On a larger scale, the condition of a given community is the result of collective decisions - cultural, economic and political. Here we are, residents of Rhode Island, citizens of the United States, witnessing the suffering of our neighbors to the South, in the US and the Caribbean, after extraordinarily strong hurricanes, and facing serious concerns regarding our own preparedness for weather crises of this kind, as well as the long-term effects of sea level rise. It is well established that this is caused by our past behavior, as a community - albeit a large, international, multi-generational community - to embrace the conveniences of modern life at the cost of the stability of our environment.

What do we do now? As Al Gore pointed out in An Inconvenient Truth, we shouldn't go from denial to despair, but make choices - personal choices - mindful of our impact on our immediate, local and global environment, through energy conservation, recycling, reusing, advocacy, and by being kind to ourselves and others. Indeed, global concerns are addressed in the large and small choices we make every day as individuals. In these choices, we change what is possible. It reminds me of the adage, How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Recently, I returned from a 10-day bike trip from Burlington, VT to Quebec City. Traveling about 50 miles a day, one has a chance to smell the apples in the apple trees, the pine in the forests, the farms, and the whiffs of passing flowers. One feels the sun, the wind, tastes the dust, hears the birds, crickets, and the wind in the fields. One has a chance to admire the offerings at farm stands and stop easily for a box of tomatillos, raspberries, an apple or two, and be offered a couple of extra carrots. Riding through the countryside, I was amazed, again, by the magnificent abundance of the earth. The Cooperative Extension System says that on one acre of land, one can grow 42,000 pounds of strawberries, 25,400 pounds of potatoes, or 11,000 pounds of iceberg lettuce ( link). It's awe-inspiring! And yet, in many ways, we've abused these gifts.

I wondered, going past mile after mile of corn and soy, how the decision to grow cash crops, which deplete the soil and which require chemicals to thrive, is made by individual company executives, and individual farmers, who have concerns of their own. The decision to buy products made from these cash crops and support these companies are made by consumers - and they, too, have concerns of their own. Choices are often driven by our financial situation, our awareness, our belief systems, and ultimately, what is offered. What needs to happen within us as individuals to start making choices that benefit our earth and others? Conscious choices, as consumers, begin with being aware of the impact we have on others, on our immediate circle, on our local and global environment, and on our local and global brothers and sisters. It also requires us to help others by making beneficial choices accessible and affordable. In the end, that moment of decision is at the heart of our humanity, and at the heart of the work of Interfaith Power & Light. This work embraces urgent global issues, brings them into our churches, synagogues and temples, and ultimately to those who seek, through faith, to grow as human beings who make grateful and loving choices, day-by-day, moment-by-moment.

Holding a Cool Harvest Potluck is the perfect fit for faith communities that love food, and are also concerned about global warming.  RI IPL can help you plan and host your own Cool Harvest Potluck for friends, green team members, or for your entire congregation.  It's fun, it's easy, and it's a great way to address climate change. We can help you plan, publicize, and even recommend an appropriate movie to show afterwards.  Contact Kristen Ivy to learn more. Bon appétit!