Polar Plunges May Not Be So Polar Due To Climate Change

Ruth Metcalfe is a Kennebunk High School student who participated in our Fall 2020 Climate Advocacy Methods Program.

It’s heartening to hear the annual (what I used to call) Polar Plunge in Kennebunk is still happening amidst the uncertainty of this year. As a student at Kennebunk High School, I’ve spent the past year learning about the effects of climate change on our precious coastline through a Gulf of Maine Studies course that connects the University of New England, the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, and high school students in the pursuit of climate solutions and understanding. Cold waters seem inevitable in Maine, yet I am worried that our plunges in the Atlantic will become less and less chilly. Sea level rise and warming ocean temperatures threaten the basis of our coastal communities, which is why action on the legislative level is vital. 

I urge The Portland Press Herald to focus on the importance of these climate issues and solutions, one solution being H.R. 763: The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. Supporting local communities while protecting our oceans, this bill is exactly what Kennebunk and all coastal communities need for a chance at a sustainable future (and one that is not completely under water). I thank The Portland Press for keeping Mainers informed on local issues and look forward to news on climate solutions from Representative Pingree and Senators King and Collins. 

This is the article I choose to response to: https://www.pressherald.com/2020/12/29/community-news-88/ 

Name: “Atlantic Plunge scheduled for Saturday” - Portland Press Herald