Dear John,

I wanted to be sure you saw Will’s note about our September Lunch & Learns! This Friday, Hannah Pingree, Director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, will join us to give an update on the Maine Climate Council’s work to develop a new Climate Action Plan for Maine that ensures a reduction in carbon pollution of at least 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050; aids communities in adapting to the serious and costly changes to be wrought by the climate crisis; and builds a clean energy economy for all Maine people. Register here!

Dear John,

There are 62 days (and 8 online Lunch & Learns) before the 2020 General Election on November 3rd. 

Before we tell you about our September Lunch & Learn line-up, we wanted to brief you about what we’ve been doing to help ensure safe, successful, and secure elections across Maine on November 3rd. 

This morning, we joined the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine in filing an amicus brief in Maine’s Superior Court in support of a lawsuit against Maine’s Secretary of State and Maine’s Attorney General over the administration of the November election. 

While we applaud the Mills administration for their leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, more work is needed to prepare the State and the network of town clerks for the most important election of our lifetime. There is a clear connection between responding to climate change here in Maine and preparing for an election during the Trump era; both require careful preparation and the building of resilient systems that can withstand whatever is to come.

We believe that Governor Mills and Secretary of State Dunlap have more to do to prepare us for the most important election of our lifetime:

• We need to ensure that all voters whose ballots are postmarked before election day have their vote counted, no matter the dangerous antics of the Trump administration

• We need to ensure that postage does not serve as a poll tax, disenfranchising eligible Maine voters; and 

• We need to ensure that ballots are not rejected without ample opportunity for voters to cure signature mismatches. 

In addition to our work with the ACLU of Maine, we’re hard at work getting you all to pledge to and request your absentee ballot. (You won’t get your ballot right away; town clerks will mail your absentee ballot to you no sooner than one month before the election.) 

Please also consider becoming a poll worker to support in-person voting for those who need it. Today, September 1st, is National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, so there’s no time like the present to get connected with poll worker opportunities! 

And now, our September Lunch & Learns:

At the beginning of the summer, we honestly were not sure what kind of legs a virtual lecture series would have during our amazing Maine summers. Thank you for taking us with you on your vacations and staycations this summer as we learned about climate resiliency, the Atlantic Black Box Project, and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument

We have another great line up for September, and we hope to see you at one or all of our Lunch & Learns this month!

Friday, September 11th, 12-1 PM: The Geology of the Maine Coast

• Dr. Joe Kelley, a Professor of Marine Geology at the University of Maine, will present the “Geology of the Maine Coast.” In this presentation, he will explain the three elements which form the coast, its bedrock, glacial deposits, and modern processes, and explore the impact of sea level on the evolution of the modern coastal landscape. Register here!

Friday, September 18th, 12-1 PM: An Update on the Maine Climate Council

• Hannah Pingree, Director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, will join us to give an update on the Maine Climate Council’s work to develop a new Climate Action Plan for Maine that ensures a reduction in carbon pollution of 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050; aids communities in adapting to the serious and costly changes to be wrought by the climate crisis; and builds a clean energy economy for all Maine people. Register here!

Friday, September 25th, 12-1 PM: Foraging in Maine

• Nikaline Iacono, wild plant educator and owner of Vessel and Vine in Brunswick, will join us to discuss foraging throughout the seasons. Maine is filled with an abundance of edible wild plants and fungi, that span all four seasons. We will look at what plants and mushrooms are in season, with a particular focus on how to identify wild edibles safely, harvest them sustainably, and utilize them to elevate your cooking! Please come with any questions you might have about the world of foraging in Maine. Register here!

We’re always looking for new speakers and issues to feature, so email me with your ideas and suggestions.

--Will