Small Steps, Big Change - Get Your Green Game On & Make A Climate Action Pledge to Support a Sustainable & Resilient Kittery

The Town of Kittery’s Books and Big Ideas Community Read Program is underway and this winter/spring we are reading about Climate Action and Sustainability in Kittery, the State of Maine and beyond.

But why stop there?  As we collectively read about the environmental issues facing our planet and community, we learn that there are actions we can in our everyday lives to help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and foster a greater sense of stewardship for the place we call home.

This spring, we invite community members to read one of our selected titles “The Climate Action Handbook” and become a climate action champion or sustainability superhero by making your very own climate action pledge for Kittery.  

Ready to learn more about how you can participate and be entered to win one of five (5) eco-friendly prize packs?

Step 1: Read "The Climate Action Handbook by Heidi A. Roop.

Copies of the "The Climate Action Handbook is available at the Rice Public Library, located at 8 Wentworth Street in Kittery. "The Climate Action Handbook" provides a visual guide to 100 different climate actions related to energy production and transportation, travel and work, food and farming, shopping and consumer choices, actions at home, nature-based and natural and health and well-being.  

The climate actions and solutions in the "The Climate Action Handbook" can be incorporated into your daily routines and habits to help reduce the effects of climate change through actions big and small.

Step 2: Choose a climate action to incorporate into your life.

Select a suggested climate action or solution from the book, or create your own, and pledge to incorporate that action into your daily life.  Need some examples?  We've got you covered!

• Example: Page 13 - Drive Efficiently: “I pledge to reduce my speeds, combine trips when I can and commit to driving less.”
• Example: Page 78 - Enjoy your chocolate responsibly: “I pledge to consider where my chocolate comes from and support chocolate-makers who adopt sustainable practices.”
• Example: Page 132 - Garden for a greener planet: “I pledge to plant pollinator-friendly plants this spring and incorporate natural alternatives to pesticides.”

Step 3: Complete the pledge form and submit it to the Town of Kittery

Pledge forms are available online by clicking here and in-person at the Kittery Town Hall Administrative Offices, located at 200 Rogers Road in Kittery. 

Completed pledge forms should be submitted to Haley Mock via email at hmock@kitteryme.org, in-person at the Town Hall Administrative Office during regular business hours (Monday - Wednesdays from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM & Thursdays from 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM) or by mail to 200 Rogers Road in Kittery.

The deadline to submit your pledge and be entered to win a prize package is April 30, 2024.

Now Let’s talk prizes

Everyone that submits a climate action pledge will be entered to win one of five (5) eco-friendly prize packages valued at $100 each (see below). All prize packages will include a $30.00 gift card to We Fill Good in Kittery, reusable kitchen storage bags, beeswax food bags, a reusable sponge, a wildflower garden seed ball kit, a packet of "Bee's Friend" seeds, a clay pot with soil, a Town of Kittery reusable straw, a Town of Kittery wildflower seed pack and a copy of the Climate Action Handbook.

Thank you to We Fill Good and Kittery Ace Hardware for their generous donations in support of a more resilient Kittery!

The five (5) prize winners will be chosen at random and contacted directly in early May.  Please be sure to include your contact information when submitting your pledge so we may contact you if your name is drawn.  

Submitted pledges may be shared on our bulletin board at Town Hall or on our social media to inspire others to join in on the fun.  Please note: no personal information will be shared on these platforms, only the pledges.

Questions

If you have questions about making or submitting a climate action pledge, please contact Haley Mock at 207-475-1311 or hmock@kitteryme.org.