The state may soon have its first 'green' laboratory. According to a report today in the Bangor Daily News, the new research building for the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor will be built according to the standards of the US Green Building Council. That means it will be well-insulated, operate on a relatively small amount of energy, and will be constructed using renewable materials like granite. Local building materials will be used as much as possible.

The lab will also, according to BDN, "be kept as free as possible of volatile organic compounds, which are found in varnishes and glue." Glue is bad for your health, especially if you sniff it. But you knew that.

The building will cost $6.5 million, including the projected cost of the lab equipment it will hold. It should be finished by fall 2007.

The lab reportedly will "have an old-fashioned look" and will probably not resemble this California building which looks like an enormous hedge. But it sure would be sweet if it did.

7/31/2006 5:11:38 PM by Sara Donnelly | Comments [0] |  

Maine's Senator Susan Collins has made another list of women who could be president. Pink Magazine, a women's mag with the slogan 'a beautiful career, a beautiful life,' chose Collins as one of nine women who could be president. The article is part of Pink's August/September issue. You can't read the part about Collins online, but you can check out the website anyway here. 

Collins, a Republican, denies any interest in running for the big seat.

Too bad, since she's made a handful of other 'women who could be prez' lists, including one in O magazine, one in Parade magazine, and one from the White House Project, an organization which advocates for women running for public office.

Collins was joined on the Pink list by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (who some consider to be the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination), Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, and Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano.

7/28/2006 5:25:36 PM by