Global sea level rose about 8 inches in the last century endangering many coastal areas. The rate in the last two decades, however, is nearly double that of the last century and is accelerating slightly every year.
The number of record high temperature events in the United States has been increasing, while the number of record low temperature events has been decreasing, since 1950. The U.S. has also witnessed increasing numbers of intense rainfall events.
Even in West Virginia, we've seen the affects of floods and other extreme weather events.
As parents who care about our children's future, people of faith who see environmental stewardship as a faith calling, and as everyone else who see the extreme weather each year and hear a nagging voice inside our heads that this is not normal, we can no longer wait to start community conversations--cannot wait before we act. We invite you to take the Mon County Environmental Stewardship Challenge.
The challenge requires committing to two things between now and Wednesday, April 22, 2020 (the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day) – (1) taking one action as a community to reduce your faith community’s carbon footprint, and (2) having one conversation around what your religious tradition calls for in regard to environmental stewardship.
If you are interested, please reply directly to Ace Parsi (aceparsi@gmail.com), go to this link (https://forms.gle/JFSoQj5a28P7cLkW6) or note your goal below by writing a post. Current communities taking the challenge include:
Community United Methodist Church, Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown Church of the Brethren, Morgantown, West Virginia