Creation Care Corner

This month we have information on a variety of topics.  We have another story of dislocation due to climate change.  In June of this year, more than 1000 indigenous Guna people of Gardi Sugdub Island in the Caribbean off Panama moved to the mainland to live in prefab government homes built on land carved out of the jungle.  They had always lived off fishing and tourism on their island but were forced off the island by rising sea levels and intensified storms caused by climate change.  Sixty-two more communities will also have to leave their islands in the area before long, due to increasingly frequent flooding.

Of course, we are all familiar with the destruction caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton that recently hit the US.  Some of the people and homes affected had just recovered from a hurricane two years before, and now lost their homes again.  It will be years of recovery for these people, and many will not be financially able to rebuild.  I’m sure they are wondering how long it will be before the next category 4 or 5 hurricane will strike them.  It’s just not feasible to keep rebuilding and rebuilding when the severe storms keep coming.

Then, closer to home we have a Texas-based influence group, American Stewards of Liberty, opposing the existence of public land and conservation in Wisconsin.  There is a connection with Oath Keepers and QAnon.  They are working with some of our elected representatives and officials from Forest, Langlade and Oneida counties to stop conservation of northern Wisconsin land.  They want to make it easier to log and mine and otherwise develop the northern forests and are not above spreading misinformation to accomplish that goal.  Conservation-minded people want to preserve the forests for natural resources and recreation.  Preservation of old growth forests is also an important factor in capturing carbon from our atmosphere and reducing climate change.  Tell your county board members what is important to you on this issue.  Also contact Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is on the House Committee on Natural Resources.

The United Church of Christ and the United Church of Canada met in West Bend, Wisconsin this year to explore how awareness of the importance of the shared water resources of the Great Lakes and their immense watershed could foster cooperation between us.  Issues such as the Line 5 pipeline that runs through Bad River First Nation and crosses the Mackinac Straits and threatens all of us, the proliferation of plastics in our water, and plastic-related, cancer-causing chemicals were discussed.  They concluded that we should work with faith-based Creation Care, and also with other community groups and non-profits that are leaders in environmentalism and climate justice work.

Sandy McKitrick

Climate Care Team