One way to think about “To Save the Planet, Use Your Voice” is for us to simply look, in daily conversation or social settings, for opportunities to influence the people around us… be resourceful and courteous, but gently persistent.

Today, Pope Francis did this during U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s state visit to the Vatican.

The Pope gave, as a personal gift, a copy of his 2015 teaching postulating a moral obligation to fight climate change, the papal encyclical “Laudato Si:  On the Care of Our Common Home.”

Trump, according to this account from the New York Times, received the Pope’s book and other writings on peace graciously, promising to read them.  In return, he presented the Pope with a collection of works by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, and the two discussed the need to work for peace in the world.

Laudato Si is a key building block for global warming solutions advocacy, because it makes fighting the root causes of climate change a moral and faith obligation for the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, including 70 million living in the US.   The Pope’s encyclical is heavily framed by social justice advocacy, and its assertions are grounded in detailed footnotes linking to other Catholic moral teachings by earlier popes and other authors.

The environmental community welcomed his June 15, 2015 release of “Laudato Si” as tying together positions by most of the world’s major faiths, which have each formed and preached similar climate change positions of their own in recent years.

However, with the release this week of Trump’s proposed U.S. budget cutting environmental and social justice spending the most steeply of any recent presidency, it is an open question whether the Pope’s personal gift or advocacy from others in the faith community will soften harsh Administration stances.

Tomorrow, Trump meets with new French President Emmanuel Macron, who is expected to ask him to not keep his threats to withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate agreements.

To save the planet, sell, sell, sell…

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Not sure where to start saving the planet (civilization, really)?  Our Thesis is: “Start by deeply knowing your three personal Superpowers: ” 

1) To save the planet, CHANGE YOURSELF FIRST;

2) To save the planet, INVEST YOUR WORKING LIFE;

3) To save the planet, USE YOUR VOICE and take advocacy seriously!  Never miss a vote and never, ever stop influencing your government and all businesses locally, at the state level, and at the national level.  

It falls upon you to lead the way with substantive global warming solutions.

And in all cases and at all times, cast aside the learned-helplessness that infects so much of modern life… the time is now for climate change solutions.  No one else is going to do your part for you… never give up.

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