Heat, Floods, and Fire--Oh No!
Climate Chaos is Here
Statewide September Potluck Social with Climate Reporter Annie Ropeik
When: Thursday, September 7, 2023, 11:30 am - 3:30 pm. $10.
Where: Smith Center at Wolfe Neck, Burnett Road, Freeport.
Mark your calendars and reserve your spot. RSVP HERE. We will run this event if at least 60 people sign up by August 18. Bring your friends!
What to expect: Annie Ropeik, “Finding Hope on the Climate Beat;” Nancy Artz, “Overcoming Climate Grief;” music; meet committee leads; share your thoughts on next year’s actions; select art and poems for upcoming newsletters; play climate games; gain community!
For those who can’t make it, we’ll also have a virtual meet and greet on Zoom on Sept. 21 at 7 pm. (Invitation and link forthcoming.)
In the News
Flooding and Hottest Days on Record
Maine has been fortunate to be spared the torrential rains and heat waves plying the globe in recent weeks. While the persistent fog, haze, and humidity may be annoying, none of those conditions will destroy a home in a flash or (usually) send us to an emergency room. What’s true, though, is, that we won’t be spared forever. This day, this week, we might not be in the eye of storm, but that’s just a matter of luck. Chances are, a huge rainstorm or a long drought will happen in Maine. We just don’t know when.
In the meantime… what can we do to lessen those chances?
Our message from Third Act Maine is that we urgently need to stop using fossil fuels. Now. Not tomorrow, not when we get around to it. Every bit we do today to not pollute—by not driving gas cars, flying planes, burning gas in our lawn mowers—to not waste our resources—food, water, time—makes a difference. We have to turn down the volume of our impact on the planet—and speak loudly and clearly to the financiers who keep encouraging the investment in and burning of fossil fuels. We know better than to keep on with these damaging practices.
So, if you haven’t already, it is time to move your credit cards (and investments) out of the fossil-fuel industry. Check out this new initiative, including a free Move Your Money 30-minute how-to session, from our friends at This is What We Did. Your action matters.
First Solar Receives Financing from J.P. Morgan Chase
The largest U.S. manufacturer of solar panels, First Solar, received $1 billion in financing from J.P. Morgan Chase in early July. This is good news. Even as Third Act Maine has targeted Chase for its continued funding of new fossil fuel projects, Chase is clearly recognizing that investing in renewable energy is a smart financial—and public relations—move.
J.P Morgan Chase belongs to the Net Zero Bank Alliance, NZBA, which has set a goal of financing four times as many green projects as fossil fuel projects by 2030. Unfortunately, no NZBA member has made much progress towards that 4:1 goal (see below).
While we applaud Chase for its investment in First Solar, Chase and other banks have a long way to go—so we have to keep the pressure on to STOP FUNDING FOSSIL FUELS.
Legislative Action
Third Act Maine is requesting three actions this month. Remember, Third Actors act!
ACTION ALERT: The state bill to responsibly advance offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine is scheduled for a vote next Tuesday, July 25, and we need to make sure that as many lawmakers are in Augusta as possible. Will you send a message to your legislator now urging them to vote YES on LD 1895?
Support the Fossil Fuel Free Finance Act, introduced in Congress in March by Sen. Markey and Reps. Pressley and Tlaib, which would require that banks adopt a transition plan to reduce financing for greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation risk commodities. You can read a summary of the bill here. No one in our Congressional delegation has yet signed on as a co-sponsor. Please urge them to do so.
Support the End of Oil and Gas Subsidies Act, introduced this year by Rep. Earl Blumenhauer of Oregon. Despite its commitment to the Paris Agreement of 2015, the U.S. government continues to subsidize oil and gas production with billions of dollars each year. This is working against our goals of transitioning to a renewable energy-based economy, and it is past time for this policy to be abolished. This act would eliminate nearly a dozen of the most egregious tax breaks enjoyed by the oil and gas industry, an industry which continues to make record-breaking profits. You can read a summary of this proposed legislation here. And no one from our Congressional delegation has yet become a co-sponsor. You can urge them to do so.
Representative Golden’s contact page is here. Rep. Pingree’s contact page is here. Sen. King’s contact page is here. And Sen. Collins’ contact page is here. Your message does not need to be lengthy. Our representatives are mainly interested in gauging public interest in various issues. Strongly urging your representatives to support acts which will better enable us to keep the world temperature increase to no more than 1.5 degrees Centigrade is worth doing. Third Actors act!
Greater Portland Action
We need seven (7) more people! Greater Portland Action is having its final action of the summer season next Tuesday, July 25 from 3:30 - 4:30 pm on Franklin Street at the intersection of Somerset St. (near Whole Foods). Email Kathy (kmikulka@gmail.com) to let her know you’re coming. We will be raising awareness with at least 1,500 carloads of people in this hour. Mainers deserve to know that we’re here, that we’re pressuring the banks, and that we care. Also know that we tabled at First Friday in Congress Square Park in Portland in early July.
Midcoast Action
On July 21, Midcoasters will hold a vigil along Route 3 at Bank of America. Mainers continue to object to Bank of America’s investment in new fossil fuel projects, and we will alert tourists of the Bank’s dirty deeds as they travel into Belfast for the annual Celtic music celebration.
Third Act Midcoast also tabled at community climate event on July 19, featuring NASA scientist and climate activist Dr. Peter Kalmus. Dr. Kalmus shared how we can individually and collectively move toward a fossil-fuel-free future.
Third Act Maine—Farmington will be tabling at the annual Farmington Summer Fest downtown Farmington this Saturday, July 22 from 10-2pm. We are looking forward to the opportunity to meet Farmington area residents, share information about Third Act, and our concern about TDBank. Canadian-owned TDBank services the largest number of Maine depositors in the state and has the largest investment in tar sands oil in the world. Mainers let’s raise our voices to protest TDBank’s continued funding of tar sands oil.
I'm looking forward to hearing Anne Robeik on September 7!