Caring for the "least of these"...

The great religions of the world all exhort their followers to care for the sick, poor, vulnerable, orphans, the outcast and marginalized of society. Environmental theology, following in the footsteps of environmental ethics and moral philosophy, has sought to expand this sphere of care to the natural world. Global warming and climate change has created a nexus of harm and catastrophe for the poor and vulnerable in both the human and natural worlds. Indeed, it is showing us in a stark and tragic way that the least among us are often those most connected to and thus affected by the health and vitality of the natural world as well as natural disasters and changing environments. Even in highly urban environments of the world's major cities, the poor and vulnerable are still directly affected by the natural world, including weather patterns and changing climates.

As an example, the recent rise in food prices around the world is being largely attributed to extreme weather causing crop failures and significant yield losses in major food producing regions, including Pakistan, China, and Australia. And it is the poor who spend the largest percentage of their income on food who are feeling the pain of rising food prices as a result. This is only exacerbated by inflation related to the resurgence of economic growth for emerging economies like China, India, and Indonesia.

Thus, for the world's faith communities, taking action to slow and stop global warming is a moral imperative for both social and environmental justice and stewardship. The Right Rev. Gregory H. Rickel, Bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, Washington recently wrote an op-ed in The Columbian newspaper about how coal-burning power plants defy our covenant with the Creator, using the exhortations of Jesus to care for the least of these as part of his moral argument. This statement is part of the Washington IPL program's efforts to create a coal-free future for Washington state.

These efforts are never simple and may see monumental and quite daunting. But such campaigns are also not just tilting at windmills (if only they WERE windmills!). Having a moral and ethical commitment to energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy is the foundation for achieving these seemingly outsized and impossible goals. Economics, logistics, inertia, and scary predictions of social collapse may all seem to work against these efforts, but they are no match for the passion, dedication, and hard work of a citizenry motivated to see it become a reality. Hawaii, though small, is providing the nation a workable model for how to achieve such ambitious goals with the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative. We should be proud of our ongoing efforts and, frankly, we need more clergy and faith community leaders speaking out on behalf of the moral imperative to work for a clean and renewable energy future as an essential component of fulfilling our religious duties to the least of these. Hawaii Interfaith Power and Light exhorts you to get your faith community involved in these efforts. Contact us to learn how.