HR 30 is a house resolution written by the 350 New Hampshire youth team in partnership with representative Wendy Thomas and representative Tony Caplan. Students and community partners also attended the in person education committee hearing on March 5, 2024 to testify in support of HR 30. Youth team members discussed things like the economic weight of climate change in New Hampshire, impact on the winter activities industry, agricultural shifts and practices, climate anxiety, and most importantly, how climate education is an important solution to mitigating climate change and inspiring hope. Unfortunately, in the executive committee hearing the following day, not all representatives agreed. Representatives said statements like how if “climate change is real and a problem, it’s an adult problem to be dealt with” and many statements outright denying that climate change is happening and driven by humans, which is a scientific consensus by over 97% of climate scientists. Unfortunately, HR 30 was voted indefinitely postponed on 3/21/24 in the house, but we have made significant traction in starting the conversation about the need for climate literacy in New Hampshire.
121 People Signed in to Support
7 Signed in to Oppose
The education committee voted 10-10 so the vote went to the House Floor
The House Voted 191-183 to Indefinitely Postpone
Testimony:
Britt Lundgren, Senior Director of Sustainability, Stonyfield Re: HB 30
Thank you for this opportunity to testify on HB 30, a resolution urging a robust climate education in schools including current environmental and economic information. I am submitting this testimony on behalf of Stonyfield, an organic yogurt company based in Londonderry, NH, to register our strong support for this resolution.
This year marks Stonyfield’s 41st year in business. Our company got its start in NH and over the past 4 decades we have continued to manufacture the majority of our products here. Today, Stonyfield employs over 450 people at our plant and offices in Londonderry.
Over the past 4 decades, the impacts of climate change on our business and supply chain have become increasingly evident. Extreme weather events from climate change are disrupting agricultural production around the world, driving up the cost of ingredients for our products and making it increasingly difficult to source a consistent supply of some ingredients. In the past year alone our business has made over $65,000 in donations to organic farming organizations in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont to be distributed as relief payments to farmers who were severely impacted by extreme weather events – weather events that were driven by climate change.
Stonyfield has been working for nearly 3 out of our 4 decades to measure our impact on climate change and reduce emissions wherever possible. As we have become more advanced in this work, it has become increasingly clear to us that we need to embed the responsibility of achieving our climate and other sustainability goals across different business functions, rather than relegating this work to a single sustainability team. Our industrial directors and employees in the manufacturing plant need to have an awareness of how they can source and manage energy to reduce our climate impact, and improve efficiency. Our R&D team needs to be able to assess how the selection of ingredients and materials can impact our sustainability and climate goals. Every department at Stonyfield interfaces with our work on climate change in one way or another. In order to effectively contribute to business goals of reducing emissions, we need our employees to be literate about climate change solutions across the business.
It's worth noting that when Stonyfield started working on climate change back in the 1990s, few other businesses were asking the same questions or engaging in the same way. Now we are encouraged to see our peers across business and manufacturing all working to address their impact on climate. Anyone considering a career in business or manufacturing today would be at a disadvantage to go into this work without some basic level of understanding of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
As New Hampshire looks to educate our future workforce and help our state continue to be a desirable place to run a business, we need to ensure that the future workforce is ready to tackle the challenges of climate change. This starts by ensuring that all students in New Hampshire public schools are adequately educated on the topic.
Thank you again for this opportunity to submit testimony. I am happy to respond to any questions submitted via the email address below.
Sincerely,
Britt Lundgren
Senior Director of Sustainability and Government Affairs Stonyfield
Mary Raven
Dear members of the House Education Committee,
Please support HR 30 regarding climate education in schools. I have 2 daughters who went to Kindergarten through high school in New Hampshire. They are now in their 20s, but they could have benefitted from a robust climate education curriculum.
My eldest did not know what climate-related professions might be available to her. She earned a computer science degree but wanted to work on climate issues. She floundered for several years at different jobs. It was not until after she graduated from college, when she volunteered at the Boston Aquarium, that she discovered a way to put her computer science degree to work for climate. She is now in a graduate program learning how to put her data science skills to work modeling the effect the climate has on various ocean organisms.
It is my hope that a comprehensive climate education program could help other students better understand what they can do (if they want to), without needing to dabble here and there while worrying about carbon pollution.
Donna Baker-Hartwell
The climate should be a part of the curriculum .
John Barry
I believe that education is fundamental to selecting the right course of action. That is true of all areas including the environment and what we can do to preserve it.
Steven Barry
I am concerned that our next generation is woefully uneducated about one of the most important topics of our time. Our Earth and the man-made changes that are negatively impacting it. Not only is it not address in depth in curricula, but kids are left to get their knowledge from social media, which often contains misinformation and untrue conspiracy theories. For example, after putting solar panels on my house recently, someone asked me why I did that. When I explained that my decision, in part, was due to prevent climate change, he said, "Oh you haven't heard? Climate change isn't due to CO2 increases. It's because the Earth's poles are reversing. This happens every 30,000 years." This is the type of nonsense that our kids are being told. Without proper education, they are susceptible to believe it. It is up to us adults and you as a leader in the state of NH, to change this. Please take action to get climate literacy integrated into state curricula. There are groups such as NHEEP (NH Energy Education Project) that have created lesson plans and other resources for educators. They are standing by and ready to help. It is vitally important to these kids, whose climate anxiety grows by the day.
Taylor Barry
Climate literacy is not just a curriculum, it's the future. It's the future of clean energy. It's the future of individualized eco-conscious actions that reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It's the future of equity. It's the future of hope and prosperity. Climate literacy is a necessary part of the curriculum if we wish to fulfill the state interest of preparing students for life once they graduate high school. Even better, it's easy to implement. By working with NH Health Services, NHDES, and school boards, the state would just need to access and distribute climate literacy resources and training to teachers across the state. Many of these already exist! Therefore, there is no better time for the state to take action.
Rebecca Beaulieu
This is the time for the legislature to show their support for students and for improving our education system. One way to do that is to improve the climate education that students receive. The NH legislature has passed laws to ban "divisive concepts" in schools, so this resolution, if passed, would show support for teachers educating our students about climate change. We know that there are a lot of jobs in clean energy and "green" industries, so teaching a robust climate education will also help New Hampshire train the workers of the future. Please support this resolution.
Jerry Beck
We are giving future generations huge challenges with regards to a warming climate. The least we can do is give them the tools to deal with it. Education is an extremely important tool.
Patricia Beffa-Negrini
Please support this resolution to support our children, most of whom are concerned about climate change to the point of severe anxiety. Science competency is even lower than in mathematics and reading; using something so personal to engage youth to learn science principles will be not only benefit students now, but prepare them for high-tech jobs in the future.
Bruce Berk
Kids need positive outlets to act on issues that they see all around them. To ignore the realities of what is going on in the world, Texas, California and the NH is not respecting the interests of our children. Recently, it was reported that the NH winter of 2023/4 was only the third one since the 19th century that did not record a 0 degree day in Concord, and this winter is the second warmest on record. Kids see it, and should be given positive outlets to express and find solutions
Elisabeth Bialosky
I support HR 30 because New Hampshire is falling behind other states in terms of our climate education and youth involvement in local economies. HR 30 encourages youth to be informed about climate change and the solutions that exist, including things like the green energy economy, which has shown to dramatically benefit states' local economies and grow their youth populations. New Hampshire would benefit greatly from incentivizing youth to stay in state with better job opportunities, as well as equipping them with the education that research has shown increases their mental health.
Keri Brand
Climate education in schools is essential in our current times. Every day we experience the impacts of climate change and these impacts will grow in the coming years. In order to make sense of what is happening around us it is necessary to understand the problems and solutions associated with climate change. It is imperative that schools offer students opportunities to learn the science of climate change and the social and political implications of it in order for them to be able to make informed decisions about where they want to live, how they want to live, and what they want to do for a living.
Alexander Broom
The changing climate is a serious issue of which no simple solution exists. In order for us as a community to address the crisis, future generations must learn the complexities, causations, and implementations of known mitigations. Other states and countries have already implemented similar schooling practices; New Hampshire students are falling behind. This legislation is critical to make sure New Hampshire children are receiving a current and valuable education.
Tessa Brown
As a High School student in NH, I am in strong support of HB30. Lack of climate literacy is an evident issue and need to be confronted as soon as possible. Many High School students have informal knowledge about climate change, but without climate literacy in our education and misinformation running rampant, it can be difficult to see a way to confront this issue. Incorporating climate literacy will change this. It will give students hope and power within the climate crisis, and engage our community further. I am so grateful to live in a community that values student voice, and I implore you to think about the students who can’t afford – or are too uninterested – to learn climate literacy from outside resources. Who will be there to inform them?
Catherine Bushueff
Equipping future generations with tools to face climate change is our responsibility. Education is essential.
Dante Castellano
I support HR 30. As a high school student who is planning on attending the UMass Lowell for an environmental science degree for my college education, I definitely believe more climate education is needed. NH is undoubtedly lacking climate education, and this needs to be addressed. We are already seeing the effects of climate change in the state; from warm winters with minimal snow to increased flooding along the seacoast.
Shelby Clifford
Students don’t have readily available education on our climate. It is different every day and majority of students don’t recognize the scope of this. At our highschool, we have over 200 students and our climate club is made up of roughly 10 students. Students who don’t actively seek out information on their own time don’t get the education they need about our climate and what we need to do to help it. In addition to helping education our youth, this would also give our youth more agency and power when it comes to our education.
Audrey Eisenhauer
I’m submitting my support for HR 30 urging climate education in schools including current environmental and economic information. New Hampshire high schools lack sufficient education about climate change, and students are not getting comprehensive information about the scientific and human impacts of climate change and how it impacts their region. New Hampshire students are falling behind other states that do offer climate education, or at least, have some sort of curriculum about climate change and solutions. Today’s job field needs more students interested in environmental, energy, and climate related jobs; we need to educate a workforce about climate change because many of the jobs available to them in the future will require this knowledge. Students’ mental health can be negatively impacted by lack of information about climate change, and many students have cited that having information about climate change and its solutions leads them to feel more hopeful and gives them a desire to help their communities for the better. Teachers in New Hampshire have cited that students’ knowledge of climate change and solutions have moved them from apathy to engagement in the topic. Today’s teachers should be provided the resources they need to be able to include climate change in their curriculums and lesson plans so that they are supported in this endeavor by the state. The solution is to collaborate on a curriculum that could be implemented in New Hampshire high schools and include: I. An acknowledgment that human activities have caused a crisis we are working to solve today. II. The climate crisis impacts New Hampshire today, with impacts such as shortening winters and ski seasons, water quality issues, local agriculture, sea level rise, damage to infrastructure from extreme weather events, and renewable energy opportunities. III. Social implications of climate change, including health impacts, economic impacts, environmental racism, migration of animals and people, urban planning, sea level rise in cities, and political and economic discourse. IV. Information about direct solutions to climate change and how we all play a role, including: (a) Ways people and jobs are part of the solutions to slowing the impacts of climate change. (b) Local case studies and local solutions happening in New Hampshire (like the Portsmouth Climate Action Plan, the Wind Farm in the Gulf of Maine, and Community Power). (c) Learning how solar power works and how it can be a part of the solution. (d) Learning how wind power works and how it can be a part of the solution. (e) Ways students can make changes in their own schools to be part of the solutions. (f) Jobs available in the environment and climate sphere of work, including renewable energy jobs, mitigation and adaptation, conservation, advocacy, teaching, sustainability, law, geoscience, engineering, animal science, and agricultural science. This solution suggests ideas for a curriculum around climate education that can be implemented in the classroom, and gives students opportunity for input on what they learn in their classrooms. This curriculum will provide information to students and teachers about jobs in the climate change and infrastructure sphere, which helps New Hampshire’s education and economy and trains the next generation of workers. A curriculum provides guidance to teachers about the breadth of information about climate change they can incorporate into their lessons, and empowers students so they may feel less hopeless about the impacts of climate change they experience on a daily basis. I support the general court, and by extension the department of education, compiling and disseminating climate education curricula to school districts so that teachers may be prepared to implement climate change education in their classrooms in high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools.
Silas Fier
HR30 is an important Bill that addresses the carelessness our government has demonstrated in educating youth about the very real dangers facing our climate and earth. I have had enough.
Kendra Ford
Our young people are living in a world in crisis and looking at a future of increasing crisis. Of course we should include as part of their fundamental education information about the causes of the climate crisis and solutions. This a place for some good science and interdisciplinary work for students and educators. Our youth are asking for this support for their futures, let us lead and give them foundational tools they need to live in the world we have made.
Katie Gibson
As a former educator now working in ed tech, I am very aware of how important providing resources and educating youth about important topics are for their future success. Climate Change is a real issue and the future generations will be more impacted by it than we are experiencing today. NH is behind other states in educating and empowering youth to learn more about climate change. Looking at the numbers, a ton of students are leaving NH to go to college and pursue careers. To keep NH relevant and retain residences of the future we need to act today. I support HR30
Lucy Gowdy
My husband and I are farmers in Cheshire County NH, we live in Walpole. We have been adversely affected by extreme weather for the last few years. We battle droughts, some summers the grass in our pastures just stops growing and we find ourselves feeding our dairy cattle the hay that we stored for winter feed in July. Some summers we have experienced flooding rains, last July we saw 15 acres of clover and grass flooded by the Cold River, we could not utilize that feed, because of the flood water contamination. We have also seen extreme cold winter kill our grass and forage plants because they have not been protected with an insulating snow cover. Educating students in NH on Climate Change will help them understand what is happening and become part of a solution going forward, and hopefully stop creating the problem that is occurring and causing these weather extremes. Thank you.
Chloe Grodin
I support the HR30 Bill as a high school student from Nashua, NH. With the passing of this bill, it is exemplified that students will begin to make eco-conscious decisions and lessen the impact of climate-anxiety that is so prevalent in a number of generations. The department of NHHS and NHDES would work together to do so and enhance climate awareness. With the addition of the curriculums, climate education and the urge for preventing climate change will increase. Thank you, Chloe Grodin Nashua NH
Joan Haley
Testimony on HR30 in New Hampshire I'm honored to share my thoughts with you today as the Principal Investigator of the Equitable Climate Action Partnership in the Upper Valley, a co-author of a climate change education guide for teachers, and the faciliator of the Northeast Climate Change Education Collaborative. Given the mounting scientific data, our own local experiences with recent "100-year" floods and observing other rapidly changing weather patterns impacting local health, economies and ecosystems, we can no longer ignore the urgency of this problem. The question I have is what will our region be doing to prepare our youth for this unprecedented challenge? Climate resilience is defined as "The capacity to adapt, learn, and engage in transformational change in response to or anticipation of shifting climate circumstances is about preventing catastrophic failure at a minimum, and thriving at best"(paraphrased from Brown, Dayal, Rumbaitis, & Del Rio, 2012, p. 534). This fundamentally is what we strive for through teaching climate literacy. When children understand the climate crisis and engage in solutions, they become empowered to participate in transformational change. They not only adapt, but they innovate, creating a sustainable path for a thriving future. They also build their sense of self-efficacy, reduce climate anxiety, and develop civic engagement and social emotional skills by working with and on behalf of their community. They learn how to make New Hampshire and the world a better place. In endorsing HR30, New Hampshire recognizes the urgency of climate action and the critical role of education in this mission. It's not just about survival, it's about equipping our future leaders to care for themselves, one another, and the only planet we have. I urge you to pass HR30, to ensure that climate literacy is a cornerstone of our curriculum. The future is in our classrooms today. Let's prepare them to act for tomorrow. Thank you.
Phoebe Hartvigsen
Climate literacy is essential in school curriculum. Not providing this vital information leaves its presence in the classroom up to a teacher's discretion and we owe our young people better than that. We cannot assume that students will learn of climate change at home and must provide a strong footing with this time-sensitive topic. This does not need to be divisive and can be taught in a nonpartisan manner, however our young people deserve factual information to best prepare them for careers and futures on this planet. People always say our kids will be the ones to save the Earth but we cannot keep pushing this off on newer and newer generations. We are yesterday's young people and we need to take action for people of all ages, even when it's hard and feels too controversial. At the end of the day, this bill would not only educate our young people but also teachers who must learn the material, teachers' families, and the students' families. It would help create a more unified, well-rounded, and informed New Hampshire which is ultimately what we're all working toward.
Florence Hunt
HR30 is an important Bill that addresses the carelessness our government has demonstrated in educating youth about the very real dangers facing our climate and earth, their lives!! Please support and pass this Bill!!
Emma Jeffrey
I believe increasing climate literacy and climate education is vital to ending the climate crisis. As a high school student in the Portsmouth School District, I have had to seek out information about climate change through extracurriculars and higher level environmental classes. It was not discussed often in required courses for all students. For example, recently I had a discussion with a student who didn’t even know what a greenhouse gas is. As us students grow up, it is becoming increasingly important that we have a strong understanding of climate change and its causes. Please pass this bill to ensure all young people have the knowledge and education to fight the climate crisis in our future.
Eve Kornhauser
It is important that our children be well-informed of a) the impact climate change may make on their lives and b) what they can do to alleviate this monumental challenge.
Gabriele Lieberg
I believe that providing high school students with up-to-date information regarding climate change - effects on the environment and on the economic costs which will be major in upcoming years will prepare students for life after graduation, especially in terms of potential job and job training in new renewable energy industries.
Patricia A Martin
In my work as a climate activist, I've encountered college students who are just learning now that there is a climate problem. It's inexcusable to neglect sharing the realities we face with our young people when we are supposedly educating them to be successful in the future. What different choices might they make about careers and future education if they knew how desperately we need bright young minds working to solve the current and impending disasters we face?
Jessica Munroe
I am writing today to support HR30. I believe our schools should prepare students for their future and climate education will provide students with tools and knowledge to navigate our changing world which is increasingly affected by the climate crisis. By providing school districts and teachers with necessary resources we can ensure that students receive education on the scientific, human, and economic impacts of climate change. This would not only build students’ optimism about the environmental movement, but also teach youth how to make more sustainable choices, and promote jobs in the clean energy field, thus benefiting New Hampshire’s economy.
Marc Nutter
I strongly support this resolution.
Jackson Odom
Climate change is a very important issue to me, as it’s a key part of our future. I think one of the best ways to combat climate change is through education. I support this bill because it ensures that all New Hampshire kids will learn about climate change and how they can help make a better, and brighter future for themselves and others.
Miriam Osofsky
we have a moral responsibility to make climate education part of public school education in NH, so that children can become good stewards of our environment
Jessana Palm
As an educator and parent, I’m fully in support of our students being taught the facts about our impact on the environment. Anything less is a disservice to our children and the environment we depend on. Climate change is already impacting our lives in NH as we see more weather extremes and monetary impacts.
Olivia Pexton
If you gathered together the most passionate voices in regards to supporting sustainability and environmentalism, much of that crowd would be quite young. It's the easiest idea to support: who doesn't want to live in a healthier, safer world without worrying about environmental disasters? If it were taught properly to students, we could raise an entire generation to treat our planet with more respect and patience. The younger you learn a skill or moral, the more likely you are to remember and lock that into your brain. Learning languages young makes for more proficient speakers. If we teach more kids how to help sustain the planet, it would echo throughout their lives. It would create climate literate adults. So many people try to deny the science behind weather, sustainability, and other environmental information. And the only way to disrupt that is to start early and educate kids to recognize honest science over "fake news" or biased ideas of the truth. Literacy is the inherent understanding of a subject and that's vital.
Sanya Rane
HR30’s mission to support climate literacy and promote education about climate change for students is crucial in this day and age and I strongly support it. As an avid skier and member of the Nashua North Alpine Ski Racing Team, I have seen a significant change in the weather this season, which has negatively affected show conditions in the trails. The warmer weather caused a lack of snow, and that doesn’t make for good skiing. As someone who loves the outdoors from a very young age, it saddens me to see our winters becoming shorter and shorter by the year. I hope that by supporting this bill, students will gain a deeper understanding of the crisis we are facing, allowing for a change for the better.
Donna Reardon
Please support HR 30. Passing HR 30 would show support for climate literacy, including the scientific, human, and economic impacts of climate change. It would give teachers and school boards a resource to reference in making decisions about climate change curriculum. This would get people of all ages engaged in constructive discussions with our children talking to the adults in their family and communities about what they learn and questions they have. When students study in, and about, their local environment, they get excited and engaged. It's hands-on and they can relate to it. Just watch a second grader as they explore a local Park. They learn to apply the science to their neighborhood and beyond to their community. In short, students will be learning and doing science, studying and discussing the impacts of climate change in their own community, parks and back yard. This is a win-win situation. Children will be engaged in their learning about our climate, applying that learning to impacts of climate change here in NH, and may be a part of the solutions here in NH. That's a win for education, win for our environment, win for our future. Please support HR 30. Thank you for your time.
Maureen Redmond-Scura
In 2023, Apple Hill Orchard in Concord had no apples to pick. Zero. Dimond Hill Farm had no pumpkins or squash. NH ski industries are facing millions of dollars of losses and there were NO days of ice skating on White's Park Pond this winter. CIimate change is a fact and learning about to find ways to solve it are essential for our students and for our future.
Curtis Register
You can't solve problems if you pretend they don't exist. Climate change is real and will have significant impacts to residents of NH. It's beyond time to take this threat seriously. Help the next generation prepare and protect themselves by educating and working to create legislation that increases the likelihood of their resilience. A good start is passing hr30.
Leigh Reynolds
As an educator and someone who cares deeply for our planet and people I am in full support of this resolution because a well-rounded understanding of climate change will create a stronger NH economy of which outdoor recreation is a huge part and is highly influenced by climate change (ex. sea level rise eroding NH beaches, extreme rain events washing out popular trails, lack of snow impacting our ski resorts, cyanobacteria blooms impacting fishing & lake tourism). The environmental impacts of climate change will only continue to impact NH's economy and in order to be ready for this we need young people who understand how humans impact our environment in order to develop creative solutions. I am also concerned for people's mental health in regard to feeling hopeless in the face of climate change and I appreciate how this resolution takes into account how "many students have cited that having information about climate change and its solutions leads them to feel more hopeful and a desire to help their communities for the better" and from my own personal experience, I agree with this. Please consider supporting House Resolution 30!
Narayan Sajeev
Dear Esteemed Representatives, I write to you as a high school student, a constituent, and a young person who will inherit the world you are shaping today. I urge you to support House Resolution 30, not merely for its content, but for the profound impact it will have on our future. The climate crisis is not an abstract concept—it is a reality that my generation lives with every day. We are the ones who will face the brunt of its consequences, and yet, we often feel powerless in the face of such a monumental challenge. HR 30 can change that. By implementing a robust climate education, you are not just adding another subject to our curriculum. You are giving us the tools to understand the world we live in, to make sense of the changes we see around us, and to envision solutions that have not yet been thought of. You are empowering us to be active participants in shaping our future, rather than passive observers. Moreover, this resolution recognizes the interconnectedness of the climate crisis. It is not just an environmental issue—it is a social issue, an economic issue, a political issue. By teaching us about the diverse impacts of climate change, you are fostering a generation of holistic thinkers, capable of interdisciplinary solutions. Finally, by supporting HR 30, you are sending a powerful message to us, the students. You are telling us that our concerns are valid, that our voices matter, and that you are willing to take action for our future. This is not just about education—it is about respect, validation, and hope. I urge you to support HR 30, for the sake of our education, our empowerment, and our future. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Narayan Sajeev
Robin Schnell
Knowledge is power. Far too many citizens have limited understanding of the difference between climate and weather, and the causes of climate change. We must educate our children so that they can be part of the solution.
Roger Shamel
Climate education is vital to preserving our NH winters, along with all the cold weather activities that bring people to our state. As a citizen-scientist who has no special interest other than the NH public good, I urge you to support this bill, and our future! If you doubt any of the claims for why we need to be concerned, and act on climate initiatives, please visit "Skeptical Science."
Dominic smith
In order for students to act in a way beneficial to society and to the state of New Hampshire. It is integral to understand the climate crisis completely. New Hampshire is a state that will potentially be seen as a refuge from the coming climate catastrophies. Both for this reason and for the sake of avoiding climate catastrophe, every student must learn about the issue. A more climatically literate public will be able to make more informed decisions on what matter the most, this being the very habitability of our world.
Shaw Smith
To the Education Committee Members of the NH House of Representatives. My name is Shaw Smith, and I am a public high school (Moultonborough Academy) science teacher, and I support HR30 and encourage you to vote in favor of this Resolution. As a climate science educator in my district I know that there are at least two important reasons that HR30 deserves your vote. HR30 supports our state science standards. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were adopted as the NH standards for science education. Climate education, from both an environmental and economic impact perspective, is a component of the science curricula at several different grade levels, including in Middle School and in High School. Encouraging a robust climate education curriculum enhances science education throughout the state. HR30 will also assist in overcoming misconceptions and misunderstandings associated with climate change. Some misconceptions abound among high school students. Robust efforts to teach climate science can reduce misunderstandings, increase citizen scientific literacy, and thus improve students' potential for career fields, like: agricultural sciences, geo sciences, renewable energy, animal sciences, and engineering, to name a few. NH students are the workforce of the future. HR30 will help prepare our children for the future, while supporting curricular goals already adopted by the state. Please support HR30. Sincerely, Shaw Smith Sandwich, NH
Laura Steel
This is an area of utmost importance to our NH students as they face the challenges of a changing world.
Toni Stewart
Imagine NH ski resorts with no natural snow. Man made snow is the way of the future since we can’t get a grip on climate change. Education is the key to slowing the changes in the climate that will so deeply affect the ski areas in our state. We need education now!
Amelia Tabit
I support HR 30 because climate education is vital to curbing climate anxiety. Due to the impending climate crisis, youth are facing more mental health issues in reaction to the global climate issues. I have grown up on the seacoast which has led to many experiences with climate change head on. Our winters become warmer and wetter and storms grow in power. This past year alone we saw devastation due to flooding and storm surges that had not been seen before. I will stand with my peers and generations to come who deserve to learn about the climate in school and understand what they can do to help our future.
Caleb Van Epps
With the amount of misinformation spread in regard to global climate issues. I believe it’s very important to push back with our own wave of proper Climate Education.
Sarah Weintraub
I support the HR30 Bill as a high school student from Nashua, NH. In my experience, people my age ignore the climate crisis, or perhaps they might acknowledge it, but they won’t take any further steps to try to help. When I’ve asked my peers and classmates about why they won’t take any further steps there are usually two responses: they don’t know what to do or they feel like anything they do won’t be enough. A robust climate literacy curriculum in New Hampshire schools would instill hope by providing knowledge, information, and solutions that make the climate crisis feel less overwhelming. It is a big issue but it's an issue that we, as students, can help fix if we are educated on it properly starting at a young age. The climate crisis impacts everyone on this planet, if there is something for the youth of America to be educated on, it’s climate change. In New Hampshire, we have already seen impacts of climate change like coastal flooding, shorter farming seasons and shorter skiing seasons. Climate change has been negatively impacting our state’s tourist economy already. Climate literacy would motivate younger generations to explore career fields that help mitigate climate change and empower them to rally against bills, laws, and projects that pose dangers to our environment. The ever expanding “green job” economy has been boosting local economies for communities in states like New Hampshire. By shifting New Hampshire’s younger generations' focus to careers in green energy, it would encourage new local business and would increase a younger population in New Hampshire. We can no longer ignore the climate crisis in New Hampshire. It has come knocking on our doorstep. The question is are we going to face it or let it slowly eat away at us. I say we face it. We need climate literacy in our schools. Thank you. Sarah Weintraub Nashua, NH
Abigail Witkoskie
A critical piece of science is missing from New Hampshire schools. Fundamental sciences such as biology, geology, and chemistry have all been in our curriculum for years while newer, equally fundamental wings of science are neglected. Specifically, climate change, which currently impacts and will continue to impact the world, is ignored as a scientific concept. Climate education has been cast aside and labeled as optional in schools lucky enough to provide it. Educating students on the climate crisis will create informed citizens who will combat climate misinformation, acknowledge a huge scientific and social topic, and support the fight for climate justice. Schools need to mandate climate education. Last year, before I made it a priority to become informed about climate science, climate change seemed like an irreversible and hopeless issue. When my sister got involved with 350 New Hampshire, I began to acquire more information on the reality of this issue and how our actions in this moment could affect whether or not climate change can be stopped. Her input as well as my own research allowed me to compile much-needed clarification, yet this is insight that many students unfortunately don’t have access to. In the end, climate education is missing from the science curriculums of New Hampshire schools. Educating students about climate science will ensure informed citizens that will combat misinformation about climate change, shed light on an important ignored scientific and social topic, and assist the fight for climate justice. Climate science cannot be ignored anymore. Not by schools. Not by New Hampshire.
Sonya Witkoskie
Including the topic of climate in schools can only make New Hampshire's economy stronger. I support HR30 because I believe that all students deserve the resources and teaching to be climate literate, and to take advantage of the opportunities that a growing green economy offers. Growing up, I could already see the effects of climate change, in the news and my community. It was something big, scary, and unknown to me. But last year, as a high school junior, I had the opportunity to take AP environmental science. It was empowering to hear about the paths forward that offer hope, sobering to learn of the devastating impacts on ecosystems, and eye-opening to learn about the extensive socioeconomic implications. I was lucky. I realized that many other students don’t get this information and that they are missing out on a subject matter that will impact them for the rest of their lives. They weren’t given the knowledge they needed to feel confident in a changing world or to make a change in their own communities. And, most significantly, they weren’t given the option to learn about a growing field of green jobs or the importance of a stable climate to New Hampshire’s agriculture and tourism (we risk losing 7,485 jobs and over $65 million in state and government revenue just from our famous NH ski season!). According to the Department of Energy, in 2022, renewable energy jobs grew by almost 4% nationwide and now represent over 40% of total energy jobs. From solar technicians to innovative start-ups, workers to fill green jobs are in high demand. We all saw the shocking flooding across the Seacoast region this year. As we deal with more intense weather patterns, we are also going to need more workers to complete climate adaptation projects, such as maintaining dams and restoring washed-out roads. By educating students on climate, we can show how lucrative and vital these career paths are, and generate support for projects that prioritize climate-resilient infrastructure. A stronger emphasis on climate will only make NH’s economy stronger. I’m here to say that every NH student needs and deserves to learn about the climate in school, and students (as well as everyone who relies on NH’s economy!) are disadvantaged because we are not recognizing the critical value of climate education. I ask you, will you do the right thing for NH’s students, our future, and our state’s environment and economy?