By Judi Curcio, a member of the First Parish Climate Justice Group
I love quotes. Quotes can make you think and inspire you. Currently, when I need some inspiration, the quote that keeps me going in climate justice work is by Nelson Mandela.
I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.
In March, when [First Parish in Bedford] celebrated the 1st birthday of our climate justice group, we even sang Happy Birthday to ourselves! Friday was Earth Day and so it seems a good moment to pause and look back at some of the hills we’ve climbed, and some of the missteps. So much has happened but here are several highlights and some concerns.
So the first hill that I think we all set out climb was to educate ourselves about climate change and the first thing I learned was how much there was to learn! Every article or book I read led to another thing to read and I realized that I would be learning about this for a long, long time. Then, last August, my 13-year-old grandson Erik was driving back home from the Cape with me. I realized that I had this wonderful captive audience and thought “what a great opportunity to impart some of my new found wisdom!” He listened patiently for several minutes then shared with me lots of his own information ending with far wiser words then I had shared: “Grammy, I’m not worried about myself, it’s other people in this world that I worry about.”
And so as I continue to learn, I also recognized that I hit the top of a hill called, ‘our young people will motivate us and lead us in this work.’
Then last fall, we got to the top of yet another hill when our congregation passed a resolution for our right to a livable planet. Since we have adopted it, the resolution has gone to our lawmakers in Boston and Washington and to other Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations — in Massachusetts and beyond. But then we learned that for one loon in Maine, climate change showed its unlivable side in the form of tropical avian malaria.
In November, the Paris climate conference happened and 196 nations all worked together to say what they were willing to do to keep the temperature of the earth from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius above the world’s pre-industrial levels. Last Friday, for Earth Day, 175 nations signed the agreement! A great hill climbed, or so it seemed. Because this past March 3rd, for a few hours, the temperature in the northern hemisphere rose more than 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level for the first time in recorded history. Click here to watch the PBS Newshour’s explanation for why 2 degrees Celsius is climate change’s magic number. The year 2015 broke 2014’s record for the hottest year ever, and the first three months of 2016 have already eclipsed the prior record highs for those months
Meanwhile, our group has joined with others: several environmental groups here in Bedford, other UU congregations and an interfaith group. Each has been busy talking, calling, emailing and writing both state and federal legislators about a variety of climate issues. Not simply about the need to reduce the amount of fossil fuel used, but also to encourage the growth of clean energies like solar and wind. Last month a solar bill was passed that did include some incentives for growth. Up the hill, but not nearly enough. Yet another one to climb. Soon there will be an omnibus bill that we hope will lead to more emphasis on renewable energy sources. Stay tuned, as we haven’t gotten very far up this hill yet!
In the past year, 3 major pipelines have been shut down. One that would have cut through the center of this country; one through northern Massachusetts and southern NH; and one through NY state. This was an amazing climb for the numerous organizations that have been fighting these pipelines. But even this came with a caution that, as other companies stop building, this might leave more opportunity for Spectra Energy to expand its operations in Massachusetts.
Spectra started construction on the West Roxbury fracked gas pipeline last June. It will run near homes, playgrounds and end right next to an active blasting quarry! Local residents have been demonstrating against it and on Saturday, April 23 they were joined by 20 First Parish folks and approximately 300 UUs and other people of conscience from all over Massachusetts. We listened to the words of legislators, local leaders and many ministers, including Bedford’s own John Gibbons. We sang, and we marched to the site of the transmission station with the horns of passing cars honking their support. Spectra didn’t work yesterday. Did our rally keep them away? We hope so. We tied red ribbons on the fence around the station so they would know we had been there, and hopefully so they would recognize that we will be back! And while we know that the construction will start again, the climb here is to continue blocking this and other unnecessary pipelines. Some of us will work to stop it in the streets and some will fight it in court, but fight on we must.
And so, just for today, I will stop and gaze at the accomplishments of yesterday and last year. Tomorrow with my colleagues, I will start up that next hill. If you feel so inclined, please grab a backpack and join us. Because there are many paths up these hills, lots of different ways to go and challenges to meet, but together, together we can, not simply climb the next hill and the next and the next, but perhaps in the process become a part of caring for the hill itself.
Editor’s Note: This article was presented to the congregation as a “Climate Moment” on Sunday, April 24, 2016
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