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COLUMN: Renewable by 2035: ‘Living with respect in creation’

Reverend David Boyd on the Nelson United Church’s goal of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2035….
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Four faith communities in Nelson recently pledged to transition their electricity, heating, cooling, transportation and all other operations to renewable energy. The Star will be publishing a column by each of them, reflecting on this pledge. Today’s contributor is Reverend David Boyd of the Nelson United Church.

“It was the best of times; it was the worst times.” That describes our current situation with respect to climate justice today.

Charles Dickens began his novel A Tale of Two Cities by suggesting that life was full of hope, potential and change, but also recognized the human proclivity for domination and greed. Dickens’ novel is set at the beginning of the French Revolution.

We’re not experiencing an armed revolution, but a non-violent revolution is taking place. On many different fronts, and from many different communities, action is taking place to save the planet.

This has been a challenging spring in B.C. It’s been cold with lots of rain. There’s been flooding and slides. In recent times, there have been devastating forest fires and drought.

In B.C, the carbon tax has been stuck at $30 per tonne of carbon pollution. The Auditor General of Canada reported on May 16, 2017, that the fossil fuel subsidies have not yet been eliminated in Canada and thus we will not meet our 2009 G20 targets by 2025 as promised.

My hope, representing “the best of times,” is that grassroots people are not waiting for governments to set policy. At the grassroots level, we are doing our part and will drag our governments into policy change.

It takes every-day people within communities to make the necessary changes to save our planet, and to offer leadership.

Nelson United Church, as part of the Nelson Interfaith Climate Collaborative has embarked on a campaign to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy. St. Saviour’s Anglican Church, the Kootenay Shambhala Meditation Centre, and Yasodhara Ashram have committed to transition to renewable energy use by 2050; at Nelson United, we’re hoping to transition to renewable energy by 2035.

This means that our electricity, heating and cooling, transportation, and all facets of our communities of faith will be fossil-fuel free!

My belief is that I am part of the world around me. Creation is life and as creation goes, so life goes. I have a moral obligation to see myself within creation and thus to take action to ensure that all life is preserved as sacred. The spark of the Creator inhabits all that has life. As our United Church statement of belief says, “We live with respect in creation.”

The best of times is the hope that our City of Nelson will also embrace 100 per cent renewable use by 2050 at the latest.

My hope is that in this transition away from fossil fuels, we will create green jobs in our communities, that this green economy will be successful, and that our children and our children’s children will have a future that is vibrant and life-giving for all.