Coastal Conversations 11/22/19: Advancing Maine’s Marine Economy

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, substitute for Natalie Springuel
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Key Discussion Points:

What is University of Maine Sea Grant, and its role with Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy? What is the purpose of the Alliance, how is it funded and how does it make strategic investments
What is the current status of the marine economy and challenges— how the Alliance is helping the industry address those challenges, with examples of investments by the Alliance with Mook Sea Farms, Springtide Seaweed, Downeast Institute for Applied marine Research and Education, and Ready Seafood
What some of the remaining challenges for the marine economy in Maine?
What are hopes for the marine economy in Maine?

Guests:
Keri Kazor, Coordinator, Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy, UM Sea Grant
Sarah Redmond, founder, Springtide Seaweed, Gouldsboro; organizer, Maine Seaweed Fair
Bill Mook, founder, Mook Sea Farms, Walpole (Damariscotta River)
Diane Tilton, Executive Director, Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education, Beals
Curt Brown, Marine Biologist, Ready Seafood, Portland.

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RadioActive 11/21/19: Bar Harbor Town Council Declares Climate Emergency and Commits to Create Climate Action Plan

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

At their public meeting on Tuesday, the Bar Harbor Town Council adopted a resolution declaring a climate emergency and a commitment to creating a climate action plan. Portland and South Portland have also recently declared a climate emergency, joining over 50 local governments across the US, including New York City, and 1182 worldwide.
Mount Desert Island High School and College of the Atlantic students spoke about the impacts climate change is having locally and presented a resolution to the Bar Harbor Town Council, which called for the town to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
While the council did not adopt that goal on Tuesday, councilors expressed commitment to immediate work to come up with an a town action plan, including numerous sectors in the town. A preliminary meeting between student groups and councilors was called for Friday.

Guests:
Student of Mount Desert Island High School: Thomas Korstanje (president, MDI Just Eco Team), Ayano Ismimura, Matilda Allen, Sirohi Kumar, Lawrence “Adam” Nuesslein IV, Lily Crikelair
Bar Harbor Town Councilors: Jeff Dobbs (Chair), Matthew Hotchman (Vice-Chair), Gary Friedmann, Jill Goldthwait, Stephen Coston, Erin Cough
Laura Berry, local organizer, director of research, The Climate Mobilization Project

Additional Resources:
A Climate to Thrive (ACTT)
Earth In Brackets, College of the Atlantic

Today’s program was co-produced by WERU FM/RadioActive and Sunlight Media Collective.

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 11/21/19: Under a Watchful Eye

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Drones and Satellites have the ability to watch us from above, no matter how high a fence we may try to put around our property. What can, or can’t we do about them? It’s not at all clear, another case of the development of technology outpacing the development of law. The only relevant case law that says how much airspace we own above our property is from 1946. Here’s a link to that case Give a listen for a start to pondering some of the questions that arise when we are all “Under a Watchful Eye.”

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