BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 30, 2022
Climate change is an urgent issue and its effects are already affecting Maine. We — a 15-year-old high school sophomore and a 63-year-old veteran educator — know that the climate crisis greatly affects the lives and futures of young people. Teaching students about the impacts of the climate crisis can inspire young people to take on careers in industries such as forestry, agriculture and renewable energy that will fuel Maine’s green economy to help deal with the future changes in our state. Luckily, our state has an ambitious climate action plan, including education goals. A new climate education bill, LD 1902, A Resolve, To Establish a Pilot Program To Encourage Climate Education in Maine Public Schools, would start us in the right direction. ~ Audrey Hufnagel, Damariscotta, sophomore at Lincoln Academy; and Carey Hotaling, retired Falmouth Middle School teacher