article: Why Religious People Must Speak Up about Climate Change

[Carol Landis]

I was recently confronted with an idea that is at odds with my own thinking. Frankly,  I'm not sure what to do about this information. I was told that many of the faithful in NE Tennessee think that climate change should not be addressed at church because they see it as a political issue, not a moral/ethical one. Recently, John Torrey offered much of the same argument I would use (perhaps more forcefully than I would, but probably more convincingly as well). His blog is found at Huffington Post.

    As a climate change educator, I wrestle with the use of "alarmism." Most of the people I know who are fully aware of both the science and the implications of human-induced climate disruption are becoming more and more alarmed (and more activist, as well).

     Continued inaction by the U.S. is setting a bad example for other parts of the world who look up to us for leadership. We very well may be at a tipping point...one of those situations that sends us off into uncharted territory. I'm well aware that dire forecasts have been made in the past about a whole host of things (environmental and otherwise). But the evidence seems to be mounting that weather, and therefore climate, are not as they used to be; to the point that we can't rely on the past as a particularly good indicator of our future these days. We have already exceeded some of the predictions that were made way back in 2007 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC. The scientists who contributed to the IPCC reports are the world's experts on climate. The "abrupt change" that was being described by the IPCC in 2007 is already underway and has increased such that we have adjusted the range of likely temperatures, to improve the projections that are forthcoming in 2013. (The link is to a US EPA site that describes the more scientific info provided by the IPCC.) My point is that we already find ourselves in "uncharted territory."

     Whether or not you accept the evidence for climate change (not "believe in climate change"), or that humans are unduly affecting it, it seems to be completely logical to do what we can if we THINK it might make a difference. This is why we take vitamins & minerals, eat fiber-rich foods, stop smoking, treat our sewage, wash our vegetables, process our meat in facilities that are supposed to meet strict cleanliness and handling guidelines, put up lightning rods, etc. None of these things are assured to prevent the outcomes we're hoping to avoid. But if they MIGHT make a difference, we'd usually rather be proactive than pay the often-greater costs that are likely to occur later.

     As a person of faith, I believe that it is unjust to unnecessarily allow our modern lifestyle to negatively impact the rest of the world, especially when we know what we can do and much of that is simply behavioral (doesn't require a serious investment or drastic change to our daily lives). Furthermore, making forward-thinking energy choices (considering both cost and the environment) is in our best interests both individually and for our society.

     I hope you'll take stock of your understanding of human impacts on the environment (including climate, water, soils, biodiversity, natural areas, litter, toxic disposal, improper sewage sanitation, antibiotic resistance, etc.), and then also assess your feelings about moral and ethical obligations to act more responsibly. There's a nice online symposium on Saturday (May 12th) at 3 p.m. (See the Events column.)

     Obviously, each of us is involved in many complex interactions with nature and the Earth. However, unlike our direct and local impacts on this or that piece of property or watershed, our daily use of energy may collectively bring about a change that will be very expensive to address in the future. Perhaps the cost of energy is already affecting your choices. But as the season for air-conditioning approaches, I hope you'll take steps to reduce both your cost and your impact. To my way of thinking, the issue is one of eco-justice and sustainability for all.