Take action on climate change, vote Angus King
I, like a lot of you on campus, read the recent U.N. report showing that the worst impacts of climate change – rising sea levels, drought, fire, damaging storms, mass extinctions – are all little more than 20 years away. Whether you are a lifelong Mainer like myself, or a recent transplant enjoying your first fall on campus, you already realize how unique and beautiful Maine is. From Acadia National Park to Sugarloaf Mountain, we are lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. However, without immediate action and change, the Maine we know and love is at risk of disappearing forever, and along with it many of the industries that have long been associated with it.
I know we all share the same sense of concern and alarm and the time to act is now. The only way we can hope to revolutionize our energy systems and slow the warming of our planet is to vote for candidates who will act to make changes now. I saw Senator King speak on and put forward solutions to the climate change problem two years ago at the University of Maine. There, he showed me his grasp of the problem and he proved to me that he would take concrete actions to protect Maine long before he started his re-election campaign. With an incumbent president who refuses to take climate change or the IPCC report on the impending danger of not acting seriously, we need elected officials with the courage to stand up to him and fossil fuel companies more than ever. The most important thing we can all do is vote this Nov. 6, and vote for candidates with the strongest positions and record on tackling climate change and other environmental issues confronting us here in Maine. The only choice is to vote to re-elect Senator Angus King.
