Fall Speaker Series 2023
Pine Tree Power: Consumer-Owned Utility for Maine
We returned this fall with our second annual Speaker Series focusing on the Pine Tree Power campaign: November Referendum Election ballot question 3, an Act to Create the Pine Tree Power Company, a Non-profit, Consumer-Owned Utility.
On November 7th, Maine voters will be asked, "Do you want to create a new power company governed by an elected board to acquire and operate existing for-profit electricity transmission and distribution facilities in Maine?"
At Maine Youth for Climate Justice, we do! We believe a nonprofit utility company owned by and for Mainers will benefit young people, future generations, and the climate. So leading up to the November election, we're hosting a three part speaker series to learn more about consumer-owned utilities and how Maine would benefit from one. These events were organized by youth, for youth.
Check out our first webinar: Investor-owned utility in Maine, Explained - we unpacked why investor-owned utilities aren't working for Maine. We learned why Mainers have such high energy burdens and why investor-owned utilities make renewable energy proliferation more difficult.
Check out our second call: What does a consumer-owned utility mean for climate justice? We explored the benefits of a consumer-owned utility through a climate justice lens. We learn how consumer-owned utilities work and what will happen when Question 3 passes. We asked what are the fears, misconceptions, and myths about this ballot question?
Part III: How Youth Take Action for Climate Justice at Bowdoin College!
To wrap up this series, we were excited to be joined by youth climate activist Georgianna Fischer, one of the plaintiffs in the first ever constitutional climate lawsuit, Held V. Montana!
Georgi was in conversation with Lucy Hochschartner, deputy campaign manager for Pine Tree Power, and Audrey Hufnagel, youth climate activist with MYCJ and the Pine Tree Amendment campaign to talk about how you(th) make their voices heard on climate. The conversation weaved three topics - the Montana court case, the Pine Tree Amendment and Pine Tree Power - together so well, and covered the mental health issues facing youth activists and also that no one needs to have all the answers to be an effective activist.
We also registered people to vote and got folks plugged in to the PTP campaign!
