How some Maine locales are addressing climate change

A Sunny Note

It is encouraging to see some local authorities actively planning  to address climate change and its consequences. Citing more frequent floods and storms with their concomitant economic impact, heat-related health effects such as the increase in tick-borne disease and climate change's impact on the eco-system of Casco Bay, on June 10th, officials in Portland and South Portland jointly announced the One Climate Future initiative. (See https://www.portlandmaine.gov/2387/Climate-Action .) The initiative will identify ways to make more efficient use of energy in buildings, in how land is used, and in transportation.  The initiative will also identify ways to reduce waste in communities and to increase community resilience to the effects of climate change.  Both cities contributed $110,000 to hire a consultant.  Their website is https://www.oneclimatefuture.org . Some upcoming events are not on the website and can be found by searching on "one climate future maine".   Some upcoming events include:

https://www.revisionenergy.com/events/one-climate-future-climate-action-in-portland-and-south-portland/  July 10, 5:30 to 7 pm, ReVision Energy, 758 Westbrook Street, South Portland, ME 04106.

The City of South Portland is encouraging its residents to learn about climate change by giving away free, to anyone who signs up for one of the discussion groups,  the book Climate Change: What Everyone Needs to Know, by Joseph Romm:  https://www.southportland.org/our-city/community-newsletter-subscription/06-21-19-newsletter/

Residents, businesses, and towns in Mount Desert Island have a multi-pronged climate change mitigation effort that has been going on for some years.  See https://www.aclimatetothrive.org/

M. Eachus