The photo above is of one of my favorite ties. I wear it when I’m speaking or acting on behalf of creation. For me, it calls to mind both Noah and NOAA(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

In 2011 I was actually wearing this tie when I met a former NOAA scientist.
NOAA has provided excellent data for a long time to help us understand how worldwide changes are occurring.

Noah, of Genesis fame, suggests we need to widen our care beyond the human species. Noah’s ark had room for animals and Noah’s family. I wonder what a more inclusive ark might look like today.

Pam Mast Stoner says we need a modern movement with a broad vision, armed with both the faith of a Noah and the science of NOAA. Pam’s letter to the editor makes this point in the March 17th Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era.

Thank you for Elizabeth Eisenstadt-Evans’ Feb. 22 column, ‘Man of Faith Battles Climate Change Current”
http://lancasteronline.com/lifestyle/faith_and_values/column-man-of-faith-battles-climate-change-current/article_e6286666-9aae-11e3-a0f1-0017a43b2370.html  This reminds me of a Bible story.

Many years ago, Noah, another man of faith, was also alert to God’s call to care for creation during a time of global crisis.

 

Will the religious community be similarly faithful and listen to the world’s best scientists, such as those at NOAA (“Noah”), who predict significant sea level rise and other serious consequences if carbon emissions continue unchecked?

Just as Noah was given a specific way to care for the earth’s creatures, there are specific ways for the faith community to respond today. Recycling and turning the thermostat back are fine, but more urgent interventions are needed.

People of faith might consider joining the call for a revenue-neutral fee on carbon, which would gradually raise the price of carbon-based fuels while returning the money directly to taxpayers. This would decrease our dependence on fossil fuels and move us toward renewable energy.

One of the first commands in Scripture is to care for God’s creation. Scientists tell us that, right now, climate change is the greatest threat life on earth faces.

Will the faith community step up and respond?

“Pam Mast Stoner is a Mennonite from Elizabethtown who enjoys bird-watching. She first learned about caring for the earth’s resources from her mother, a woman of strong faith who advocated turning back the hot water spigot out of concern for future generations. Pam hopes that her daughters, and the children of the future, will someday enjoy the abundance of backyard butterflies and green grasshoppers that she remembers from her childhood.”