Global Warming Day of Action

As people of Faith, we are convinced that "the earth is the Lord's and all it holds….” We believe our response to global climate change should be a sign of our respect for God's creation. - Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good US Catholic Bishops, 2001

Global Warming Day of Action, principally sponsored by the Sierra Club, was held April 14th, 12 noon to 4 pm at Minnesota State Capitol Mall. In the long tradition of a healthy democracy, and perhaps not coincidentally, at the same time, approximate 3,000+ arch-conservatives demonstrated against taxes and action on global warming [with signs like “Al Gore Invented Global Warming” and “I Love Global Warming].

But just a hundred yards away at another area of the Capitol, separated by state patrol, approximately 1,500 people expressed their concern about global warming wearing t-shirts “Global Warming—We are the Solution” and carrying signs “Mend Your FUELish Way” and “Step it Up Congress—Cut Carbon by 80% by 2050.”

Slideshow image Note the numbers—3,000+ promoting global warming as a myth and 1,500+ in support of action against global warming! Clearly there is a lot of work to be done!! And that was the message of MC Brian Oake of Cities 97 and guest speakers at the Global Warming Day of Action:

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak—action is needed—talk to your neighbors
US Representative Betty McCollum—MN can lead in environmentally friendly technology
US Representative Keith Ellison—all God’s people respect the earth and all it holds, and
US Senator Amy Klobuchar—political involvement is essential if significant national change is going to happen.

Additionally, 50+ booths with resources were available for individuals and families encouraging them to take action to reduce your “global warming footprint.” If you couldn’t make the event and want practical ideas on what you can do to protect the environment check out the following Sierra Club pdf file: global warming ideas.

The 1,500 individuals and young families came to learn about positive solutions that can be taken as individuals and as a state to reduce global warming pollution, create jobs, strengthen our state's economy, and improve our shared environment.

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Phil Klees contributed this report.
The task is clear--we can curb global warming if we talk to our neighbors, organize and take bold, comprehensive actions now!! The hard work ahead is not only to convince like-minded people we know to get involved, but to respectfully convince those who think radically different than us that indeed “our response to global climate change should be a sign of our respect for God's creation.”

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