Published on April 21, 2020 by Sharon Horvath
For many of us during the current Covid-19 shutdown, the world has become a smaller, simpler place. With fewer events on our calendars, we are rediscovering family time, time spent outside, and the importance of community. The abrupt closing of businesses and schools has led to fewer cars on the road and less air travel, with a resulting marked improvement in air quality. This change, although temporary, offers a tantalizing glimpse into a future where transportation is not powered by fossil fuels.
It has been 50 years since the first Earth Day. The United States has made vast improvements in air and water quality since then. Scientists tell us that the choices we make in the next decade will determine the quality of human life 50 years from now. The pandemic shutdown has made us pause at the crossroads. How will this forced shutdown affect our priorities? How will we value family time, community, and the role of science in policy decisions?
People of faith from every major faith tradition are called to be stewards of the Earth, to care for and protect this world and its inhabitants, and to choose the path toward a sustainable future. Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light exemplifies one way that Indiana faith communities are responding to the call to care for creation. Read more here
