SUNDAY, AUGUST 15 2024 - CONVERSATIONS ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS
Deborah Laforet
Isla Sheridan-Jonah
Sunday September 15, 2024
Rising temperatures are fueling environmental destruction, natural disasters, extreme weather, food and water insecurity, economic disruption, conflict, and terrorism. Sea levels are rising, the Arctic is melting, coral reefs are dying, oceans are acidifying, and forests are burning. This is the climate crisis. Hello, I'm isla sheridan-jonah, and as most of you know this entire curriculum for the next few weeks during the Season of Creation was my project from the climate motivator program within the united church of Canada. I'm excited to be here today to talk about my experience working in advocacy. I have always had strong-minded people around me but I never really had opinions for myself. It was easier just to follow what they were saying. Participating in the climate motivator program and meeting the wonderful people involved in it has led me to want to research and learn more. I’m figuring out my own opinions and values. And I’m discovering how I can make a difference in the world. Another thing that this program has given me is the comfort of knowing I am not alone. Seeing other youth fighting the climate crisis has given me more confidence and courage to continue my learning and my actions toward the future of sustainability. All summer, within the program, we had guest speakers twice or three times a week who were always inspiring and intelligent. During our Indigenous learning week, we learned about how critical it is to develop individual connections with the land. We learned that reconciliation is not just between people. It is also with the land. We met with Members of Parliament from around Canada where we discussed policies and youth involvement in the government system. We also met United Church members who attended COP28, which is the world's largest climate conference. We heard from climate justice speakers who urged us to continue our work in advocacy. Throughout these talks, many of these guest speakers had one thing in common and that was to tell us youth “that we are the future” “we are the hope” and “we are the ones who need to keep fighting.” I appreciate the encouragement and am committed to taking up that challenge. But those statements always left a bitter taste in my mouth. As a youth, it feels like the weight of solving the climate crisis has fallen too much on the younger generations and it is NOT an easy burden to bear. The climate crisis is everyone’s responsibility. Not just ours. So, I have a simple question to ask: “What are you doing to help fight the climate crisis?” Now, you might be asking yourself, what CAN I do to help fight the climate crisis? Well, the good news is that the next few weeks are going to be full of ideas for how we can all help fight the climate crisis. But here are a few of my thoughts. Something that I have learned over this summer is that we have so much power that we are not using. We have the ability to choose. Artists aren't popular without their fans, companies aren't profitable without their customers, and politicians aren't powerful without voters. We are the fans, the customers, the voters. We get to choose where we put our time, our money, and our votes. These things are especially true for the older generations who often have more time, more money and more voting power. From the scripture we read earlier, it talks about how the scoffers delight in their scoffing. Powerful people profit through unsustainable practices that continue to destroy the climate while presenting an image of sustainability. For example, some companies continue to push the government to let them continue to mine or drill, but to consumers, they talk about ‘natural’ energy and promote their products as green and sustainable. This “greenwashing” makes people think they’re doing the right thing when it’s still just business as usual. We need to do our own research to determine if these companies practice what they preach. Politicians make promises to make big changes but at the end of the day still put climate change policies at the bottom of their to-do lists. We need to dig deeper and find out what politicians are supporting and put our votes behind politicians who are truly taking action against the climate crisis. The call of wisdom asks “How long, oh simple ones, will you love being simple?” I think people constantly choose to ignore the natural disasters increasing over the world and the rapidly changing weather patterns. They do this because ignorance is bliss. But God has a message, The bible verse says, “Because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when panic strikes you,” I think God started warning us years ago, working through scientists and climate justice speakers, but as it says, we have ignored the Lord's counsel. And this is why I urge you to educate yourself on the ways that your behaviors and purchasing habits are affecting the earth. I urge you to educate yourself on the ethics, values, and production of the companies you are buying from, and educate yourself on the politicians that you allow to shape the future of Oakville, Canada, and the world. I understand that it's easy to stay in habits and it's easy to throw the blame and the responsibility onto someone else but this is something specifically important to all generations, not just young people, because these are things the youth cannot yet do whether it be because of financial restriction or age restriction. I am asking that all generations share the burden of the climate crisis. I am here to remind all of you that it is not too late, you are not too young or too old. Your voice matters, your opinion matters, you matter. Together we can solve the climate crisis but we need you, we need me, we need all of us working together. Thank you so much for giving me this space to talk about this difficult but important work