Summer of Action
Turning Up the Heat on Banks
Third Act is in motion, planning a summer’s worth of advocacy and activism! Third Actors can get involved in their own ways. We’ll have local actions here in Maine. Third Act Central, along with Stop the Money Pipeline and other environmental organizations, will focus on global banking headquarters in New York City - ramping up pressure on Citibank and Chase to stop funding new fossil fuel expansion. This will be a vigorous campaign all summer long. WATCH THIS SPACE for more details!
In New York City
Join other concerned Third Actors from across the U.S.
June 13: Elder Day
July 8-13: Elder Week
Last week in August: Another Elder Day
In Maine
Local Summer of Heat Actions - TBD. Bring the sustainability message home right where we live, with ‘dispersed actions.’ What’s a dispersed action? It’s local to you - you create it, with help from TAM leaders.
Concerned about ‘going out on a limb’? Worried that neighbors and community members might disapprove? Don’t see yourself as an ‘activist’? Rest assured, elders who speak out and stand up for a sustainable future are just like you. You don’t have to become someone else to find an authentic and meaningful way to participate. In courage and creativity, in joy and in love for this living planet, we invite YOU to jump in. There’s never been a better time!
Email thirdactmaine@gmail.com to find out more, or contact your regional hub/working group directly. We can help.
Energized at the Spring Caucus
Just like our cell phones, we all need time to recharge - especially after winter days, fierce storms, and climate work. That's what Third Act Maine's Spring Caucus provided on April 25th in Portland. It was a time to come together, meet new folks and have a blast!
We enjoyed a great lunch together, received good feedback about a new slide show, and sang songs led by Marcia Taylor, including the world debut of “L.L. Bean Ain’t So Green." See the lyrics here and sing along.
We also wrote postcards to the CEOs of Costco and L.L.Bean, urging both companies to tell Citibank, their credit card banking partner, to stop funding new fossil fuel extraction.
For several attendees, this was their first event with Third Act. We said, "Welcome! Join us to help create a sustainable future!" The afternoon touched our hearts and gave us hope and energy to go forward.
And Pressure Keeps Building
Standouts continue at L.L. Bean’s flagship store over concerns about the company's ties to Citibank and its funding of fossil fuel projects.
May 27: Standout from 9:30-11:30 am for the Memorial Day Parade, which begins at 10. We will have signs so all you need to bring is some water to drink and a folding chair if standing for a long period is a problem.
June 1: Standout in front of L.L. Bean in Freeport from 1-2 pm. FMI: Bill Rixon, rixonw9@gmail.com.
Maine PERS Protests
Standouts and a new letter campaign continue to demand that the Maine Public Employees Retirement System divest of fossil fuels as required by the state legislature in 2021. Standouts are planned at the Maine PERS office, 139 Capitol Street, Augusta:
May 9: 7-9 am (early! but that is when Maine PERS workers arrive).
June 24: Gather at approximately 11:30 (details forthcoming). Big rally planned.
We are urgently asking folks to sign onto the letter from Divest Maine that will be presented to the Maine PERS Board on June 13. FMI: Chuck Spanger - charlesspanger@gmail.com. Access the Sign-On Letter or with the QR code below:
Earth Week in Farmington
The Farmington and Western Mountains Hub was visible and vocal at Earth Week events. We showed up at the Sustainable Careers Panel on the UMF campus, the Main Street meeting, and the Fiddlehead Festival (sponsored by the Sustainable Campus Coalition). Our message: Vote for the climate. We also continued to reach out to TD Bank account holders, sharing the reasons for closing those accounts.
Third Act Joins CEBE in Norway
On May 17-18 Third Act Maine will be tabling at the annual conference of the Center for an Ecology Based Economy (CEBE) in Norway. Keynote speakers for the event are Dr. Susan Hancock on May 17, who will discuss her salient research on the melting ice caps, and NPR’s Steve Curwood, host of Living on Earth, on May 18. There are other interesting presenters as well. We are asking to be one of them. Registration is required. https://www.ecologybasedeconomy.org/2030vision
Preaching the Gospel
On Sunday, April 28th, Kathy and Tom Mikulka addressed parishioners of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke at an Earth Day gathering following the service. Some parishioners wrote postcards to CEO Stephen Smith at L.L. Bean and signed up for the Third Act Maine newsletter.
Such beautiful work! Thank you enormously!