Climate and Change

This blog post originally appeared on the Island Oasis Farm website, now decommissioned. Not sure if it translates over, but I did want to preserve some of that writing (2020-2024).

August 20, 2021

In February of 1977, the United States was facing an energy crisis spurned by a cold winter, wasteful habits, and dependence on foreign oil. Then President Jimmy Carter suggested that "[a]ll of us must learn to waste less energy. Simply by keeping our thermostats, for instance, at 65 degrees in the daytime and 55 degrees at night we could save half the current shortage of natural gas." This was not a popular sentiment. He then pledged that by 2000, 20% of all US energy would be from renewables.

Market complexity and pricing issues aside, one of President Ronald Reagan's first energy policy changes was to deregulate the fossil fuel industry and to roll back EPA enforcement. The free market would weed out inefficiencies. True to form, that administration immediately cut research and development funding for alternative energy by as much as 85%. R&D for wind was all but eliminated. After all, in regards to the California Redwoods, this was the guy who famously said "you know, a tree is a tree, how many more do you need to look at?"

Policy-wise, we are a nation that has been teetering between these two, polar-opposite approaches to environmental concerns ever since. One administration implements strict CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards; the next administration cuts them. This has been our dance for quite some time. However, the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report is striking. Climate change is real; and humans' love for all things carbon is largely to blame. What is an American to do? More specifically, how can Maine's entrepreneurs adapt to a rapidly changing future?

Katahdin obscured by wildfire smoke from the West (August 2021).

One thing Downeast Mainers know to be true is that increasing temperatures to our south (combined with COVID cabin fever) has ratcheted up interest in the Acadia region. To meet the demand, more locals are adopting innovative ways to capitalize on this increase via AirBnB, VRBO, and HipCamp. There is a more subtle force that continues to draw people to our region, though, and Island Oasis Farm believes that it is this: Americans crave small-scale authenticity and a healthy environment. And our region has no shortage of locally sourced food, spirits, and crafts, not to mention the experience of unplugging in a quieter corner of our busy country.

The connection to climate change may not be all too obvious at first glance. However, as we continue to witness the effects of heat, drought, and fire out West, excessive flooding and heat in the Southeast, we cannot help but question what is and what is not sustainable. According to the USDA, 70% of the 76 million acres of the US soybean crop was used for the livestock industry. Without even examining the farming methods used for such output, it is safe to say that this is not an industry focused on slowing the process of climate change. The acreage involved is mind-boggling. But what if there was a 30% reduction in meat consumption meant that much of that acreage could be devoted to small-scale, local produce for human consumption? What would that look like?

Looking west toward Number Four, Lily Bay and Prong Pond Mountains with wildfire smoke (August 2021).

Here in Hancock County Maine, we have a pretty good idea. On a given summer day, residents of MDI, alone, have several local farms to choose from for sourcing their food. Whether one opts in to a CSA (community supported agriculture) share from the Bar Harbor Farm or purchases brisket for the barbecue from Brown Family Farm, that consumer choice cuts a lot of transportation out of the equation. Yes, some of these farm organizations are non-profits or dependent on financial backers, but aren't big agribusinesses (not to mention the trucking industry via federal highways) also subsidized? We have to start somewhere.

Locally, our small-scale farmers, often certified and supported by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), provide an incredible bounty. Hancock County boasts farmers' markets in almost every substantial town with a central gathering place: Blue Hill, Bar Harbor, Ellsworth, etc. They are a great place to make CSA connections, too. Most people bring their own produce bags, and large-scale models of trucking and distribution are all but eliminated. This is not a panacea, of course, but it is a step down the road of changing the way we think about production, consumption. and emissions.

The scale of American agribusiness is staggering. Is this the only model? (Rural Indiana, August 2021.)

While cannabis production on a large-scale can often involve questionable practices, especially regarding CO2, on the small-scale significant changes are possible. Adding solar to run lights, exploring regenerative soil practices, using hoop house methods, composting hemp stalks, eliminating the need for large-scale transport (aka "food miles") are but a few possibilities. Closing the loop on waste is a start. It is the local farmers and fishermen of our region who have provided the steadiest examples of how buying local is possible. Now, even Fogtown Brewing is providing a model of reducing food miles and supporting locals by sourcing ingredients from Maine.

Could any of this mirror Jimmy Carter's adage about lowering thermostats? We believe it does. Island Oasis is just beginning this journey, and we are committed to maintaining high standards for quality, locally sourced medicine for our patients.