Most voters say they care deeply about the quality of the environment. But ask them just after they?ve voted ? and few voters cite the environment as one of the top issues that factored into their decision. That may be changing, at least with regard to Climate Change. Four years ago, many candidates were still arguing over whether it was a legitimate issue. This year, all the major Democratic candidates say Climate Change is an issue that must be grappled with. That?s what the vast majority of New Hampshire voters expect to hear. As part of our primary campaign coverage, New Hampshire Public Radio?s Doug MacPherson spoke to voters on New Hampshire?s Sea Coast about Climate Change. He filed this report.
TAPE 175 SFX DOOR ROLLS BACK. TAPE HARRIET GOWEN This is where we actually make the maple syrup. [FADE AND HOLD UNDER] we boil the sap down, if you were here during the season certainly it would be smelling sweet, it would be very hot. :15
HARRIET GOWEN AND HER HUSBAND GUS HAVE MORE THAN FOUR DECADES? EXPERIENCE MAKING SYRUP. THEY OPERATE THE SUGAR SHACK IN BARRINGTON. NEXT TO THEIR SEPARATOR ARE 60-CORDS OF NEATLY STACKED WOOD ? ENOUGH TO FUEL THE PRODUCTION OF 600-GALLONS OF MAPLE SYRUP. THAT WOULD BE THE MOST THEY COULD PRODUCE. BUT OVER THE YEARS, THE GOWENS HAVE NOTICED A STEADY DECLINE IN PRODUCTION. MAPLE TREE SAP USUALLY STARTS TO RUN IN LATE WINTER, WHEN FREEZING NIGHTS GIVE WAY TO WARMER DAYS.
TAPE HARRIET GOWEN 030 if we only get that for a week or so, and it warms up enough for those trees to bud, then your season is done. :07
ONE RECENT WINTER WAS SO WARM, THE GOWENS DIDN?T EVEN SET THEIR TAPS. MORE COMMONLY, THEY?VE NOTICED A REDUCED SEASON. MANY MAPLE SYRUP PRODUCERS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE REPORT THAT OVER TIME, THE SUGARING SEASON HAS GROWN NOTICEABLY SHORTER ? SOME SAY BY A WEEK OR MORE. HARRIET GOWEN IS CONVINCED THAT THE CULPRIT IS CLIMATE CHANGE.
TAPE HARRIET GOWEN 060 and I?ve even noticed, without talking about sugaring, that our falls have been traditionally a little warmer too, and milder. So it?s /// affecting
GOWEN SAYS SHE HASN?T DECIDED WHOM TO VOTE FOR IN THE PRIMARY. BUT THIS YEAR, UNLIKE IN YEARS PAST, ONE OF THE THINGS SHE?LL CONSIDER IS A CANDIDATE?S POSITION ON CLIMATE CHANGE.
TAPE HARRIET GOWEN 129 I don?t have the solution, but at least would like to hear that the issue is being addressed. :04
15-MILES AWAY IN STRATHAM SITS THE STUART FARM. THE MERRILL FAMILY GROWS MUCH OF THE FEED THEIR 200-MILKING COWS CONSUME. BUT LORRAINE MERRILL SAYS OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO, PERIODS OF DROUGHT HAVE RESULTED IN LOWER CROP YIELDS.
TAPE LORRAINE MERRILL 253 And that means we have to buy a lot more feed to feed our animals. And it raises our costs significantly. It?s a real problem. :08
MERRILL SAYS THE PERIODS OF DROUGHT HAVE BEEN PUNCTUATED BY SEVERE RAINSTORMS.
TAPE LORRAINE MERRILL 277 I don?t know that that?s caused by climate change, but it seems as though we?ve had a number of these severe weather occurrences. :07
MERRILL SUSPECTS CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON HER FAMILY?S FARM. SHE WORRIES ABOUT THE FUTURE.
TAPE LORRAINE MERRILL 286 We?re farming pretty close to sea level. And when you see the projections of rising sea levels, that should be another concern for all of us along the coastlines. :09
LIKE HARRIET GOWEN, MERRILL SAYS SHE DOESN?T KNOW HOW TO SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE. SHE THINKS THE UNITED STATES SHOULD REJOIN THE KYOTO PROTOCOL AGREEMENT. SHE, TOO, EXPECTS CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT TO HAVE SOME IDEAS.
TAPE LORRAINE MERRILL 350 I want to hear an honest grappling with the issue, and recognition that it must be dealt with. :07 //////
TAPE ADAM MARKHAM 071 most people don?t have an opinion on how big a percentage of reduction in greenhouse gasses we should make. They just believe we should do something about it. :07
THAT?S ADAM MARKHAM, HEAD OF CLEAN-AIR, COOL PLANET, AN ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION BASED IN PORTSMOUTH. IT?S ONE OF FIVE NEW HAMPSHIRE ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOUNDED THE CARBON COALITION ? A GROUP DEDICATED TO MAKING CLIMATE CHANGE A MORE VISIBLE POLITICAL ISSUE. MARKHAM SAYS NEW HAMPSHIRE IS AN IDEAL PLACE TO DO IT.
TAPE ADAM MARKHAM 045 Global warming is probably not the top-of-mind issue for most people across the country. But I think air pollution and global warming issues are much higher on people?s agenda in nh than many other U.S. states. We?ve had 20-years of public education about the dangers of acid rain and about mercury in our lakes. I think people in NH are much more aware of this than in other states. :21
IN A POLL FUNDED BY THE CARBON COALITION, 86-PERCENT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY VOTERS SAID GLOBAL WARMING WARRANTS ACTION. THAT COMPARES WITH 75-PERCENT OF VOTERS IN IOWA, AND 56-PERCENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA VOTERS.
MARKHAM SAYS CARBON COALITION VOLUNTEERS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF RAISING THE ISSUE WITH CANDIDATES. AND, HE SAYS, THE CANDIDATES ARE RESPONDING.
TAPE ADAM MARKHAM 030 When we started working on this a few months ago, candidates were waiting to be asked about global warming and they might have a generic or unspecific answer. Now, they?re often talking about global warming or energy policy before anyone asks them the question. So they?re beginning to integrate it into their stump speeches, and their answers are getting much better, so I think we?ve already had an impact. :21
EVERY MAJOR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FAVORS THE U-S REVISITING THE KYOTO AGREEMENT. EVERY CANDIDATE ALSO CALLS FOR REDUCTIONS IN CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS, THE SINGLE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT THESE ISSUES ARE COMPLICATED. MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR JOHN KERRY SAYS THE NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS HE MEETS DON?T HAVE A SPECIFIC AGENDA ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
TAPE JOHN KERRY 250 I don?t think people are that steeped in the details of the issue. I think people believe it?s a problem. I think generally they?ve accepted the science and the conclusions. Not too sure of what to do about it, or how. But they certainly would like leaders to step up and show them what we can do about it. And that?s what I feel a responsibility to do, and that?s what I?ve done. :20
RETIRED GENERAL WESLEY CLARK SAYS HE ENCOUNTERS TREMENDOUS INTEREST IN CLIMATE CHANGE EVERYWHERE HE GOES.
TAPE WESLEY CLARK 060 there?s a sense of incredible urgency and frustration out there about this. Because with each passing day the problem gets more difficult to fix. :09
CLARK SAYS NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS ARE ESPECIALLY SENSITIVE TO THE ISSUE.
TAPE WESLEY CLARK 067 There?s a lot of interest up here because people in nh are the victims of everybody else?s air pollution all the way across the country. It all seems to come over to New Hampshire. :07
CONNECTICUT SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN, CO-SPONSOR OF A SENATE MEASURE THAT CALLS FOR A CAP AND TRADE AGREEMENT ON C-O-2,
SAYS VOTERS SEE CLIMATE CHANGE AS A TEST OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP.
TAPE JOE LIEBERMAN 185 although they don?t list it as their one, two, or three priority, a majority of people know there?s a problem with global warming. That?s clear to me. Most people don?t have a specific idea of what to do about it. And that?s where I?m really happy to talk to them about the plan that John McCain and I have offered in the senate. :14
THAT PLAN RECEIVED 44-VOTES. LIEBERMAN PROMISES THAT AS PRESIDENT, HE WOULD GET IT PASSED. ALTHOUGH HE SEES CLIMATE CHANGE AS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE PRIMARIES, LIEBERMAN PREDICTS IT WILL BECOME A MUCH MORE VISIBLE ISSUE AFTER THE PRIMARIES, WHEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT AND THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE ? WHOEVER THAT IS -- WILL BE STARK.
TAPE JOE LIEBERMAN because george bush has had such an indefensible, irresponsible, do-nothing record on global warming, that the environment and climate change will be a decisive issue for a lot of independent swing voters. Independents, and disgruntled and disappointed moderate republicans. :17
FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I?M DOUG MACPHERSON.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo