Hello folks. Rep Owen Casas here, running for re-election and reminding everyone about the backstory of the wooden CASAS for Representative signs.

Back in 2014 I had the opportunity to turn a dream into reality by employing some hard work and creativity. Several years before while studying renewable energy the dream emerged, and as I became more cognizant of politics and its relationship with campaign signs I was struck by their wastefulness.

Firstly, I had no idea if the signs were made locally or if they had been crafted in locations far from the street corners they would be placed on. Second, they always seemed a little too chintzy to hold up in Maine’s unpredictable fall weather, like a November nor’easter. I have often seen signs blown into ditches and tree lines after a storm. Third, if the signs had a year on them they could only be used for that year... or you would have to expend more resources to alter them in following years. Finally, other than advertising for one candidate, they seem to serve no useful purpose.

With all that in mind, I knew that if I ever ran for public office I would do my signs differently. I would use the principles of "reduce, reuse, recycle" in my approach. I decided that we would make the signs ourselves, sourcing as much material locally as we could to reduce their overall carbon footprint. They would be rugged and able to be reused many times over. I also wanted them to be useful when we no longer needed them for political campaigns.

Early in the 2014 campaign I had been eyeballing some pine trees on our property in Rockport, thinking they might fit the job of providing the sign stock. They were quite large and very close to the house so, not wanting them to fall on the house during a storm, we put together a crew and safely dropped them. After they were down I hauled them about 4 miles across town to a friend who had a saw mill. He boarded them out and every time I passed by his house running errands, I would grab some more to bring home. My wife, volunteers, and I sanded them smooth in our front yard, painted them, then stenciled "Independent CASAS for Representative" on both sides. Scraps and less desirable boards were then sawn into stakes at my neighbors house (Rest In Peace Gregory Eaton, you were the best neighbor I've ever had and thanks for all your help). The stakes attach with a few screws and hold the signs upright. Other than the screws and paint, everything was sourced and processed locally.

So there is the story behind the wooden CASAS signs that are now popping up around town. I'll keep using them until they are no longer useful for campaign material, then I'll find another use for them. Maybe I'll hand them down to another candidate to paint their name on. Maybe I'll build a chicken coop out of them. Maybe I'll split them up for kindling wood for people to heat their homes with.

Whatever the use will be, the signs represent my approach to problem solving: Keep your eyes and ears open for new creative approaches. Look locally for the resources so the community benefits and the environment is minimally impacted. Put the hard work in to do the job right, because if it was easy everyone would be doing it. And always try to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

If you would like a CASAS for Representative sign displayed in your yard please feel free to reach out at owencasas@gmail.com, on Facebook, or give me a call at (207) 333-0067.

Paid for and authorized by Owen Casas.