I recently started reading "The Heat Will Kill You First" by Jeff Goodell, which delves into the extreme ways our planet is already changing. The book explores how spring is arriving earlier and fall is arriving later and how this will impact our food supply and disease outbreaks. As I have stated in my Action Alert: EPA’s Carbon Rule, the time to act is now.
Summer of Global Boiling Arrives
The Time to Take Action is Now!
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 28 seconds
I tied my walking shoes and felt the warmth outside my window. Although the extreme weather forecast wasn’t due for another five hours, the heat was already seeping through the glass. Despite the temptation to skip my walk, I grabbed my Shakespeare Theater Hat and headed out the door.
The first half mile felt warmer than usual, but it wasn’t unbearable. The hot, damp breeze was always in front of me, no matter which way I turned. Though, I knew the air would feel like a sauna if I walked all day. However, at 6 am, it was too early for that kind of heat.
When my Apple Watch announced that I had reached halfway to my minimum distance goal of four miles, I accepted that completing my rings would be the only achievement of the day. “Have a nice day, and stay cool,” I said with enough force to cut through the thick air.
As I finished the final ring, I made a mental note to take the quickest path back home. It wasn’t until then that I realized my thighs were throbbing with pain. I never had any muscle soreness after my regular walks, so I was perplexed. It suddenly dawned on me that I had been walking against a strong tide in an estuary, requiring extra effort to keep myself from being carried out to sea.
Standing in the shower, with cold water flushing away the sweat, I remembered a heatwave in 1980. I worked at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in Brooklyn, across from Medgar Evers College. One day, while crossing a street where the asphalt was beginning to melt, I asked Fr. Nick, a retired Jesuit priest, what he thought of the heat. Instead of our usual lighthearted conversation, he responded, “What do you expect? It’s summer.”
We live in the summer of global boiling! It is a pivotal time for our planet. The extreme heat waves indicate the urgent need for action against human-induced climate change. With over 2,000 high-temperature records shattered in just a month, July is on track to become the hottest month ever recorded. We must come together and take action now. The EPA is accepting feedback on its regulation to limit carbon pollution. Let us unite and make our voices heard by submitting comments to the EPA about the pollution levels in our air, water, and soil. Our collective efforts can make a significant impact on our planet’s future.
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Action Alert: EPA’s Carbon Rule
I recently attended the Power for Purpose Climate Justice event hosted by Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel and would like to share the materials and action steps. Recent reports indicate that our planet is rapidly changing, and July 3rd marked the hottest day ever recorded on Earth. I feel a sense of urgency to encourage others to take action with me. Please join me in submitting comments to the EPA about our concerns regarding pollution levels in our air, water, and soil.
Submit Comments on EPA's Carbon Rule
The Time to Take Action is Now!
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 28 secondsPlease join me in submitting comments to the EPA about our concerns regarding pollution levels in our air, water, and soil.
You can even personalize your message by sharing a personal story that can help show the White House why firm limits on climate pollution are necessary. Everyone can participate, including businesses, public leaders, community organizations, and students.
Please submit your comments today, and we also encourage you to share this valuable information with others and urge them to do the same.
- If you’re a Reform Jew like me, please use this link:
- If you’re a member of the clergy, please use this link:
- If you belong to another faith or don’t belong to a faith community, please use this link:
- Materials from the Purpose Climate Justice event are available at this link.
