When I snuck into Facebook yesterday evening, to see what my various FB buddies are up to, I came away feeling very challenged, and somewhat uncomfortable with my apathy about a major event about to start in Paris.
Ex-Christian Aid colleague, and friend, Elizabeth Perry was one of a group of pilgrims who walked from London to Paris to show how much they care, and are concerned about, climate change. Danny and Jo Bonnett are a couple from our church who rode from Bristol to Paris to express similar concerns.
They, along with many others who have converged on Paris from all over the globe, want to make sure that the world leaders who are gathering for the Climate Change Conference that starts Nov 30th are under no illusion that people DO care about climate change, and major shifts in policy DO need to happen.
You can read more about it all on the websites of various reputable organisations that are involved in the campaigning: Christian Aid, Tearfund, Oxfam to name but three. So I won't regurgitate it all here.
But suffice to say, reading about Elizabeth, Danny, Jo and the many others who have made the journey - and given sacrificially of their time and resources to get there - left me feeling as though I had let the world down a bit by not doing anything.
How many of my friends around the world have commented in the past year that the weather isn't following the normal weather patterns, that farmers no longer know when to plant the crops, that the rains haven't come, or the rains have come at the wrong time, or so unseasonably heavily that the crops get washed away?
All climate-change related comments, and on behalf of them I need to do more than just press 'like' against a few photos on Facebook
So, I'm making amends! I can't nip to Paris and shout about it, but I can tell the stories of the people who are suffering. And that's what I plan to do - just a little story each day to remind me, and anyone who cares to read them, of the impact of climate change.
And to remind me, and anyone who cares to read them, of the issue of climate justice - that those who are making the biggest negative impact on the world's climate aren't the ones who are suffering the most; that those who are making least impact on the world's climate are the ones who are suffering the most.
Yes I need to do more than just write some blogs - there needs to be a shift from fossil fuels to more renewable sources of energy and to that end I need to give thought to what I can do, but that all takes a bit more time and research. For now - I'll tell the stories, and let them be the inspiration to move forwards.
And of course, if you have any ideas on the practical actions to take in shifting from fossil fuels to renewables do send them my way!
With thanks to Elizabeth, Jo and Danny for the inspirational nudge!
Ex-Christian Aid colleague, and friend, Elizabeth Perry was one of a group of pilgrims who walked from London to Paris to show how much they care, and are concerned about, climate change. Danny and Jo Bonnett are a couple from our church who rode from Bristol to Paris to express similar concerns.
They, along with many others who have converged on Paris from all over the globe, want to make sure that the world leaders who are gathering for the Climate Change Conference that starts Nov 30th are under no illusion that people DO care about climate change, and major shifts in policy DO need to happen.
You can read more about it all on the websites of various reputable organisations that are involved in the campaigning: Christian Aid, Tearfund, Oxfam to name but three. So I won't regurgitate it all here.
But suffice to say, reading about Elizabeth, Danny, Jo and the many others who have made the journey - and given sacrificially of their time and resources to get there - left me feeling as though I had let the world down a bit by not doing anything.
How many of my friends around the world have commented in the past year that the weather isn't following the normal weather patterns, that farmers no longer know when to plant the crops, that the rains haven't come, or the rains have come at the wrong time, or so unseasonably heavily that the crops get washed away?
All climate-change related comments, and on behalf of them I need to do more than just press 'like' against a few photos on Facebook
So, I'm making amends! I can't nip to Paris and shout about it, but I can tell the stories of the people who are suffering. And that's what I plan to do - just a little story each day to remind me, and anyone who cares to read them, of the impact of climate change.
And to remind me, and anyone who cares to read them, of the issue of climate justice - that those who are making the biggest negative impact on the world's climate aren't the ones who are suffering the most; that those who are making least impact on the world's climate are the ones who are suffering the most.
Yes I need to do more than just write some blogs - there needs to be a shift from fossil fuels to more renewable sources of energy and to that end I need to give thought to what I can do, but that all takes a bit more time and research. For now - I'll tell the stories, and let them be the inspiration to move forwards.
And of course, if you have any ideas on the practical actions to take in shifting from fossil fuels to renewables do send them my way!
With thanks to Elizabeth, Jo and Danny for the inspirational nudge!
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