From the time we enter school, we are reminded constantly to prepare for the future. Most of our reminders are financial in nature: Save for retirement; save for the purchase of a home; save for education, etc. Spending money we don’t have will have consequences down the road.

The time has come for responsible people to start looking at a different type of responsibility. Will we have a home that is habitable in 10, 20 or 30 years down the line? What is the sense of salting away all those funds if you, your children and your grandchildren are not guaranteed a stable or pleasant place to live?

Anyone who follows the news has seen study after study released that shows we are already living with climate change and it is going to get a whole lot worse. It may not be doomsday (unless your plot of land is just above sea level), but for many regions of the world there will be a lack of water, and a loss of animal and plant life, as well as sky-high temperatures.

The time has come to live and act responsibly in the same way you prepare financially. Write that letter to Congress. Push for a carbon fee. Make your next car purchase for one that uses less, or no gasoline, and drive in a way that doesn’t burn extra fuel. Seal up those drafty windows. Take responsibility.

David Witherill
Cumberland