Power line down in Whitefield. (Photo courtesy Mary Dunn)
Tuesday morning, the day after the intense wind and rain storm, we all woke to a lack of power, internet or cell service. When I went out to meet friends for coffee we were greeted with, “Welcome to our new normal.”
Sheepscot Market was surprisingly busy for an early morning the day after the area’s large storm. Jenna Marcus, manager of Sheepscot Market, said people were there bright and early waiting for coffee.
We spinners were no different! Happy to have such a community center open for those who wanted a sense of kinship during what was to become a long power outage. We sat together grateful to have this space to be together. Many of us connect with friends and family via internet so the blackout felt lonely and isolating. A coffee with others sure felt good.
Conversation turned to internet and cell infrastructure. What exactly isn’t working? What did the storm knock out? Is it the towers? The wires? Can’t be the satellites as they are above weather. Or are they? We realized how little we understand about these services that are often life saving and taken for granted.
We also discussed the question of whether the storm was a fluke, an oddity, an outlier, or our new normal.
For decades we have denied encroaching climate change and the drastic effects that would come from it if we didn’t do something to rein it in. Many said it was a hoax even though 99% of climate scientists tried desperately to warn us that it is indeed real and the effects will be devastating. Well here we are.
A high school student from a district I taught at has asked me to talk to her Green Team about climate change. Sigh; that is a request I have dreaded.
We do understand the fear the youth feel over this, their future, and their anger over our inaction to do all we could to safeguard their future. Or do we? Instead of taking heed and reigning in the fossil fuel industry and replacing it with carbon neutral technologies we fell prey to oil industries who have made billions in profits and successfully paid our politicians to turn away.
There are scientific articles from the early 1900s warning of the dangers to the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels. Evidence was presented in Congress over 60 years ago. So yes, the youth are angry and scared, and they have every right to be.
To help prepare for the presentation I did a quick Google search of “Maine Youth Climate” to find a resource to help me plan. I mean, the kids know better than the elders what’s in store. So what could I bring to their attention that they don’t already have nightmares about? As I have observed lately, the youth are on top of a lot.
In Maine there is an organization devoted to this, Maine Youth for Climate Justice, and a co-director is from Whitefield. Once we meet I promise to share more information about the work this group is doing. One thing is clear to me, this group deserves all our support, and then some. I know I am not the only one who feels pretty horrible turning this problem over to the youth.
So back to Tuesday, the day after waking to no power, I headed to the closest place I knew to find gas for our generator. Filling up the gas can I reflected on the hypocrisy and absurdity of this. Fossil fuels causing climate change which was causing the intensity of this storm and filling up a gas can to run our electricity. It’s a vicious cycle. Yet, the importance of this needed community hub, Whitefield Market, was clear. Watching folks line up for gas and then come out with coffee and a slice of pizza demonstrated just how needed this market is and how grateful we were for their gas and supplies.
Once at Sheepscot Market, a coffee and breakfast sandwich ordered, the women I met up with set up spinning wheels to prepare for another much needed Tuesday morning with friends. While spinning, listening to the very familiar moan of a fossil fuel powered generator and discussing the climate and the changes we’ve noticed from ticks to late ice fishing opening dates, to rain rather than snow in December, we not only discussed the challenges that lie ahead but also the notion that a sense of and commitment to community will be a deeply important piece to whatever awaits us.
So thank you Whitefield and Sheepscot Markets for being open for those of us living on this side of town. Now, how do we get that infrastructure in place to provide us reliable cell, internet, and power service? Maybe if we click our shoes together it will help?
May you have a happy and healthy new year!
