ecomaine

In Maine, a wide network of organizations are working to make sure good food ends up on plates, not in landfills. From food banks and pantries that rescue surplus groceries, to gleaning groups harvesting extra produce from local farms, to schools teaching students to cut cafeteria waste, there are many ways to get involved in your own community.

Swipe through to find local organizations to donate to or volunteer with, toolkits for schools, and new research and policy shaping how Maine handles wasted food (including Maine's first food waste law!).

Thanks for celebrating Wasted Food Prevention Week with us! For a list of community resources, click the link in our bio!

In Maine and across the United States, households are the single largest source of wasted food. From forgotten and spoiled leftovers, to over purchasing (especially produce - leafy greens and salad fixings), to confusion over date labels, and more.

Check out additional resources for food storage tips, debunking the misinformation on date labels, and how to get creative with leftovers:

USDA FoodKeeper App:
https://hubs.li/Q04yKvdP0

The scoop on ripening and storage:
https://hubs.li/Q04yKvdf0

Three things you need to know about food date labelling:
https://hubs.li/Q04yKvc70

Recipe browser for the ingredients you have at home:
SuperCook - Zero Waste Recipe Generator (https://hubs.li/Q04yKvjh0)

And a huuuuge list of ways to get creative with leftovers:
Food Waste Recipes | Foods & Recipes | LFHW (https://hubs.li/Q04yKvk60)

Thanks for celebrating Wasted Food Prevention Week with us!

Did you know? Today is the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, and this week is Food Waste Prevention Week!

From shopping for "ugly" produce at the grocery store, and getting creative with leftovers, to freezing that gallon of milk before going on vacation (yes, you can do that!), and learning the truth about date labels, there are many ways to combat the wasted food climate crisis through small, simple, actionable choices.

Tune in with us throughout the week for tips and resources in your community around this topic. Learn more about Food Waste Prevention Week at: https://hubs.li/Q04yzKt90

Two weekends ago, we were at Pet Rock in the Park! 🐶♻️

Our team set up shop at Deering Oaks to talk recycling and waste reduction with the community, while our four-legged friends posed for pictures and proceeds went to support the Animal Cancer Foundation. One visitor got so excited about recycling, he just had to see our table up close.

🌱 The eco-Impact Grant cycle is in full swing, and we're looking back at what past winners built with theirs.

STRIVE TOPS used their grant to launch a hands-on garden and recycled art program for their students. They built a mini-greenhouse, started seeds, and grew their own raised beds, eventually harvesting herbs and greens they grew themselves. Along the way, students learned to compost their own food scraps, diverting 257 pounds of food waste and donating over 1,578 gallons of finished compost to local gardens.

The program didn't stop at the garden. Students learned to use a Chomp Saw to turn recycled materials into art, culminating in a student-led Recycled Art Exhibition. They also picked up new skills in marketing and design, creating their own flyers and presentations to share the project with their community.

🔗Learn more about grant eligibility, guidelines, and the application process at the link in our bio!

🏆 We couldn't be prouder of our team!

ecomaine's Waste-to-Energy Facility just received the 2026 Facility Excellence Award in the Waste Conversion & Energy Recovery category from the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). This honor is a credit to our operators, supervisors, electricians, maintenance crews, safety team, and the entire ecomaine community. Everyone who keeps this vital piece of Maine's waste infrastructure running safely and effectively played a critical role in earning this honor - thank you for your service to ecomaine and all the Mainers who rely on us!

📍 Matinicus Island, Maine

At ecomaine, we see a lot of how Maine handles its waste, but 22 miles off the coast, Matinicus Island does it a little differently, and with many added challenges.

Back in 2002, Eva Murray, one of the island's year-round residents, started a small recycling program that has grown steadily since. With donations from the community and the help of island volunteers, residents can bring their materials to a series of wooden sheds, twice a week in summer and once a week in winter. The sheds store the island's recyclables until "Dump Day," when Eva hauls everything off-island, by ferry (which runs just 36 times a year) and U-Haul, to the mainland in Rockland, dropping materials at the transfer station, Goodwill, redemption center, and hardware store.

Getting to see how a community this size, and this remote, solves its waste challenges was a great reminder that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to recycling & waste management. Thanks to Eva and the whole Matinicus crew for having us!

🌱Applications are officially OPEN for ecomaine's 2026-2027 eco-Impact Grants!

Our waste diversion grants have been supporting schools around the state for over a decade. This school year, grants are back as eco-Impact Grants: a brand new name to reflect the program's mission of supporting impactful, student-centered sustainability projects.

Our eco-Impact Grants offer up to $7,500 per project, and are open to schools and non-profit educational organizations serving students in ecomaine communities. Whether it's composting, cutting back on single-use cafeteria ware, expanding recycling access, or developing a student-centered education campaign, we want to help make it happen.

Applications are due Tuesday, October 20th, 2026 by 11:59pm. Apply now at https://hubs.li/Q04tl2Md0, or click the link in our bio!

At work, home, and in your community, every small habit to cut plastic waste adds up. They're not just "drops in the ocean." 🌊

♻️What are you doing to reduce plastic use this summer? Comment below, we'd love to hear from you!