Thursday: Climate Change Town Hall in Silver Spring

Why should Marylanders be paying attention to climate change? That's the question to be addressed at a Thursday evening town hall in Silver Spring.

The town hall is a collaboration between environmental groups and the Montgomery County chapter of Organizing for Action, which advocates for policies that were part of President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign.

Here's a rundown of what to expect from speakers:

Congressman Chris Van Hollen will speak about climate change policies and the situation in Washington.

Mike Tidwell, Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, will speak on how climate change affects the quality of day-to-day life for Marylanders -- and how they can work to stop it.

Dr. Cindy Parker, the associate director for the Johns Hopkins Environment, Energy, Sustainability, and Health Institute, will speak about how climate change affects the appearance of insect-borne diseases like malaria.

Other speakers will elaborate on what the latest scientific statistics mean for Marylanders, and will speak to job opportunities in the clean energy sector.

The town hall will take place July 30 at the Silver Spring Civic Building at 1 Veterans Place from 6-9 p.m. The event is free with registration.