THE CLIMATE CRISIS
2023 summer temperatures increases compared with 1950-1981 from NASA GISS Surface Temperature Analysis
The climate crisis threatens life on Earth as we know it. Increasing areas of severe drought, record heat, strong storms and flooding, uncontrollable wildfires, melting of glaciers, bleaching of coral reefs, and more are all the result of adding too much carbon dioxide and methane to the atmosphere. Some think we’re even on a path to a sixth mass extinction. The developed nations keep making pledges to do better, but they have yet to make meaningful cuts in emissions.
Unfortunately, the fossil fuel industry is a rich and powerful obstacle to combating it. But there are things we can do, and lots of local, national and global groups are working on this problem from different angles. Joining in collective efforts with these groups may be the best way to have an impact besides personal lifestyle changes covered in other sections of this website. In addition, the Eco Ministry has periodic letter writing campaigns to promote environmental action and engages in interfaith efforts. We will keep you informed through this website about how you can join with us in advocacy for the environment through the website and church bulletins. Here are some groups that you may want to join.
Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth is a comprehensive website of church-related climate & justice opportunities.
North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light (NCIPL) is a state organization that is working to "connect the faith voice of North Carolina around climate change, encouraging mitigation of the effects and resilient communities through its programs and engaging in the public policy process by advocacy with compassion." Visit their website and blog for lots of information about what's going on in the state, how to get involved, and resources for congregations. With NCIPL's help, the Eco Ministry members have visited members of our legislature to advocate for clean energy. In 2016, the Eco Ministry partnered with NCIPL to host the first ever Environmental Collaboratory for NC UUs, bringing representatives from eight UU congregations around the state to share ideas, build connections and learn from one another.
Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle is a group whose mission is “to work within and across communities of faith to urgently fulfill our sacred duty to love and protect Creation, address our changing climate, and ensure justice for all life.”
NC Clean Path 2025: Achieving an Economical Clean Energy Future is a groundbreaking report by engineer Bill Powers for NC Warn, showing how North Carolina can replace fossil fuels with local solar combined with battery storage to meet our electricity needs, while creating jobs and saving billions of dollars.
350.org is a worldwide grassroots organization founded by Bill McKibben, activist and author of The End of Nature. 350 refers to the "safe" upper limit of parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere although it is now well over 400 PPM and climbing! 350.org uses online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and mass public action to oppose new coal, oil and gas projects, take money out of the companies that are heating up the planet, and build 100% clean energy solutions that work for all. 350 Triangle is the local group network.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change. They are currently working toward a climate solution called Carbon Fee and Dividend Policy, in which carbon fees would be collected on all fossil fuels and greenhouse gasses at the point they enter the economy, placed in a trust, and paid out to every household as a monthly dividend. There are a number of NC chapters, including ones in Raleigh and Greensboro.
The Climate Reality Project is a group founded by Al Gore as a nonprofit devoted to solving the climate crisis.
For science and images of climate change, visit http://climate.nasa.gov. To learn about some of the economic risks of climate change, visit http://riskybusiness.org.
To contact the Eco Ministry with questions, get on our Friends of the Eco Ministry for the Earth email list, or explore joining our committee send an email to [email protected].
Unfortunately, the fossil fuel industry is a rich and powerful obstacle to combating it. But there are things we can do, and lots of local, national and global groups are working on this problem from different angles. Joining in collective efforts with these groups may be the best way to have an impact besides personal lifestyle changes covered in other sections of this website. In addition, the Eco Ministry has periodic letter writing campaigns to promote environmental action and engages in interfaith efforts. We will keep you informed through this website about how you can join with us in advocacy for the environment through the website and church bulletins. Here are some groups that you may want to join.
Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth is a comprehensive website of church-related climate & justice opportunities.
North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light (NCIPL) is a state organization that is working to "connect the faith voice of North Carolina around climate change, encouraging mitigation of the effects and resilient communities through its programs and engaging in the public policy process by advocacy with compassion." Visit their website and blog for lots of information about what's going on in the state, how to get involved, and resources for congregations. With NCIPL's help, the Eco Ministry members have visited members of our legislature to advocate for clean energy. In 2016, the Eco Ministry partnered with NCIPL to host the first ever Environmental Collaboratory for NC UUs, bringing representatives from eight UU congregations around the state to share ideas, build connections and learn from one another.
Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle is a group whose mission is “to work within and across communities of faith to urgently fulfill our sacred duty to love and protect Creation, address our changing climate, and ensure justice for all life.”
NC Clean Path 2025: Achieving an Economical Clean Energy Future is a groundbreaking report by engineer Bill Powers for NC Warn, showing how North Carolina can replace fossil fuels with local solar combined with battery storage to meet our electricity needs, while creating jobs and saving billions of dollars.
350.org is a worldwide grassroots organization founded by Bill McKibben, activist and author of The End of Nature. 350 refers to the "safe" upper limit of parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere although it is now well over 400 PPM and climbing! 350.org uses online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and mass public action to oppose new coal, oil and gas projects, take money out of the companies that are heating up the planet, and build 100% clean energy solutions that work for all. 350 Triangle is the local group network.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change. They are currently working toward a climate solution called Carbon Fee and Dividend Policy, in which carbon fees would be collected on all fossil fuels and greenhouse gasses at the point they enter the economy, placed in a trust, and paid out to every household as a monthly dividend. There are a number of NC chapters, including ones in Raleigh and Greensboro.
The Climate Reality Project is a group founded by Al Gore as a nonprofit devoted to solving the climate crisis.
For science and images of climate change, visit http://climate.nasa.gov. To learn about some of the economic risks of climate change, visit http://riskybusiness.org.
To contact the Eco Ministry with questions, get on our Friends of the Eco Ministry for the Earth email list, or explore joining our committee send an email to [email protected].