I am inspired by the folks on UUFCM’s Social Justice Coordinating Team and ideas shared about things we can do to make a difference for our Mother Earth, our environment, and Climate Change. A recent discussion implored us to FIND ONE SIMPLE THING to change in our lives to “make a difference.” So, off I went on the internet looking for inspiration to share with you.  
 
What did I find? I found wonderful YouTube videos (which tend to be the most motivating) to engage us in making changes. But I found that it isn’t so simple. 
 
Change comes on two levels – individual acts and systemic changes. We need to be part of both! What we do individually is definitely important, but the real bang goes to joining in the “movement” which is happening all around us to produce systemic change in our society.
 
Greta Thunberg said, “No one is too small to make a difference. Don’t forget that.”
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ACTION:
1.   Our Individual Actions:
​      Please do watch the 16-minute Ted Talk on the power of what we buy called responsible consumerism.

Reply on your thoughts about these films.
Submitted by Karen Turnbull, with inspiration from the Social Justice Coordinating Team of UUFCM.

Two keystone catastrophes happened in 1969. On the morning of January 28, 1969,  three million gallons of oil was blown into the ocean in Santa Barbara, California, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The oil spill killed thousands of seabirds, and seals and dolphins were poisoned. And then on June 22, 1969, an oil slick caused a fire on Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River just southeast of downtown Cleveland, Ohio. These events galvanized a time when people came together for change.
 
Gaylord Nelson, Senator from Wisconsin, announced the Earth Day concept at a conference in Seattle in the fall of 1969 and invited the entire nation to get involved. The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970 and 20 million people participated in activities across the United States. Senator Nelson had an office staffed with college students, veterans of protest campaigns and civil rights movements of the 1960s. This first Earth Day ignited much enthusiasm and ultimately led to the establishment of the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

In February 1971 Earth Day was recognized by the United Nations on the vernal equinox, the first day of spring. Please do read the rich history of this day as today nearly 200 countries worldwide celebrate Earth Day on either April 22 or on the vernal equinox. 
 
What are the recent changes to Earth Day?
Changes began to ramp up in April 2016 as the Paris Agreement agreed to combat climate change and created initiatives for a low-carbon future to keep global temperature rise this century under 2 degrees Celsius. In August 2018, Greta Thunberg began the School Strike for Climate - engaging young people who will live with the effects in their lifetime. In September 2019 a Global Climate Strike was the largest ever with more than 4 million people involved in an international movement. And thus began the Sunrise Movement and the Green New Deal.
 
For Earth Day 2021, President Joe Biden hosted a “Summit on Climate” addressing climate change with a $2 trillion infrastructure overhaul, which has not yet happened, and may not. The plan is to combat climate change and move the United States to green energy which would improve infrastructure and provide jobs. 
 
Last month the National March Report 2022 came out with details and graphs of where we are right now. It isn’t pretty. We need to come together again as we did on Earth Day in 1970. We need a  world-wide movement to make change happen now.

It is called the “tree-to-toilet” pipeline – which takes boreal old growth forests in Canada and turns them into toilet paper – a product used once and then thrown down the toilet. Thankfully the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) has been researching about paper products and giving a grade (A, B, D, F) for whether they use recycled fibers or produce a paper product that is produced ethically. 
 
The destruction of these forests for toilet paper has had a huge impact on wildlife and Indigenous peoples. Ultimately it adds to the devastation of a delicately balanced ecosystem, which adds to climate change on our Mother Earth. This article in the journal The Narwhal explains the devastation with maps and photos of what is happening with British Columbia ancient growth forests.
 
The two largest companies producing toilet paper are Proctor and Gamble, Kimberly-Clark. Some companies are heeding the call of stockholders, consumers and scientists to stop the role they play in this forest destruction by using recycled materials. But P&G has not changed their practices and continues to use pulp from old growth boreal forests. Charmin toilet paper is P&G’s major seller and is graded “F.” Kimberly-Clark produces Scott 1000 which is graded “F,” but with pressure from customers and others, began to make Scott Essential Standard Roll tissue that is made from 100% recycled content and has the grade of “A.” This was the first victory for the two big companies

What is your Connection?
You know the beauty and sacredness of the Straits of Mackinac if

• you have crossed the Mackinac Bridge,
• stood on the shores either north or south,
• witnessed the counting of raptor birds,
• attended the “Water is Life”  festival by Council of Three Fires on Labor Day weekend,
• know that a high risk of devastation violates the Treaty of 1836 by 5 Indigenous Tribes,
• know that 40 million people drink this water,
• fished, boated or observed the beautiful nature of these waters,
• you have dipped your body into these waters,
• you understand the sacredness of fresh water…because Water is Life, then

you know the danger of an aging pipeline (engineered for 50 years) can impact 20% of the world’s and 95% of U.S. fresh surface water. It travels for 645 miles over 400 inland bodies of water. Pipeline 5 carries 23.5 million gallons of light crude oil, light synthetic crude, and natural gas liquids (NGL) every day to refineries in Sarnia, Canada, with 5-10% going to Michigan. Basically, Pipeline 5 is a shortcut for Canada to get their oil to their refineries for large oil companies to sell and export.

My favorite websites for getting accurate information about Pipeline 5 include  Oil and Water Don’t Mix and FLOW (For Love of Water). You will see different sets of “facts” between the reports of Enbridge Pipeline Company versus those of advocates against the Pipeline 5 and the building of the tunnel. Building the tunnel is a huge question right now, with environmental risks. Always question the intent of the source.

Lately, many ads have been sponsored by oil companies and unions about the jobs and benefits that the “tunnel” will supply. These are short term jobs, and many will be filled by out-of-state workers. An alternative would be jobs building solar arrays, geothermal systems, and wind energy all around the state. These jobs would be ongoing and pay well and be located near every hometown in Michigan. There are alternatives, always.
 
The big picture is that “climate change threatens to destroy the ability of humans to live on Earth.”  Let this sink in, and then decide long-term what is more important – fossil fuels threatening our Great Lakes or reaching out for alternatives.  Make a “connection” that inspires you to take an action!!!

Why buy and eat locally? It is better for our health, our environment, aids the local economy, and creates community and connection. The GreenTree Co-op increased their working staff by 40% with their recent move. Some might say that prices are high, and with inflation rearing it’s ugly head, we have choices. How many
folks in the United States who live in urban households are willing to pay more for local food? 95%.
Statistics say that approximately 38% are willing to pay up to 5% more for local food. Globally people in the United States spend 6.4% of their family income on food - the very least in the whole world according the stats from the World Economic Forum. Where we spend our money is important. Cooperatives give back to the buyer and the community. Check out the 7 Cooperative Principles and be delighted that we have this choice. How exciting to improve and expand the Green Tree Cooperative Market in Mt. Pleasant, and see the profits go back into our community.​