Here are some of the current projects we are working on:

Brunswick Bike Fair

Our group is planning a bike fair in downtown Brunswick on Saturday, April 26, to encourage more people in Brunswick to get around town on bicycle. Why do so few people in our town use bicycles? Is it the weather? Safety concerns? Lack of bicycle parking? Cars parked in bike lanes? Peer pressure? Feelings of isolation? No place to shower at work? Aversion to exercise? We think many more people could and should be using bicycles to get around town. The Brunswick Bike Fair will be a starting point for discussion of this vital issue in our community. Committee Members: Maggie Soulman (head), Fred Horch, Lesley Gordon and Holly Buss. Contact Maggie for more info and how to help: ecosquirrel@hotmail.com. To see a flyer for the March 22nd film and auction fundraiser, head to our downloads section. A letter to participating organizations is also located there.

Cool Community

In April 2007 the Brunswick Town Council unanimously adopted the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, committing the Town to take action to improve efficiency, save money, and ultimately help protect the global climate by eliminating wasteful emissions. Our group helped bring the agreement to the council, raised awareness and support for it, and is now committed to ensuring that our Town follows through on this commitment. At our monthly meetings we are discussing each of the twelve pledges that comprise the Climate Protection Agreement, identifying how our group can help our town take action on each one. Committee members: Alex Anesko, Holly Buss, Fred Horch, Maggie Soulman, Sue Edwards. For more information, contact sustainability@greenmoose.com. You can read the U.S. Mayors Climate Change agreement in our downloads section.

Environmental Film Series

We are showing a series of environmental films, followed by discussion. Our goal is to raise awareness of environmental challenges affecting our town, and to provide an opportunity to identify and discuss solutions. Committee members: Bodie Colwell, Andy Smith, Titus Abbott, Maggie Soulman, Sue Edwards and Holly Buss. For more information, email sustainability@greenmoose.com.

Buy Local

The Brunswick Naval Air Station is scheduled to close in 2011. Consultants hired by the town predict massive economic losses. One action every Brunswick resident can take to mitigate the consequences of the base closing is to begin buying from locally-owned shops. Buying local supports our local economy by keeping more of our dollars circulating in our community. Our group will be raising awareness of the economic consequences of buying local and exploring ways to encourage town residents to buy from locally-owned businesses instead of national chains.

Pedestrian Improvements

Maine Street in Brunswick is widely considered to be a dangerous place to walk, mainly due to inadequate crossing facilities. This public perception depresses downtown activity and fuels sprawl as the public demands malls with parking where they feel safer shopping. Our group hopes to raise awareness of the challenges that pedestrians face in our downtown, and to propose simple, practical solutions that will allow more people in our community to enjoy our downtown on foot.

Personal Action

Each of us has the power to make the world a better place. We each leave an environmental footprint reflecting the purchases we make, the energy we use, and the garbage we create. Our daily decisions either contribute to solutions, or make our environmental problems worse. Our group is working to help more people in our community understand what an environmental footprint is, and then take steps to leave footprints we can be proud of.