UMM Partners with Robbinston School for Spring Cleanup

By Erik Smith on 04/25/11.

UMM Partners with Robbinston School for Spring Cleanup

MACHIAS, Maine – As part of a Positivity Nation in the Classroom activity, students at the Robbinston Grade School recently partnered with University of Maine at Machias students and staff for a roadside cleanup project.

Lanette Pottle, founder of Positivity Nation, has been working with Robbinston Grade School on various projects. Pottle recently asked students to “Imagine a stranger gave you $10 and asked you to do the most good you could with it … what you would do?” There was a lot of interest around the environment and how students could help. The students suggested some sort of cleanup. Pottle immediately thought of the University of Maine at Machias and contacted President Cynthia Huggins, who was thrilled with the opportunity to connect grade-school-aged students with college students on a service project centered on the environment. Huggins put Pottle in touch with UMM’s Green Campus Steering Committee (GCSC), a group of faculty, staff, and students working to “green” UMM and educating the community on living a more sustainable life.

With the help of Pottle and Robbinston Grade School Principal John Owen, the group organized a roadside cleanup starting at the Robbinston town line on Route 1 and ending at the grade school. The event, which took place on Saturday, April 16, was a huge success.

Campus Clean-up Day

By Rafi Hopkins on 11/08/10.

Campus Clean-up Day

Come help the Green Campus Steering Committee clean-up our campus!

When: November 11, 2010 (Veteran’s Day—No Classes!)
at 1:00 pm

Where: Meet at the Support Building
(where the vans are parked)

Tasks include raking leaves and cleaning up trash and cigarette butts. Hope to see you there!

For more information, contact Chad Everett (chad.everett@maine.edu) or Acadia Tripp (acadia.tripp@maine.edu).

UMM Greenhouse Project Update

By Erik Smith on 11/05/10.

UMM Greenhouse Project Update

Keep your eyes on the back lawn of the O’Brien House, the future home of UMM’s four season greenhouse. Building materials are on their way and construction will begin soon on our demonstration model of a low cost, low energy greenhouse that will enable year round production.

Built as part of a partnership with the Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance and other local business sponsors, the greenhouse will be a resource for the campus and the broader community. Greenhouse designs can be freestanding as is planned for the campus, or attached to buildings in a smaller single family design.

Don’t miss the free workshop and demonstration on Saturday, November 13, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., in the Portside lounge where Tony Ferrara and Tom Adamo, The Greenhouse Project founders and designers will give a presentation on the construction and operation of the various designs. Following the workshop we plan to have a ground breaking ceremony for our own greenhouse on the back lawn of the O’Brien House.

For more information on the Greenhouse Food Project contact the Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance, 207.255-1336 Tuesday & Wednesday, Gini King - giniking@mgemaine.com, Shaylee Look - shayleewhite@msn.com.

To find out how and when you can volunteer for construction or operation, contact: Jamie Moreira, Assistant Professor of Community Studies,  james.moreira@maine.edu or Chad Everett, Sustainability Coordinator, chad.everett@maine.edu.

Nov. 13: Greenhouse Workshop and Demonstration

By Rafi Hopkins on 10/27/10.

Nov. 13th: Greenhouse Workshop and Demonstration

When:
Saturday November 13, 2010
10 am -12:30 pm

Where:
University of Maine at Machias
Kimball Hall
Portside Lounge first floor
Demonstration at the UMM greenhouse site

Who:
Tony Ferrara and Tom Adamo of Brookville, Maine
Engineers of the year-round, low cost Greenhouses.

Presentation on:
greenhouse construction  ~  building techniques  ~  low cost materials
solar heat  ~  energy saving methods
sustainable communities

For families and schools to learn how to construct a greenhouse with low cost, energy efficient materials using techniques which will maintain soil temperature at 45 degrees in the coldest days of winter.  Greenhouses can be free standing or attached to a building, small in size to larger sizes at schools providing student with hands-on experience growing healthy vegetables, integrating science and nutrition.

Light lunch provided.  No charge.  All welcome.

Sponsored by:
Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance, Greenhouse Food Project, 207.255-1336 Tuesday & Wednesday, Gini King - giniking@mgemaine.com, Shaylee Look - shayleewhite@msn.com

Sustainability Internship

By Rafi Hopkins on 09/15/10.

Work to Help UMM Go Green!

The Green Campus Steering Committee is hiring two (2) Sustainability Intern positions for the 2010-11 school year. The Sustainability Interns will work closely with the Green Campus Steering Committee doing research, creating educational material and organizing/supporting sustainable efforts on campus. 

•    Work on sustainable food programs, including the campus organic garden and the new 4 season greenhouse.
•    Work to increase recycling in the residence halls and across campus
•    Research upgrades for the “Greening the O’Brien House” project including; heating systems, insulation and alternative energy.
•    Provide basic environmental education and college-specific guidelines for how to alter?habits to improve the sustainability.
•    Make presentations to clubs, student government and staff.
•    Other assigned projects


Download the Job Description / Application here. Applications due September 24th and are available from the Sustainability Office, 36 Kimball Hall or from the Student Life Office in Dorward Hall.

An Update From the Campus Garden

By Erik Smith on 06/18/10.

Summer has officially begun. I've just come from the UMM organic garden and finished picking the first batch of produce for the food pantry: spinach. It's in really nice shape, due in part to the help from the many lady bugs who have made it their home and eaten up most of the other "muncher" insects. The spinach is just one of several crops that were planted in April by the  "Organic Food Production" class. Also coming along nicely are other early season crops the students planted such as peas, onions, beets, and carrots. The warm season plants have now gone in as well and include beans, tomatoes, pumpkins, various other squashes and, of course, cucumbers. The rhubarb that we put in last year did well and has re-emerged. Another perennial crop that we've added this year are some chives, a gift from Ellen Hostert.

The student garden worker for this year is Barrett Craven. He's been busy mulching the rows with grass clippings, planting, and stabilizing our big orange fence. Physical plant has also been busy turning the compost pile which is now running hot again. When you go for your walk, come by to check things out. Feel free to fiddle with the gate and go on in for a closer look.


From the garden,

Alan Lewis
Professor of Ecology

New Sustainability Logo Unveiled

By Erik Smith on 05/07/10.

New Sustainability Logo Unveiled

The Green Campus Steering Committee (GCSC) at the University of Maine at Machias has unveiled a new logo that will serve as the symbol for sustainability efforts on campus.

Jordan Gilletti, a sophomore from Middletown, RI, designed the winning concept, which was chosen by students, faculty, and staff. Her design is centered on the acronym “UMM” and features three arrows forming a continuous loop to symbolize recycling. She was awarded $50 in Clipper Bucks for her design.

The GCSC, formed in the fall of 2009, is comprised of students, faculty, and staff members working to “green” UMM and educating the community on living a more sustainable life.

To learn more, visit machias.edu/sustainability.

Tour the East Machias Aquatic Research Center on March 22

By Rafi Hopkins on 03/19/10.

Tour the East Machias Aquatic Research Center on March 22

Students and community members are invited to tour the East Machias Aquatic Research Center (EMARC) on Monday, March 22. Vans will leave from UMM’s Kimball Hall at 4 p.m. EMARC is home to the Downeast Salmon Federation and features a new wind turbine and solar panels.

After the tour, join UMM’s Green Campus Steering Committee at the O’Brien House for pizza and a discussion about sustainability efforts on campus.

For more information, contact Chad Everett, UMM’s sustainability coordinator, at chad.everett@maine.edu.

Click here to view the event poster.

O'Brien House Blower Door Air Test

By Rafi Hopkins on 03/16/10.

O’Brien House Blower Door Air Test

Monday, March 15, 2010; 1pm-3pm

Chad Everett, UMM Sustainability Coordinator, and members of the Sustainability team performed a blower door air test on the O’Brien house to measure air leakage and infiltration. This was done as part of the pre-retrofit process to establish a baseline to measure post retrofit improvement and to create a list of areas in the building that will require air sealing as part of the retrofit process. The team was at the O’Brien house from 1pm - 3pm and enjoyed many visitors from campus and the community.  Click the following link to find out more about the Greening the O’Brien House project.