Five Unexpected Agitators on Climate Change...

In their latest issue, Audubon Magazine profiled "Five Unexpected Agitators on Climate Change". There's Henry Paulson, former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, a fellow Christian and leading climate scientist, Nick Mullins, a fourth generation coal miner, U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), and me, from Young Evangelicals for Climate Action (YECA).

Here's the link to the piece: http://climate.audubon.org/article/whos-worried-about-global-warming

I'm grateful to Audubon for including me on this list (pretty sure I wouldn't have included me). It's encouraging that they value what we're doing at YECA this much. It's also great that two of the five of us are recognized specifically for being motivated by our Christian faith to act on climate.  I just wish this wasn't "unexpected" enough that it qualifies Katharine and me for such a list. Climate action should be a normal part of our faithful discipleship and witness today. And step by step it's getting there. I look forward to the day when it doesn't come as a surprise to others that Christians care.

A couple other thoughts:

1) YECA is a team effort. I'm currently the spokesperson so it's my face in the article. But the reason we get noticed like this is because we have a great and growing team that God is empowering to do good work together. It's a joy and honor to work with such gifted fellow young evangelicals. (Side note: Audubon sent a big shot photographer for the photo-shoot and my friends and family have been ribbing me about it ever since. Now that they've seen the actual photo I don't think they'll ever let me live it down!)

2) The title of the article is "Who's Worried About Global Warming". Sure, we're concerned about global warming at YECA. But that's not why we're doing this... not because we're worried. What defines us are not our fears but our hopes. There's a much better way forward and we believe God is calling us to bear witness to that better world and do our part to bring it about. We're doing this because we're responding to God's call to love him, love each other, and care for this good but groaning world.