There’s a time for everything, from the veggies in the garden to climate action. For example, when I planted a dozen escarole seedlings in my community garden plot in May, they took off immediately and were soon all platter-sized, looking like gorgeous multi-layered green flowers. In mid-summer, after harvesting them, when I wanted a replacement crop, one of the few things available at the garden store was escarole seedlings. I planted them, watered them faithfully, and they did absolutely nothing for a whole month. They didn’t die, they didn’t even turn yellow or brown, they just sat there. Now that it’s late August, they are just starting to grow. On the other hand, the tomato seedlings I planted in May took their time, but in the heat of mid-summer have now produced bumper crops of both full-size and cherry-size gorgeous red-orange orbs.
You can’t change the nature of vegetables, in my experience. You can’t make hot weather crops grow in cool weather, nor vice versa. It’s in their DNA to grow the way they’re made.
Could we say the same for humans? Maybe it’s in our DNA to realize that if we don’t act now, the world’s climate will change so drastically that all life on earth will be threatened. Except for maybe the cockroaches, the ticks and the poison ivy.
There’s an exciting uptick in climate action that’s maybe reaching a crescendo with the arrival of Pope Francis to address a joint session of Congress in late September, following the publication of his encyclical on the need to address our brewing climate catastrophe and bring justice to the world’s poor. There’s a growing number of studies showing that we need to leave most remaining fossil fuels in the ground in order not to exceed the 3.6 degrees Farenheit increase in global temperature, which would be the tipping point into irreversible chaos. There’s a growing number of activists taking all kinds of creative actions and willing to risk arrest to stand up to the likes of Shell, Dominion, Kinder Morgan and other companies. Kayaktivists in Seattle, anyone?
Throughout the month of September in Washington, D.C., people of faith and others will be carrying out all kinds of activities leading up to the Pope’s visit. Members of a group I work with – Beyond Extreme Energy – will be doing an 18-day water-only fast in front of FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to drive home the seriousness of our demand for No New Permits for fracked gas infrastructure such as interstate pipelines, stinky, dangerous compressor stations or liquefied natural gas export terminals. Visit beyondextremeenergy.org to learn more, and perhaps to join us for any or all of the fast, in D.C. or in your home. And visit moralactiononclimate.org for information on the rally in D.C. September 24 to welcome Pope Francis to America.
You can’t change the nature of vegetables, in my experience. You can’t make hot weather crops grow in cool weather, nor vice versa. It’s in their DNA to grow the way they’re made.
Could we say the same for humans? Maybe it’s in our DNA to realize that if we don’t act now, the world’s climate will change so drastically that all life on earth will be threatened. Except for maybe the cockroaches, the ticks and the poison ivy.
There’s an exciting uptick in climate action that’s maybe reaching a crescendo with the arrival of Pope Francis to address a joint session of Congress in late September, following the publication of his encyclical on the need to address our brewing climate catastrophe and bring justice to the world’s poor. There’s a growing number of studies showing that we need to leave most remaining fossil fuels in the ground in order not to exceed the 3.6 degrees Farenheit increase in global temperature, which would be the tipping point into irreversible chaos. There’s a growing number of activists taking all kinds of creative actions and willing to risk arrest to stand up to the likes of Shell, Dominion, Kinder Morgan and other companies. Kayaktivists in Seattle, anyone?
Throughout the month of September in Washington, D.C., people of faith and others will be carrying out all kinds of activities leading up to the Pope’s visit. Members of a group I work with – Beyond Extreme Energy – will be doing an 18-day water-only fast in front of FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to drive home the seriousness of our demand for No New Permits for fracked gas infrastructure such as interstate pipelines, stinky, dangerous compressor stations or liquefied natural gas export terminals. Visit beyondextremeenergy.org to learn more, and perhaps to join us for any or all of the fast, in D.C. or in your home. And visit moralactiononclimate.org for information on the rally in D.C. September 24 to welcome Pope Francis to America.
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