Asticou Azalea Garden

By Melanie Brooks

If you're looking for a place with a little zen and a lot of photo opportunity, head to Northeast Harbor on MDI. There you'll find the Asticou Azalea Garden and nearby Thuya Garden.

I was down camping in Bar Harbor with my family over Memorial Day Weekend and we decided to take a picnic lunch. We picked up some sandwiches in town and headed over to Northeast Harbor and the Azalea Garden. Unfortunately we had to eat our lunch outside of the garden as no picnicking is allowed on the premises. And after one step through the gates tells you why: it's completely pristine.

Maine ranked in top 10 for energy efficiency!

Maine is among the 10 states that are doing the most to implement energy efficiency, according to the 2009 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. This is the third edition of the state-by-state ranking by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

"The most improved states are stepping up their efforts in several ways, such as adopting new building energy codes and setting aggressive new energy savings targets," Maggie Eldridge, lead author of the report from the ACEEE, said in a press release. Last year Maine ranked 19th.

Gov. Baldacci is quoted in yesterdays press release as saying: "I am pleased that Maine is being recognized for our commitment to energy efficiency. We began by making State government a model in order to show businesses and residents that reducing energy consumption improves our way of life by reducing harmful effects on our environment and our health, while making a significant impact to our bottom line. We made this commitment in 2003 when the price of oil was $20 a barrel. Since then, we've made new investments in weatherization, encouraged alternative modes of transportation, and encouraged voluntary alternative work schedules for State employees, and we became the first state to purchase 100 percent of our electricity from zero carbon renewable resources."

The 10 states doing the most include (in order of ranking):
California
Massachusetts
Connecticut
Oregon
New York
Vermont
Washington state
Minnesota
Rhode Island
Maine

The states with the most room for improvement include:
Arkansas
Missouri
Louisiana
Georgia
Alaska
West Virginia
Nebraska
Alabama
Mississippi
North Dakota
Wyoming
Washington D.C.

To learn more about what Maine is doing right regarding energy efficiency check out the October Energy edition of Bangor Metro magazine.

Gas Guzzles

By Melanie Brooks

Yikes! In the past week or so the price of gas has really gone up! Is this a trend? Who knows these days. How much the price of gas changes from one day to the next is an anomaly to me. But while the price of gas is difficult to follow, finding the least expensive gas station is pretty easy. All you have to do is click here and MaineGasPrices will show you the cost of gas at local stations in your area. All you have to do is put in your zip code!

Common Ground Fair Draws Mainers Down to Earth

By Kayla Riley
Photos by Melanie Brooks

The Common Ground Country Fair held annually in Unity, Maine is now a cultural mainstay, providing locals with information about organic farming, delicious food, Maine made wares, and song and dance. But in its early stages it was small potatoes.

It began as a “harvest celebration” in 1977 at the Litchfield Fairgrounds. A small group of Mainers with a passion for organic gardening and farming had recently started the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, or MOFGA. An astounding 10,000 people attended, and members of MOFGA soon realized they would have to find a bigger venue.


In 1981, MOFGA held the Common Ground Fair at the Windsor Fairgrounds. That year, the crowd multiplied to over 50,000 people. For years, MOFGA searched for a more suitable location that could not only house the Fair and its many attendees but also a year-round agricultural center.

The perfect place happened to be Unity, and in 1996 MOFGA purchased more than 200 acres of land on which to hold the yearly event. The Common Ground Fair was held for the first time in Unity in 1998. Along with the popularity of the Fair, MOFGA has grown to about 5,000 members, 18 staff members and 2,000 current volunteers.


This year’s turnout was no exception to previous years. With everything from the remarkable sheep dog demonstration to the rather unpleasant Harry S. Truman Memorial manure toss, the Fair had something for everyone. For the kids, there was a wide variety of activities including face painting, arts and crafts and a vegetable garden parade. At the folk arts tents, local artists could be found sharing their talents with eager onlookers.

Wide Load

For the past three days, trucks carting pieces of a gigantic wind turbine have cleared the streets of downtown Bangor. Gigantic is an understatement -- they're ginormous, gargantuan, colossal. This photo from exit 194 near Old Town doesn't do it justice.


Their route from Jackman to Chester takes a detour from Route 201 and the highway at Dysart's in Hermon. The trucks slowly head downtown then get back on the highway at Hogan Road. It's not a parade. According to the Bangor Police Department, the overpasses in this stretch of I-95 are too low for the turbines to fit under.

There has been a lot of discussion on the merits of wind power. There has also been a lot of discussion about how windmills corrupt the natural view of the landscape. What do you think?

poll by twiigs.com

Click on the links below to read stories about wind power in Bangor Metro!
Winds of Fortune
Composite Genius