Capitol rally draws environmental justice advocates
5/23/2001
NOTE: A photo is available for use with this story.
WASHINGTON (UMNS) - The concept of human beings as stewards of God's creation united about 200 people who rallied for environmental justice on the east lawn of the U.S. Capitol building May 22.
"We know that we as human beings are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse [God's creation]," said Bishop Melvin Talbert, ecumenical officer of the United Methodist Council of Bishops. "Because we know so much is at stake, we dare not remain silent."
Most people in his audience were participants in a four-day environmental justice ministry conference sponsored by the National Council of Churches. Other registrants were conducting visits with their senators and representatives.
About 50 of the rally participants formed a human bar graph illustrating the disproportionate carbon dioxide emissions among three areas: the United States with 4.5 percent of the world population puts out 25 percent of the emissions; the European Union with 6 percent of the people emits 15 percent of the carbon dioxide; and China with 21 percent of the world population creates 11 percent of the emissions, based on the World Resources Institute figures for 1999.
One of several speakers, Talbert called on the president, Congress and the American people to seek the common good; to be good stewards of God's creation; and to do justice and what is right for future generations."
He noted that he had joined 38 other religious leaders May 18 in addressing an open letter to these parties to lift up some core values as the nation makes national policies related to energy and the environment. He cited three moral obligations from the letter:
· "We as human beings are stewards of God's creation. We have the moral obligation to choose safe, clean and sustainable sources of energy to protect God's creation." · " We are responsible for future generations. By depleting energy sources, causing global warming, fouling the air with pollution, and poisoning the land with radioactive waste, proposing a policy that stresses, only, more fossil fuels and nuclear power diminishes the health and well being of our children and grandchildren." · "We call for an energy policy that will be an investment in social and economic justice here and around the world. ... Price gouging is not justice."
Talbert decried the administration's announcement that it will not keep the Kyoto Protocol dealing with climate change and Bush's proposal of tax cuts "as the primary means for addressing the current energy crisis without confronting the outrageous actions of oil companies."
In a surprise appearance, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) said that energy and environment are not just politics but are principles derived from faith.
"If we believe in God the Creator, we have a special responsibility toward the natural environment and toward each other as well," he remarked.
President Bush's recently announced energy plan is "production driven," Lieberman objected. He asked that the administration apply the basic principles required by religious faith instead of "relaxing regulations so more and more junk goes in the air" and urged investing in "a moon-shot technology" to produce and use clean forms of energy.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Me.) said, "Our best strategy for dealing with our energy crisis, particularly in the short term, is to increase conservation. If every American household were to replace just four 100-watt incandescent light bulbs with compact flourescent bulbs, we'd eliminate the need to build 30 new power plants." In her statement read to the rally, Collins said she believes conservation can save consumers hundred of billions of dollars while protecting the planet for future generations.
Scott Anderson, chief executive of the California Council of Churches, said the congregations of California are pledging to reduce the energy consumption of their houses of worship by at least 20 percent, to advocate for low-income families so they do not have to choose between food and lights and to work with state and federal governments in moving the nation's energy policies toward renewable energy sources and away from fossil fuels.
Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, commended the president for the parts of his energy plan that would offer some new investment in conservation, new technologies and energy assistance to low-income families. But he objected to its expanded "reliance on oil, coal, and nuclear energy, which destroy land, pollute the air, and harm or threaten public health.
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