PFAS Plume
‘Forever chemicals’ can show up in aquifers long after their historic use, prompting the need for costly drinking water monitoring and treatment. A recent U.S. Navy report finds that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)...
Author: Marina Schauffler
Testing the Waters
Tracing the movement of PFAS into waterways and wildlife Martha Spiess, a retired veterinarian, began testing waters in Brunswick for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) after hearing news of ‘forever chemicals’ contaminating Maine farms....
Compound Injustice
PFAS may concentrate over time in landfills near the Penobscot Indian Reservation
Can’t Save the Forest for the Trees
In forests, we expect slow change. Trees gain height and breadth by small degrees, and the mix of species shifts gradually over decades. But reality no longer conforms to our expectations. Many tree species...
A Tangle of Plastic Pollution Ties Back to Our Clothes
The soft clouds of gray lint that slide off clothes dryer screens are tangible evidence of the dryer’s tumbling abrasion. Each handful comes at a cost, shortening the lifespan of garments. But the true...
The Bumpy Road to Better Electric Utility Decisions
Maine’s transition to clean energy hinges on a wholesale transformation of the electrical grid. Several laws passed in recent years may improve grid planning, but legislating institutional change in the utility field could prove...
Microplastics on the Menu
Maine made headlines in April as the nation’s first state to ban the spreading of sludge and sludge-based compost. Supporters of the law recognized an urgent need — in the Act’s language —...
The Climate Impacts of Stuff
The vacation promised to be high in enjoyment and low in carbon. Rather than flying somewhere and staying in a hotel, we would sail to a cabin powered by solar electricity. Our only fossil-fuel...
