Amy Paradysz

Takes homeowners from A…to U By Amy Paradysz You can dream it, but can you build it? Until now, that has been a thorny question when it comes to accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Wonder no more, because the ADU Wizard will tell you what’s allowed on your lot faster than you can order a pizza on

By Amy Paradysz Five Maine women making heirloom quality pieces As I get ready for a cross-country move to a much smaller space, only two types of furniture are making the cut: family antiques, like a music cabinet that once belonged to my great-great-aunt, and solidly constructed custom-made b

By Amy Paradysz Better lighting isn’t just about more lighting but more thoughtful lighting. To get a sense of what that means, imagine the opposite: Would you like your home lit up like the perpetual high noon of a hospital? I sure wouldn’t. When asked about tips for good residential lighti

Fork Food Lab offers culinary entrepreneurs the space and resources to scale up their small business in Maine.

By Amy Paradysz Few of us are so exceptional at something that we could be considered not just a master of it but the master of it. But it’s fair to say that Christian Becksvoort—or C.H. Becksvoort, as he’s known professionally—has that when it

By Amy Paradysz Senecal Construction Services, LLC, a sustainably focused design/build firm that has built hundreds of houses in Midcoast Maine, has been evolving right along with the green building industry for the past three decades. We met up with company founder Matt Senecal at one of his rece

Industry News By Amy Paradysz WITH MORE THAN 15,000 clean energy jobs in Maine, the green energy economy is growing faster in Maine than anywhere else in New England. To better keep pace with that demand, a free workforce program called Green Jobs for ME, introduced in July, is training Mainers

By Amy Paradysz Avery Pierce steps into her pool in Buxton, settles herself on her float, and observes a frog gazing at her from a lily pad. Surrounded by irises, lavender musk, marsh marigold and cattails, she listens contentedly to the flow of

A new movement unites artisans dedicated to sustainable, locally-sourced food, creating delicious pizzas that support Maine's vibrant agricultural community. Discover the Maine Craft Pizza Initiative, where local, wood-fired pizza is crafted from

South portland “pollinates” the desire for resilient yards By Amy Paradysz Photos by Madeline Rheaume Homeowners in South Portland—which has the most progressive lawncare ordinance in Maine—knew what not to do: use chemical fertilizers or pesticides that contaminate Casco Bay. But when it came

The Lumbery connects the “buy local” movement to Maine mills By Amy Paradysz UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, Maine homeowners who wanted locally grown and milled lumber had to coordinate directly with one of the family-owned mills in rural towns

How to know when you need more ventilation By Amy Paradysz IN THE BUILDING SCIENCE WORLD, there’s a lot of talk about energy recovery ventilators (ERVs)—mechanical systems that continuously replace stale indoor air with fresh and conditioned

South portland couple transforms rundown garage into a modern accessory dwelling unit By Amy Paradysz Photos: Chris Battaglia unless otherwise noted LOOKING AT THE RUNDOWN two-car garage behind their two-story beach bungalow on Lowell Street in South Portland, Pat Liddy and Stephanie Harmon sa

Going electric isn't just for cars: boats are now following suit. Electric boats are cleaner, quieter and require less maintenance than their gas-powered equivalents. Maine Electric Boat Company, The Boat Yard, Belmont Boatworks, and the Island Institute are among the leaders bringing this electric

These Maine retirement communities are increasingly find ways to make residents' lives a little greener. By integrating solar, electric vehicle charging, conservation, natural landscaping and more, communities like OceanView at Falmouth, Granite Hills Estates, Highland Green and Piper Shores are cre

A progress report on “Maine Won’t Wait” state climate plan goals and a collective imagining of Maine’s future By Amy Paradysz The future is here—at least when it comes to measuring our state’s progress toward the “Maine Won’t Wait” state

Here's why we should care about cannabis cultivation even if we don’t smoke it: It’s Maine’s most valuable crop. And most cannabis here is grown indoors in controlled settings with big carbon footprints. But it doesn’t have to be, as Upward

Text & photos by Amy Paradysz Karen Bates, 56, never thought she’d be building her own home—and five others.

Building Equity By Amy Paradysz IN THE MIDST OF THE CURRENT LABOR SHORTAGE, some of Maine’s most forward-thinking builders, designers, energy auditors and others in sustainable housing are also leaders in recruiting a more diverse workforce. To accomplish this, they’re doing anything from hostin

By Amy Paradysz AS A RENTER, YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE how many options you have when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint at home. Sure, a lot of the big decisions have already been made, from the building materials to the appliances. But you still have some choices to make that can reduce your