Our composting toilets,
the "Hagee Hopper"
Photo - J. Yankura

Rippleffect believes…

-Conservation Easement The Maine Coast Heritage Trust holds a conservation easement for Cow Island which protects public access in perpetuity. This easement also ensures that any building on Cow Island is done with the utmost care and consideration for the island. All new structures has been built on existing foundations or are temporary structures. Rippleffect has been adaptively renovating the existing fort structures and all structures are situated so that they cannot be seen from seaward, preserving the natural landscape.

-CICC Cow Island Conservation Corp
The mission of the CICC is to promote sustainable ecological and social systems through the care, stewardship and protection of Cow Island and it's surrounding environs.
Rippleffect's long term vision through the Cow Island Conservation Corps is to foster an alternative culture based on Earth-oriented ethics using practical, common-sense techniques and strategies for meeting human needs and sustaining Earth resources.

CICC works on:
- Eradication of Exotic Invasives and introduce native species
- Pesticide and Herbicide free maintenance or trails, grounds, and garden
- Shore clean up
-

Our student-maintained organic garden.
Photo - J. Yankura

-Organic GardenGood, Clean Food! Two years ago, Rippleffect planted its first organic garden. It's organic because we use no inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Soil is enriched only with compost and seaweed from the shore. Last year, we expanded the garden and it produced hundreds of pounds of tasty food for participants in our Youth and Fort Lyon programs. We do our absolute best to purchase all other food from local vendors and farms. In this way, we help to reduce our carbon footprint and

Composting

-Composting ToiletsTwo years ago, Rippleffect built a comfortable Clivus Multrum composting toilet, a water and odor free way to safely deal with island bathroom needs.

-Rainwater Catchment System

One on of four awnings that make
up the rainwater catchment system
Photo - J. Yankura

One panel of our 2kwt solar system
Photo - J. Yankura

Solar Energy New to Cow Island is a 2kt solar system that supplies our electrical needs for lights in the bunkers and the kitchen. Our entire professional kitchen runs off of solar energy, even the fridge and freezer!

Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

A Carbon Footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.//