How to Stay Woke About the 7th Principle

Call to Worship

I am only one
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything.
But still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. – Edward Everett Hale

Interactive Reading

Web of Life yarn game — from Invaders of the Forest, 2005 WEEB, WDNR, Park People of Milwaukee County.

Sermon

Many of us recycle, some of us hike in the woods, and others drive hybrid vehicles. It can be easy to think of these activities as optional. Today we are going to look at our place in the interdependent web of which we are a part.

The seven principles of Unitarian Universalism are the core values that we agree to affirm and promote. Today’s focus is on the last one in the list, the 7th Principle, which is: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

This principle is often referred to in connection with environmental topics such as care for and health of the earth, plants & animals, and dealing with pollution. It is also referenced in environmental justice, social justice, and racial justice themes.

Today we’re talking about climate change. Specifically, how to continue to work on important issues when it seems as though the urgency has passed, or that the need to pay attention is no longer great.

Nutshell version of Climate Change

Climate change is caused by having excessive amounts of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere. Excess carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels (gasoline, coal, natural gas) for energy collects in the atmosphere. The sun’s rays bring heat to earth, some rays are absorbed by earth, some are reflected up into the atmosphere. Before the industrial age, reflected sun rays were able to pass through the earth’s atmosphere. The excess carbon dioxide has built up so much that reflected rays get trapped in the atmosphere, and come back down to earth. This creates excess heat, called Global warming. This excess heat changes our weather and wind patterns, melts glaciers, and changes timing of seasons. Droughts, floods, and stronger storms are also caused by this excess heat. Melting glaciers cause flooding along coastlines far from the glacier’s location.

The science is not conflicting. The alleged conflict is created using the same tactics the Tobacco Industry used to hide the fact, for 40 years, that smoking tobacco causes cancer. Climate Change is real.

Information from An Inconvenient Truth & An Inconvenient Sequel —Truth to Power and Our Choice Books by Al Gore, Rodale press, films/DVD by Paramount.

Last month Diane and I lead our Serendipity Auction Hike at Elk Neck State Park. While we were planning drinks for everyone, we discussed whether to get bottled water and Gatorade, or whether to use a jug of water and reusable drinking glasses. We took the easy route by loading a cooler with ice and individually bottled drinks. (Yes, the empties were recycled.) It was fast and easy, and besides, we don’t have a nice, insulated jug and unbreakable drinking glasses. Yet.

This event lead me to think about how often I take the quick, easy path; and wonder why that easy path even exists. After all, I learned about pollution, recycling and the need for trees back in 7th grade science class — 45 years ago.

Why do K-Cups, bottled water, plastic shopping bags, or fossil-fueled-anything still exist today? The very existence of these items seems to say there is nothing to be concerned about, more trash and carbon dioxide are harmless.

Why is there any question that the way we live, work and play is damaging our planet in a way that will have, and is having, catastrophic results?

It can be easy to fall into a sense of complacency, or to lose our awareness, about climate change. After all, the movie An Inconvenient Truth was released 12 years ago, in 2006. Some of our elected officials say the science is conflicting, so we don’t really need to worry or do anything, implying that climate change isn’t real.

Maybe you have been working hard at recycling, composting, reducing and reusing. Perhaps you drive a hybrid vehicle, have marched in a protest or attended a rally. If you’re a UU, you’re most likely on several committees helping those in need in your hometown.

Add to that daily life: work, school, kids, groceries, meal planning, volunteering, after school activities, family responsibilities, and the political and social turmoil we’re experiencing.

Basically, you’re worn out and you can’t take on one more thing.

But a real reason many people aren’t addressing Climate Change is because it is absolutely terrifying. Intense fear or terror leads to despair, despair leads to paralysis.

The Good News is:
Doing something diminishes despair.
Diminishing despair allows action.
Martin Keogh, Editor, Hope Beneath Our Feet, North Atlantic Books, Berekley, CA, 2010.

There are so many things we can do!

1. What can we do? Start with:
   1. Watch the movie or read the book, An Inconvenient Sequel — Truth to Power, Rodale, Paramount, 2017, by Al Gore.
      
      1. This is a 2017 book and film showing what has been happening since the book and movie An Inconvenient Truth, also by Al Gore, were released in 2006.
      2. The first half of the book covers the intensity of natural events of the last decade, as well as the tremendous successes of solar and wind energy, especially in developing countries.
         1. I spent much of the last month canvassing for a candidate. While out walking door to door in Bel Air and Abingdon, I saw lots of solar panels on roof tops.
         2. This is energy source is available here, now.
      3. The second half of the book is a How To action guide urging individuals to get Active in the struggle for the future of humanity. Step by Step tips on:
         1. Be Involved
         2. Speak at a Town Hall Meeting/Forum
         3. Write about Climate Change
         4. Start a Petition
         5. Have an Online Presence as Climate Activist
         6. Arrange for Press Coverage, be prepared
         7. Talk to kids about Climate Change
         8. Talk with Climate Deniers
         9. Find a Career in renewable energy
         10. Make your business more sustainable
         11. Run for Office
         12. Lead by Example
         13. Food Choices — CSA, Free Range, Local
         14. How to Create and Host Events
2. We don’t need to invent a plan, or go it alone
   1. Local, State and National Climate Action groups
      1. Join, support or participate in a climate action group.
      2. In this area alone, there are 18 climate organizations as part of the Maryland Climate Coalition.
      3. Website: marylandclimatecoalition.org
   2. UUMFE — UU Ministry for Earth, which has a cool t-shirt shown here:
      1. This is an Environmental branch of UU ministry, whose mission is To inspire, facilitate, and support personal, congregational, and denominational practices that honor and sustain the Earth and all beings. Website: www.uunfe.org
      2. Learning and Training: Climate Change Religious Education Curriculum
      3. Inspiration and Worship
      4. Green Sanctuary Program
      5. Issues UUMFE addresses:
         1. Climate change,
         2. Ecology & Rights of Nature,
         3. Front-Lines Solidarity,
         4. Food Justice
         5. Social Justice & Human Rights
         6. Sustainability
      6. Website: www.uumfe.org
   3. UU-UNO Climate Action Team
   1. The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office promotes the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all, as reflected in the United Nations Charter. Through targeted education, advocacy, and outreach, they engage Unitarian Universalists in support of international cooperation and the work of the UN.
   2. UU Climate Action Roundtable
      1. Conference calls the second Wednesday of the month at 8pm Eastern time.
      2. Join by phone or web.
      3. Join at UU-UNO, UU Climate Action Roundtable.
   3. Climate Action Team (CAT) Program — Congregations can form a CAT to encourage lowering their own & the community’s carbon footprints.
   4. Website: www.uua.org/environment/climate/un/getinvolved
   4. Climate Reality Project Training
      1. Al Gore created a training program right after An Inconvenient Truth was released in 2006.
      2. Training programs are global, held twice a year.
      3. Next one is in L.A. this August.
      4. Free to attend, materials are free; You pay your travel and lodging.
      5. Deadline to apply: July 11, 2018.
      6. If this speaks to you, contact me and I can give you more information.
      7. Website: www.climaterealityproject.org.
   5. Climate in the Pulpits 2018 — The weekend of October 5-7, 2018 interested congregations are participating in addressing Climate Change and Creation Care in their sermons and weekly services. Sponsored by www.chesapeakeclimate.org.
   6. Enjoy Nature
      1. Visit parks, gardens, beaches and natural areas.
      2. Support your favorite parks and natural areas.
      3. Put bird feeders in your yard.
   7. Lower your Carbon Footprint
      1. Change a light — replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. (Also consider LEDs.)
      2. Drive less — Walk, bike, carpool or take metro transit more often. You’ll save one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don’t drive! (However, that may be a little difficult here in Harford County.)
      3. Recycle More — you can save 2,400 lbs of carbon dioxide per year by recycling just half of your household waste.
      4. Check your tires — Keeping your tires inflated properly can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 lbs of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere!
      5. Use less hot water — It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Use less hot water by installing a low-flow showerhead (350 lbs of CO2 saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 lbs of CO2 saved per year.)
      6. Avoid products with a lot of packaging — You can save 1,200 lbs of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%.
      7. Adjust your thermostat — Moving your thermostat down just 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer could save about 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide per year.
      8. Plant a tree — A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
      9. Turn off electronic devices — simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you’re not using them will save thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
      10. Be a part of the solution — Learn more and get active.

      Source: Al Gore, An Inconvenient Sequel — Truth to Power, Rodale, 2017.

   8. We, as Individuals, Groups, with our Fellowship, and/or with other Fellowships, can:
      1. Watch Environmental or Climate Change Themed movies.
      2. Host a Film Festival of environmental/climate change movies.
      3. Read uplifting books on Environmental or Climate Change themes, for yourself and/or your kids.
      4. Have a book club or annual environmental book read.
      5. Read the UUA 2006 Statement of Conscience — Threat of Global Warming/Climate Change.
      6. Read the UUA 2015 Action of Immediate Witness — Support a Strong, Compassionate Global Climate Agreement in 2015: Act for a Livable Climate.
      7. Use your choice. Use your Voice. Use your Vote. — Al Gore, An Inconvenient Sequel — Truth to Power.
      8. Obtain Green Sanctuary Status for our Fellowship.

I titled today’s message How to Stay Woke about the 7th Principle. What does Woke mean? In today’s trendy vernacular, woke means to pay attention, be aware of what is going on around you & in the world; to be socially aware. This a watered down version of the term that has been used in African American communities for over a century, meaning self-awareness, and awareness of racism.

It is my hope that the information in today’s service gives you hope. Gives you a path to take to start looking at ways to reconnect to environmental issues, and/or climate change work. A way to do something that banishes despair and leads to positive changes.

Other Resources

Books

• Our Choice, Rodale, 2009, by Al Gore.
• An Inconvenient Truth, Rodale, 2006, by Al Gore.
• An Inconvenient Sequel — Truth to Power, Rodale, 2017, by Al Gore.
• Hope Beneath Our Feet, North Atlantic Books, 2010, Edited by Martin Keogh.
• Plastic Ocean, Avery, Penguin Group, by Captain Charles Moore and Cassandra Phillips.

Books available from the UUA bookstore inSpirit

• When God Isn't Green by Jay Wexler.
• All You Need is Less by Madeleine Somerville.
• The Sustainable Soul by Rebecca James Hecking.
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall LKimmerer.
• Justice on Earth by Manish Mishra-Marzetti, Jennifer Nordstrom.
• Finding Higher Ground by Any Seidl.
• Sustainable Planet by Betsy Taylor, Juliet Schor.
• Blue Revolution by Cynthia Barnett.
• The Animals' Agenda by Marc Beckoff.
• Confessions of an Eco-Sinner by Fred Pearce.
• Harness the Sun by Philip Warbung.