September Climate Strike and Week of Action: How about a tsunami of letters?

September.  Hard to believe it is here already.  This September is month of climate resilience activism around the globe.  Many municipalities have designated a Week of Action in September, often centered around the UN Global Climate Summit being held this month from September 20 to September 27.  Coinciding with the UN Global Climate Summit, young people around the world are organizing climate actions and strikes.  This movement started last year with the Greta Thunberg, a Swedish student (see her TED talk here). You can learn more about the climate strikes and how to support them here:  https://350.org/support-climate-strikes/   In  Maine, there are climate strikes scheduled in Portland, in Bar Harbor, and probably somewhere near you (I will update the list as I learn more).

So what can we do during the Climate Week of Action?  How about making September 20 to 27 a week of writing letters, letters to our local, state and federal representatives, letters to newspapers, letters to companies, letters to your friends and family?  Express your concern about the global climate crisis and your support for the unprecedented level of action needed to address it.  It may not sound like much, but letting people know you are concerned and you are taking action makes a difference.  If no one speaks out, nothing happens.  If everyone speaks out, mountains move.  We reside somewhere between those two extremes.  Let’s move that mountain.  Your government representatives care because they know you vote. Companies care because they know you shop.  Your friends and family care because it’s you.

Here are some links where you can look up your county, state and federal representatives along with contact information for local newspapers.  (Go to the website for your town to look up your selectmen.

Ask what they are doing to increase climate resilience in your town and county.  Start writing now and save up your letters to send during climate Week of Action.  Let's create a tsunami of letters. Support September Climate Strikes.   In the words of Greta Thunberg:  "Don't just watch us, Join us."

• Find your representative's contact information at:  http://legislature.maine.gov/house/house/MemberProfiles/ListAlpha 
• ​Find your senator's contact information at:   https://legislature.maine.gov/senate-home-page/find-your-state-senator  
• These are your Federal elected representatives (for Maine).
• Washington County Board of governors.
• Washington County Council of Governments
• Bangor Daily News: https://bangordailynews.com/opinion/submit/
• Machias Valley News Observer: mvnoeditor@gmail.com
• The Calais Advertiser: letters@thecalaisadvertiser.com
• The Quoddy Tides: qtides@midmaine.com