National Advocacy Center
  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Staff & Advisory Board
    • Partners
    • Good Shepherd Sisters
    • Of Note News >
      • Of Note Archives 2022
      • Of Note Archives 2021
      • Of Note Archives 2020
      • Of Note Archives 2019
      • Of Note Archives 2018
      • Of Note Archives 2017
      • Of Note Archives 2016
      • Of Note Archives 2015
    • Contact
  • Act for Justice
    • Road to Justice
    • Human Trafficking Conference >
      • HT Packet & Digital Toolkit
    • Giving
    • Outreach
  • Issues
    • Central America
    • Economic Justice
    • End Racism
    • Human Trafficking >
      • Know the Signs
      • Trafficking Resources
    • Immigration & Refugees
    • Muslim Relations
    • Women & Children
  • Resources
    • Advocacy Tools
    • Analysis for Action
    • Poetry Library

Earth Day and the Better Angels of Our Nature

4/22/2019

0 Comments

 
PictureBill Anders, NASA, Apollo 8, December 24, 1968
To become active in a worthy cause most people need two things: knowledge and motivation. The knowledge connected to the environmental cause has a deep and rich history that extends into the ancient world, but recent growth in the knowledge transformed it from theoretical and abstract to practical and concrete. A major transformational element was the widespread publication of the famous “earth rise” photograph that revealed for many, including the author, that Earth was beautiful but fragile, seemingly suspended in an infinitely dark and hostile sky.








​
​


That photograph, a singular piece of knowledge, generated remarkable and enduring efforts to protect the planet. We share in that effort today.

Motivations to protect the planet derive from many sources, secular and religious. One need not be religious to be motivated by self-preservation. Impure water and polluted air obviously harm life, all life. Protecting oneself, family, friends, and community are motivation enough for many to become active in efforts such as joining or supporting environmental organizations, writing letters to the editor, lobbying political officials at all levels of government, and participating in protests. Beyond organizational or mass efforts, there are also individual actions that can be taken.

Individual actions are large in number and diverse in character. A simple google search discloses thousands. Many revolve upon the three “Rs” – reduce, reuse, recycle – that are low-cost but effective means to reduce one’s impact on the planet.  For “Earth Day,” individual and public actions abound. A glance at the website “
earthday.org” generates seemingly endless ways to participate. We can plant a tree, read an environmental book, even adopt a hummingbird to help protect a single life. We can reduce consumption of Earth’s resources and preserve resources through reuse and recycling. We can assist with the education of the next generation. Every action is meaningful. Furthermore, we can express our concerns to politicians and government officials who seek to weaken or destroy environmental protections or fail to respond to climate change. We can and should become activists who advocate for ourselves, family, community, and generations yet unborn.

​Yet, indeed, there are major reasons to actively pursue efforts to protect the earth beyond self-preservation and secular ones. There is a moral obligation. The earth was not created for humans to ruin through ignorance, indifference, and greed. The primary concept is that of “stewardship” or the idea that each generation is morally responsible to protect the earth for each succeeding generation. A sculptural artwork at the Metropolitan Museum of Art makes that point to the observer.  God, holding the earth and protecting it, is assisted by an angel.

Earth Day activities are valuable, not just for the day of occurrence. They endure because of their educational value. Eventually, every day will be “Earth Day” for many. That number will grow as knowledge that sustains activism continues to expand and deepen our understanding about earth, life on it, and perils to that life such as pollution and climate change. In the meantime, if the knowledge seems insufficient to get us involved for some reason, remember that there is a “better angel” to be invoked within ourselves, an angel tasked by God to be a steward of the earth and all of God’s creation.
Picture
“God the Father” – pine relief painted white. Follower of Ignaz Gȕnther, ca 1770-80. Photograph: author, April 14, 2019.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    John "Jack" Lawlor, Jr., is Professor of History Emeritus at Reading (PA) Area Community College. He firmly believes all people have an obligation to be good stewards of the earth, hand down a healthy planet to the next generation, and prepare them to do the same.


    RSS Feed

    From the Sisters....

    Good Shepherd priorities are outlined in a series of Position Papers that have their source in the spirituality, vision, mission, and heritage of the Congregation .  Read or print the 2018 Position Paper on the Integral Ecology by clicking here.  To read or print the complete series, click here.  ​For more background on the Good Shepherd 2018 Position Papers and to access them in Spanish, French or English, visit this site.
    Want more? Sign up for updates, resources, action alerts. Rise Up & Act for Justice.
    Sign Up

    Archives

    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    August 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019

    Categories

    All

NAC Quick Links

Ways to Act

Reach out to your elected officials and others on important policy decisions impacting the common good.
Act for Justice

Stay Informed

​Our email network alerts you to legislative news and directly connects you with lawmakers.
Sign Up

Advocacy Tools

Learn how to personally advocate for change and access other advocacy resources.
Access Tools

Our Issues

We advocate for laws that benefit the marginalized, especially families, women and children.  
Learn More

Contact

National Advocacy Center
of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd

504 Hexton Hill Road
​Silver Spring, MD  20904

Phone 301.622.6838 | Fax 301.384.1025
E-mail us
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Website design adapted and modified by Perisphere Media.