It’s Not Working Now
By Andrew Miller
In 2019 the town of Stonington, on Deer Isle, Maine, initiated a study designed to identify and protect municipally-owned infrastructure鈥攔oads, sewer lines, pumping plants鈥攆rom high water caused by climate-induced coastal flooding. The project was funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and will be completed in 2021. The town will then assess options and determine the cost of making their infrastructure more resilient to coastal flooding.
I was gratified and surprised that the locals were serious about global climate change. Deer Isle has a high percentage of older people, many of whom are quite conservative. I鈥檓 at the leading edge of the boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) and know that many of us are climate skeptics, even deniers. According to ., 56% of those 55 and older were concerned about global warming, compared to 70% of 18- to 34-year-olds. Only 55% of the older generation considered global warming to be human-induced, whereas 75% of young people did. Finally, 31% of those over 55 believed the news media understated the problem, compared to 48% of younger Americans.
“According to a recent study by Gallup, Inc., 56% of those 55 and older were concerned about global warming, compared to 70% of 18- to 34-year-olds. Only 55% of the older generation considered global warming to be human-induced, whereas 75% of young people did.”
Gallup briefly discussed these age-related differences. They suggested that older people assume they won’t be alive when effects of climate change become serious, hence didn鈥檛 worry much about it. Gallup also felt that younger people tend to be Democrats and likely to adopt their party鈥檚 view. In addition, they understood the subject since they had studied it recently. Their view is corroborated by a poll taken by the , which indicated that young people lean democratic, although they often become .
These explanations seem weak, especially the last one. Although global climate change exist, nationwide there is considerable variation on how this subject is taught. Maine was one of 36 states that , which assert that certain human activities increase air temperatures which will disrupt ecosystems and make the planet less hospitable. The remaining 14 states either insist that anthropogenic climate change is scientifically controversial, is only a possibility, or fail to mention it at all. A 鈥鈥 movement is growing among some politicians which could further affect how teachers present this subject.
I鈥檝e never heard anyone admit they weren鈥檛 concerned about climate change because of their age, although some may have. Older people sometimes use age as an excuse to avoid mundane chores such as shingling the roof, purchasing a new car, or improving their diet. They do worry about some issues more than the young, especially those that relate to their health and safety, and their children鈥檚 welfare.
To find out more about Stonington鈥檚 plan for protecting their infrastructure, I contacted Henry Teverow, Economic Development Director, who oversees the project. We met for a beer at the Harbor Caf茅, located on Main Street and within easy walking distance of the commercial fishing dock. Henry is a millennial, less than half my age.
Henry explained that protecting Stonington鈥檚 commercial fishing docks from high water is critically important. At least 1,000 of the island鈥檚 3,000 permanent residents are directly or indirectly linked to lobstering. Later I learned that each year from 2015 to 2019, ex-vessel taken from the port of Stonington exceeded 50 million dollars. Cool water is necessary for this species. Because of rapid ice melt in the Arctic, the Gulf of Maine, from Cape Cod to Nova Scotia, is of the rest of the ocean. that are moving north along the Atlantic coast in response to increasing water temperatures. Within 40 or 50 years, lobster populations will center off Canada and will no longer be the mainstay of the economy of coastal towns such as Stonington.
We agreed that global climate change can be a contentious topic. But Henry also noted that everyone on Deer Isle knows that low-lying roads flood when an astronomical high tide coincides with a fierce nor鈥檈aster. At least once a year, seawater flows into the first floor of the fire station, located near the water鈥檚 edge. The 0.5-mile causeway, the only land route on and off the island, is sometimes impassable. When Deer Isle residents, regardless of political affiliation or age, hear about flooding problems in coastal cities such as Miami or New Orleans, they are anxious to prepare for effects of climate change.聽
I grumbled to Henry that older folks had gone soft on the most critical environmental issue of the 21st century鈥攃limate change. This bothered me; I鈥檝e always been proud to be a boomer. My generation protested an unpopular war, questioned existing religious dogma and sexual mores, and demanded more relevant educational curricula. We pushed for civil rights, gender equality, gay liberation, and legislation to protect the environment.聽
What happened?
Henry offered an explanation. One that Gallup didn鈥檛 mention.聽
鈥淵ou boomers were always skeptical of authoritative figures and experts.鈥 He added that we were 鈥渄o it yourselfers,鈥 trusted our judgment and weren’t afraid to tackle difficult tasks. I thought about , , the and book series. Most millennials might consider these publications irrelevant in our tech-savvy, social media-dominated society鈥攊f they鈥檝e even heard of them. But in the sixties and seventies, many of us treated these publications with an almost religious reverence. Whole Earth Catalogue, first produced in 1968 by , emphasized education, ecological awareness, and socially just activities. It didn鈥檛 sell products but reviewed them and provided vendor鈥檚 names so they could be ordered. Mother Earth News, started in 1970, published articles on farming, hunting, health care, alternative energy, and ham radio. Foxfire Magazine was started in 1966 by students at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Georgia, and included interviews with local people on history, crafts, and farming practices. Twelve Foxfire books, assembled from previous articles, were published between 1972 and 2004. Most boomers did not 鈥,鈥 but lots of us fantasized about changing our lives, even in small ways. These were our formative years, and that philosophy stayed with us.
Henry took a sip of beer and continued. 鈥淢illennials are specialists, not generalists. If something needs to be done beyond our ability, we call an expert.鈥 He set his beer down. 鈥淎nd, when a scientist discusses the causes and consequences of climate change, we listen.鈥
That stung a bit, but I had to agree.聽
Henry鈥檚 hypothesis about my generation鈥檚 attitude had nothing to do with age, political party, or education. He identified an issue that Gallup didn鈥檛 mention. My cohort was born into a conservative time, a period of relative stability after two World Wars and the Great Depression. During those years, America changed dramatically, fueled by microprocessors, the interstate highway system, birth control pills, and television. As youngsters, we were at the cusp of exponential technological growth, much of it related to communication and the ability to process large amounts of information. We believed the future held endless possibilities and all problems were solvable. Our parents鈥 and grandparents鈥 ideas were outmoded. We rebelled. 鈥淒on鈥檛 trust anyone over 30鈥 had more to do with attitude than with age.聽
We questioned authority and brought about needed social, cultural, and legislative changes. But we didn鈥檛 take up new causes. While society ultimately benefited, protesters were in the streets for themselves. The 鈥鈥 was angry about what they didn鈥檛 want (being sent to Vietnam) and what they did want (civil and social rights, a clean environment). Possibly this rebelliousness helped to bring about the of wages, taxes, health care, and educational opportunities.聽
Maybe I shouldn鈥檛 be so smug about being a boomer. It鈥檚 our outmoded behavior that鈥檚 delaying action on global climate change. And it鈥檚 our children and grandchildren who will suffer.聽
What worked then, isn鈥檛 working now.聽