Archive for category Green / Environmental

eWaste Disposal Day with the Maine Red Claws – Sept 11

Sep 3

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Events, Green / Environmental | 1 Comment

Courtesy of NBA.com

The Maine Red Claws with the help of eWaste Maine and The Portland Press Herald will help you get rid of unwanted and hard to dispose of electronics for FREE on Saturday, September 11 from 9am to 1pm at the Portland Expo parking lot, 239 Park Avenue, Portland. The recycling event we understand is open to Maine residents only. Should a business wish to recycle their electronics they should contact eWaste Maine at (207) 312-5700 or Clark@ewastemaine.com.

Examples of Items Accepted: Household Electronics (TVs, DVD players, VCR, radio/stereo, microwave ovens etc), Computers and Peripherals (keyboard, mouse, scanner, printer etc), Batteries, Cell Phones, Game Consoles, etc.

Examples of Items Not Accepted: Appliances and White Goods (ovens, washer/dryers, etc.) Freon Bearing Items (refrigerators, air conditioners), Fluorescent Bulbs, Mercury Bearing Items (thermometer, thermostats, etc.)

Representatives from the Bruce Roberts Toy Fund will be on hand accepting donations for their great charity. The Bruce Roberts Toy Fund has been providing holidays gifts to children in need in Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and York Counties since 1949. The Maine Red Claws are proud supporters of the Bruce Roberts Toy Fund, and everyone making a donation will be eligible to enter to win Red Claws memorabilia.

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Tags: Bruce Roberts Toy Fund, Maine Red Claws

Social Network Community Project to Preserve Historic Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse – Unique People’s Option Versus Private Ownership

Aug 31

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Events, Fun, Green / Environmental, History, Oceanfront, Scenic | No Comments

Courtesy of PRWeb.com and Robert Muller of RamIslandLightHouse.com

Ram Island Lighthouse Community attempting to employ internet crowd sourcing of funds to win US Coast Guard auction of historic Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse. Goal to provide a people’s option versus a private ownership lockout. With a winning bid the social community will propose and vote to make decisions on how to best manage the lighthouse under required National Historic Registry Guidelines. Also plan to “sensorize” the lighthouse for live internet feeds – web cams, weather, ocean currents, and more — for 24/7 virtual visitation.

Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse 1 mile offshore of Portland, Maine

Brunswick, ME (PRWEB) August 30, 2010

“We Can Keep The Beacon Burning” is the chant of the Ram Island Lighthouse Community which just launched a social networking project to preserve Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse. They’re aiming to be the highest bidder to acquire the lighthouse one mile offshore from Portland, Maine, as a “people’s option.” With a precious handful of days to final bid on September 2, 2010, the Ram Island Lighthouse Community’s goal is to rapidly assemble a worldwide community of individuals finding charm in the ownership of a lighthouse, but never able to afford it as individuals. “Every kid and most adults would love to own a lighthouse,” says the Community Executive Director, Robert Muller. “Lighthouses have such a stoic, strong and gorgeous allure – a romantic icon standing in some of the most beautiful settings in nature.”

By creating a community of owners contributing $49 each for a ‘Keeper of the Lighthouse Membership Deed,’ the organization hopes to win the bid. Mr. Muller described the socially networked community as “a compelling people’s option to other potential purchasers from CT, NY and who knows where with different intentions to keep it in totally private hands. By joining our community with membership deed purchases, collectively the public will determine if our cooperative people’s model is a winner and gets the bid.”

This for-profit preservation model offers a unique twist where the members collectively assist in making the decisions through a voting process of how best to operate the lighthouse for the future. Muller continued, “We hope to crowd source ideas, especially how we want to sensorize the lighthouse with web, audio, weather, and other high tech equipment so people can actually experience the light through the internet.”

Mr. Muller has set up a corporate escrow account with Bath Savings Institute but needs to find a qualified agent for it. If the bid is not won, escrow funds are either refunded or members vote to donate the funds to non-profits. The website is http://www.ramislandlighthouse.com to learn more.

The lighthouse, operating since 1905, has been put up for auction bid by the United States Coast Guard. It has major historical and navigation importance to the maritime community. Still a valued aid to navigation, the Coast Guard will continue to serve its navigational operation while the winning bidder will maintain the property under National Historic Registry Guidelines.

About The Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse Community:
An innovative for-profit preservation and conservation organization, it brings together socially networked communities of common interest to own, protect and steward treasured lands and sites of historical and cultural significance. Community members adopt an active voice through an interactive online presence and through persistent live internet feeds. Members together help determine the future of a property and build shared knowledge and experiences about all aspects including ecology, history, culture and local economy.

If you would like more information or to schedule an interview with Robert Muller, please contact him at +1 (207) 956-0699 or bmuller@RamIslandLighthouse.com

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Tags: Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse, Robert Muller, Social Media Project

Want to Buy a….. Lighthouse?! Ram Island Ledge Light Auction

Jul 24

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Events, Green / Environmental, History, Oceanfront, Real Estate, Scenic | No Comments

Courtesy of United States Coast Guard and GSA.gov

Wish to own a piece of history and have a spare $10,000 sitting around? Well, according to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and an active online lighthouse auction, Ram Island Ledge Light in Casco Bay off Cape Elizabeth is available for sale to the general public.

One bidder has already made the auction’s minimum bid of $10,000, which began on June 30, 2010, with an advance deposit of $10,000 required, and a bid increment of $5,000, according to the Property Information for Bids document. The document details the terms and conditions of the bidding, and the eventual sale of the property, which are quite interesting regarding the responsibilities of the eventual buyer and the reservations of the new owner to the United States Government, The Department of Homeland Security and United States Coast Guard.

A unique experience and opportunity for sure…

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Tags: Cape Elizabeth, General Services Administration, GSA, Lighthouse, Ram Island Ledge Light, US Coast Guard

Paint for Preservation 2010 – 3rd Annual Wet Paint Auction

Jul 6

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Art, Entertainment, Events, Fun, Green / Environmental, Oceanfront, Scenic | No Comments

On Sunday, July 18, 2010, Cape Elizabeth will look to preserve its beautiful landscape through the paintings of many local artists. From 8:30am until 3pm, the artists will paint at various Cape Elizabeth locations with many open to the public to witness the work.

At 5pm, the works will then be put on display at a catered seaside reception at Breakwater Farm featuring live music and hors d’oeuvres, and a live auction of the 29 paintings will take place until 8pm to raise money for the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, a local organization working to “help preserve natural areas of scenic beauty for future residents and visitors to explore and appreciate”.

Limited tickets are available for $50 to the reception and auction, and are available online, via mail, or in-person at the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust office at 330 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth.

For more information on the event, please visit Paint for Preservation 2010 Wet Paint Auction.

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Tags: Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, Paint for Preservation, Wet Paint Auction

Ocean Park’s 23rd Annual Family Sand Castle Competition

Jun 29

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Art, Entertainment, Events, Fun, Green / Environmental, Oceanfront | No Comments

Courtesy of http://www.teamsandtastic.com

Get out your shovels, buckets, and your artistic talents, as Sunday, July 4th, on the beach in Ocean Park is the site of the 23rd Annual Family Sand Sculpture Competition with this years theme “Dream Cottage” leaving a lot to the imagination for young and old.

I’ll take 10 bedrooms with a waterfront balcony, please!

According to OceanPark.org, the event will begin at 12:30pm on Sunday, July 4th, at the beach between Randall Avenue and Ancona Avenue, and there are some rules to follow for the competition…

1. Obtain a registration form from the Rec. Hall (M-F, 2-5 PM) or the OPA Office (14 Temple Ave., M-F, 9 am – 4 pm, Saturday 9 am – 12 noon) or on the beach the day of the event.
2. All teams must include at least one child (this is a family event.)
3. Stake off a 20’ x 20’ plot.
4. NO mechanical devices or structural supports may be included in the final design.
5. NO fires or fireworks.
6. Paints must be water-soluble and eco-friendly.
7. Remove all ‘accessories’ and plot stakes before the tide comes in.

Judging will begin at 1:45 pm and will be based on artistic ability, originality, design detail, use of space, and special effects. Winners will be announced at 2:30 pm on the beach and recognized at the Band Concert immediately following the Independence Day Parade on July 5th.

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Tags: July 4th Fun, Ocean Park, Sand Castle Competition

Taste of the Nation – Portland, Maine – Saturday, June 27

Jun 22

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Entertainment, Events, Food, Fun, Green / Environmental | No Comments

On Sunday, June 27, from 3pm-8pm, many Portland Foodies will converge on the Ocean Gateway to taste the fine food and drink prepared by some of Maine’s best chefs to raise money to help end hunger. The 5th Annual Taste of the Nation event promises to be fantastic with more than 20 chefs preparing foods which will be paired with wines and drinks.

One hundred percent of ticket sales support the effort to end childhood hunger and The Preble Street Teen Center, East End Kids Katering, Good Shepherd Food Bank, and Cultivating Communities are the beneficiaries for the 2010 Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation event.

For further information on the event or to purchase tickets online, visit Taste of the Nation Portland Maine.

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Tags: Big Sky Bread Company, Green Elephant, Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro, LiveWorkPortland.org, Local Sprouts Coop, Maine Animal Coalition, North Star Music Cafe, Portland Food Co-op, Vegetarian Food Festival, Whole Foods Market

Strawberry Picking at Maxwell Farms, Cape Elizabeth and StrawberryFest 2010

Jun 21

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Food, Fun, Green / Environmental | No Comments

Perfect Strawberry courtesy of www.dvo.com

With temperatures in the mid-80′s today in Portland, we decided to get outside and enjoy an excellent opportunity to go strawberry picking.

Maxwell’s Strawberry Farm, at 527 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth, is the place to go, where they have been “farming for 6 generations and growing strawberries since 1974″ according to the Maxwell’s Farm Website. Open Monday through Saturday from 7:00am to 8:00pm, you can definitely get a jump start on the strawberry picking well before the mercury rises. As one little guy picking strawberries reminded us today, “You can’t eat the strawberries until you’re done picking.”

With acres of strawberries and plenty of parking, you will be in and out and enjoying nice ripe strawberries in no time. Picking strawberries is a fun thing to do with kids as well, with the plants far from the road, and a nice open field to keep an eye on them!

You can buy strawberry trays or quart containers to hold your finds which are suggested, as the farm discourages bringing “odd containers” of your own, though recycling of containers is encouraged. Strawberries are $2.29 per pound this year, while adding 50 cents for each tray (we found a tray to comfortably hold 8+ lbs.) to the total cost, and quarts 10 cents a container. Cash or check are acceptable forms of payment.

For more information on picking strawberries, directions to Maxwell’s Farm, and even strawberry recipes for when you bring home the precious fruit, visit Maxwell’s Farm Website

This year, mid-June to late-July appears to be the prime strawberry picking season here in Maine, so you do have about 3 weeks or so left to make it out there. If you’re not able to make it, or picking strawberries is not your thing, you can visit Cape Elizabeth for their 2nd Annual StrawberryFest 2010, taking place Saturday, June 26, from 9am – 8:30pm, at Maxwell’s Strawberry Farm (just off Two Lights Road).

Now for some strawberry pie for moi!

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Tags: Cape Elizabeth, Maxwell's Strawberry Farm, Strawberry Picking, Things To Do With Kids In Portland, To Do With Kids in Portland, Two Lights

Habitat for Humanity Build this Thursday – Keller Williams Realty RED Day

May 12

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Events, Fun, Green / Environmental, Real Estate | No Comments

2nd Annual “RED Day” Set to Lend a Hand as part of community service initiative of Keller Williams Realty in the US and Canada.

Westbrook, Maine – May 10, 2010 – Keller Williams Realty associates may be taking the day off on Thursday, May 13, 2010, but it will hardly be a day of rest. Over 25,000 associates across the United States and Canada will spend their day off by giving back as part of the company’s community service initiative, RED Day.

Short for “Renew, Energize and Donate,” RED Day was created to unite Keller Williams Realty offices and associates in an international day of service. During RED Day 2009, over 25,000 Keller Williams associates participated in activities ranging from food and blood drives to cleaning up trash in public parks, doing yard work for neighbors in need or revamping gardens at nursing homes. Last year on RED Day, the company donated over 130,000 hours.

As part of the RED Day effort, Keller Williams Realty Greater Portland has chosen to spend the day with Habitat for Humanity at their new construction site off Lincoln Street of 3 homes this Thursday May 13 from 9:00am – 3:00pm. Over 100 local Keller Williams Associates will spend the day finishing up the exterior of these three homes, collecting nonperishable food items and summer adult clothing for the Preble Street Resource Center. On site will also be a collection truck for the Habitat REStore. These strongly community minded associates have also raised over $2000 for Habitat for Humanity. They welcome the public to drop off any adult clothing, REStore items or nonperishable food items at the Lincoln Street Town skating rink parking lot May 13, 9:00am- 3:00pm.

“We are ready to paint Westbrook red! We are excited to be a part of RED Day and continue the important company tradition of giving,” said Team Leader, Leanne Nichols “Last year, we surveyed thousands of local people regarding their preferences for local Seafood to help our working waterfront. We can’t tell you what an impact it made on each of us personally-it felt so great to give back to the community we know and love.”

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Tags: Habitat for Humanity, Keller Williams Realty RED Day, RED Day

Great Maine Bike Swap – Portland April 25

Apr 17

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Events, Fun, Green / Environmental, Sports | No Comments

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine will once again hold its Annual Great Maine Bike Swap in Portland on Sunday, April 25, from 10am to 2pm at Sullivan Gym on the USM Portland Campus (Falmouth Street). Admission is $3, though University of Southern Maine students and children 12 and under are free.

This wonderful annual event allows people of all ages to buy and sell used bicycles, learn more about biking through featured exhibits and workshops, and network with other biking enthusiasts. A small portion from each sale will support the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s education and safety programs. For more information on the Bike Swap, please visit BikeMaine.org Bike Swap or call (207) 623-4511.

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Tags: Great Maine Bike Swap

Portland named in “10 Best Places for Outdoorsy Types to Live”

Apr 15

Posted by Jeff Mateja in Fun, Green / Environmental | No Comments

More great props to Portland, Maine, as How Stuffs Works named Portland, one of 10 Best Outdoor Towns in America. What a nice article on the great outdoor spaces in and around the Greater Portland area that we are so fortunate to be able to enjoy. Woooo hoooo!

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