For a study guide, see page 26. B “ B
Changing the way we think, behave will be the hard part
By James K. Honig
ecause it’s hard.” Those wise words were spoken in an evening gathering of teens, the generation inheriting the massive challenges of global cli- mate change.
The gathering was ordinary. They were ordinary teens in an ordinary com- munity in an ordinary ELCA congregation coming together for their regular Wednesday evening youth group meeting.
The conversation turned to reflection on how their faith impacts their response to global warming. The teens widely agreed that climate change is real. They agreed it’s a challenge that requires action, certainly on the part of the large entities in the world: government (at every level), corporations, agri- business, energy producers. And it requires action by individuals—everyone. The squirming began when someone asked what they were doing to change their behavior. It quickly became clear there was a big disconnect between what they believe about climate change and how they behave. Someone asked, “Why?” And that’s when Kevin blurted out, “Because it’s hard!” Popular culture in America hasn’t reached the same level of consensus about climate change that was reflected in the teens’ conversation. But the scientific community stands in near unanimous agreement that it is real and the entire global community has a short time to turn the tide. The Intergovernmen- tal Panel on Climate Change stated: “Scientific evidence for the warming of the climate system is unequivocal.”
While there have been climate changes throughout the history of the planet, evidence points to the fact that current changes are alarmingly rapid. According to NASA:
• The global sea level rose almost 7 inches in the last 100 years, and most of that has happened in the last 10. • Though warming has accelerated in the last century and a half, the 10 warm- est years in that time period have been in the last 12 years. • Between 2002 and 2006, Greenland lost between 36 and 60 cubic miles of ice. • Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere had never been above 300 parts per million in the last 650,000 years; in 1950, they reached that point, and today are at 380 parts per million.
Accepting the reality of the rapid warming of the planet is only a first step toward the more difficult steps of changing the way we think and behave. Changing thought and behavior patterns isn’t only hard, it goes against some deeply ingrained cultural values. American culture carries a strong com- mitment to convenience, from the way we eat to the way we get around to the way we communicate. Taking on a little inconvenience for the sake of the larger, common good seems too much to handle in a frenzied, everything-to- the-margins kind of life.
Even when we know that spending a little more time to walk or ride a bike, or cutting down on packaged and prepared foods, or using washable dishes instead of throwaways is the better thing to do, our default position is convenience.
Add to convenience our insistence on the instantaneous. When we want it,
we want it now. Communication now; shopping now; food now; destination now. Processed, packaged food means dinner is on the table in 15 minutes instead of 45 minutes. Sending a question by email in the morning means get-
Honig is a pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, Glen Ellyn, Ill.
July 2013 21
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