GReen Mail Advocacy Network

JUNE 2013 -- GReen Mail

The Pax Christi USA Global Restoration Committee would like to share this information with you, our GReen mail activists. We invite you to pray, study and act with us across the miles recognizing that a sustainable, healthy world is a more peaceful world for all creation.

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YESTERDAY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MADE A SPEECH ON CLIMATE CHANGE - SOME SAY THE MOST FAR-REACHING ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE EVER ANNOUNCED BY THE US GOVERNMENT - LISTEN TO THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH HERE

AND FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH US.

Pray

We give you thanks, most gracious God, for the beauty of the earth and sky and sea; for the richness of mountains, plains, and rivers; for the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers. We praise you for these good gifts and pray that we may safeguard them for our posterity. Grant that we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation, to the honor and glory of your Name, now and forever.

--The Book of Common Prayer (1549)*

Study

Easter came early this year. Spring came late. The cool days extended our celebration of new life and brought a new appreciation for the beauty of the Earth. Against the backdrop of more fierce storms and loss of life, the news that concentrations of carbon dioxide reached 400ppm for the first time in human history, and the struggle to get our government to take action to mitigate the impacts of climate change, our hearts ache to think of the ravaging of God's creation and what our children and grandchildren will experience in the not too distant future. But we are Resurrection people. We do not give up hope. We pray, study, and act.

To learn more about the significance of CO2 levels reaching 400ppm and to share some facts with others in your community and social networks, see

Action

Consider writing to President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry urging them to further examine the impacts of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

For motivation, watch Garth Lenz TED talk on the destruction of the Canadian boreal forests at Garth Lenz: The true cost of oil.

If you have a nest egg, consider divesting from fossil fuel companies. Get involved in encouraging the college/university you graduated from; the religious congregation you belong to; the company you work for; the city, county, state you live in to divest from fossil fuels. To better understand this initiative, watch the Do the Math video online at 350.org and/or read the article in Christian Century:

Christian Century: Playing Offense

Consider how you might get involved to explore the idea of a carbon fee and dividend. Citizens Climate Lobby has been promoting this since 2007 and now has 101 local groups building support on a local and national level. CCL's founder, Marshall Saunders says, "To solve this crisis, ordinary people like you and me have to organize and educate ourselves. We have to give up our hopelessness, our powerlessness, and gain the skills to be effective with our government." Is this what our faith in action calls us to? See www.citizensclimatelobby.org and explore this further, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, or write to your members of Congress, share your thoughts and concerns with them and those around you.

Footnotes:

In Christ's peace,

Pax Christi USA's Global Restoration/Care for Creation Committee expresses our gratitude to Trudi Jenny, Pax Christi GR committee volunteer and long-time PCUSA member, for sharing this climate change focused perspective with us.

Fostering a reverence for all creation

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