A recent lead article in the Valley News (“NH to hold climate hearing”; Oct. 29) was an encouraging sign that broad coalitions are forming to address the dire crisis of human-caused climate change. Even now, with the government shut down, and the Environmental Protection Agency under threat of dissolution by drastic underfunding, there are possible solutions to the challenge of greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the newer actors in the struggle for climate justice is the broader church, across many denominations. There is global leadership, such as from Pope Leo in his recent encyclical, but there is important local activity as well. The Concord-based Climate Hope Affiliates has been specifically targeting the funding cuts aimed at the EPA, with good success. This statewide group has focused on advocacy to congressional representatives, and we can all take action by contacting Rep. Maggie Goodlander, both to thank her for her support of renewable energy, and to ask her to push for support of the EPA in the appropriations process, occurring right now.
If you are part of the struggle for a solution, it’s possible to feel glimmers of hope, even in these dark times.