Earth Care
The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.
– Psalm 24:1
Get Angry and Active
A first and very important step to altering climate change is to make it personal—taking action to reduce one’s individual carbon footprint. Mary Robinson, former UN Special Envoy on Climate Change, suggests that each day you “make up your mind to do something you weren’t doing this morning, something that is your ownership of the climate issue”— you might line-dry laundry, bicycle or walk instead of driving, buy locally-grown food, eat less meat.
Important as personal action is, we also need to work to change the larger system—to “get angry and active.” Vote for leaders at all levels of government who take climate change seriously. Voice support for those working toward climate solutions. Start conversations to help cultivate empathy and find common ground for moving forward. Find a local youth-led group and ask how you might help them.
“May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation … so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.” — from “A Franciscan Blessing”