The Laudato Si Action Platform references ethical investments and sustainable production as some actions to help Ecological Economics. But Sister Alice Gilabert, an official SKYWARN Weather Spotter trained by the National Weather Service, also notes the connection between climate change, extreme weather and the cost to the poor.
Climate Change and Weather
By Sister Alice Gilabert
Have you noticed that our summer weather has been unusually warm for the past ten years or more? Winter weather also has been mild in some but not in all locations. Meteorologists have studied the weather for many years and have documented the trend or shift in temperature worldwide.
Recent TV news reports and social media posts talk about how climate change kills more elephants than ivory poaching in Kenya and other locations. Kenya is in the middle of its worst drought in four decades, and it’s killing 20 times more elephants than poaching. In recent years, much wildlife has fled its traditional locations in search of water. Climate change is killing elephants and livestock and creating a food crisis in many countries due to significant drought. In the United States, several states are enduring major drought, including California, which has introduced water restrictions. However, along the east coast, the problem is too much water, resulting in deadly flooding in Kentucky. In Great Britain, officials are warning of drought and wildfires due to the hottest temperatures ever recorded in the country in July.
What can we do to help our current situation? Some say that going solar on your house is one way to reduce your carbon footprint by using less oil or gas to heat your home. Using electric vehicles and other transportation also could slow global warming. Many electric charging stations are appearing in the United States and other countries. Policy changes also have helped. About half the sales of electric vehicles are in China, and 10% in the United States. With the rising price of gasoline due to conflicts in other countries, I think it is a wake-up call for all of us here in the USA. I hope and pray we all can do our part to reduce or slow down global warming for our future and the future of Mother Earth.
This helpful free resource from Sojourners titled, “Creation & Climate Care” helps you jumpstart a climate change conversation using creative illustrations, facts and a discussion guide.
Prayer
By S. Pamela Conte
O Humble Earth,
You call us to life-saving repentance. Your Wisdom, born of your own suffering, shows us the need to acknowledge our own failures to love you before we can begin to help you heal. It also reminds us of your willingness to let us heal you, in spite of our past lack of care for you.
Holy Humble One,
Give us hearts of strength to look within and see our own failings and blessings, and to use the knowledge of each to courageously heal the Earth.
