Last week, I was surprised to read in this very paper, a piece entitled “Global Warming Alarmists Ramp Up Rhetoric” by Mr. Jones Gallagher. While I read it carefully (two, even three times) hoping to detect the satire or find a punchline, I was disappointed to discover he believes that climate change is a hoax, and proceeds to provide not only falsehoods, denials, and mis-directions, but also outright inaccuracies. From the opening lines when he stylizes former President Barack Obama as just simply “Barack Hussein Obama” (an obvious racial dogwhistle, I note) Mr. Gallagher proceeds to cover his eyes and deny the reality that all of us in the Kennebunks and Arundel are facing. Climate change is not only real, but it is here.

Take this week’s weather as firsthand example. In the span of six days, our towns were buffeted by 11 inches of snow, only to find the weather just days later over 50 degrees and raining, even creating heavy humidity this past weekend. That’s unprecedented when you factor in the time of year, as we all know the classic holiday songs, Let it Rain, Green Christmas, and Frosty the Rainman. Why so much rain? Because the temperature on our planet rose, creating pockets of warm air, turning our delightful Christmas tradition, into an almost biblical great flood. Under the onslaught of torrential downpours, combined with the full-moon high tide, the Spirit of Massachusetts restaurant was torn from its dock, and set adrift down the Kennebunk River.

Put aside this month, and look to last year, when floodwaters rose to cause thousands of dollars of damage in a myriad of local businesses in Dock Square. Our friends and neighbors were forced not only to reckon with climate change, but were caused financial hardship on these local businesses, and the families that operate them.

Still unconvinced? Take a walk on Goose Rocks. Year over year, while we’ve seen the beach change shape, we’ve seen a consistent measurable erosion of the natural tidal barrier that is sea grass. It’s at its thinnest level on record, and once gone, the beach for which access was so controversial, will be nothing more than a sandbar, accessible only at low tide.

Still not sure? Flip over any rock in the peaceful tidepools of to discover an absolute preponderance of green crabs. These invasive crustaceans destroy local mussel, scallop, clam, and oyster populations, and as the ocean temperature has increased, it’s made their breeding all the more easy. While we certainly aren’t at risk for a crab invasion, we’re already feeling the pinch on our pocketbooks, as prices of shellfish continue to climb, and previously rich sources of fresh local shellfish are becoming rarer and rarer, driving up the price.

These are not random events, this is a repeated pattern. This is demonstrable. This is science. These are unpleasant realities; I understand wanting this to be inaccurate, the idea that our homes and community is under threat from rising sea levels, and increasing floodwaters, but if we love this place like we say we do, the time to act is here.

Our climate on this planet is fundamentally changing, becoming inhospitable for human life, and the proof is right here in our community. We bear firsthand witness to the ravages of nature, whether in flooding Dock Square last winter, the natural sea grass erosion on Goose Rocks, or high river water tearing the Spirit of Massachusetts off its dock, there is no time for us in the Kennebunks to ignore this crisis any longer, as this community we love and respect, is at risk.

As for the deniers who’d rather look away, cover their eyes and pretend the rising floodwaters are just a high tide, I’m glad to report they’ll find plenty of new oceanfront properties inland in which to stick their heads in the sand.

Nick Mancuso is a novelist, essayist, and Arundel resident. He can be reached at www.nickmancuso.net/connect. Op-Ed submissions represent the views of the author and not the publication.

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