(Please note: This document is somewhat rough and far from comprehensive. It’s designed simply to stimulate some ideas for action.)

Assembled by Myra Armstrong and Jon Nimitz

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The Earth Holder community in our tradition has been formed to apply Thay’s deep teachings about falling in love with Mother Earth, mindful living, and compassionate action to the climate crisis in order to heal and transform individual, collective, and planetary suffering. Articles are available at earthholder.training including the Earth Peace Treaty Commitment Sheet, which lists many actions individuals can take to help the environment. The Earth Holder Community holds an online Sangha meeting the second Sunday of each month from 8:00-9:30 a.m. Pacific time. 

As you may know, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was started in 1988, to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation options. It provides detailed reports on the current state of climate science, measurements, predictions, and policy recommendations. These reports are available at ipcc.ch/reports.

The bestselling 2017 book Drawdown by Paul Hawken reviews the 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming. It is available both in print and audio form from the Albuquerque Public Library. 

“World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency” (Note: This may be one of the most important things you have ever read.) More than 11,000 scientists have signed this statement. They say: “We suggest six critical and interrelated steps (in no particular order) that governments, businesses, and the rest of humanity can take to lessen the worst effects of climate change.” These six steps include 

• quickly implementing massive energy efficiency and conservation practices and replacing fossil fuels with renewables
• reducing emissions of short-lived climate pollutants including methane, soot, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). 
• protecting and restoring earth’s ecosystems
• eating mostly plant-based foods
• limiting excessive extraction of materials and overexploitation of ecosystems to maintain long-term sustainability of the biosphere
• stabilizing the world population

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