by Ron Prosek, FaCT Board
What did the 29th UN Conference of the Parties (COP29) achieve--if anything?
The Conference was focused to a large extent on financial commitments, with the hope that the weathly, developed nations of the Global North would pledge a significant amount to help the Global South adapt to climate change and take measures to avoid adding to global warming. The ultimate pledge of $300 billion per year by 2035 was seen as grossly inadequate by most experts. 350.org observed that the pledge "falls extremely short of the amount needed to support vulnerable nations in adapting to climate impacts, transitioning to renewable energy, and ensuring a just and equitable response to the climate crisis."
The Conference also failed to follow up on last year's conference to establish commitments to transition away from fossil fuels, putting off action on this until COP30, which wil be held in Brazil next year.
A number of scientific experts have weighed in, saying that these Conferences have still left the world on a path to far exceed the hoped-for 1.5 degree C limit to temperature rise by mid-century. In fact, many are now convinced that the 2 degree limit will be blown through at the rate we are going.
COP after COP has fallen short, and now we are on a treacherous path. Some believe that the process just doesn't work, and perhaps can't work the way it is structured.
If the COP process or any other international process can't work, what is left? The only thing seems to be continued activism --but much intensified activism all around the world. If an international mechanism like COP can't succeed, it is left to civil society in all the nations of the world to make climate the number one priority. This is really an existential challenge to civilization. If civil society and activists around the world don't rise to the occasion, then who will? This is the time, and we must be the activists.
Educate, Inspire, Advocate, and Organize for a just transition to renewable energy sources and sustainable practices and policies that address the problem of climate change.
We draw on the ethical principles of our various moral traditions to preserve and protect the earth’s interconnected web of life. Faith communities represent strong and caring individuals with the power to effect change.
“ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL, ALL THINGS WISE AND WONDERFUL, THE LORD GOD MADE THEM ALL, AND EVERY LIVING THING.” BOOK TITLES FROM JAMES HERRIOT (1916-1995)
Please help us expand our programming and strengthen our operations!
Two of our generous donors have already pledged $10,000 each to FaCT in advance of our end-of-the year Annual Fund Drive. But our proposed FY 2025 Budget is close to $100,000, more than one-third larger than the current budget. We hope that for our end-of-the-year drive we can expect some of our very generous donors who are donating in the three-figure range to move up to at least $1,000 for their Annual Pledge. If you have been thinking of doing more for the new budget year, now is the time to make the commitment.
This is support that FaCT needs to continue its work in the coming months.
We are funding the work of three interns, paying them stipends for two semesters of work, including designing presentations, recruiting volunteer helpers, scheduling venues with professors, and making compelling presentations. We have three excellent environmental studies majors, juniors and seniors, who are now working for us in three different regions in Ohio; and FaCT needs your financial support more than ever to keep this powerful program going. We must reach the young people of Ohio if our state is to enjoy a safer and healthier future. THANK YOU!
Optional: To save FaCT cost of PayPal fees, you can send a check directly to FaCT, payable to "Faith Communities Together" (or simply to "FaCT") and mail to:
FaCT - Faith Communities Together is incorporated in the State of Ohio as a non-profit organization and is classified by the IRS as a 501c3 federal income tax-exempt public charity. You may deduct donations to FaCT under Internal Revenue Code Section 170. FaCT is also qualified to receive tax-deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under Section 2055, 2106, or 2522.
Listen to the experiences of East Palestine residents just weeks after the Norfolk Southern train derailment on February 3, 2023.
According to a report in the Washington Post on February 3, Norfolk CEO Alan Shaw told local reporters in East Palestine in January that he wants a response to the catastrophe of February 4, 2023 that he and the community can be proud of. Meanwhile, lobbyists working for Norfolk Southern and other railroads are pushing back against the proposed railroad reform bill, entitled the Railway Safety Act, that was introduced last year by Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance.
As Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg described it, “They will often say the right things, but then through their actions, and especially through their lobbying, move in a different direction.”
According to the article in the Washington Post, over the past year, the nation’s five largest rail companies spent around $17 million on lobbying. These lobbyists have opposed even the most basic upgrades like requiring that engineers have special breathing equipment onboard in case of fires or explosions.
Consider this. A year has gone by, and Congress has not yet had even a single vote on the reform safety legislation.
Norfolk Southern has instituted a few improvements on their own, including improving crash detection and first responder training. They also are the first railroad to allow their employees to report safety issues confidentially to the government. Other rail lines had promised to do the same, but they have not followed through on this.
A year after the catastrophe, there are still chemical hotspots in the soil in East Palestine, and soil testing continues. But the harmful exposures that occurred cannot be undone, and these may lead to cancers and other health problems in the future. The question remains: Will Norfolk Southern be held fully accountable for these?
Those were the words of Judy Comeau-Hart, FaCT’s Development Consultant, on her return from her visit to East Palestine on April 13. It’s very clear that our neighbors in East Palestine still need our help, and they will need help for a long time to come.
On Earth Day Weekend, April 21-23, we reflected, and committed to action - each congregation in its place of worship - mosque, synagogue, temple, or church. FaCT, together with the Ohio Council of Churches (OCC), called for an Ohio and beyond effort among all faith communities. We must reflect! What can we do to help? What can we do to prevent disasters like this from happening again?
We must act by extending real material help to East Palestinians and undertake real, concrete action to get our local, state, and federal governments to do their jobs by holding railroads, petroleum, plastics and other industries accountable for their actions. We must act to help safeguard EVERY small and large community in Ohio and throughout the nation.
East Palestine can never be what it was. Toxic exposure symptoms persist, especially among children? vomiting, rashes, trouble breathing. Even those who do not report symptoms still smell unusual odors in the air that EPA claims is safe to breathe. Safe? Scientists tell us that if you can smell a substance, it is already in your body. And what is really a safe level in the air of the chemicals involved? Many of the chemicals were combined, especially from the detonation on February 6, creating additional toxins such as phosgene gas and dioxin.
Watch our webinar that was held on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, 3 PM to get the latest information on the situation in East Palestine and to discuss actions we can take going forward to aid East Palestinians and to bring about the reforms needed to keep our communities safe.
I would like to ask you all to send a check to us for the distressed folks in East Palestine. Their worries and their challenges continue. You can use the form below. Please make your checks payable to FaCT as usual but also write “E Palestine” on the memo line of your check. Once we collect the checks, we will consolidate them into one check to send to Emmanuel United Methodist Church in East Palestine. Their pastor, the Rev. Dr. Bob Miller, will then allocate our donations to purchase items for distressed East Palestiners. THANK YOU!
Under the leadership of FaCT Board member, Bob Maher, FaCT has been adding Anchor Congregations. These are Congregations whose mission, outreach, social justice, or environmental action committees have chosen to cooperate with FaCT on environmental education and environmental action projects. For example, last year, the congregation of West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church in Rocky River cooperated with FaCT to mount an environmental expo at the church. FaCT contributed $1,000 to help fund the project.
Current anchor congregations include the Social Justice Council of East Shore Unitarian Universalist Church in Kirtland, Ohio; the Catholic Community of St. Peter in Cleveland, and the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta. The Emmanuel United Methodist Church in East Palestine is exploring the anchor program concept, and may join in the near future. Another candidate congregation is the United Church of Christ in Kent, Ohio.
This past fall, FaCT representatives had the privilege of meeting with Northeast Ohio Faith Leaders for Sustainability. The meeting included several people from FaCT, myself, Nancy King-Smith, and Bob Kloos. Lakewood Councilman, Tom Bullock, also participated as did several leaders from the Cleveland Area Dayenu Circle (eight Greater Cleveland Jewish congregations), including Mimi Plevin-Foust and Margy Weinberg.
Judy Slivka, a leader from Westside Creation Care (six West Side Christian congregations), and Kim Anderson, the Ohio-Pennsylvania representative of a Christian Evangelical creation care organization also participated. Among these leaders were a recently retired rabbi, Ehid Lader, and her husband, Harry, and Bob Kloos, pastor of the Community of St. Peter where the meeting was held as well as our own Judy Comeau-Hart, member of the Community of St. Peter and our FaCT development consultant; as well as FaCT Treasurer and webmaster, Ron Prosek.
Many ideas and experiences were shared. This included ideas of actions we could take together to initiate and support sustainable practices at our places of worship and among our congregants. This included a composting system that involved a company that provides composting bins and collects the compost. This is an important way to sequester methane-producing food waste by using the waste as fertilizer to produce more food. (Over a 20-year period, methane is 80 times more powerful than CO2 as a greenhouse gas.) Of course, some congregations and congregation members may wish to use the compost for their own gardens, which accomplishes the same sequestering of methane.
A number of congregations have now had experience with the installation of solar panels on their roofs or over their parking areas. This is valuable experience that can be shared and expanded. A number of additional ideas were discussed.
One of the things the FaCT participants were sure to share with the meeting was FaCT’s Marketing Committee’s plan to revamp our website with the help of our very talented web developer Mark Goode. I explained that the new website would be very engaging and dynamic. And now the new website is live, and I think all can see how engaging and dynamic it is.
Toward the end of the meeting the question was raised as to how we could coordinate and publicize our coordinated efforts. A vote was taken, and FaCT was chosen unanimously to use our website to publicize and coordinate these activities. We look forward to working with our new FaCT brothers and sisters, the Northeast Ohio Faith Leaders for Sustainability. Watch this space for announcements of future meetings of NEO Faith Leaders for Sustainability and for information on current and future projects in which FaCT will participate.
Faith Communities Together for a Sustainable Future
We believe that people of faith represent morally strong and caring individuals who have the power to effect change.
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Trump has won the election, so consider this:
If Project 2025 were to be implemented, how would this impact environmental protection and actions to mitigate climate change? Dr. Ted, Auch, President of FaCT and Midwest Director for FracTracker Alliance presents a comprehensive report on the implications. Read here:
Mandatory IRA annual withdrawls are a great way to donate generously to FaCT, which is a 501c3 tax-exempt public charity.
In this episode of "Just the Facts," featuring guest Distinguished Speaker, Justin Nobel, acclaimed journalist and author, a dark and critical issue within the oil and gas industry comes to light--radioactivity in oilfield waste.
Interns, L to R: Faith Wilson, Kelsie Lang, and Catelin Bromfield
Meet FaCT's Three Brine Education Interns: Faith Wilson from Marietta College, Kelsie Lang from Kent State University; and Catelin Bromfield from Kenyon College. They will share with us the presentations that they have been giving on their campuses; and they will share their experiences in preparing their presentations, working with their student teams, interacting with their professors, booking venues, and reactions from their audiences and follow-up.
"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." - St. Francis of Assisi
We believe In the moral imperative of addressing climate change - engaging Faith Communities and people of conscience in the interconnectedness and sacredness of the natural world and one another.
Every month, FaCT produces a newsletter, on-line, rich with information and images. Click the button below to read the newsletters . . .
FaCT has a number of scientists that have written in-depth articles about issues relating the environment and climate change. Check out these white papers here.
FaCT produces a monthly podcast. These feature in-depth interviews with many of our Distinguished Speakers as well as discussions with people directly impacted by climate issues in the greater Ohio Valley region.
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The derailment in East Palestine, OH is a reminder of how fragile our environment is --and how easily it can be poisoned by actions from careless corporate behavior. The people of East Palestine still worry about contamination that may not have been detected in their community, and many still worry that they may see adverse health effects in the future.
FaCT team members traveled to East Palestine ten weeks after the derailment. They interviewed East Palestine citizens to get a sense of what they experienced with the derailment and how it has affected their lives.
Reach out to your state or federal representative and express your opinion about what can and should be done to prevent these derailments in the future.
Many thanks to Rev. Dr. Bob Miller of Emmanuel United Methodist Church of East Palestine for his service to his community during the derailment crisis and thanks also to Rev. Miller for his service on our FaCT Board of Directors during the past year.
At FaCT, we want to inform and educate you about the critical environmental issues and climate change threats our nation faces. And then, we want to invite you to stand with us, to take action, to make a difference. Together, we can shape a better future.
We have many ways you can learn about important issues relating to the environment and climate change in the Ohio Valley and beyond. Some of the resources on this site are:
Visit the "Take Action" section of our site to learn how you can get involved to have a positive impact on the environment and to mitigate the impact of climate change wherever you may live.
This is a major ecological issue in Ohio
FaCT is working to help empower communities to protect our air, water, and soil, and the health and safety of Ohio families as well as working to mitigate climate change. Our supporters appreciate the team effort FaCT is making to help build a better future.
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A non-profit dedicated to highlighting the impact of climate change and other environmental issues in the Ohio region and beyond.