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Winter Speaker SeriesDefending Water for Life in Maine
Chris Buchanan, Field Organizer
Wednesday, May 8, 7:00 p.m.
Curtis Memorial Library, BrunswickJoin Friends of Merrymeeting Bay (FOMB) on Wednesday, May 8 at 7pm for the final presentation of their 16th annual Winter Speaker Series. This program, “Defending Water for Life in Maine” features Field Organizer Chris Buchanan.
Communities, individuals and nature have certain rights and one of these is the right to clean fresh water. From the point of view of the organization Defending Water for Life in Maine, water is for life, not profit. Many communities around Maine and the world have been threatened by the privatization of local water supplies by such multinationals as Bechtel and Nestle [owner of Poland Spring]. While sometimes a large corporate user may bring in high levels of income to a local water utility, some of the consequences are often increased debt for the utility, limitations on water supply to other users and ultimately higher rates. If a large corporation actually buys the water supply, then of course restrictions on other users typically increase and can easily become prohibitive. Far ahead of his time, local independent Maine State Senator Neil Bishop from Bowdoinham, when alive years ago often remarked both that the polluted Kennebec [on which he lived] was too thin to walk on and too thick to drink. In that context he also predicted the future accurately in suggesting conflicts, including war would be fought over water just as over oil.
Chris Buchanan is a Grassroots Organizer with Defending Water for Life in Maine. Chris is passionate about empowering people in their local communities to achieve what they want. To ensure this, Defending Water for Life advocates for truly democratic local government, and fights to protect water for all life, and not for profit. DWLM’s work focuses primarily on preventing the commodification or privatization of water. Find out more at: www.defendingwater.net/maine
Chris is also the statewide coordinator of Stop the East-West Corridor, a coalition of Maine citizens and organizations dedicated to raising awareness, fostering open communication, requesting transparency and demonstrating that the project is not in the interest of Maine and that Maine citizens don’t want it.
The FOMB Winter Speaker Series takes place monthly from October-May on the second Wednesday. The series, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Friends of Merrymeeting Bay with support and valuable door prizes from Patagonia Outlet in Freeport. Starting up soon will be FOMB’s annual summer Outside Series featuring a number of fun and educational outings running into September. Stay tuned for an upcoming schedule.
Sarah Stapler