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** Dear Friend,
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The Maine Climate Council is coming to a town near you! We're excited to meet you in person and hear what's important to you and your community as we update the Maine Climate Action Plan later this year. Here is a list of dates and locations where we'll be holding public meetings during our September tour to hear feedback on which recommendations are most important to you and your communities.
* VIRTUAL | Sept 4th @ 6PM | Online via Zoom

* PRESQUE ISLE | Sept 5th @ 6PM | Presque Isle Community Center

* LEWISTON | Sep 10th @ 6PM | Lewiston Public Library

* PORTLAND | Sept 12th @ 6PM | King Middle School

* BANGOR | Sept 17th @ 6PM | Bangor Public Library

* ELLSWORTH | Sept 18th @ 6PM | Ellsworth Public Library

* BIDDEFORD | Sept 19th @ 6PM | Biddeford Middle School


**
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Register here to attend a meeting near you ([link removed])
Add to your calendar ([link removed])


** Maine Climate Council co-chairs Hannah Pingree and Melanie Loyzim will host this important series.
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** In addition to these in-person public meetings in September, we're also talking about the Maine Climate Plan's list of recommendations at these community events around the state, so mark your calendar to make sure you stop by to say hello.
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(Click on an event below to add it to your calendar)
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** August 17: Wild Blueberry Festival ([link removed] event to calendar AppleGoogleOffice 365OutlookOutlook.comYahoo) [link removed] Machias
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** August 18: Sunday Stroll ([link removed]) | Rockland
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** August 19: Wayside Pop-Up Picnic ([link removed]) | Portland
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** September 11: O ([link removed] event to calendar AppleGoogleOffice 365OutlookOutlook.comYahoo) xford County Fair ([link removed]) | Oxford
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** September 20-22: Common Ground Fair ([link removed]) | Unity
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** September 28: National Drive Electric Week ([link removed]) | Trescott
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**
Also, just another reminder that you can share your feedback on Maine's Climate Strategies and Recommendations by taking our full 20-minute survey ([link removed]) or one of the shorter surveys on each topic (below).
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**
Each of these takes about five minutes to complete.
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** Buildings, Infrastructure and Housing Survey ([link removed])
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** Energy Survey ([link removed])
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** Coastal & Marine Survey ([link removed])
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** Community Resilience Survey ([link removed])
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** Natural & Working Lands Survey ([link removed])
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* Transportation Survey ([link removed])
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** Materials Management Survey ([link removed])
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** Land Use Survey ([link removed])
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** If you know anyone else interested in this work, please share the full draft climate strategies and survey link ([link removed]) and encourage them to participate.

If you have questions or comments on the survey, feel free to email us (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Newsletter%20Inquiry) directly.
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** Calling All Young Artists!
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Climate&Me is welcoming artwork submissions from Maine youth to connect young Mainers to climate action. This is part of the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, which coordinates the Maine Climate Council.
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We are seeking original work from young Mainers that explores climate solutions, resilience and climate preparedness, or a thriving, climate ready Maine in 25 years. Be sure to represent yourself, your lived experience, your hope for the future, and what you envision for your community.

Selected artists' pieces will be included in the updated Maine Won’t Wait climate action plan's printed and online ([link removed]) versions and featured on the Maine Won’t Wait website ([link removed]) and social media channels ([link removed]) .

Read the guidelines and submit your entries here by Oct 1st ([link removed])


** Youth Engagement Update
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** Thanks to Sasha and the staff at Thomas Memorial Library ([link removed]) in Cape Elizabeth for hosting our Climate&Me ([link removed]) discussion for teens and tweens with Youth Engagement Coordinator Abigail Hayne on July 30th.

There were great conversations about staying informed and taking action in their daily lives (like biking to school!) that can help to mitigate climate change.
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** Attendees filled out ClimateVenn ([link removed]) diagrams (below), made nature-themed buttons, and learned about which of Maine's sectors account for the most carbon dioxide emissions.
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** (Spoiler: it's transportation and residential 😯)
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** Have a school group, workplace committee or organization interested to learn more about Maine's Climate Action Plan? You can make a speaker request on our website, or by emailing u (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Speaker%20Request%20from%20Newsletter) s (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Speaker%20request) here.
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Fill out our speaker request form ([link removed])


** Working Group Spotlight:
Transportation
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** After six months of seeking input and community feedback, co-chairs Joyce Taylor and Jeff Crawford presented the Transportation Working Group's three recommendations at the Maine Climate Council Quarterly Meeting on June 18th.

They include:
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**
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** Now it's your turn.

Give us your feedback.
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Take the Transportation Survey ( ~5 minutes) ([link removed])
Take the Full Survey ( ~20 minutes) ([link removed])


** Maine Stories
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** Climate&Me: Cole Ellis
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**
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** Meet Cole Ellis, a young Maine entrepreneur who started his own heat pump cleaning business in the Midcoast after completing a 40-hour heat pump installation training program at KVCC ([link removed]) .

“Keeping the environment healthy in the State of Maine is important because I grew up seeing how beautiful this state can be,” he said. “I would encourage anyone to get into the environmental field-- because this is your future.”

He's among many young Mainers making a difference through the state's clean energy sector.

His story ([link removed]) and other young Mainers making an impact on climate can be found on our Climate&Me YouTube channel ([link removed]) .
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Watch Cole's story on our YouTube channel ([link removed])


** Opportunities
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** Energy Efficiency Planning for Rural Communities Program
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The Community Resilience Partnership is offering a special, one-time, free technical assistance opportunity that offers support for energy audits, training for energy benchmarking, and energy conservation planning in public buildings for municipal and tribal governments and unorganized territories.

The Energy Efficiency Planning for Rural Communities (EEPRC) is not a grant program, but an assistance program for Maine communities with high climate vulnerabilities. Selected communities will receive technical assistance at NO COST.

GOPIF anticipates selecting up to 20 communities to participate in this program. To be eligible, communities must be enrolled in the Partnership and have a population of less than 10,000 or have a Medium or High vulnerability, according to the Maine Social Vulnerability Index ([link removed]) .
* View the Program Statement and Application Form ([link removed]) for full eligibility requirements
* Register for the Informational Webinar ([link removed]) : September 5, 2024, at 11 a.m.
* Application Deadline: October 4, 2024 at 5 p.m.

Register for the informational webinar ([link removed])


** Upcoming Meetings
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* Sep 10, 2024 | 12 - 1:30pm: Maine Climate Council Updated Strategies and Actions Webinar ([link removed])
* Sep 25, 2024 | 9am - 12pm: Maine Climate Council ([link removed])
* Oct 16, 2024 | 12 - 1pm: Maine Climate Council Emissions Modeling Webinar ([link removed])
* Oct 23, 2024 | 9am - 12pm: Maine Climate Council ([link removed])
* Nov 21, 2024 | 9am - 5pm: Maine Climate Council ([link removed])

See all upcoming meetings ([link removed])


** For more information about the Maine Climate Council, its members, and upcoming meetings, please visit the Maine Climate Council's website ([link removed]) .
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If you were forwarded this message, please consider signing up for our newsletter at MaineWontWait.org ([link removed]) (link).
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