Dear Pollinators,
In the recent American Climate Leadership Summit cohosted by the UCC, one of the most poignant and powerful moments for me came when Tara Houska of the Giniw Collective spoke on a personal level about the issue of jobs that destroy the environment. Houska was calling from rural Minnesota where she is currently part of a resistance camp opposing the Line 3 pipeline. She noted, “I have got family members who are workers, who are miners, who are loggers. That’s the economy of where I am from. It’s extraction. Like that’s the jobs that we have available. The good paying jobs are the ones that require us to destroy our world around us, to destroy our own backyard.” For Houska, the conversation about jobs and the environment is not an abstract debate. It is a conversation at the dinner table about the livelihoods of those close to her. Houska continued:
"I don’t want to take away my own family’s jobs. I don’t want to take away my friends’ jobs. That’s not what the issue is. The issue is that we shouldn’t have to destroy our world around us, and we shouldn’t be the sacrifice zone. That shouldn’t be the only job that’s available to us—is destroying our own watersheds or putting in a copper-sulfate mine next to this beautiful place. That is so unjust, not only to us but all the people downstream."
Houska’s comments crystalize some of the critical moral issues at the heart of one of the most significant matters of public policy before our country today. With Biden’s announcement of the American Jobs Plan, we are at a vital moment of policy formation for our nation. To speak to this moment, the next Creation Justice Webinar will focus on job creation and climate action. It will feature:
Natalie Mebane, a policy specialist for 350.org who has helped lead the organization’s response to Biden’s plan
Bracken Hendricks, a climate advisor to former president Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation, as well as the presidential campaign of Jay Inslee
Rev. Dr. Ambrose Carroll, founder of Green the Church, which works at the intersection of Black churches and environmental justice
Sign-up today for this webinar on Wednesday, May 12th at 1 pm ET. We will also send out a link to the recording to all who register.
With gratitude for your ministry,
Second Printing of Cathedral on Fire
Exactly a year after its initial publication, a second printing of Cathedral on Fire: A Church Handbook for the Climate Crisis is now being released with a new preface. Each chapter includes discussion questions and suggested actions. When one orders five books, the price per copy is $5. Order this book that the Rev. Gerald Durley describes as offering “HOPE AT THE GUT LEVEL.”
Call on the Biden Administration to Increase International Support
As highlighted in last month’s Creation Justice Webinar, the U.S. bears substantial responsibility for the climate crisis, yet we have failed in keeping even relatively small commitments. Under the Trump administration, the U.S. halted contributions to the Green Climate Fund, a fund established by the United Nations to support the climate efforts of developing countries. Biden’s current budget proposal fails to even allot the amount promised by the Obama administration. Call on the Biden’s administration to do more!
Recap and Video of the American Climate Leadership Summit
The recent American Climate Leadership Summit was full of highlights, including four UCC speakers: the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, the Rev. Jenny Shultz-Thomas, and the Rev. Michael Malcom. The UCC’s Hans Holznagel reported on the summit. All the recorded sessions of the summit can be found on YouTube.
Podcast on the Bible and Climate Change
The same storytellers and producers at SALT that have won three Emmys have a podcast called Strange New World. Recently, they released a two-part series entitled “The Bible and Climate Change.” One can listen to part one which focuses on Genesis or part two which focuses on Jesus.