Whilst 2018 was another record year for tourism in LA, it was, sadly, also another record year for ozone pollution. The temperature hit 111 degrees at UCLA in July 2018 (a new record high). And LA retains its record as the smoggiest city in the US.
Human caused climate change is behind this strange weather pattern as carbon dioxide released from fossil fuels insulates the earth and prevents natural cooling. The excessive heat also powers a much stronger water cycle, with more water evaporating from the oceans and being dropped on land. This means that some parts of the US are experiencing excessive heat, and some are experiencing record storms and rainfall and some are experiencing both!
So, what’s the solution?
Well, part of the solution is making people aware. And that’s just what LA’s religious seminaries are doing. Fuller, the largest Evangelical seminary in the US, is teaching future religious leaders in sustainability and how to preach environmental awareness with a course on “Creation Care and Sabbath Economics”. The Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies is teaching science and religion with a focus on Creation and the natural world.
Training religious leaders who will inspire their communities, in the future, with the importance of living a life that respects the world and climate, is an important step towards solving the climate crisis.
We are grateful for their initiative!
