EARTHKEEPING NEWS A NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COALITION FOR CHRISTIANITY AND ECOLOGY Volume Ten, Number Two January/February 2001 CALL TO ACTION: Sleepers Awake! Protect Environmental Protection According to a recent polling, the percentage of Americans who considered the presidential candidates' positions on the environment as "extremely important" was 26%, just above Foreign Affairs (17%), and Campaign Finance Reform (14%) at the bottom of the list. We have become complacent. President George W. Bush has made his position clear. He: Opposes recent national monument designations made by the Clinton administration and may try to rescind them. Supports increased logging on national forests. Opposes the national forest roadless protection initiative. Supports drilling for oil in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska Supports turning environmental regulatory authority over to state and local governments Supports market-based incentives to encourage environmental responsibility. Opposes the removal of dams on the Snake River that harm salmon Opposes the Kyoto Protocol to combat global warming.1 The few national environmental protection laws and regulations that are in place are in danger of being ignored or rescinded. We, as people of faith, are called to express that faith in increased contacts with our congressional representatives; to build a wall of passionate protest and conviction against further degradation of Earth, our home. What to do? More effective than a phone call or email is a brief letter to your Congressperson, and Senators, thanking them for their good work and asking them to legislate on issues about which you are concerned — or outraged. Or, go to Washington. The Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation (RCFC) will be in Washington, February 4-7, 2001, to visit key legislators in the 107th Congress and help each understand why religion is concerned about creation care. They also want the new Administration to know that the entire spectrum of religious groups in America is lined up for strong environmental protection as a non-negotiable priority. You are welcome to join them. Contact: The Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation, 409 Mendocino Ave., Suite A, Santa Rosa, CA 95401; 707)573-3161 or 573-3162; fred@ecostewards.org. 1 From Forest Magazine, Nov./Dec. 2000, published by Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, PO Box 11646, Eugene OR 97440; 541/ 484-3170. Home     Table of Contents