"The Revolution Will Be Localized," touts the headline of an article on the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement. When the United States declined to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty mandating the reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases, local officials across the country signed on to a separate commitment to honor the Kyoto standards in the emissions produced in their own cities and towns. Joan Saxe, an active volunteer at the Maine chapter of the Sierra Club, has been instrumental in bringing the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement to the attention of localities throughout the state of Maine and obtaining their commitment.
Under the Climate Protection Agreement, participating cities agree to:
- Attempt to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities
- Urge state and federal government to enact policies mandating the reduction of emissions to Kyoto standards (seven percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2012)
- Urge Congress to pass national greenhouse gas reduction legislation and to create a national emission trading system
To date, more than six hundred mayors in the United States have signed on to the agreement.
Working with other volunteers, Joan Saxe is a coordinator for the "Cool Communities" initiative in Maine, bringing as many Maine localities into the Climate Protection Agreement as she can. "We don’t seem to get anything out of Washington," she notes, explaining why volunteer efforts on the local level are necessary. Speaking in person with local officials, and making presentations in front of city councils, Joan emphasizes that the Cool Communities initiative not only curbs global warming, but also saves taxpayer dollars and promotes healthier cities and towns.
Those with whom she works describe her demeanor as always humble and positive, ever pointing out the many tangible benefits of environmentally responsible policies, rather than relying on doomsday scenarios or pressure tactics. She realizes that some communities are not particularly interested in her information about increased greenhouse gases, but are very responsive when she frames the issue in terms of rising energy costs. As a result of Joan’s efforts, a number of communities in Maine have agreed to the Climate Protection Agreement standards, including Belfast, Freeport, Portland, and numerous others – though she isn’t about to stop her environmental advocacy. Heartened by a pair of high school students who recently approached her to convince their town to sign on – which it has – she notes: "It only takes one or two people to get things moving."
To learn more about Joan Saxe and her cause, and how you can make a difference, please visit: www.coolmaine.org.
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