OceanView & Cumberland Crossing Sustainability Updates

Reuse, Recycle, or Trash? A How-To Guide

Welcome to OceanView and Cumberland Crossing’s recycling resource!

See a growing list of instructions below for how to recycle specific items in our community. Our goal is to minimize any unnecessary waste!

Wondering about how to recycle a specific item?

If you are unsure about what or how something can be recycled, use ecomaine’s RECYCLOPEDIA: https://www.ecomaine.org/what-can-be-recycled/recyclopedia

You can also see ecomaine’s list of dos and don’ts for what they can and can’t recycle.

The Town of Falmouth has also provided this resource on how to compost.

A How-To Guide: Disposal of Things We Can’t Use – Reuse, Recycle, or Trash?

OceanView’s Environmental Group has created a thorough Reuse, Recycle, or Trash guide to help you best dispose of a long list of items.

Click here to view this document.

THREE RULES OF PLASTIC RECYCLING

It must be rigid plastic – nothing that can be crumpled, like plastic bags or wrap
It must be a container – like a bottle, jug, or box
It must have a #1-7 recycling symbol

PAPER BAGS

If you have more paper bags than you need, your fellow residents in the Lodges need them for their recycling. If you have a friend in an apartment, you might offer to give some to them regularly, Otherwise Kate is willing to take some. If this works well, we can organize locations for used paper bags.

DISPOSABLE MASKS

Disposable masks can be recycled in the bin under the counter in the Nook. Please don’t trash them or lose them in nature.

CANS AND BOTTLES

Plastic and glass beverage bottles with Deposit Refund stickers can be recycled on the 3rd floor of the Main Lodge across from the Hair Salon. The refunds go to the Legacy Legs teams for the Alzheimer’s Association.

FOOD WASTE

Compostable Food can be placed (in compostable packaging, like paper bags) in Food Service bins near the garages in front of the Main Lodge or at Legacy. Keep the bags in your freezer until you take them out.

BATTERIES & CELL PHONES

Recycle ALL batteries (single-use and rechargeable) and cell phones in the battery recycling box on the table next to the Activities office across from the Nook.

Please place old, crusty, leaky batteries, as well as button and lithium batteries in one of the bags available at the box (unsealed). We will pack them carefully for shipping. All the rest go directly into the box.

CLOTHING

* Seasonal clothes particularly appropriate for younger people can be brought to the volunteer site MaineNeeds.org. Please be sure to read the website about what they need and how to package them.

* Goodwill can take textiles they can sell in the shop. (Think about what you would want to see there.)

* Both good and lesser quality textiles and shoes can be deposited in a bin at:

Falmouth Transfer Station: Wood Rd. Falmouth (Tue/Thu 12:00-4:00, Fri 7:00-5:00, Sat 9:00-5:00)

F.O. Bailey Real Estate: 183 US Route 1, Falmouth (24/7 access)

(Expected by end of July 2023)

April Tip: Energy Consumption

April Tip: Let’s think about the different ways we use energy and the different sources.

When we lost our power at the end of March, this affects us in different ways. Those hardest hit in the oldest Main Lodge apartments use electric heat and hot-water, so we had neither. Others in the Lodge’s had access to these through the common sourcing, and those in cottages had their noisy generators. So all-electric lost out. On the other hand, the generators were incredibly noisy, and, unfortunately, producing CO2 while burning natural gas to keep you warm.

Some of us have gas fireplaces and stoves, which also burn gas, rather than the wood we use at camp. Combustion generates CO2, but at least wood at camp is a somewhat renewable source.

We drive cars that use gasoline, or maybe electricity or a mix in a hybrid.

And the electricity we use from CMP comes from a variety of sources, hydropower from dammed up rivers (some of which hinder normal fish spawning,) power generated by burning our trash in EcoMaine’s large incinerator, wind or solar that neighbors don’t want.

No matter what kind of energy we use, there are drawbacks. We need heat and electricity to run our lives. What is the best source of energy then, not only for our lives, but for the next generations? Can we learn to need less energy by insulating better and using more energy efficient appliances?

Contact: bknoblock@maine.rr.com / bonnie.yelverton@gmail.com

March Tip: Food Containers

March Tip: During our February meeting, there was again a discussion about recycling food containers. You can find most answers in our Disposal brochure, which is both in paper copy at the Nook or a PDF on the Resident Portal. For more answers, go to EcoMaine’s Recyclopedia ecomaine.org/what-can-be-recycled/recyclopedia/

OceanView’s Dining Services and Activities have been working hard to source recyclable and or compostable products for all take-out food. This link shows all the containers OceanView uses, with a good explanation of their properties. biomasspackaging.com/brands/greenware/

Please wipe or rinse containers before recycling.

Of course, when possible, bring along your own mug. eating utensils and even containers instead of using plastic, even it if is recyclable.

All clear plastic cups are made of a plant-fiber-based PLA (polylactic acid) Greenware®, which is recyclable (and possibly compostable.) When you place cups in the recycle bin, be sure the tops are attached to them, not loose.
All cardboard containers are recyclable and compostable. You use them to store food waste for composting in your freezer and then place the container in a compost bin near one of OceanView’s kitchens.
Recycle plastic box compartmented liners.
The stronger clear and black plastic boxes are recyclable and reusable. Wash it out and take it with you when you get take-out at the grill.
Please place all returnable beverage bottles in the containers on the 3^rd floor in ML, across from the hair salon. Put any caps (plastic or metal) back on the bottles. This protects the bottles so they can be reprocessed, and keeps the tiny tops from getting caught in machinery.
Steel caps and lids from jars that go into recycling can be placed separated, as magnets are used to separate them from the rest.

Contact: bknoblock@maine.rr.com / bonnie.yelverton@gmail.com

February Tip: Food and the Environment

We are planning to consider Food and the Environment in numerous future meetings (maybe even in February.) One of the big environmental issues with food, as you are very aware, is the packaging that some of it comes it. These ideas were suggested by a plastics-free business, shopetee.com to inspire you with ways to keep plastics out of your food.

Choose Bulk Over Packaged: — but don’t get so much that you can’t eat it all. (If you do, remember to compost it!)
Bring Your Own Bags and Containers: When shopping for groceries or takeout (even at the Grille) bring reusable bags, containers, and even utensils. I’m trying to remember to take my own take-out containers, but it isn’t a habit for me yet.
Ditch Single-Use Plastics: Say no to single-use plastic items like straws, cutlery, and water bottles. You might even be able to figure out how to take your own utensils with you.
Be Mindful of Packaging: Pay attention to the packaging of the products you buy. Opt for items with minimal or eco-friendly packaging, and look for brands that prioritize materials like metal, cardboard or glass packaging over plastic.
Embrace the Circular Economy: Remember to recycle and compost. Consult our Disposal Guide, which you can find in the Portal and in the Nook.
Support Sustainable Brands: Choose products from companies that prioritize sustainability.

Contact: bknoblock@maine.rr.com / bonnie.yelverton@gmail.com

January Tip: Explore the Presumpscot

In October I suggested some ways you could get close to the Presumpscot River to see what Will would be talking about this month. The tours I suggested are listed in below under October Tip.

As I write this, numerous rivers in Maine have flooded after the strong weather we experienced a week before Christmas. Luckily the Presumpscot was not so badly affected, maybe partially because they have been removing dams along the river, which previously drove mills and powerplants. I read that Maine had been planning culverts for “20-year storms,” but that storm was more in the category of “100-year storms” because of Climate Change. Normally the weather at this time of year wouldn’t have been so warm, and wouldn’t have absorbed so much moisture that became the rain, and also melted the snow in the mountains. It is imperative that we realize that change in climate affects us in our daily life – and that our actions and choices combined with those of everyone else are a major cause of the change.

December: Selecting and recycling WRAPPING PAPER for gifts

When you select paper for gifts, avoid papers that cannot be recycled.

Consider using reusable materials to wrap gifts. These could be bags or boxes (decorated paper or even cloth) that you collect and reuse. You could even use a gift like a scarf or special container to wrap another gift in.

The following wrapping papers CANNOT be recycled:

Foil, metallic, laminated or heavily-dyed wrapping

Paper decorated with non-paper items such as gold and silver shapes, glitter, and plastic

Tissue paper, because it contains few good quality fibers for recycling and is probably heavily dyed to get the good color

If the wrapping paper doesn’t pass the “SCRUNCH TEST” it is not recyclable. Crumple a bit of the paper into a ball in your hand and then open your hand. If the paper bounces back open, even a little, it can’t be recycled. If the paper stays scrunched together in its ball, then it passes the Scrunch Test, but check the other criteria above before recycling it.

Check the wrappings of gifts you receive and recycle when appropriate.

Place non-recyclables, including ribbons and bows, in the general trash.

Even better, instead of trashing wrappings, do like your mother may have done. Try to open the package carefully so you can reuse the paper and ribbons later for crafts, decorations, or wrapping gifts next year.

November Tip: Better living through Chemistry, except when it’s not!

Since our November topic is chemistry in the environment, I’d like to provide you with information on some chemicals you’ve probably read about, but don’t necessarily know much about what they are.

PFAS (Per- and PolyFluoroAlkyl substances) are often called “persistent, or Forever Chemicals” because they are very strong and do not break down quickly. This is one reason they are very useful, but it also means that they are now found everywhere, in 95% of all American bodies, even in newborns. Introduced by DuPont and 3M in the 50’s, PFAS are extremely useful, and therefore prevalent. We have all encountered them in Teflon pans, Scotchgard and the coating that makes paper containers impermeable to grease.

However, these great properties also have the side-effect that there are links between PFAS and health risks including cancer, liver damage, and birth defects. For this reason, Teflon, Scotchgard, and other uses have been reformulated to avoid the toxicity. When we use some common items, we are probably also adding PFAS to the food we make or adding it to the air we breathe. PFAS are being banned all over Europe and in some states, including Maine, where they were found in sludge from sewage treatment plants spread as fertilizer on farms, which can no longer be used for crops. Unfortunately, manufacturers claim that they are currently irreplaceable in some products, like electric vehicle batteries, weapons, and information technology. That also implies that not all old items should be reused (which breaks my sustainability heart). When you purchase new items with “magic” properties, you might want to check that they are “PFAS-free”.

Contact: bknoblock@maine.rr.com / bonnie.yelverton@gmail.com

October Tip: Take a hike!

Maine’s state parks, mountains, farms and coast provide wonderful settings for fall leaf peeping. Color progresses from north to south with coastal and southern Maine generally reaching peak or near peak conditions mid-to-last October. Go to www.mainefoliage.com to track peak foliage in various parts of the state.

On Falmouth Trails Day, Sunday October 8, you can join one of four guided hikes: 9 am, at the Woods Road Community Forest, 11 am at Community Park, 1 pm at Suckfish Conservation Area and 3 pm at River Point Conservation Area. https://www.falmouthme.org/community-wellness-committee

Falmouth Community Programs is offering a Fall Foliage Bus Ride and Lunch to North Conway, NH on Wednesday, October 11. www.falmouthme.org/parks-and-community-programs .

The Falmouth Land Trust is offering a variety of hikes this Fall: https://falmouthlandtrust.org/events

Since we will be hearing about our neighboring river, the Presumpscot this month, why not take a little hike along it to see it and the changing leaves closer to home?

View the river from the Presumpscot Falls Park the Allen Road Extension bridge. The trail down to the river is only for the surefooted.

Presumpscot Falls from Oak Nuts Park: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/maine/presumscot-falls-from-oak-nuts-park Turn right off Allen Road to Summit Street to the Oak Nuts Park trailhead, where you can park on the side of the road. Follow the gravel path through the woods to the main Presumpscot River Trail. Then turn right towards Presumpscot Falls.

Presumpscot River Preserve Trail: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/maine/presumpscot-river-preserve-trail 3.8 m out and back. Begin off Gray Road and follow this path through the forest and along the Presumpscot River. The trail passes by the site of the former Smelt Hill Dam and has interpretive signage talking about the dam.

River Point Conservation Area: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/maine/river-point-conservation-area 1.1m loop. Park in the rear of the Hannaford shopping center lot on Rt 25 or at the head of the railroad bridge. After crossing the bridge, look for an informational kiosk to the right to see a trail map and a brochure describing the history of the property.

Contact: bknoblock@maine.rr.com / bonnie.yelverton@gmail.com

September Tip: Disposal of things we can no longer use

We constantly find things we don’t need anymore, just as when we downsized to move in – or when we move out again. These things might be just trash, but often they could be reused by someone else, or at least recycled, and made into something else, if only we knew where to ask.

Reuse

If you think someone else might be able to reuse items, there are several ways to find new owners.

Right here at OceanView, you can offer them to be sold at the OceanView Gift Shop, which is open for donations the first Friday every month in BBC.

There are several volunteer organizations like Furniture Friends, Maine Needs, the Facebook group Neighbors in Need, or GoodWill in the Portland area, who help get donated items to people who need them. See the Portal and the new brochure for more information.

You may also be able to find someone who will purchase more valuable items. Possibilities are antique stores, the NextDoor.com app or Facebook Marketplace. Search “Thrift Shop” in Yelp for more ideas.

Recycle

There are also many items that can be recycled to become something else. These may be packaging containers or items that no longer work properly. When in doubt, the first place to check is EcoMaine’s Recyclopedia: ecomaine.org/what-can-be-recycled/recyclopedia/. Come to the September 18 meeting for more information

Technology can often be recycled where we bought it.

Food waste can be composted in bins by the Main Lodge or Legacy.

Look for the brochure when it becomes available, and give a copy to your family who may be helping you find new homes for your things.

Trash

Things that can neither be reused or recycled become trash, most of which will be burned to make energy, but some must go to a landfill. Large items (like furniture, appliances) will end up in landfills, which is not a good use of the land or for your things. You will also have to pay a fee and possibly a truck to take them to the Falmouth Transfer Station. Always make sure that what you consider trash isn’t actually something another person needs. It is better for the environment, for those who can use them, and even for you, if you avoid the fee.

July Tip: Food, “cradle to grave”

Environmentalists like to trace products “from cradle to grave.” For food that would mean from farm (or even before) through transportation to preparation and disposal of what’s left over. According to this article from the Natural Resources Council of Maine, 40% of food in America is not eaten.

www.nrcm.org/programs/sustainability/reducing-food-waste-maine/

Many of the processes along this path use energy and a variety of carbon-based materials.

Fertilizer and plastics for packaging are mostly made from natural gas or petroleum.
Transport from wherever it was grown (like Chilean lemons or New Zealand wines) uses fuel in planes and trucks.
Food processing factories use energy for cooking and cooling (and usually also add a large variety of unpronounceable additives (read labels.)
Packaging, even directly from the farm, uses single-use plastics.
If we are eating the food using single-use utensils, we are most likely also using petroleum products, although OceanView and other venues are finding some other materials. youtu.be/FSHCGgznJks

So any food we end up not eating, all of these things that went into it is wasted.

When you shop for food:

Purchase locally grown products to avoid transport and extra cooling (But “local” isn’t always what you think: tinyurl.com/bwwwc9s2 )
Look for processed food with the shortest ingredients label
Buy organic (or grow your own) when possible
Avoid products in plastic packaging

When preparing food:

Make only enough for your needs, or plan how to use any left-overs

When eating food:

Use reusable utensils

After eating

Store left-overs in non-plastic containers (chemicals can leach from containers to food
https://tinyurl.com/ysfaskxj )
Compost any food scraps
Clean any recyclable single-use packaging or utensils and recycle them

Contact: bknoblock@maine.rr.com / bonnie.yelverton@gmail.com

June Tip: The clothes we buy and the clothes we discard

Purchasing clothes. I was recently offered a discount at an online store (not our local mega-store) where I have often purchased clothing in the past, so I decided to see what they were offering. The first thing I noticed was that the fabric of almost all their products included polyester or some other petroleum based synthetic product. Nevertheless there were a couple of cotton items I thought I might use and put them in the cart along with the discount. But then I decided to complete the summer-for-winter clothes switch to see what I had, and decided against it. Within the same time frame I came across a couple of articles on clothing that I thought you should be aware of.

https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/price-is-wrong-apparel-fast-fashion-bangladesh tells about the enormous textile manufacturing industry in Bangladesh, where most of the “Fast Fashion” is made by people earning very low wages (which is why we could buy a lot of things for hardly anything and the business manages to get really rich.)

The second was from the Washington Post, about how Amazon (a big source of “Fast Fashion”) is influencing what we (and our grandchildren) are wearing. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/05/17/amazon-style-store-fashion-influencers/

Washing and drying our clothes. Another Washington Post article talks about avoiding using your dryer where possible. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2023/05/14/laundry-air-dry-energy-saving/ Not only will you save energy, but you will also lengthen the life of your clothing, which is gradually worn down as the lint you remove from the filter. The question is, of course, where do we dry it then? For those who live in cottages, I expect there would be a location in your yard where you could have a portable drying rack for some of it without its being visible from the street (oh horrors!) You could also put up clotheslines in your garage or basement or attic room if you have one. Those in apartments with balconies can use low portable drying racks for small things. But if you are like me, in HillTop of the old part of the Lodge, you have none of these options. Reluctantly we use the dryer, but I pull out some things to dry inside on a rack, or hang from the shower rod. (We miss our lovely clothesline!)

Disposing of clothes we no longer use. Please don’t just throw away clothes in the trash. If the items are still good, but just don’t fit or you’re tired of them, there are several places www.maineneeds.org/ at 332 Forest Avenue, has specific things they need, which you can find listed on the website.

* Goodwill can take textiles they can sell in the shop. (Think about what you would want to see there.)

* Both good and lesser quality textiles and shoes can be deposited in a bin at:

Falmouth Transfer Station: Wood Rd. Falmouth (Tue/Thu 12:00-4:00, Fri 7:00-5:00, Sat 9:00-5:00)

F.O. Bailey Real Estate: 183 US Route 1, Falmouth (24/7 access)

(Expected by end of July 2023)

Contact

Bonnie bonnie yelverton@gmail.com or Brian bknoblock@maine.rr.com

May Tip: Energy Usage

Since our May meeting will be about using energy, we can use our time until then to think about and discover how we personally and our home at OceanView are acquiring and using energy.

From the U.S. Energy Information Administration, you can see how our energy sources are distributed. About 30% of in-state power generation in Maine is from natural gas, while more than than 70% came from renewables last year: mostly hydroelectric dams, wind power and biomass, including EcoMaine’s station in South Portland and some disappearing wood-fired plants, and so far only 3% solar. Nevertheless, our total energy needs, including 60% for motor vehicles, comes from petroleum–60% of Maine homes still use oil or kerosene as their primary heating fuel, evidently the highest share in the country. Most of this comes to us through Irving, by way of imports from Canada. So it is of not only environmental interest but also national economic interest that we electrify our energy use and use the energy available more efficiently, so we don’t need to import so much.

How can we help improve the ratio? OV is taking care of the solar panels. Some of you are looking into Heat Pumps for heating and cooling, some are thinking of trading in a gas-guzzling car on an electric (or maybe giving it up entirely). Others are interested in upgrading the energy status of their camps. I know that those of us who enjoyed cooking on a gas stove have been displeased with having to learn to cook on electricity, but the change is not only for our safety, as you can see. Usually, electric appliances and lighting have become considerably more efficient in recent years, which we have all seen comparing LEDs with old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs. Efficiency also lowers our electric bills.

April Tip: Enjoy the Flowers

It’s time to get outside again and watch the magic of spring as the many wildflowers on campus start pushing up and the birds sing in the woods and wetlands. You can find them anywhere there are woods or grassland left untouched by mowers. My first OceanView spring (after living 20 years in southern California), I was fascinated to see again the flowers of my childhood. Since I couldn’t remember all their names, I downloaded an app called iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org/) to my phone. Now I can take pictures of flowers, birds, and bugs, upload them to the app with location information and find out what they are. My favorite places are the long path behind the Main Lodge and Schoolhouse and Whipple Farm cottages, the path around the fountain pond, and the woods by Plummer School and the Conservation Area behind Whipple Farm, which will be enhanced this year by the wildflower meadow that Hannah Crayton sowed last fall. If you wander off the paths, please be sure to check for ticks when you get back, though.

March Tip: Protect the Bay

We want to protect our Bay and the creatures living in it (which may become our food), but sometimes we forget that storm water can carry things we accidently leave behind on land within the watershed. We all know that we shouldn’t litter, but sometimes things get away from us, like plastics and other trash that we are using outside blown away by a wind gust. These might be plastic beverage bottles, straws, or packaging. We are not using masks much anymore, but I have seen them often on the side of a path. If you are with your grandkids, please don’t buy balloons for them, because they tend to end up in the sea, where they look like some delicious sort of food, and can kill whoever eats it.

You might consider keeping a bag in your pocket when you go for a walk to collect trash you see, so you can dispose of it properly. Those of you who walk your dogs already know to collect dog wastes, not just to avoid stepping in it, but to keep it out of storm water as well. Cigarette butts are luckily not so common anymore, but they also become tempting but perilous “food” in the Bay.

Bonnie Yelverton

February Tip: Thoughts to consider about how Climate Change affects us.

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Although some of these shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle, since the 1800s, human activities have become the main driver of climate change, primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 and methane, in particular) that act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures.

All energy sources have some impact on our environment and Climate Change. By most measures, including air and water pollution, damage to public health, wildlife and habitat loss, water use, land use, and global warming emissions, fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—do substantially more harm than renewable energy sources However, even renewable sources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and hydropower, have environmental and climate impacts, some of which are significant.

The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world’s oceans, making it the perfect microcosm for scientists studying the effects of climate change. The film “Reckoning With Climate Change in the Gulf of Maine”, is an award-winning documentary produced by the University of New England, featuring Maine scientists grappling with impacts of climate change and what their role is in advocating for change.

There are also negative effects of Biomass to produce electricity, as described in the German TV news story “Biomass: How Clean Is Energy From Biomass?” from Deutsche Welle.

This is an important consideration for us, since about 20% of Maine’s electricity is obtained by burning Biomass, which includes wood waste, trees, or other plant material.

When living, these materials capture carbon but when they are burned CO2 is released at rates that are often higher than burning fossil fuels. Biomass is said to be a renewable energy source, but only if trees are planted to replace those burned – which is rare. Even if the trees are replaced it can take up to 100 years for them to capture the same amount of carbon as they did before they were cut down.

January Tip: Discover the plastics in your household

To be able to avoid plastic in our lives, we have to be aware of where we are using them. Plastic has become such a common part of our lives that it is hard to avoid.

This month, look around your home to see how much plastic you can find.

Plastic is a part of many products, from furniture to appliances to clothing (like polyester,) which we don’t generally purchase often and are not so easy to eliminate from our daily lives.
A lot of the plastic you will find is in things you use every day and then dispose of either as trash, or as recyclables if they have the triangle recycling symbol.
Some things are items that you use together with an appliance, like Keurig cups, or plastic wraps for things you keep in the fridge.
Many of these plastics will be packaging or containers for something you bought that isn’t plastic.
Some are single-use utensils and cups we use because they are easy, or they’ve been supplied with a purchase.
Unfortunately, most of the food we take out from Food Service is packaged in plastic, which is recyclable, but not compostable or reusable. That is something we should be talking about with Food Service.

Videos and articles

Story of Plastic, movies https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/

Story of Plastic, movie on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCNanJNJ8JA

Silicone https://lifewithoutplastic.com/silicone/

https://amberoot.com/blogs/blog/synthetic-clothes-and-the-consequences-to-our-health

https://www.fix.com/blog/green-laundry-guide/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/style/plastic-free.html

https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/

https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2022-3-fall/feature/these-are-new-titans-plastic-shell-pennsylvania-fracking

https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/4-november-december/material-world/PFAs-are-everywhere-we-need-systems-change-fix

Local store offering plastic-free products

GoGo Refill, 64 E Street, South Portland off the Casco Bay Bridge, https://www.gogorefill.com/
From dish soap & laundry detergent to toothpaste tabs & cream deodorant, home & body products without the wasteful packaging. Bring your own containers for refill. They have most of the products I demonstrated from online sources.

Online stores offering plastic-free products

Kitchen, Bath, Laundry

https://www.shopEtee.com/

ZERO WASTE CARTEL https://ZeroWasteCartel.com/
FREE when you spend $60 or more:
* sustainable kitchen kit,
* 2 forager bags
* shipping
Add both items to your cart then the code ECOFRIEND

https://www.NetZeroCompany.com/
Great newsletter. Many silicone products to avoid single-use plastics. Silicone recycling

https://ZeroWasteStore.com/

https://theEarthlingCo.com/ soaps, shampoos, etc.

https://supernatural.com/ concentrated cleaning products for glass, bathroom, floor and metal with essential oils

Toilet Paper in large carton, no plastic wrap

https://us.WhoGivesACrap.org/
discount: https://www.talkable.com/x/qGICgu

Incontinence underwear and pads

GoGo Refill in South Portland has pads.

Best Washable Incontinence Underwear : What you Need to Know

Incontinence Underwear

https://us.modibodi.com/

https://www.confitex.com/pages/confitex-for-men

Washable Incontinence Underwear

Environmental Group Meeting Info

4-1-24

OV and the Environment April 2024

Monday April 15, 3 pm, HTL: Matt Kearns of Long Road Energy longroadenergy.com, son of resident, Tom Kearns, will give us an overview of the many different ways to produce energy without carbon. He works actively here in Maine to help clients find what is right for their application. I hope we will hear about off-shore wind, new water power methods, solar farms, heat pumps, geothermal, etc.

Future meetings (always the third Monday at 3 pm in HTL)

May 20: Lissa Bittermann from Apparel Impact (apparelimpact.com facebook.com/apparelimpact) who have placed bins both at the Transfer Station and on Rt 1, after ours was not used adequately. She will tell us about the environmental impact of textiles and update us on the state of textile recycling both in the US and globally.

If you have some clothes, including shoes, and other textiles that you can’t use any more, bring them to the meeting, where there will be a temporary a collection location. We will ensure that they get into one of the Apparel Impact bins.

June 17: John A. Mohan, Assistant Professor in UNE’s School of Marine and Environmental Programs une.edu/cas/schools/marine-environment/majors/ms-marine-sciences will tell us about his exciting project with students using technology to reduce shark bycatch to promote sustainable fisheries.

September 16, Mila Plavsic, the Executive Director of the Falmouth Land Trust, will speak about their education and preservation work. The mission of the FLT is to preserve and care for our town’s natural and agricultural lands and to advance the quality of life for all in our community.

November 18, Nancy Lightbody, Chair, Falmouth Conservation Commission, will talk about plastics.

3-1-24

OV and the Environment March 2024

We have lined up some interesting speakers for this spring, as listed below.

Monday March 19 at 3 pm in HTL. Falmouth Town Sustainability Coordinator Theresa Galvin and Oona Molyneaux, Resilience Fellow, will tell us about the new Falmouth Climate Action Plan, which “charts a course towards becoming more resilient to the effects of climate change while also taking action to reduce the Town’s greenhouse gas emissions. Successful implementation of this plan will rely on collaborative efforts between many entities beyond the Town, including state and federal government, local organizations, businesses, and individual community members. Resident engagement will be critical moving forward.” You can find the plan here: falmouthme.org/sustainability

Future meetings (always the third Monday at 3 pm in HTL)

April 15: Lissa Bittermann from Apparel Impact Web: apparelimpact.com and Facebook: facebook.com/apparelimpact, who have placed bins both at the Transfer Station and on Rt 1, after ours was not successful. She will update us on the state of textile recycling both in the US and globally.

May 20: Matt Kearns of Long Road Energy longroadenergy.com, son of resident, Tom Kearns, will give us an overview of the many different ways to produce energy without carbon.

November 18, Nancy Lightbody, Chair, Falmouth Conservation Commission, will talk about plastics.

2-1-24

OV and the Environment February 2024

We have lined up some interesting speakers for this spring, as listed below.

February 19 at 3 pm in HTL: The topic will be Food and the Environment. This meeting will be a kick-off of a series of talks during the coming year by people involved in food sustainability. We will start with a film that we will discuss, then talk about the “cradle-to-grave” life-cycle of several foods.

Future meetings (always the third Monday at 3 pm in HTL)

March 18: Falmouth Town Sustainability Coordinator Theresa Galvin will tell us about the new Falmouth Climate Action Plan, which “charts a course towards becoming more resilient to the effects of climate change while also taking action to reduce the Town’s greenhouse gas emissions. Successful implementation of this plan will rely on collaborative efforts between many entities beyond the Town, including state and federal government, local organizations, businesses, and individual community members. Resident engagement will be critical moving forward.” You can find the plan here: https://www.falmouthme.org/sustainability/pages/climate-action

April 15: Lissa Bittermann from Apparel Impact Web: www.apparelimpact.com and Facebook: www.facebook.com/apparelimpact, who have placed bins both at the Transfer Station and on Rt 1, after ours was not successful. She will update us on the state of textile recycling both in the US and globally.

May 20: Matt Kearns of Long Road Energy www.longroadenergy.com, son of resident, Tom Kearns, will give us an overview of the many different ways to produce energy without carbon.

June 17: John A. Mohan, Assistant Professor in UNE’s School of Marine and Environmental Programs https://www.une.edu/cas/schools/marine-environment/majors/ms-marine-sciences will tell us about his exciting project with students using technology to reduce shark bycatch to promote sustainable fisheries.

1-1-24

January 15 at 3 pm in HTL, Will Plumley, co-founder of the Friends of the Presumpscot River has rescheduled from the canceled October meeting. He will talk about the river’s past and how it has improved over the past few years, discussing the Friends’ efforts that have improved water quality, restored migratory fish populations, and increased public awareness of the Presumpscot’s economic and recreational potential.

The Presumpscot River flows from Sebago Lake through woods, towns and cities into the saltwater of Casco Bay – right down the road from OceanView. Before being dammed to power mills, the Presumpscot had at least 12 falls along its length. The dams flooded these falls and halted the passage of fish up the river. The river also became thick with industrial waste and the health of the river steadily declined. For more than 25 years the Friends of the Presumpscot River has worked to restore and protect the vitality of the river.

Future meetings (the third Monday at 3 pm in HTL) being planned with the Falmouth Land Trust about their work, on Climate Change, and about how Food and Textiles affect the Environment.

12-1-23

There will be no meeting in December.

January 15 at 3 pm in HTL. Will Plumley, co-founder of the Friends of the Presumpscot River has rescheduled from the canceled October meeting. He will talk about the river’s past and how it has improved over the past few years, discussing the Friends’ efforts that have improved water quality, restored migratory fish populations, and increased public awareness of the Presumpscot’s economic and recreational potential.

Future meetings (the third Monday at 3 pm in HTL) being planned with the Falmouth Land Trust and on both Food and Textiles and the Environment. These last two are very big topics. I would appreciate help from a few fellow residents to figure out what we need to learn, and who might be able to tell us. If you’re also interested in learning more about the role of Food or Textiles in the Environment, or sharing what you know, please contact Bonnie.

December Tip: Reusing and Recycling Christmas

I remember many Christmases where there was a large pile of wrapping paper next to each person after all the gifts were opened. We might salvage some for reuse, but most ended up in the fireplace or in the trash. This Christmas, try to enjoy gifts that don’t involve trash.

When you select paper for gifts, avoid papers that cannot be recycled. On the Portal’s Sustainability page, you can read about what kinds of papers you should avoid.

When selecting gifts think about their environmental impact as well. Try to select sturdy gifts for children that they will keep enjoying. Or maybe encourage your family members to repurpose or share things they no longer need after receiving their new gifts. Show them our new Disposal brochure to give ideas for what to do with them.

If you are in the process of cutting back your own belongings, ask family members to give only gifts that you need, or and can use up, like food, books, or a restaurant gift card.

Contact: bknoblock@maine.rr.com / bonnie.yelverton@gmail.com

11-1-23

Monday, November 20, 3pm HTL. Our fellow OV resident, Malcolm Poole, will talk about chemicals in the environment, which he has substantial knowledge about, with a career that started in the chemical industry and then morphed into care about how those chemicals get into our environment (and us).

There will be no meeting in December.

The following meeting will be January 15 at 3 pm in HTL. Topic TBA.

Prepare to Vote on Questions 1, 2, 3 and 4 on November 7. See https://www.lwvme.org/ballotquestions

November 7, Maine voters decide with Question 3 whether to start a process that could result in the takeover of Maine’s two largest electric companies, Central Maine Power and Versant, to create a privately owned non-profit company – Pine Tree Power – that would operate the majority of the state’s electricity distribution network. We are getting a lot of PR about this from one side of the issue. Be sure to check out other sources of information. The Maine Office of the Public Advocate has a Fact Sheet providing an overview of some of the more significant issues relating to the Pine Tree Power proposal at www.maine.gov/meopa.

The related Question 1 would require voter approval to borrow more than $1 Billion by entities such as Pine Tree Power, which could affect PTP’s ability to raise money, and Question 2 would forbid foreign entities to contribute to campaigns, which would be unfavorable to foreign-owned CMP and Versant.

Question 4 is the Right to Repair Law, that would tie in to the new law in Massachusetts that requires manufacturers to allow owners vehicle owners and independent repair shops have access to the necessary information, tools, etc. needed to repair and maintain vehicles. It prevents manufacturers from mandating the use of exclusive tools or software. https://ballotpedia.org/Maine_Question_4,_%22Right_to_Repair_Law%22_Vehicle_Data_Access_Requirement_Initiative_%282023%29

10-2-23

Monday, October 16, 3pm HTL. Will Plumley, of the Friends of the Presumpscot River, will talk about the river’s past and how it has improved over the past few years. The Presumpscot River flows from Sebago Lake through woods, towns and cities into the saltwater of Casco Bay – right down the road from OceanView. Before being dammed to power mills, the Presumpscot had at least 12 falls along its length. The dams flooded these falls and halted the passage of fish up the river. The river also became thick with industrial waste and the health of the river steadily declined. For more than 25 years the Friends of the Presumpscot River has worked to restore and protect the vitality of the river. Will Plumley, co-founder of Friends of the Presumpscot River, will discuss the Friends’ efforts that have improved water quality, restored migratory fish populations, and increased public awareness of the Presumpscot’s economic and recreational potential.

Prepare to Vote on Questions 2, 3 and 4 on November 7

November 7, Maine voters decide with Question 3 whether to start a process that could result in the takeover of Maine’s two largest electric companies, Central Maine Power and Versant, to create a privately owned non-profit company – Pine Tree Power – that would operate the majority of the state’s electricity distribution network. The related Question 2 would require voter approval to borrow more than $1 Billion by entities such as Pine Tree Power, which could affect PTP’s ability to raise money. The Maine Office of the Public Advocate has a Fact Sheet providing an overview of some of the more significant issues relating to the Pine Tree Power proposal at www.maine.gov/meopa.

Question 4 is the Right to Repair Law, that would tie in to the new law in Massachusetts that requires manufacturers to allow owners vehicle owners and independent repair shops have access to the necessary information, tools, etc. needed to repair and maintain vehicles. It prevents manufacturers from mandating the use of exclusive tools or software. https://ballotpedia.org/Maine_Question_4,_%22Right_to_Repair_Law%22_Vehicle_Data_Access_Requirement_Initiative_%282023%29

9-1-23

Monday, September 18, 3 pm HTL The first meeting after a long summer break will be with Nate Cronauer, Environmental Educator from EcoMaine www.ecomaine.org, who will renew our understanding of what and how to recycle things we no longer can use. EcoMaine, near the airport, is where all our recycling gets sorted, and our trash becomes energy.

We will also talk specifically about where and how we recycle things at OceanView.

We are creating a new recycling information brochure to include suggestions for finding ways to find people who will reuse things you no longer need. This will be available at the meeting, provided with the October Updates, and also be available in the Nook and through Marketing, for new residents or for families of those who leave us, The information is also available in Sustainability Updates on the Portal, https://oceanviewrc.com/sustainability-updates/#toggle-id-4

Monday, October 16, 3pm HTL Will Plumley, of the Friends of the Presumpscot River, will talk about the river’s past and how it has improved over the past few years.

Monday, November 20, 3pm HTL. Our fellow OV resident, Malcolm Poole, will talk about chemicals in the environment, which he has substantial knowledge about, with a career that started in the chemical industry and then morphed into care about how those chemicals get into our environment (and us.)

7-1-23

Monday, September 18, 3pm HTL The first meeting after a long summer break will be with Nate Cronauer, Environmental Educator from EcoMaine www.ecomaine.org, who will renew our understanding of what and how to recycle things we no longer can use. EcoMaine, near the airport, is where all our recycling gets sorted, and our trash becomes energy.

We will also talk specifically about where and how we recycle things at OceanView. In Sustainability Updates on the Portal, you can find a large recycling resource, https://oceanviewrc.com/sustainability-updates/#toggle-id-4

Monday, October 16, 3pm HTL Will Plumley, of the Friends of the Presumpscot River, will talk about the river’s past and how it has improved over the past few years.

6-2-23

Monday, September 18, 3pm HTL The first meeting after a long summer break will be with Nate Cronauer, Environmental Educator from EcoMaine www.ecomaine.org, who will renew our understanding of what and how to recycle things we no longer can use. EcoMaine, near the airport, is where all our recycling gets sorted, and our trash becomes energy.

We will also talk specifically about where and how we recycle things at OceanView, where we have included a large recycling resource on the Portal, at https://oceanviewrc.com/sustainability-updates/#toggle-id-4

Monday, October 16, 3pm HTL Will Plumley from Friends of the Presumpscot River will talk about our river’s past and how much it has improved over the past several years.

Monday, November 20, 3pm HTL. We hope that our new fellow OV resident, Malcolm Poole, will be able to talk about chemicals in the environment, which he has substantial knowledge about, with a career that started in the chemical industry and then morphed into care about how those chemicals get into our environment (and us.)

5-15-23

Info from Bonnie:

The Presumpscot River and Casco Bay need your voice!

The Presumpscot drains two thirds of the Casco Bay watershed and is the largest river that flows into the Bay. The river has a significant influence on the health of the Casco Bay estuary and the many species that depend on freshwater and saltwater habitat.

Please help us protect the health of the Presumpscot River and Casco Bay by letting a key committee of the Maine Legislature know that you support: LD 1926, An Act to Impose a Moratorium on New Point Source Waste Discharge Licenses on the Lower Presumpscot River.

The lower Presumpscot River – from Westbrook to head of tide – was once known as “the dirtiest little section of river in the state.”* After years of restoration, today it is a place where people swim and fish, sturgeon leap, and eagles soar. Hard-earned gains in water quality are at the core of this transformation.

This bill provides temporary and necessary protection from pollution for the lower Presumpscot River by placing a 4-year moratorium on new industrial discharges. Temporarily preventing new discharges will protect water quality and river health while a long-term solution is identified.

We need a healthy Presumpscot to have a healthy Casco Bay. Supporting this bill builds on our efforts to upgrade the Clean Water Act classification of the lower Presumpscot, which remains a long-term goal.

The Maine Legislature’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on LD 1926 this Wednesday, May 17, at 9:00 a.m. It is important that the Committee hear from you. Use the testimony toolkit below to make your voice heard.

Thank you for protecting the health of Casco Bay,

Ivy Frignoca
Casco Baykeeper
Friends of Casco Bay

4-4-23

April is Earth Day Month, and there is a lot to do!

Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 pm in HTL, Joan Tilney’s granddaughter, Dr. Susanna Hancock, will be giving a talk called On Thin Ice: Skiing the Epicenter of the Climate Crisis.

Friday, April 7 at 12:30 pm, join the van to the Maine Historical Society to view the Code Red Exhibit about Climate Change.

(See Oceanview Updates for more information.)

Monday, April 17 at 3 pm in HTL the topic at our regular meeting will be The State of Casco Bay.

I’m afraid I got our speakers switched in the newsletter last month. We will be hearing about the state of Casco Bay in April, (not in March as you discovered!) So I’m repeating the information from last month.

Friends of Casco Bay Board Member, Pat Ianni, and Sara Freshley, Community Organizer and Volunteer Coordinator (cascobay.org) will update us on the state of the Bay and the programs they provide to help keep the bay healthy.

Casco Bay is about 200 square miles in size, but the Casco Bay watershed covers 1,000 square miles. It reaches from Bethel in the northwest to Portland and from Phippsburg in the north to Cape Elizabeth. The Presumpscot River drains about 2/3rds of the watershed. Storm water runoff from the watershed is one of the largest sources of pollution in Casco Bay. Portland Harbor is, of course, a significant challenge.

2022 was the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act authored by Maine Senator Edmund Muskie. There has been a lot of progress over the past 50 years in making Casco Bay cleaner. Today Casco Bay is generally healthy, although it is becoming more acidic, which is bad news for clams, mussels and oysters – and those who make a living harvesting those resources.. Land-based sources of pollution include fertilizer runoff from lawns, pesticides, automobile oil, road salt and nitrogen pollution from boat holding tanks.

Saturday, April 22 is Earth Day.

9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at EcoMaine’s Ecofest, “a celebration of sustainability in recycling and waste management,” at Wescustogo Hall & Community Center, 120 Memorial Highway, North Yarmouth (a solar-powered facility) https://www.ecomaine.org/tours-and-educational-outreach/ecofest

2:00 – 4:00 PM at Falmouth Memorial Library Russell Meeting Room, Earth Day: Invasive Plant Sculpture-Making with Rewild Maine. Learn about effective invasive species removal/awareness, in addition to how to use invasive species in artistic and resourceful ways.

Past meeting

In case you are interested, our March speaker was Noah Perlut, Professor in UNE’s School of Marine and Environmental Programs. He gave us a fascinating presentation about his research on the seagulls that nest on rooftops in Portland, comparing them to others that nest on Appledore Island in the Isles of Shoals and on an uninhabited island near Bar Harbor.

Future meetings

Monday, May 15, Lily McVetty from Efficiency Maine (efficiencymaine.com) will tell us about how we can save electricity (and money) through more efficient appliances, vehicles, as well as about the incentives Efficiency Maine offers to make the switch.

The first meeting after a long summer break will be September 18.

Contact:

bonnie.yelverton@gmail.com
bknoblock@maine.rr.com

3-1-23

On Monday, March 20 at 3 PM in HTL the topic will be The State of Casco Bay

Our speaker will be the Executive Director of Friends of Casco Bay (cascobay.org) Will Everitt, who will update us on the state of the bay and the programs they provide to help keep the bay healthy.

The Friends of Casco Bay has been collecting water quality data for 30 years. They have been instrumental in updating coastal land use laws and in resilience-planning for coastal towns like Falmouth. They also operate a boat pump-out service so that waste in holding tanks isn’t dumped into the bay.

Future meetings

On Monday, April 17 at 3 PM in HTL, Noah Perlut, Professor in UNE’s School of Marine and Environmental Programs, will talk about his projects on how climate change is affecting Biodiversity on Vermont and Maine.

On Monday, May 15 we will have a representative from Efficiency Maine (efficiencymaine.com) who will tell us about how we can save electricity (and what we pay for it)

through more efficient appliances, vehicles, as well as about the incentives to make the switch.

The first meeting after a long summer break will be September 18.

Updated 2-1-23

Meeting info:

On Monday, February 20 at 3 PM in HTL. The topic will be Climate Change in Maine

This month we will be watching and discussing two films: “Reckoning With Climate Change in the Gulf of Maine”, and “Biomass: How Clean Is Energy From Biomass?”

The two films should provide a good basis for a lively discussion, and several residents have also done their own research into these areas. Don’t miss participating in this meeting on topics that are so very relevant here in Maine.

On Monday, January 16 at 3 p.m. in HTL, Bonnie Yelverton will explain why Avoiding Plastic is important and demonstrate some ways to do so.

If you saw last year’s presentation of the documentary, The Story of Plastic, https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/the-story-of-plastic-documentary-film/ (available through Amazon Prime and other sources) you may recall many reasons why it’s not enough to recycle plastics (which don’t get sufficiently recycled anyway) to keep plastic out of the ocean and sea creatures, as well as other reasons for our own health and the health of our Earth.

Here is the link to an organization called Break Free From Plastic. Some of their material will be used at the meeting. https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org

Bonnie will talk about several of these reasons for why we should start rolling back our use of plastics, and tell you how she and John have managed to cut way back on what they end up sending to recycling. She will show samples of a variety of plastic-free products, including containers and soaps.

You will also go home from the meeting with at least one plastic-free product. She has been collecting plastic-free door-prizes from several sources for you.

We are eager to learn from each other, so be ready to share your own ideas as well.

We are still planning meetings for the spring.

You have probably heard the word phthalates, which are the not-so-secret, “everywhere chemical” in our most used household and cosmetic products, like plastic food packaging, vinyl flooring, fluid bags, cosmetics, nail polish, so yet another reason to avoid plastic. Maine passed a law effective a year ago but not fully enacted until July 1 of this year, that bans “intentionally introduced amounts of phthalates in food packaging that contains a food or beverage product and plastic disposable gloves.” Manufacturers with less than $1 billion of total annual national sales are exempt from the requirement – which is a pretty big exemption. We are looking for a speaker to talk more about this topic.
Since we can’t seem to avoid all plastic, recycling is still necessary, so for one of the meetings in the spring we will be inviting someone from EcoMaine to remind us again about what can be recycled, and what happens to it.
To learn more about improving our energy usage, we will invite a speaker from Efficiency Maine to tell us how to select products that use energy efficiently, from household appliances to heat pumps.
We are also looking for a speaker to tell us about the Convention on Biological Diversity and the recent meeting about it in Montreal.

Contact:

bonnie.yelverton@gmail.com
bknoblock@maine.rr.com

Sustainability Updates

Welcome to OceanView and Cumberland Crossing’s new page for sustainability updates!

Check back regularly for the latest information on our community’s efforts to fight climate change, become more eco-friendly, and minimize our carbon footprint.

Sustainability Coordinator Hannah Crayton is leading the charge on a number of projects across the campus. You may email her at hannah@oceanviewrc.com.

Electric Vehicle Survey 11-1-23

Hello OceanView Residents,

In part of our Commitment to Sustainability, we are assessing the number of electric vehicles and charging stations used within our community.

Please take a moment to fill out the survey at the link below.

If you have any questions, please contact Mitchell DeBortoli, OceanView’s Sustainability Coordinator, via email at mitchell@oceanviewrc.com or by calling the Front Desk to reach him at (207) 781-4460.

Thank you! – Mitchell

https://oceanviewrc.com/sustainability-survey/

New Sustainability Coordinator Hired 9-5-23

Mitchell DeBortoli, our new Sustainability Coordinator, is joining our team – his first day of work will be Tuesday, September 5th. Mitchell has a Masters in Sustainability Leadership and a BS in Environmental Geoscience from the University of Buffalo SUNY. His course work and post graduate field work have prepared him well to lead our sustainability efforts on campus. His most recent position has been researching PFAS or “forever chemicals.” He is excited to move to Maine where he used to summer when he was young. We are very pleased to have him join the OceanView team. I know everyone will give him a warm welcome. —Diane

A Note From Hannah Crayton 6-2-23

“While I’ve cherished my time here at OceanView, I must announce that I will be returning to school to pursue Elementary Education. It is my passion to work with kids and hopefully shape them to be the environmentalists of the future. My last full day here at OV will be June 9^th, although I will be staying on per diem to assist in the transition of a new Sustainability Coordinator. I am truly grateful for this experience, and it’s been a pleasure getting to know you all.” – Hannah

Landscaping Memo 4/26/23

Naturalization:

There was some miscommunication and misunderstanding about our naturalization efforts with our new vendors Fox. We are equally disconcerted with the appearance of some areas on campus. We are saddened that our moss has been blown away, leaving many dirt patches. We most certainly will work with Fox Property Services to prevent this from occurring in the future. To repair the areas, we will be using ground cover plantings in areas that make sense, such as areas that are too shady or acidic from pine needles to grow decent grass. The areas that are suitable to grow grass will have loam spread, and we will reseed those areas. Likewise, we will remind Fox of our naturalized areas and ensure that the leaves, lawn clippings, and other natural fertilizers are left in these areas.

Plow Damage:

We have received questions about whether all areas where lawns were damaged from plowing were reseeded. It may have appeared that areas weren’t reseeded because two different vendors completed this work. For areas around the cottages, seed was spread with straw covering, but in other areas on campus the seeds are part of a seed and soil mix that is blown in so there is no need for straw to be placed on top of those areas. These areas were also fertilized because it’s important to ensure that weeds don’t take up the nutrients instead of the newly planted grass.

Fertilizer Program with Atlantic Turf Care:

Atlantic Turf Care is a small local business that is dedicated to maintaining lawns while being less harmful to the environment. After a conversation with Patrick Bucklin, owner and operator of Atlantic Turf Care, he ensured that the products he uses at OceanView are identical to those used by Seabreeze last year. Please see the “Conventional” Program we use in the next section. If you’re interested in viewing Josh Flynn’s lawn-care talk from last spring, see the link below.

Link to Josh Flynn’s lawn-care talk: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/6qYMF-DqlGsKETU1rnNg3wQzKIAgpy0i1RXj0wjn6h_JYi_BpBRiFrZ6LYN3h801.MTbVrgZD23o99EI1?startTime=1651503698000

Passcode: N7F1h.V%

Atlantic Turf Care Program:

Early Spring: Fertilizer combined with crabgrass preventer, replenishes nutrients lost over the winter, helps return the lawn to a lush green color and prevents crabgrass in the lawn during the summer.

Product Used: 19-0-6 .19% Dimension-25% xcu

Spring: Fertilizer goes directly into the plant system to strengthen the grass and resist summer stress.

Product Used: 13-0-5 .067% Acelepryn-40% xcu

Summer: Balanced slow-released fertilizer to help your lawn through the summer stress periods.

Product Used: 15-0-15 xcu with Hi-Cal Lime

Late Summer: Fertilizer provides essential nutrients directly into the plants for the fall growing season.

Product Used: 15-0-15 -50% xcu with Hi-Cal Lime

Fall: Fertilizer provides nutrients for root development, disease resistance and faster spring green-up.
Product Used: 10-0-30 winterizer

No-Mow May:

According to Bee City USA, “Researchers in Massachusetts found 93 species of bees visiting lawn flowers, with the greatest diversity and abundance on lawns mowed every two or three weeks.”

With that being said, we would like to attempt No-Mow May for at least two weeks before mowing. In addition, we have the wildflower meadow underway and other naturalized areas where mowing will not occur.

Whipple Farm Solar Power Plan

Click here to view a PDF file of Hannah’s February presentation on the Whipple Farm Solar Power Plan.

Wildflower Meadow Update 11-25-22

The wildflower meadow on Blueberry Lane is underway! The tarps have been removed and the seeds have been sown. The cold temperatures will let these seeds lay dormant until they’re ready to bloom in the spring.

Useful Recycling Information – November 2022

If you are unsure about what or how something can be recycled, use EcoMaine’s RECYCLOPEDIA https://www.ecomaine.org/what-can-be-recycled/recyclopedia
Call Maintenance about items that need to go to the Falmouth Transfer Station.
Plastic and glass beverage bottles with Deposit Refund stickers can be recycled on the 3rd floor of the Main Lodge across from the Hair Salon. The refunds go to the Legacy Legs teams for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Compostable Food can be placed (in compostable packaging, like paper bags) in Food Service bins near the garages in front of the Main Lodge or at Legacy. Keep the bags in your freezer until you take them out.
Recycle ALL batteries (single-use and rechargeable) and cell phones in the battery recycling box on the table next to the Activities office across from the Nook.
- Please place old, crusty, leaky batteries, as well as button and lithium batteries in one of the bags available at the box (unsealed). We will pack them carefully for shipping. All the rest go directly into the box.
Disposable masks can be recycled in the bin under the counter in the Nook. Please don’t trash them or lose them in nature.
Sally Dunning (5 Principal) can help you recycle sneakers and old lamps through the Tuttle Road Community Church.

Textile Recycling – October 2022

The Apparel Impact textile bin has been delivered! You may now recycle all textiles by placing them in the bin (no bag required) – that means all forms of clothing or other cloth or knit products, including shoes, hats, towels, and even backpacks and purses!

Where: The bin is located next to the Residents’ Workshop across from Falmouth House.

What to do: Place recycle items into the bin (no bag required). Worn, torn, and stained items are okay, but Apparel Impact cannot use anything that’s moldy or has an odor.

What happens to the items: No textiles will be thrown into the landfill, which reduces waste and fights climate change! The bin is emptied weekly. Depending on the condition of the items, it is either distributed to an underserved community in Maine or New Hampshire or repurposed into a new item, like insulation or pet bed stuffing.

This is a free service from Apparel Impact, and it is open to all residents and staff. Learn more about Apparel Impact by visiting their website. You may collect an informational flier from Activities as well.

You may call (207) 781-4460 to place a work order to come pick up your items for the bin.

Wildflower Meadow Update – September 2022

Wildflower meadow preparation is underway on Blueberry Lane! A black tarp has been laid out to prepare the soil for tilling and sowing in late October. Seeds will be planted after the second frost of the season and will lay dormant through the winter months until spring. We’ve chosen a pollinator-friendly mix of native flowers so we should have a vibrant meadow next spring.

Why this matters: OceanView’s new wildflower meadow will encourage a more naturalized environment on our campus. This will encourage biodiversity and help our pollinators, like bees and butterflies, which are shrinking in population.

New Sustainability Coordinator – August 2022

OceanView at Falmouth is pleased to announce the recent hire of Hannah Crayton as OceanView’s first Sustainability Coordinator.

In this new position, Crayton will be working on expanding OceanView’s solar power infrastructure and leading the Naturalization Plan of the OceanView landscape, among other projects that align with OceanView’s commitment to creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly community.

“We are thrilled to have Hannah join the OceanView team as our first Sustainability Coordinator,” said OceanView Director of Operations, Diane Kibbin. “Hannah will play an invaluable role in expanding our current initiatives that include the use of locally-sourced foods, environmentally-friendly cleaning products, a robust recycling and compost program, and the continued expansion of our solar program.”

Originally from Winslow, Maine, Crayton graduated from Thomas College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science and Policy and minors in education, sustainable management, and global sustainability. Crayton is currently in the process of becoming Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified to further her expertise in sustainable building practices and solutions.

“I’m very passionate about environmental stewardship and sustainability and want to help preserve the Earth for the next generations to come.” said Crayton. “This job melds together my goals and dreams to help people and the planet!”

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