To The Editor:

Earth Day in Newtown was a powerful reminder of both our progress and our responsibility.

Across the country, climate change is no longer a top issue for many young voters. It’s hard to focus on the climate when you can’t afford to live. According to a recent Harvard Youth Poll, affordability issues now dominate while climate change ranks low. This reality should challenge us to better connect environmental action with the affordability crisis.

But what gives me hope is what I saw here in Newtown.

The Newtown Conservation Commission deserves huge congratulations for the rodenticide ban and combating invasive knotweed. The Newtown Forest Association protects the open spaces that define our community. The Friends of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial lead meaningful work maintaining a space of reflection and remembrance. The Newtown Lions Club makes enormous efforts to support our environment. And the Sustainable Energy Commission is working hard to advance clean energy solutions for our town.

This work demands our support, our unwavering attention, and our continued investment.

On the policy front, I recently spoke with Governor Ned Lamont about Revolution Wind, the offshore wind project now delivering clean energy to Connecticut. This project will power more than 350,000 homes, create thousands of jobs, and help lower energy costs. This is a true win-win-win.

But most of the work is still ahead of us. We desperately need an environmental champion representing Newtown in Hartford.

As a candidate for State Representative, I will fight like heck for our environment, for Newtown’s open spaces, and to ensure we tackle climate change while driving down energy costs by investing in clean energy right here in Connecticut.

Above all else, Earth Day is about action. I am ready to get to work.

Brandon Moore

Newtown