Apr
29
Written by:
host
4/29/2009 7:00 AM
Earth Day has come and gone this year, but our planet's environmental crises grow bigger and bigger every day. In climate science, the number 350 is a very critical number. That number represents the upper safe limit for CO2 in our atmosphere, in parts per million. In other words, pump more than that number into the atmosphere, and our planet is in serious trouble. Unfortunately, we're at 388.79 and rising right now.
Global warming has been called the single greatest challenge to ever face humankind, and it is essential that churches communicate the necessity of making lifestyle changes now, not later. As Christian educators, we need to partner with effective efforts to educate people about global warming. Churches are some of our culture's institutions that are best-suited to organizing, to communicating with a large number of people, and to developing support networks. When we partner with other effective organizations, we don't have to create something new from scratch, and we build relationships with organizations in our communities that otherwise may have no association with faith groups.
One of the best efforts to build a community of people who know about the number 350 and who will help spread the word to others is 350.org, where you can learn about the International Day of Climate Action on October 24, 2009. The site, which is spearheaded by the nation's best-known environmental writer (and United Methodist Sunday school teacher) Bill McKibben, who was the first author to write about global warming for a general audience in his book, The End of Nature. 350.org has an immense amount of helpful videos and other resources to explain global warming, and I hope you'll set aside a chunk of time soon to check it out. (And if you're still a skeptic about global warming—or you know someone who is—watch greenman3610's superb YouTube "Climate Denial Crock of the Week" video series.)
Churches and faith groups across our country are already getting involved in 350 day, and I urge you to do the same. You might ring your church bell 350 times that day, gather 350 church members together for a demonstration, or challenge your congregation's young people to each do 350 minutes of weatherization projects for elderly and low-income individuals in your community, for example.
We'll be posting ideas, updates, and additional resources in coming weeks and months on our website here, our facebook group, and our Twitter feed. Tell us what you're going to do. We'd love to see 350 Different Voice members take part!
~ Tim Gossett