By WAYNE D. KING, The Radical Centrist
Pat Martin campaigned hard for local NH state representatives who were committed to local action on climate change, but found her candidates on the losing side in those elections. Rather than waiting for the next election, and the uncertain promise that they held Pat has chosen a third path, she has opened up communication with her newly elected representatives with a letter that provides a model we all could use now, to build the relationships needed for change now.
Pat, is a member of a growing and well-informed network of local grassroots organizations that are pooling their expertise and energy – if you will – to actively reach out to make their voices heard on the triple threats of climate, energy and environmental sustainability. Pat and my second guest, Susan Richman who serves as the communications director of the NH Network for Environment, Energy and Climate are an example of the many environmental patriots who are speaking out to make sure that all of our voices are heard and that we work to build bridges between people of goodwill with the hope that calling other in will be more effective than simply calling them out.
This podcast is important not only because it stresses the power we have when we join together to make our voices heard, but because it offers some real and pragmatic ideas for what we can do right now as citizens of New Hampshire and the planet to foster change and sustainability.
Listen here: https://d2iwv8pn9yf3nf.cloudfront.net/m1MUXYtup.mp3
Pat’s letter to her newly elected state Reps:
Dear friends and Honorables,
Thank you for running to represent your neighbors in Rindge as well as Jaffrey and Dublin. Congratulations to the winners. In many cases it was a hard fought and close race. There is so much on the line in these times, that I really hoped we would be electing climate champions who understand the connections between a warming planet, climate refugees, and the anxiety our children feel in the face of increasing violence and no serious effort underway to transition us to clean energy.
At the candidates forum I know I heard John say that he always gets back to constituents on issues and legislation. That has been my experience with him. I might not always like the answer, but he affords me the consideration of responding. Perhaps I don’t have good email addresses for our other representatives? Please let me know whether you received this email. There’s always the option of Letters to the Editor, of course.
My plan for this year is to treat my elected representatives the way I would have treated the candidates I supported. I am extremely concerned about the climate crisis that is facing us and will be tracking legislation as part of a group of scientists, engineers, former utility employees and legislators. I hope I can count on my representatives to take my concerns seriously and lobby for or at least represent my perspective? I’ve come to the conclusion that the planet can’t wait for us to elect the right people, we have to get the people we elected to do the right thing. We can only do that if we share the information and perspectives we have with those we’ve elected.
My plan for the year is to be an active constituent and a resource to you if you need information about energy related legislation. I planned to do that if my preferred candidates were elected, so please don’t regard this as an attack on you at all. If we hope to leave a livable planet for our children, we’re going to have to learn to be adults and work together.
Thank you!
Pat Martin
NH Network: Environment, Energy, Climate
https://www.newhampshirenetwork.org/
Re-Think Plastic with the Ten Towns • Ten Actions Toolkit
http://10towns.orgHome: 603-868-2758
Wayne D. King
64 Monroe Rd., Bath, NH 03740
603-530-4460 Cell
waynedking9278@gmail.com
@wayne_d_king:Twitter
www.Anamaki.com
Podcasts
New Hampshire Secrets, Legends and Lore Chosen as NH Podcast of 2019 by NH Press Assoc.
*NEW!*
Mindscapes – Wayne King Fine Art
New Hampshire – A love story in images and words
*Sacred Trust, a Novel*
“The Monkey Wrench Gang Meets the Third Industrial Revolution”
The View from Rattlesnake Ridge
New England Newspaper & Press Assoc. award-winning column by Wayne King at InDepthNH.org, NH Center for Public Interest Journalism.
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Coming:
Common Sense for Our Times
Steady Hands and Open Hearts
Renewing the American Idea in the Post Trump Era