Coming Together: MaineShare’s June Newsletter

Coming Together: MaineShare’s June Newsletter

This month, we were thrilled to come together in person with our groups to reflect, share, and celebrate. It was such a pleasure to have this time with our MaineShare community, to catch up and look forward. Please read on for reflections shared by our groups during our gathering, great photos from the event, and more about recent news and events. Read on here!

Member Spotlight: Maine Resource Recovery Association

Member Spotlight: Maine Resource Recovery Association

Do you know who the Maine Resource Recovery Association is? Do you know what they do? Well, now is the time to find out!

The Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA) is extremely important to environmental sustainability in the state of Maine.  They are key to linking businesses and municipalities to solutions for recycling, composting, and other responsible waste management systems.  The mission of MRRA is “to assist the Maine community with implementing professional solid waste management systems that are environmentally and economically sustainable.” And as I learned last month, MRRA has a lot of fun while they provide these invaluable resources and services to our community!

Last month, at Sunday River in Newry, ME, MRRA held its 28th annual (!!) Recycling and Solid Waste Conference and Trade Show.  This event brought together staff and leaders in the solid waste and recycling industry from across the state.  The conference featured keynote speakers from experts in the field, up-to-date information from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and breakout sessions on topics such as: grants and funding; SafetyWorks training; composting; the Maine Bottle Bill; nationwide industry trends; zero waste solutions; PFAS challenges; and legislation and advocacy.  The conference also included an awards event to celebrate volunteers, service, and top programs in the field, entertainment for attendees, and even the ever-popular belt sander races!   (I was so intrigued by the belt sander races, and encourage you to take a peek at this fun challenge via this video recording!)  I truly enjoyed meeting the attendees at this conference, and witnessing the commitment to making Maine a more environmentally friendly place for us all.

Some of the other resources that MRRA provides to the public include backyard composting supplies, rain barrels, and recycling carts and containers. They often hold tours of recycling facilities across the state for those in the industry.  Their membership options provide valuable perks to businesses and individuals, including wholesale prices on sustainability products, education and outreach, consulting and waste audits, cooperative material marketing services, and more.  For more information on all the great things going on at Maine Resource Recovery Association, visit them at https://mrra.net/!

Photo Credit: Fred J. Field

Get outside and learn!

Get outside and learn!

There is one (of many) takeaways I gleaned from recent learning experiences that I wanted to share– Maurice Mitchell, GEO Plenary speaker, spoke about the importance of framing our work in joy and possibility. I see those tenets in the work of MaineShare and our members, and am committed to upholding those values.

Whether you prefer to learn via attending events, virtual webinars, reading articles, or just being in the presence of someone with different life experiences, learning nourishes us and sparks curiosity. It can be a motivator, provide a different lens to see the world, or even reinforce the path you have chosen. I encourage you all to seek opportunities to continue learning, and an easy way to start is to read on for news and updates from our member groups.

Read on here!