
My wife and I live without air conditioning in our apartment in northern Utah, the second driest state in the country, where the temperature has been above 90 degrees regularly for more than a month. It’s rough. I’m surviving off of Dollar Tree knock off Otter Pops while our cat Lola is shedding like there’s no tomorrow and we jockey for position in the fan’s breeze. I think many of us have noticed the heat regardless if you have AC in your home or not. Due to this summer of drought and extreme heat finally a strong majority of Americans, 70%, accept that the climate is changing.
Stephen Hawking fears we may have set Earth on track to become like our inhospitable neighbor Venus. Bill Gates places the climate and “energy miracles” above his other noble humanitarian endeavors because its negative impact is so far reaching. Bill Nye and other all star scientists are doing what they can with their influence to spread the word. The upcoming issue of “The Rolling Stone” has an article entitled Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math, which makes for a very sobering and enlightening read. The scientific consensus is overwhelming that the climate is changing and yes humankind is primarily responsible. Even Ronald Reagan’s former economic advisor is calling for a carbon tax to curb the approaching ecological and economic disaster.
Stephen Hawking fears we may have set Earth on track to become like our inhospitable neighbor Venus. Bill Gates places the climate and “energy miracles” above his other noble humanitarian endeavors because its negative impact is so far reaching. Bill Nye and other all star scientists are doing what they can with their influence to spread the word. The upcoming issue of “The Rolling Stone” has an article entitled Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math, which makes for a very sobering and enlightening read. The scientific consensus is overwhelming that the climate is changing and yes humankind is primarily responsible. Even Ronald Reagan’s former economic advisor is calling for a carbon tax to curb the approaching ecological and economic disaster.

In the creation story of Genesis God created the heavens and the earth and on the sixth day man of whom he asked to dress and keep the garden. The hebrew word used for keep is derived from “shamar” which evokes a loving, caring, active and sustaining keeping. Have we as a human race kept the beauty of the Earth with shamar, do each of us as individuals strive to do our part as sons of Adam and daughters of Eve? I am afraid that we collectively and I personally fall short of God’s commands in this area and that we are storing up climate Karma as spoken of in the Quran 30:41 “Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return to [righteousness].”
We in the US have by far the largest footprint and share of the blame for what is happening to this planet. And this is one critical element, the results and “corruption” are not localized we share our stain and poison with the rest of the world just as they do with us (to a much smaller extent). The poor people of the world will be impacted the greatest by the Midwest corn strangling droughts because the spend a higher percent of their income on food. So while in the US, land of wealth and plenty, we may at first face minor inconvenience our brothers and sisters across the world are reaping what we sow. We live in an interconnected world where we depend on one another to survive and through the grace of God perhaps even thrive. But we must repent and turn away from our current path. No longer must we bury our heads in denial being persuaded by wealthy corporations that have vested interests in business as usual.
If you have children that you want to grow and succeed with a bright hopeful future, if you dream of emerging from this depressive economic mire, if you cherish nature and creation, if you truly aim to love your global neighbor as yourself then NOW is the time to make changes individually and collectively. Go to your favorite natural location...a garden, your yard, the mountains, a stream and get down on your knees and pray. Pray for creation, pray for divinity to inspire us with creativity on how to solve this crisis, for the peace and power of being content, for forgiveness and then let us stand up and take action bringing shamar to all of creation.
“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the seas resound and all that is in it; let the field be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy, they will sing before the Lord for He comes, He comes to judge the earth.” Psalm 96:10-13
We in the US have by far the largest footprint and share of the blame for what is happening to this planet. And this is one critical element, the results and “corruption” are not localized we share our stain and poison with the rest of the world just as they do with us (to a much smaller extent). The poor people of the world will be impacted the greatest by the Midwest corn strangling droughts because the spend a higher percent of their income on food. So while in the US, land of wealth and plenty, we may at first face minor inconvenience our brothers and sisters across the world are reaping what we sow. We live in an interconnected world where we depend on one another to survive and through the grace of God perhaps even thrive. But we must repent and turn away from our current path. No longer must we bury our heads in denial being persuaded by wealthy corporations that have vested interests in business as usual.
If you have children that you want to grow and succeed with a bright hopeful future, if you dream of emerging from this depressive economic mire, if you cherish nature and creation, if you truly aim to love your global neighbor as yourself then NOW is the time to make changes individually and collectively. Go to your favorite natural location...a garden, your yard, the mountains, a stream and get down on your knees and pray. Pray for creation, pray for divinity to inspire us with creativity on how to solve this crisis, for the peace and power of being content, for forgiveness and then let us stand up and take action bringing shamar to all of creation.
“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the seas resound and all that is in it; let the field be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy, they will sing before the Lord for He comes, He comes to judge the earth.” Psalm 96:10-13