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For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack
of concern for those who come after us, Accept our
repentance, Lord
—Litany of Penitence, BCP
Our climate is changing and the consequences could be dire. As
Christians and Episcopalians, what is our role and
responsibility in climate change? What can I do? What can we
as a Church do? How do we not become overwhelmed?
What is climate change?
Simply put the world is getting warmer and the consequences
will affect humans, animals and all of creation in negative
and potentially drastic ways—increased droughts, disease,
floods, storms and with these changes an escalation in
conflict and death. The cause? Most climate scientists
believe that the warming trends are the result of increased
emissions of carbon dioxide and other green house gasses as
a result of human activity into the atmosphere. Carbon
emissions come from our cars, our farms, and our power
plants to name just a few of the many sources. Just about
everything we do has carbon emission implications.
Click HERE for more information. Some of the strongest
information about climate change comes from the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (http://www.ipcc.ch/).
This panel, created in 1988 by the United Nations, includes
hundreds of scientists from around the world and
representatives from many countries.
What is the bottom line?
In order to avoid the most dire consequences of global
warming, the best science available today indicates that our
nation must reduce our carbon emissions 15-20 percent by the
year 2020 and 80 percent by the year 2050. However, if we
don't start now we risk losing the opportunity to avoid
climate catastrophe completely. We do this by 1) Reducing
our personal carbon emissions and 2) urging our policy
makers at every level of government to begin addressing
climate change locally, nationally and globally.
What is the Episcopal Church Saying about Climate
Change?
Last June, under the glare of camera lights, Presiding
Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori testified before the U.S.
Senate's Environment and Public Works committee on the
subject of climate change. She was joined by Roman Catholic,
Evangelical and Jewish leaders, united in urging Congress to
make addressing climate change a national priority, saying:
"The crisis of climate change presents an
unprecedented challenge to the goodness, interconnectedness,
and sanctity of the world God created and loves… As one who
has been formed both through a deep faith and as a scientist
I believe science has revealed to us without equivocation
that climate change and global warming are real, and caused
in significant part by human activities. They are a threat
not only to God's good creation but to all of humanity. This
acknowledgment of global warming, and the Church's
commitment to ameliorating it, is a part of the ongoing
discovery of God's revelation to humanity and a call to a
fuller understanding of the scriptural imperative of loving
our neighbor."
Full text available:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78703_86656_ENG_HTM.htm
Raising Awareness
What is my ecological footprint? We invite you to
learn more about your ecological footprint. How much land
and water do you physically require to support your daily
routine? Calculate your ecological footprint using this
calculator.
Learn how to Shrink Your Footprint
HERE. |
