, celebrate the small wins and recognize it does not take much to see change. Based on your capacity, take on one small area at a time. Baisden recommends starting with edging and shrubs because these areas can be the most impactful as edge habitat tends to be the most biodiverse. Edges provide canopy and ground cover for many species. The Wild Seed Project provides people and organizations with the tools and information needed to improve the landscape around them by repopulating native plants and improving the biodiversity of the area. They are currently building a native seed center in Cape Elizabeth and will host a native plant sale in September. Seeds and other resources are available at their website: WildSeedProject.net.
Magalloway Lands and Waters
One of the Most Important Landscapes for Fish and Wildlife in Maine
COURTESY OF THE MAGALLOWAY COLLABORATIVE
At the far western edge of Maine, in the heart of the Northern Appalachian Forest, an expanse of wilderness and shimmering waters seem to stretch on forever — past the horizon, over the rugged shoulders of the Appalachian Mountains, and beyond. A person could get lost here, if they weren’t careful. But what they might find, should they choose to explore, is extraordinary.
These are the Magalloway lands and waters. Seventy-eight thousand acres of critical fish and wildlife habitat and productive timberlands, a vital part of the largest intact mixed temperate forest in North America, and a puzzle piece that connects half a million acres of permanently conserved lands across the Appalachian Corridor. The Magallow lands and waters are a rest-stop for dozens of species of migratory birds, including more than 20 different species of warblers.
With 2,400 acres of mapped wetlands, the Magalloway lands and waters provide food and shelter for popular game species like waterfowl and Ruffed grouse. They are home to black bear, moose, white-tailed deer — and even the elusive Canada lynx.
Nearly 170 miles of rivers and streams crisscross the property, cold flowing headwaters that feed Parmachenee and Aziscohos Lakes and create one of Maine’s most resilient watersheds for cold water fisheries. According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Magalloway watershed system supports habitat for all life stages of native brook trout and landlocked salmon. Parmachenee and Aziscohos Lakes also contain self-sustaining smelt populations — an important food source for salmon — and the Magalloway drainage has been identified as one of the few places in the United States that could remain cold enough to sustain a population of native, wild brook trout under severe climate scenarios. Yet, despite these and other values, the Magalloway lands have no special protections against development, fragmentation, or the sale of kingdom lots.
The Magalloway Collaborative aims to change that.
Forest Society of Maine (FSM), Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT), Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust (RLHT), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), collectively known as the Magalloway Collaborative, have partnered to conserve the Magalloway landscape. After years of discussion and negotiation, an agreement has been reached with the landowner to conserve the Magalloway forever. The project is a careful balance, designed to protect and sustain traditional activities and livelihoods like guiding and forestry alongside natural features and sensitive habitats. It will help to ensure that western Maine remains a world-class destination for fishing, hunting, paddling, wildlife-watching, and other forms of outdoor recreation.
To complete the project, the Magalloway Collaborative must raise $62 million by spring 2026. Several early leadership commitments have been made toward that goal, but there is much more work to be done. To learn more about the Magalloway lands and how you can become a part of the effort to conserve this incredibly special part of Maine, please visit magalloway.org
