When you support the Center for an Ecology-Based Economy, it ripples out into our
community far beyond the direct impacts of our climate justice work. These ripples build connections as people meet their neighbors at our Repair Cafés and through our working groups. They give select boards and school boards a chance to unite around energy efficiency, saving taxpayer money and facilitating non-partisan action. Ripples grow into waves when momentum for a project builds, as it did this year when Maine Community Power Cooperative built their first solar project funded with a $5M grant from U.S. DOE.
Your support helps us uplift our community as a regional leader in climate resilience, even as our nation steps away from renewable energy and climate action. Locally and globally, we face a polycrisis of climate change, income inequality, housing insecurity, biodiversity loss, and more, as our federal government rolls back its commitments to both safety nets and science.
CEBE focuses on solutions. We continue to lead by helping under-resourced towns navigate grant opportunities, challenging the illegal termination of our EPA grant, and coaching homeowners and businesses to access clean energy tax credits before they disappear.
Now more than ever, organizations like CEBE are leading the way to a sustainable and resilient future for our communities.
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Together, we have accomplished so much this year. Locally, we:
• Provided free, active transportation through our community Bike Share program;
• Saved countless items from the landfill through our popular monthly Repair Cafés;
• Held our 11th Energy Expo and launched a monthly Energy Café to help community members navigate renewable energy options;
• Hosted our sixth annual Climate Convergence, uniting voices across the climate movement; and
• Guided the Oxford Hills School District (MSAD 17) in transitioning off of fossil fuels, and saving money on electric bills. We also expanded the EV charging at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School with six new networked Level 2 plugs with support from Efficiency Maine Trust.
Statewide and beyond, we:
• Supported Maine Community Power Cooperative in its first year of incorporation, recruiting scores of co-op members and advocating in Augusta for policy supporting cooperative community solar;
• Continued to support towns through Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership, bringing our running total to over a million dollars of funding to 20 municipalities to catalyze climate change adaptation in our communities; and
• Became a founding member of the Northeast Woodlands Bioregioning Collective, collaborating with more than 20 like-minded organizations to develop and share successful strategies to fund regenerative projects and foster climate resilient communities.
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Please donate now to help CEBE engage our communities in addressing the climate emergency long into the future!
 We welcomed Tamra, center, and Ania, lower right, to the team this year, as Scott moved on to new projects |  Over a hundred attendees converged at the Celebration Barn in May for 2030 Vision: Resist, Regenerate, Renew |  Maine Community Power Cooperative’s first project in Harrison is now enrolling member-owners |
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This year, we welcomed Ania Wright as our new Executive Director, as we said farewell to Scott Vlaun, our founding Executive Director of 12 years, as he transitions on to new adventures. We also welcomed Tamra Benson as Community Resilience Director. Through these staffing changes, we remain steadfast in our commitment to a just and equitable transition to a future where all can thrive in our Western Foothills communities, the greater bioregion, and on this beautiful planet we all call home.
Will you join us in this commitment? CEBE relies on support from people like you to continue our programs. After the sudden rescission of $83,000 of U.S. EPA funding earlier this year, generous community funders stepped up, allowing us to continue to build capacity while other organizations were forced to scale back. Let’s keep the momentum going.
I urge you to join us. Help fund our work today to ensure that the ripples of CEBE’s efforts continue to spread a tide of resilience through our communities.
With gratitude and solidarity,
Emlyn Emerock, Board Chair
On behalf of CEBE’s Board & Staff
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We're building community resilience. Join us in your support!
Rosemary Bunn
CEBE represents the best of the progressive ideas of Western Maine! Thanks for all you do for all of us.
2030 Vision Attendee
It was so great to be out in the sunshine, making connections with other climate-caring people and learning so much from the various speakers and workshops. [It] was a great reminder of why I do what I do and I walked away feeling more hopeful and empowered!
Elena Laughton
There is no better work to be done for the Earth than that which can be done locally.