Unless...

I had the honor today of attending and speaking at an event to reveal a new mural designed to spark conversations about climate change in Dover. The remarks I gave are below. Thank you to our great young artist Sofia Self, and to all the groups that made this project possible.

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I want to open by thanking the organizers of this contest and the reveal today for inviting me to be part of the event. My background is in coastal management and policy, so the topic of rising waters and how communities respond is near and dear to my heart.

In coastal communities around the world, we are already seeing the impacts of a changing climate with increased storm intensity, unprecedented heat waves, shifting species distributions, and rising waters. Resilience in the face of climate change is about the ecology of a system, but it is also about the social elements – the businesses, the community networks, the people.

With more than 50% of the population living along the coast, the U.S. is very much a coastal nation. We see that first hand here in Dover with our direct ties to our rivers, Little Bay and Great Bay, and the ocean. We are here in Dover because of our connection to water. Our future depends on our relationship to water and what actions we take to halt and where possible reverse the potentially devastating effects of climate change.

As a member of City Council, it is my great honor to represent a community that is willing to have these discussions and take action. Whether it’s through the work of members of the Energy Commission, volunteers helping to write various master plan chapters, or the City staff themselves being willing to think in new ways, I am perpetually impressed by what I see here in Dover.

Fellow Councilor Dennis Shanahan was also hoping to be here today but was unable to attend. As a member of the Arts Commission, he wanted to underscore the value of investing in the arts and supporting the many members of our arts community. Whether through the Dover Art Walk, in our schools, or supporting art installations like Sofia’s, art is a key part of the puzzle in building community conversations around a range of topics, including climate. We all have a role to play whether in our homes, at our schools, on boards and commissions, as customers, and as members of an engaged community.

I couldn’t resist wrapping up with a quote from the Lorax as we take time to honor Sofia and her work. “Now that you’re here, the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear. UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

We often point to inspiring young people like Sofia and say “wow, this next generation is going to fix it.” But I think that is a bit unfair. We have the knowledge and the tools to address climate change now. I think it is quite clear that Sofia cares a whole awful lot. Her example, along with many others here in Dover, give me reason to have hope that things will get better. Let’s make it happen now.