PRAYING FOR THE EARTH’S HEALING
Wacky weather is our new norm. I called my daughter in Maine to tell her about how we went quickly from 80 degrees to below freezing. She said, “weird,” but it didn’t compare to what she’s going through. At first she called it a “spring snowstorm,” but as the weather worsened, she named it a “snowpocalypse.” She lost power; the trees in her yard were downed. She barely made it home from work.
If there’s any doubt that climate change is a reality, pay attention to a recent headline in the Chattanooga Times Free Press that warned of “Brewing Storms” as alarmingly high ocean temperatures suggest a nasty hurricane season coming up. My friends in Bermuda are paying attention. The Bermuda Royal Gazette reports that waters in the Atlantic’s main hurricane development region had temperatures 65% hotter at the end of January than the next closest year. Temperatures recorded in March aren’t usually seen until mid-July. So late summer should be a hurricane doozy.
While scientists don’t link climate change with the growing number of storms, they do link it to the severity of the storms and their rapid intensification. If you’re planning a vacation on the East Coast during hurricane season (June through November), know that scientists are also saying that rising sea levels might induce increased coastal flooding. So much for a happy nap in the sunshine at the beach.
The names of upcoming hurricanes are already designated, and guess what? One will be named after me, “Debby.” I pray that Debby doesn’t become a storm that strengthens enough to cause coastal flooding, or maybe makes a landfall mess. It’s hardly an honor if a destructive disaster has my name.
Remember the 2015 Paris Agreement to which countries signed on that would commit to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions? Well, according to recent news reports, just over half of the 100 state- and investor-owned firms tracked in a database have actually increased their production in the years since. “These companies have made billions of dollars in profits while denying the problem and delaying and obstructing climate policy,” Tzeporah Berman, chair at Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, said in a statement. “They are spending millions on advertising campaigns about being part of a sustainable solution, all the while continuing to invest in more fossil fuel extraction.”
Yes, many pooh-pooh climate change, saying that it’s a natural phenomenon and that greenhouse gas emissions are part of left-wing propaganda. It’s difficult to convince them otherwise, but holding the environment as a divine gift to be protected might engage the naysayers.
Sewanee: The University of the South and its seminary embrace the school’s Center for Religion and Environment, a focal point for universitywide initiatives related to religion and the environment. The center prepares upcoming generations for environmentally conscientious work and ministry.
Now take a look at Interfaith Power and Light and our Tennessee affiliate (TIPL). Its mission is to spiritually respond to our climate crises by upholding the sacredness of all life, protecting vulnerable communities and caring for the Earth. I met two leaders at Chattanooga’s Pilgrim Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) when it featured Devi Lockwood, author of “1001 Voices on Climate Change” last Sunday. Devi shared stories about how the climate crisis has affected various communities that she’s visited around the world. I couldn’t agree more that true stories affect us in ways that data and poor communication do not.
The audience, ranging from kids to seniors, clearly felt that impact. No doubt they were inspired to advocate for green strategies. For the Earth, and all our sakes, let’s pray for the entire world to go green.