Third Act Maine

@thirdactmaine.bsky.social

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Third Act Maine is Maine elders committed to stopping all new fossil fuel investment and development. Our mission will be accomplished through the joyful practice of nonviolence, uplifting youth and developing community. Visit: thirdact.org/maine

Power Democracy Webinar
Wednesday, July 22 at 6:00 Eastern

Who really powers democracy? The rules for your power bill, the grid, and clean energy are set by people you've probably never voted for. On July 22, we're talking about how to change that.

This is a nationwide webinar co-hosted by GrayPAC, JanePAC, and Lead Locally.

Go to Third Act events page FMI: https://thirdact.org/events/power-democracy-webinar/

Bill McKibben chats with Third Act Members at a recent visit to Maine.

Women clap at a rally in on the streets of Portland, Maine. Behind them the sidewalk is lined with people with signs. They want Senator Collins out! They are tired of her mild concern.

Two members of Third Act Maine pose with their signs protesting Senator Collin's lack of concern for what Mainers care about.

Third Act Maine Co-lead Tom Mikukla testifies in front of the PUC. His shirt says: NO TIME TO WASTE!

Fight the Hike protesters enacted a tug of war between corporate greed and Maine ratepayers wearing colorful costumes backed up by lots of signs and banners.

Third Act founder Bill McKibben stands with Third Act Mainer Kathy Mikulka beside a sign that reads FIGHT THE CMP HIKE

Bill McKibben chats with a group of four people at a gathering in Cape Elizabeth. Two of them with their backs to the camera are wearing Third Act shirts - one says NO TIME TO WASTE! the other OUR TIME IS NOW! Details on the event follow:

On June 22, Third Act Maine welcomed Bill McKibben to an afternoon gathering. He urged us to lean into our unique perspective as elders between now and November. To restore a semblance of order and reason in our nation’s capital and shore up democratic norms, he argued, we need to tell stories about what really matters to us. In Maine, that means ousting Senator Susan Collins and electing Graham Platner. McKibben believes we are uniquely suited to talk about the need for generational change–without being charged as ageist. He reminded us that we know from lived experience the kinds of wounds our soldiers bring back from wartime service–something Platner has shared openly time and again. That very morning, McKibben’s opinion piece – sometimes light-hearted, but also deadly serious – was published in several Maine newspapers on this very topic (gift link at end of post!).

McKibben also talked about the great good news that solar and wind energy are far more affordable than fossil fuel options, and that even though the current administration has canceled projects, incentive programs, and research grants, many states continue to make progress on this front simply because it makes good economic sense.

🎁 https://www.pressherald.com/?p=7669000&uuid=undefined&lid=undefined

Third Act Mainers and allies rally to Fight the Hike! One woman is wearing a lobster hat

One of the reasons CMP is requesting a rate hike is to assure a high rate of return on equity for their international shareholders. They want Mainers to pay for it. Third Act Mainers attended the PUC hearing yesterday in South Portland to testify and to have a little fun with some creative protests. Join us for the second hearing in Lewiston on Tuesday, June 23, 4pm - the hearing starts at 5pm in the Callahan Room at the Lewiston Public Library, located at 200 Lisbon Street.

And/or you can testify online here: https://mpuc-cms.maine.gov/CQM.Public.WebUI/Comments/PublicComments.aspx?CaseNumber=2026-00043

A video of Maine elders celebrating World Environment Day in Waterville. They are crossing a street one by one holding signs, white lettering on black. The first one says "Big Oil gets our $$" then "They buy elections" ... We get: ... Higher prices ... Hurricanes ... Sea level rise ... Vote for Climate!

A dark blue flyer with smoke billowing from a smoke stack says BIG OIL IS NOT ABOVE THE LAW - for real, why should they be? Because they're stinking rich?

A long line of Third Act Mainers dressed in black carry black signs with white letter warning of the signs of fascism along a busy roadway in South Portland on May Day 2026. The first woman in line holds a sign that says "DANGER"

A flyer for LILAC IN MAY: Art & Resistance
Small portraits of the following women are set into a background of a landscape of grassy hills with mist rising from melting snow.
Rosemary Wahtola Trommer, poet
Madeleine Jubilee Saito, artist
Aly Halpert, musican
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
7-8pm ET on Zoom $20 with a discount for members of Third Act Maine. Details and link to sign up in post.

A cool hand painted sign by ARRT! Artists Rapid Response Team of Maine. It shows a stop sign against a green background with a CMP profit line going up and up into a flock of dollar signs $$$

A flyer, dark blue with a smoke stack with billowing smoke filling the sky above it. Over it the text in yellow and white says
NO IMMUNITY FOR BIG OIL
BIG OIL IS NOT ABOVE THE LAW
TELL CONGRESS:
NO IMMUNITY FOR BIG OIL

Three Maine elders hold signs that read "No Kings No Oil-Garchy Make Polluters Pay" They have "Make Polluters Pay" tshirts too! They are gathered in Farmington, Maine for No Kings III

Three Maine elders hold signs that read "No Kings No Oil-Garchy Make Polluters Pay" They have tshirts too! its a chilly day in Maine. Behind them others are gathering for No Kings III

flyer for a Climate Dance Party!! on purple background with gold and black stars and hearts scattered about, the text says
Climate
DANCE
PARTY
at Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment
Hosted by Ayana E. Johnson
in partnership with
SPACE
May 9. 7pm

Graphic for Third Act's All in call with guest Erica Chenoweth on March 30, 2026 7pm ET/4pmPT. The graphic is dark green with orange and white lettering. FMI - https://thirdact.org/events/

Three members of Third Act Maine pose with their signs for No Kings III

Third Act Maine Co-Leader Molly Schen is all geared up for No Kings III. She is standing in her kitchen wearing a blaze orange Third Act hoodie and beanie - you can't see it but the back of the hoodie says "Elders against authoritarianism" Her black tshirt says "Make Polluters Pay" in purple and she's holding a sign that says NO K!NGS... Thumbs up Molly!

We agree with Andy Shepard, Founder of the Maine Winter Sports Center whose quote on this graphic of a flooded street along the ocean reads "In keeping with Maine values, they {large fossil fuel companies] should be held responsible for cleaning up the mess they've made, and passing LD 1870 to establish a Climate Superfund in Maine would be a step toward making that happen." Quoted from Andy's letter to the editor in Bangor Daily News
: https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/03/11/opinion/opinion-contributor/climate-superfund-would-make-polluters-clean-up-mess-they-made-in-maine-joam40zk0w/
It's only right that the world's largest fossil fuel companies who made this mess are the ones responsible for cleaning it up. LD 1870 would take the first step by formally assessing the damages extreme weather has done to Maine.

We've held corporations responsible before ⚖, with the with existing superfund laws and with the tobacco and opioid companies. We can do it again now. Graphic via Maine Conservation Voters

Photo - four members of Third Act Maine's Western Mountains Hub hold signs inviting people to come out for NO KINGS DAY on March 28, 2026

Details - Western Mountains Third Act Maine and Indivisible will host a nonviolent ‘NO KINGS’ gathering at noon March 28 in Farmington, extending its weekly Peace and Protest vigil with singing and community participation. All are welcome!

“We’re responding to a call from national organizations, including No Kings, Indivisible, Mobilize, and others,” organizers said in a news release. “In addition to that ongoing commitment, we are also aware of an increasing interest expressed by college students (University of Maine at Farmington) to stand up for their freedom and to support others less fortunate than they are. This event is perfectly timed to give them that opportunity.”

The group’s Friday Peace and Protest events continue from noon to 1 p.m. each week, with about 50 people participating on both sides of Main Street, according to organizers. All events stress nonviolent direct action.

Organizers said the March 28 event is not a march, so people can bring chairs or share food and not have to walk far.

“People are also free to walk up and down the sidewalk reading all the signs and greeting each other,” the release said.

Singing is planned as part of the event. In mid-February, a gathering of 75 people learned protest songs with the help of Ruth Hill, who will lead singing March 28. Organizers said a singing group will be somewhere along Main Street, possibly in front of Old South Church.

“We want people to focus on the real needs of our communities, needs that are being defunded and set aside, i.e. SNAP Benefits, health care premium increases. We want to help people think carefully about where our tax resources are sent. And we want to help each other stand united in the face of threats and violence,” the release said.

Story by Rebecca Richard in Central Maine Sunday edition of the KJ/Morning Sentinal March 8, 2026

Four members of Third Act Maine are pictured holding protest signs on a gray rainy day in Portland Maine. They were protesting the illegal and dangerous war in Iran, outside of the office of U.S. Senator Susan Collins.

The lighthouse at Whitlock's Mill in downeast is set against a background of the setting sun the sky and ocean are pastel pink, blue and purple.

Third Actors in Hancock and Washington Counties are warmly invited to join Third Act Maine's newest Hub, the Downeast Hub. Working together we can amplify our impact on issues we care about from combating climate change to defending democracy. We may be a bit physically isolated here in our corner of the state, but we do not have to do the work alone. By building a community (on Zoom and occasionally in person) we will draw on one another’s energy, commitment, and gifts to further the work we all care about. The Hub leader is Dana Douglass. He and his wife live on Deer Isle. If the idea of collaborating interests you, send an email of interest to maine@thirdact.org.

Members of Third Act Maine stand with Representative Art Bell at the Maine State House. Some are holding signs reading "Make Polluters Pay"

Third Act Mainers came out for today's combined lobby day at the State House in Augusta. Environmental advocates, youth climate leaders, and supporters of Wabanaki Sovereignty all came together in joyful fellowship. By aligning our efforts, we’re sending a clear message to lawmakers: Mainers across generations and communities care deeply about climate action, environmental justice, land and water protection, and Wabanaki Sovereignty.

ALERT! NEW REPORT
Retailers like Costco, have co-branded credit cards with the largest funders of fossil fuels in the world:
But, we just discovered: there are better options! (more info on alt text next image)

Pictured: 15 members of Third Act Maine posed together in a Maine State Legislature committee room holding as series of signs about the cause (big oil and gas activities over decades) and effects of climate change. Third Act Mainers came out in force to lobby for "Make Polluters Pay" legislation in Augusta on Tuesday, alongside so many others in the Environmental Priorities Coalition. Similar legislation has already passed in Vermont and New York and is pending in a number of other states. The idea is simple: The biggest fossil fuel companies knew they were creating climate chaos, and they hid the truth for decades. They should contribute to a climate superfund to help us strengthen our infrastructure to withstand superstorms fueled by the changing climate. That includes improvements Maine's working waterfronts and road system, such as replacing thousands of old culverts built for our former climate, and much more.

Dozens of people gather under the rotunda in the Maine State House on Make Polluters Pay Day of Action. Many are holding large photos depicting damage to property and the environment caused by recent superstorms fueled by climate change.

A car floats in purple flood waters. Behind it in the distanct two people stand on the roof of a flooded building against a yellow sky. The text says "We Were Making Money for Our Shareholders”. Artwork by Hannah Rothstein. The poster is available to download and use free on the Make Polluters Pay website: https://makepolluterspay.net/download-we-were-making-money-for-our-shareholders-artwork-by-hannah-rothstein/

IMAGE - a photo from Bangor Daily News shows a fishing shack tilting and sinking into the ocean a collection of wooden planks float nearby. The banners says "Maine needs a climate superfund law"

Don’t just take it from us… take it from the community leaders involved in storm recovery and clean up. Maine needs a climate superfund law.

The extreme winter storms of 2023-2024 caused an estimated $90 million in damage to public infrastructure in Maine. We’ll say it again: 🚨$90 MILLION 🚨

The oil and gas companies who’re responsible for this mess should have to clean it up, NOT hardworking Maine taxpayers.

A Maine Climate Superfund if enacted would…
✅Hold the world’s largest oil and gas companies accountable for the damage they’ve done to Maine by worsening the climate crisis
✅Fund climate adaptation projects to protect our state’s public infrastructure and natural resources from extreme weather
✅Relieve Maine taxpayers from the financial burden of climate adaptation costs and storm recovery

Follow the link below to join us for a Make Polluters Day of Action to tell Maine lawmakers it's time for a Maine Climate Superfund:
https://secure.ngpvan.com/q56COZxsQkWJStRwSxb4pQ2

Thank you, Councilor Davis, for your leadership on this issue.

Tonight. 5:30pm Monument Square, Portland, Maine
Image is a black flyer with off white lettering that says "From PORTLAND to MINNEAPOLIS STOP ICE TERROR" and THURS. 1/8 |5:30PM | MONUMENT SQ.

Photo: It's nighttime in Washington DC. You can see the White House in the background. There is a message projected on big grey building along and empty street. It says in huge letter, "BIG OIL IS MAKING A KILLING OFF OF WAR" and in smaller letters adjacent "STOP THE OIL PROFITEERING"

Third Act strongly opposes the recent illegal, anti-democratic actions taken by the Trump administration against Venezuela and is mobilizing with our allies across the country and the globe to stop him.
We say no to war for oil, we say no to war against the rights of all nations to determine their government, and we say no to cowardice from our elected leaders. They must speak out and demand an end to this lawless act—NOW!
Here’s how you can help mobilize and organize starting today:
https://thirdact.org/act/no-war-for-oil-take-action-now/

A road leads to an island of trees in the distance. Beyond it are purple hills and a yellow strip of sky. Snow is falling. "Remembering Snow" by Maine artist Alison Rector. Reprinted with permission. Available at Courthouse Gallery.

We just experienced some bitter cold, but don’t let that fool you. "Along with the Arctic and parts of Europe and China, the northeast US is one of the fastest-warming regions in the world. New England is now heading towards being like the south-eastern US,” says scientist Stephen Young in an article in The Guardian. His research was published in the journal Climate: https://www.mdpi.com/2225-1154/13/12/246

What are the implications of this? One finding is that “snow cover is decreasing throughout New England, and rapidly in southern New England which has lost over 30–40% of snow cover days between 2000 and 2025.” Celebrate snow like never before. It is becoming a rare and precious thing.

This information is from our latest newsletter. Read more here: https://thirdactmaine.substack.com/p/amidst-snow-and-ice

Maine’s Environmental Priorities Coalition seeks photographs to help us illustrate the impacts of climate change on our state, to be used for an advocacy project during the National Make Polluters Pay Week of Action https://makepolluterspay.net/weekofaction/

This year Maine has a chance to pass a groundbreaking piece of climate legislation that would make polluters pay to protect our communities from the climate crisis. It’s called the Climate Superfund Act, and it’s simple: polluters like Exxon and Shell pay for the projects that protect our communities from storms, floods, and rising sea levels.

As part of a the Make Polluters Pay Week of Action we are hosting a pop-up art gallery featuring photos that illustrate the impact of the climate crisis on our towns and cities, livelihoods and environment. Mainers from across the state are seeing the damage of the climate crisis first hand and paying the price. Maine legislators can shift the costs to those truly responsible for this damage: Big Oil.

This live gallery will be an opportunity to remind Maine legislators of the impacts the climate crisis is having on our state as they go into the 2026 legislative session and vote on the Climate Superfund Act.

The gallery showing will take place at the State House on Thursday January 29th from 8am to 12pm.

Photographs can address any of the following:
Storm Damage / Flooding
Mitigation Efforts
Health Impacts
Natural Habitat and Landscapes Worth Protecting
Impacts On Jobs and Our Way of Life
Portraits of People Who Have Been Impacted by the Climate Crisis
The Impacts of the Climate Crisis on Maine

Click in the following link for entry form, the submission deadline is December 12th.
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSeSzM2PGA3w.../viewform

Photo by Deb Fahy, from the December 2023 flood in Hallowell

“Historically, the most significant effort to separate nuclear energy from nuclear weapons was President Dwight Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” program. Then and now, there are clear connections between nuclear energy and nuclear weapons regarding technology, people and institutions. This Zoominar, sponsored by Peace Action Maine, will explore why governments continue to support nuclear power despite the myriad associated problems: cost, safety, proliferation and radioactive waste.”

Register here: https://bit.ly/NukeFreeClimate

Flyer with a photo of Mainers on the Freeport overpass waving at cars. They have flags of USA, Ukraine and Canada and a big banner that says DEFEND DEMOCRACY. Text says
FREEPORT VISIBILITY BRIGADE: RUSH HOUR RESISTANCE
Join us on the Old County Road bridge pedestrian walkway (over Route 295) at one of these five times throughout the week: Monday or Friday morning 7:30 to 9:00 am, Monday, Wednesday or Friday evening 4:30 to 6:00pm. We have all the signs and banners. Just show up!

No Kings video from Main Street in Waterville, Maine - a small groups passes, then - wait for it - a wall of protestors crosses the street!

Third Act Maine members at No Kings in Portland, Maine

On Tuesday evening in Freeport, 5 Third Act members protested the proposed CMP rate hike along with many others. No more public handouts for Central Maine Power!

Pictured is a sculpture entitled “It All Started With Teflon’s Non Stick Happy Pan” by Marnie Sinclair, a member of Third Act Maine the photo shows an elemental structure of circles in gold, black, blue and red connected by black rods that seem to be falling through a copper ring representing a frying pan.

All are invited to talk by Dr. Charles Rolsky, PhD at 7pm on Monday, October 20 at the art exhibit, "Forever Ours: PFAS and Microplastics" in Cape Elizabeth. Dr. Rolsky will discuss innovations and research being done to solve the plastic problems in our environment. He is Executive Director and Senior Research Scientist at the Shaw Institute, an Emmy Award Winner and a TEDx Speaker. Don't miss it!

What: Talk by Dr. Charles Rolsky, "Where Science Meets Art"
When: October 20, 7 pm
Where: St. Alban's Church, 885 Shore Road, Cape Elizabeth
Cost: Free and open to the public.

The art exhibition "Forever Ours: Microplastics and PFAS – Where Science Meets Art" features work by artists responding to the environmental crises of microplastics and PFAS. The show will be on view at the Bonoff Gallery in St. Alban’s Church, September 7 through October 23.

Each piece is accompanied by an explanatory statement that informs viewers about the environmental impact of these “forever chemicals.” The exhibition was juried by Gail Bos, a Boston-based artist and curator known for her compelling street art and environmental focus. The artwork is available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds supporting local nonprofits focused on mercy and justice work in the greater Portland area.

The exhibit is open to the public 9 am - 2 pm, Mondays through Thursdays, and ends on October 23.

Jane Brekke of Sierra Club of Maine speaks to a gathering in the welcome center building at Wolfe's Neck Center. Beside her is a screen showing a photo of a loon with the caption "Protect What You Love!"

A pink splash page says "Sun Day may be over but our movement has just begun. Support our movement beyond Sun Day 2025 at sunday.earth. In the corner is a photo of Anya and Molly holding a cut out of a big yellow sun wearing shades!

Last weekend, we proved that a movement for clean energy is possible and already here. Sun Day was an opportunity for people to come together to champion clean energy solutions and demand progress.
🗺️ 500 events were hosted including…
💃 A dance performance surrounded by solar panels in Middlebury, Vermont
🚌 The launch of electric school buses (with Mothers Out Front) in Fairfax, Virginia
🏖️ A beach day in Muskegon, Michigan
🍽️ Food, art and talks on a solar powered farm in Raleigh, North Carolina
📰 Sun Day hit the papers in The New York Times and many local news outlets, spreading the word about clean energy even further.
It doesn’t stop there. The big day of clean energy actions may be over but our movement has just begun. Stay tuned on how to support Sun Day into the future ☀️

Nine members of Third Act Maine are sitting together on a long church bench listening raptly as one of them reads from Bill McKibben's new book "Here Comes the Sun". The group was taking turns reading from the book.

Pictured are members of Third Act Maine gathered for a group photo during our annual gathering on Sept 4th. The brick building behind us is The Friends Meeting House in Durham, Maine. We learned, we sang, we shared our concerns and our worries, we ate cookies shaped like the sun, and we laughed. Peter Dugas of Citizens Climate Lobby talked about climate tipping points and climate modeling. The Rev. Katie Mears discussed faith-based disaster relief and climate migration. That was the bad news. After lunch, author and educator Sue Inches brought us the good news about climate activism and Josh Caldwell from the Natural Resources Council of Maine inspired us with recent successes of the Environmental Priorities Coalition.

We shared climate-related book recommendations and excerpts from Bill McKibben’s Here Comes the Sun, and we explored the promise of exciting innovations in a gallery walk curated by Molly Schen. Before we left the meeting house to head back to all corners of our state, we shared our one-word descriptions of how the day made us feel. We felt hopeful, inspired, energized, and connected. Clear your schedule next September. You don’t want to miss the 2026 annual gathering! #community #OldAndBold #notimetowaste #ClimateAction

A flyer for Sun Day in Farmington, Maine
Sun Day will be celebrated in Farmington with a “Solar Festival” from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm on September 21 at the UMF Amphitheater, High Street parking lot #15, on the UMF campus. Come celebrate recent progress in sustainable energy and a call to speed up the transition. The festival features live music, kids’ activities, EV cars, energy saving displays, and Beaver Lodge food and drinks. Meet businesses, homeowners, and organizations who are leading the way to a greener, cleaner future for Maine and the nation. Western Mountains is working with the UMF student group Sustainable Campus Coalition on logistics for the event.
Solar Fest strives to increase community understanding of how energy consumption numbers are changing rapidly as solar energy production reaches a tipping point. In addition to the festival at UMF, Third Act members will be reaching out to people in downtown Farmington on the Saturday and Sunday mornings of Solar Fest weekend. Stop by Renys on Broadway to see information displays on critical deadlines for solar rebates and tax credits.
https://thirdact.org/maine/events/sun-day-in-farmington/