Congregational Community Church of Sunnyvale CA

*On Thursday, September 14, the Washington Post and the Associated Press reported that NASA and the Goddard Space Flight Center released their findings about an alarming loss of Arctic winter ice. CNN reported on September 15, that 14 % of the ice had been lost in one year (2004-2005). The projected loss was 1% - 2 % per year. This was incomprehensible news. The Belfast Telegraph reported that only ten years remain to turn this around. Maybe they are wrong. What if they are right? The consequences of inaction could be devastating.

The science is in. The effects have begun. Some scientists like James Lovelock say that we are already over the brink and devastation is inevitable. Others close to the subject like Al Gore say that we have the resources and the technology, we simply lack the political will.

We can make a difference in these next ten years that could begin to reverse the devastation of global warming.

We will show the movie ³An Inconvenient Truth² on Sunday, October 8. This is free to the public and all are invited.

We have a group of concerned members of our congregation who are getting together to talk about ways we as a church can make a difference. See Ingo Bork, Mei Wang, Ted Feely, and Diane Steele if you would like more information or to be come part of their group. One member of the group will give us a three minute talk each week about the news on global warming.

We now have a page on our web site where we will list the actions members of our congregation have taken. Simply write to Ted Feely something like ³Today, I did __________ ² or ³Today, I asked _________ about global warming.² When you get results from your action, send that to Ted and he will post it as well. Email Ted at ted@feely-associates.com.

Actions we can take include asking ask our state leaders their plans to find other sources of energy. We must have electricity if we are going to face the future and keep our society. In California, if we page 1 took the money that it costs to build a nuclear power plant, spent it on solar panels, and place these on homes and businesses eager to generate the electricity, we would see enormous progress. This would provide an energy source that has very low consequences for any malfunction. It also has the lowest impact on the look of the landscape. Of course the problem is that we cannot make solar panels fast enough. Or can we? Another automaker is closing down a factory. There are workers and buildings eager for new jobs.

We can ask managers at our businesses, schools, and apartment buildings what they are doing to conserve energy and help turn global warming around. If they have a building with a flat roof, we can ask if it is painted white. We need to make up for the loss of the solar caps by reflecting the sun back into space as they once did.

We must reduce electricity use in our businesses and homes. Many are doing their best at this. Still, look on the world wide web for more ways to reduce your use of energy, google ³steps to reduce global warming.

The biggest contributor to our problem is our cars. We need to reduce our use of our cars and when the time comes, replace them with smaller, fuel efficient models.

We need our news organizations to report on businesses that are rewarding employees for using public transportation, biking, or car pooling. Interview them. Find out what has gone right and what has not.

We need businesses to encourage employees to work from home one day a week. Certainly, this is not possible for all types of work. For those who can, it could make a great difference. Also, we can use the telephone and the internet more effectively so that meetings take less time, become more productive, and are as local as possible.

As a church we can make changes as well. We can reduce car travel by making our day of worship a day of community. We could have all committees, boards, councils, study groups meet on the same day that we worship. It means one car trip a week.

We need the kids to be involved and feel empowered. Kids, where ever possible, walk with your grown-ups to school. Get up earlier. Let your grown-ups know that our planet is sick and this is one of the ways they can make a difference. Consider it a sacrifice that can be complained about in ten years but not now. And kids, write to the leaders in our government. Your parents, teachers, and ministers will help your letters get sent.

Put Wednesday November 22 at 10 am on your calendar. Arrangements are in the works to have a kids day at city hall where you very young children bring pictures of sad polar bears to the mayor. And you older kids, bring suggestions for the mayor on how we can turn global warming around. The mayors will know we are coming and will talk about what the cities are doing to turn this around.

Reports are that we have ten years to turn this around. The consequences of not doing something are too great. Get together at work, school, here at church, wherever you gather and come up with ideas that you can put into action. If you count the time from the announcement of September 14, 2006, then at the time I write this, we have 9 years and 358 days and counting. After that, it is open season for complaining. Until then, more action.

Blessings,
Pastor Gen

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