The persistent denial of climate change science is one of the most dangerous, toxic messages we hear in the U.S. It is promoted (and funded) by one political party, yet environmental protection is not a political issue. It's a moral issue. Needlessly polluting the earth is immoral. I don't understand how people can favor waste and exploitation in the name of capitalism and scoff at the idea of protecting people, animals and land. Climate change is already impacting people. The people who get hurt first are those living in third world countries, especially in coastal areas. Rich countries like the U.S. will be the last to feel the pain of climate change.
Yesterday I attended a lecture given by environmental activist Tim DeChristopher, who was released from custody yesterday after serving 21 months in prison. In 2008 he was arrested for falsely bidding on an auction to sell off oil and gas lease rights in Utah. DeChristopher was convicted of violating a federal act and making a false statement. Yesterday's lecture was centered around hope. DeChristopher spoke eloquently about giving hope to our children, taking action to combat fear, and using our power to effect change. He mentioned that climate scientists don't tell people how bad climate change is because they fear it would scare people into paralysis. My favorite quote from DeChristopher: "When I disrupted that auction, I didn't believe I could change the oil industry. I believed I could change people like you. People like you have the power." Amen to that.
Commitment
by Dorothy Day
People say, what is the sense of our small effort.
They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time.
A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of our thoughts, words and deeds is like that.
No one has the right to sit down and feel hopeless.
There's too much work to do.
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