Center for an Ecology-Based Economy

CEBE's mission is to engage the community in addressing the climate emergency. We organize, educate, take direct action, and implement practical, ecological solutions for a just transition to a thriving, regenerative economy. 

Join the Center for an Ecology-Based Economy as we work toward healthy, sustainable communities based on renewable resources and resilient to the climate crisis. Through our diversity and collective knowledge, we can realize our greatest potential as a community
and help create a future where all can thrive.

Volunteer at an event or with a project, join a Working Group, visit our website to subscribe to our newsletter, and donate to sustain our work.

At CEBE, we embrace a whole systems approach to resilience building, focused on practical, ecological solutions in the following interrelated areas of our economy, while also engaging in statewide food and climate networks to coordinate efforts for climate action, legislation, and education:

SHELTER

Since 2021, we’ve been incubating the Norway Equitable Housing Cooperative to add affordable village in-fill housing in downtown Norway. We also re-skill people to weatherize and improve their homes through projects like WindowDressers and our partnership with We Built This, an inclusive carpentry workshop series

TRANSPORT

Our Western Maine Electric Vehicle Charging network includes 26 level two EV charger plugs, and we support local municipalities and businesses in finding EV charging solutions. We also seasonally run our BikeShare program from our Main Street Center and support Complete Streets initiatives.

FOOD

Working to increase regional food self-reliance, our projects include Edible Main Street, bulk community ordering of fruit and nut trees, the food forest at Alan Day Community Garden, participation in our local food council, and development of agrivoltaic models through our community solar co-op. We also run food workshops, including an Agroforestry Workshop Series.

ENERGY

After years of incubation, our community solar project was recently incorporated as Maine Community Power Cooperative. MCP deploys small-scale solar “gardens” in Central Maine Power territory to provide cost savings to subscriber-owners. We also support decarbonization efforts in MSAD 17, our local school district.

RESILIENCE

As a service provider, we help towns enroll in Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership and secure climate funding. Since 2022, we have brought over $1 million into our region for projects ranging from weatherization and heat pump installation in town offices, to climate vulnerability assessments and more.

EDUCATION

Our annual Climate Convergence and Solar & EV Expo bring us together each spring and fall to talk about climate solutions and build connections. We also host speakers, screen films, and offer workshops on everything from permaculture to repair cafes. CEBE also engages educators in professional development on climate education and outdoor learning.

BIOREGIONAL REGENERATION

Our Bioregional Regeneration Initiative leverages our experience and grows our networks for more widespread change. Through this work, we are building a vibrant network of regenerative practices and practitioners across the Acadian Northern Forest Bioregion.