Hungry For Change

Global climate change threatens us in several ways.  Yes, it causes the earth to warm, threatening ecosystems and causing oceans to rise, but the effects of climate change don’t stop there.  Climate change effects us all the way down to the food that we eat.  Scientists say that by the year 2050, there could be up to 25 million malnourished children under the age of 5.  That’s equal to all of the children under 5 in the US and Canada combined!  How does climate change relate to hunger?  Let’s think about it—climate change causes rising temperatures, which causes droughts, destroys natural habitats, and changes weather patterns.  All of which effect crops!  2013/2014 marked one of the coldest winters for several states in the Midwest and one of the warmest driest winters for some states in the Southwest.  These unusual weather patterns have caused droughts and freezes that have destroyed crops and damaged ecosystems.  As climate change continues to increase, crop yields will decrease and food prices will increase to reflect diminishing crop yields.  Decreases in yield lead to rises in food prices, which effects all of us!  Food should be a right, not a privilege.  Let's keep it that way by keeping food prices affordable AND available for all!

Join us for Irish Celtic Music, Appetizers, and an Opportunity to Meet our Honoree this Saturday Night

Yes, we have more news about our International Women's Day Event this Saturday evening (March 8th).  Stephanie's friend, Wyatt Watkins, who plays violin with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra , and his friend, Mario Joven, will be joining us at 6:15 pm to play Irish Celtic Music.  What a gift!

Those of you who attended our Hunger Banquet last fall will recall this wonderful music.  The last time I heard Wyatt was at the Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light fundraiser "Creation Celtica" at  St. Matthew's Episcopal Church back in October.  The music combined with their slide show of beautiful photos of nature left me feeling so grateful for this earth where we live.

I hope you can join us Saturday night for this inspirational evening. 

This International Women's Day We Celebrate Dr. Stephanie Kimball

Human-made climate change is already having a profound effect on the poorest, most vulnerable people on the planet.  "The carbon footprint of the world's 1 billion poorest people represents just 3 percent of the global total.  Yet as climate change advances, poor communities are hardest hit. Not only do we have a responsibility to avoid doing harm to others, we must help them adapt."

This International Women's Day (March 8, 2014) join us to celebrate Dr. Stephanie Kimball, a Hoosier mother of 2 who is making a difference through teaching others about climate change and the steps they can take to reduce our impact on the environment. 

 

Stephanie has her Ph.D. in education and home schools her children.  In 2007, after she became interested in climate change her six-year-old son choose climate change as his action project.  They went to the local library and checked out many books.  Together as a family they sat on the floor reading about what was happening to the planet and what the future might hold - and it was at that point a mother's instinct took over.  Her children were worried about the future.  She closed the books and made them a promise - "I am going to do whatever I can to ensure this doesn't happen."

Stephanie's son, Hans, went on to present his climate change project at the science fair with their local homeschooling network.  She and her family became involved with the local Step It Up! Campaign, where she became an organizer gathering momentum for asking Congress to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2020.

She and her family also worked hard learning how to cut their family's carbon emissions - even going so far as to build their own solar heater from soda cans and they eventually cutting their carbon footprint by 50%.  Today, Stephanie, who is the Affiliate/Resource Director for Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light has moved forward to co-develop a workshop for teaching local congregations about climate change and what they can do to prevent it.  She teaches the workshop, "Cut Your Co2sts" and developed Hoosier IPL's "Task of the Month" program - a program that helps individuals and families of the more than 70 Hoosier congregations affiliated with Hoosier IPL work together on one task a month and support each others' efforts.   

She also frequently speaks with congregations of all faiths throughout the state of Indiana to spread the message that climate change is a moral issue.  Climate change causes suffering and death to our brothers and sisters throughout the globe, is an issue of justice and equality, and we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the earth.


Saturday, March 8th, we will meet at the Indiana Interchurch Center to celebrate her work and hear her speak.  At 6:15 pm we will serve Oxfam GROW Method appetizers (and provide recipes) and provide an opportunity to mingle with local Indianapolis organizations that work on climate change.  At 7 pm we will introduce Dr. Kimball.  She will speak and we will follow with a question and answer section and a discussion about Oxfam's GROW Method and the importance of supporting women small-scale farmers throughout the world who are fighting the impacts of climate change to make a daily living and whose sustainable practices help our global fight to eventually feed the 9 million people who will share this planet by 2050.