Dear John,
Like other young Mainers, I learned about climate change as a child. Growing up in the shadow of that reality has made this crisis feel more real to my generation. We imagined and feared a future that is now here because our leaders failed to act.
I recently visited Colorado and saw miles of hillsides scattered with dead trees, charcoal logs, and a river still heavy with the ash of last year’s fires. When I returned home to Maine last week I looked directly at the coral sun across the ocean through the haze from wildfires currently raging on the other side of the country.
If we do not act courageously now, these disasters will be only the beginning. If we do not act now, I fear for our children — for global resource scarcity and world war. That is why I do this work, and I invite you to join me in urging Congress to include critical climate solutions in upcoming infrastructure legislation.
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Over the next few weeks, Congress has the opportunity to pass climate legislation at the scale that this crisis demands. If we do not push our leaders to do what they must and rise to this moment, we will likely not have another chance for several years. The climatic changes that would be locked into place during that time would be catastrophic.
The prospect of failure is terrifying, but the benefits of action will be immediate and widespread. We should not only rise to our duty, but should eagerly run toward the opportunities that will benefit us right here, right now.
What can bold climate investments do for Maine?
Transitioning to clean energy, expanding public transportation, increasing building efficiency, and electrifying heating and transportation will create much needed, good-paying jobs in Maine — jobs for electricians, welders, engineers, machinists, and more.
These investments will help farmers adopt practices that will keep our soils healthy and productive for future generations; will support loggers in adopting practices to keep our forests healthy and productive for our children; and will conserve the parks and wild places we treasure long into the future.
Expanding public transportation will help low-income families, Mainers with disabilities, and Maine’s large and growing aging population get to work, doctors appointments, and the grocery store. And electrified vehicles and home heating will clean our air and help reduce Maine’s high rates of childhood asthma and lung disease.
We need Congress to make sufficient investments to tackle climate change for our children. But we also want them to make these investments for all of us — for all of the opportunities, jobs, and benefits that will come to our communities now.
Thank you in advance for taking action,
Abbie
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