PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 11, 2023
Monday, July 3, was the hottest day in at least 125,000 years of planetary history. Until Tuesday happened. Then Wednesday equaled Tuesday. Thursday broke that record, and Friday still topped Monday and Tuesday. Saturday again beat the previous high. As did Sunday. Heat is the deadliest weather pattern in the United States, killing more than the combined sum of hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding. The Arctic that is warming four times faster than the global average. The underlying cause – and the one directly within our control – is our addiction to fossil fuels. Maine may not have the same heating threats as a state like Texas. However, from temperature variabilities damaging iconic crops from maple syrup and blueberries to the worst season for moose hunting; from an aging population to pests affecting the lumber industry, our threats are very real. ~ Susana Hancock is an international climate scientist and polar explorer living in Maine