Eco-Justice Connection

An initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches

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Ren Martin, Eco-Justice Connection Program Coordinator

Finding Hope in a Time of Planetary Crisis and Political Decline

By Ren Martin, Eco-Justice Connection Program Coordinator

On a beautiful Saturday morning during Earth Month, dozens of advocates convened at Binkley Memorial Baptist Church for a Forum on Religion, Ethics, and Ecology. Eco-Justice Connection staff, Susannah Tuttle […]

Finding Hope in a Time of Planetary Crisis and Political Decline

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On a beautiful Saturday morning during Earth Month, dozens of advocates convened at Binkley Memorial Baptist Church for a Forum on Religion, Ethics, and Ecology. Eco-Justice Connection staff, Susannah Tuttle and Ren Martin, facilitated a discussion on some of the most pressing issues of our time: environmental justice and democracy. Among the panelists of the event were environmental justice leaders Karenna Gore, William Barber III, and Herman Greene. As the day went on, several themes emerged: human isolation, apathy toward environmental destruction, and the importance of connecting to nature. At the end of the event, I shared a poem created from the themes and my reflections of the day:

We are a part, not apart from the earth. This beautiful world that gave birth to us all. We are not alone… Nor can we be, when you address the reality that the few who are in power refuse to see: We are working in silos, being raised like cattle to the slaughter. Corporations see how unlikely it is for us to succeed in stopping their own greed in time for our children to have a life. A life worth living. For the earth to keep breathing. What is this sinking feeling? As the ocean rises, island nations disappear. As our lakes and rivers deplete, Indigenous communities, Black and brown communities scream, “We are here!” How do we stop this feeling from consuming us? As the air chokes our lungs, how can we afford to take a breather from the climate crisis? Black and brown communities are stuck living this reality every day. There must be some other way to make this whole broken system okay. 

In my heart, and possibly, my childish nativity, I deeply believe love and faith will lead the way!

Not geoengineering, but human ingenuity. Not isolation, but beloved community. We must look at the past, not to recreate disparity, but to provide context, respect, and familiarity to what our ancestors fought for… Not the colonization that continues to this day, but the ways in which we’ll return to the earth. An eco-conscious rebirth of indigenous practices, African ancestral masses, and the magic we have left behind in our roots in fear of being killed. Framed in this witch hunt of which hurt will prove to be the most effective in controlling the masses.

The world is turned upside down, and we are lost at sea. Adrift, fighting against the currents of colonial powers erasing our identities. This is our passage. The time is now. Let us part the seas, break free from materialistic debt and wage slavery. We must reclaim our beloved community. Let us love one another. Not “other” your sisters, siblings, and brothers. Create grassroots powers founded on spirituality and the oneness of earth. This place of rebirth… We are a part, not apart of the movement to create our heaven, right here on earth. Let us honor our one existence for all it’s worth.

The conversations at this convening of advocates, community members, and faith leaders will forever stay in my heart and mind. Going to events like this–embodying a beloved community with people who care enough to wake up at 8 AM on a Saturday morning–that’s what gives me hope during a time of planetary crisis and political decline.

We March to End Fossil Fuels

By Ren Martin, Eco-Justice Connection Program Coordinator

The energy in the air on Sunday, September 17th, was palpable. That weekend, I joined the March to End Fossil Fuels.  North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light was one of […]

We March to End Fossil Fuels

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The energy in the air on Sunday, September 17th, was palpable. That weekend, I joined the March to End Fossil Fuels. 

North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light was one of the sponsors that empowered over 55 Duke University students to attend this historic event. After driving up with the students, we were met with over 75,000 people who marched alongside us down the streets of New York City.

As a young climate activist working at the intersections of faith, energy, and environmental justice, I knew I needed to contribute where I could: I volunteered as marshal, guiding many more than the expected 4,000 people inside the youth section of the march. I acted as a concerned citizen, seeking a better future for frontline communities, younger generations, and people of faith and conscience. I marched to end Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate, the Willow Project, and the climate crisis that’s perpetuating Canadian wildfires, filling the air from where we stood with toxic fumes. I marched to have President Biden listen to the people he has sworn to serve… We marched to end the era of fossil fuels.

Our demands were simple:

  1. President Biden should declare a climate emergency.
  2. Stop all federal approvals for new fossil fuel projects.
  3. We must phase out production of fossil fuels on federal public lands.
  4. We need to create a just transition with a clean energy future.

The sheer magnitude of the climate crisis sends shockwaves through our natural systems. 

We have fought the sinking reality of our situation, like a dying man in quicksand, as we increasingly begin to feel its effects in our communities each passing day. This is why we march. I kindly urge President Biden to take the actions needed to properly prepare for the climate emergency. It’s time for the United States to take more responsibility. We can no longer sit in silence and shroud ourselves in ignorance, as hurricanes and heatwaves devastate our nation.

On Sunday, it is likely over a million people witnessed or participated in this demonstration. This will serve as the catalyst for the change we so desperately need. Moreover, it didn’t end with just the demonstration. When the march was over, a congregation of people had gathered from all over the country. We were greeted with some of the most powerful voices in our lifetimes: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, United Nations representative Vanessa Nakate, and North Carolina’s very own Amber and Danger with Seven Directions of Service. Each speaker touched on the urgency of now and the insanity of the situation we have put ourselves in. The climate crisis is not something we can ignore. Frontline communities know that, young people know that, and as we marched on one of the high holy days of the year, Rosh Hashanah, so too do people of faith and conscience. 

The urgency to end fossil fuels is felt everywhere, and this weekend, tens of thousands of people were there to prove it.

Energy Bills are Increasing while Duke’s Climate Progress is Stagnant

By Ren Martin, Eco-Justice Connection Program Coordinator

At the Lumberton rate hike hearing, I had the honor of attending and giving testimony alongside the community members of Robeson County. I heard the pain in people’s voices as […]

Energy Bills are Increasing while Duke’s Climate Progress is Stagnant

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At the Lumberton rate hike hearing, I had the honor of attending and giving testimony alongside the community members of Robeson County. I heard the pain in people’s voices as they spoke out about their bills rising essentially three times the price they had paid in the past. Many had lost faith in the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) but had not lost hope… As one woman testifying declared, “I call on God to get what I need, because when I call on y’all, I don’t get it!”

For those who haven’t heard, Duke Energy is attempting to raise our electric bills. After essentially being given free rein to write the N.C. Carbon Plan, which I’ve written about before, the North Carolina Utilities Commission is now considering an increase of nearly 17% on top of what we already pay for our energy rate prices. I mention the Carbon Plan because part of Duke’s excuse for raising our rates is due to the changes they will be implementing while enacting their proposed plan.

This is why I attended a rally with other climate justice activists, clergy members, community organizers, and concerned citizens. Before we walked into the building, we came together in prayer. In that moment–standing hand in hand with nearly 50 people–I could feel an immense energy of love, stress, and hope from those around me. This gave me the courage to deliver my testimony to the utilities commission, in front of a room of close to 100 community members, NCUC commissioners, and Duke representatives:

Around this time last year, I had just recently graduated college. Thrust into a world full of bills, work, and self-reliance… A few months ago, I had to start paying back my private student loans by myself. Upwards of a thousand dollars a month. I say all this to drive home the point: We are drowning this country’s youth in debt. We are driving minorities into poverty, and we are killing our Earth as we do it. We cannot afford an increase in our electric bills. I cannot afford an increase in my electric bills.

When prices rise, marginalized communities suffer the most. People of color 

who have historically been used, abused, and kept from creating generational wealth will now have yet another obstacle in our way toward achieving stability. 

The NC Utilities Commission must see what’s happening here is unjust. It’s not just about energy prices… It’s about people’s well-being during the climate crisis. It’s about the ability for people to live dignified lives without feeling the pains of energy burden. Yet when confronted with the truth, that solar and wind energy IS cheaper and cleaner than fossil fuels, energy companies cheapen our lives to whatever works for them even if it kills us. Please consider the plea of a poor college graduate, before you toss us all off the deep end.

I couldn’t help but break down in tears as I heard the stories of families struggling with their energy bills. Folks living on fixed incomes, food stamps, and survivors of multiple floods. A clergy member who was once an educator pleaded for the Utilities Commission to listen: “We have kids who don’t even have the resources to go to school… Give us a break; Robinson County needs a break.”

Duke claims the rates are rising to improve power outage resiliency and to build a clean energy future. They say this while planning to create more new gas lines–exacerbating the climate crisis. For the people of Robeson County, who spoke of intense flooding devastating their families and homes, the climate crisis is real, and so is the energy burden they are already feeling. If Duke Energy is to ever be held accountable for its actions, we must come out in full force and show the N.C. Utilities Commission that we need to change our broken system.

For those who could not attend an in-person hearing, I urge you to sign up for the virtual hearing to be held in April. Click here to sign up, before registration ends on April 13th! Looking for more actions to take? Join people of faith across the United States for a civic call to climate action.

To learn more and take action, check out the resources below:

The Importance of Community and Climate Week NYC

By Ren Martin, Eco-Justice Connection Program Coordinator

Once a year, environmental leaders from around the United States and around the world come together to meet in New York City. On my first big solo trip as an […]

The Importance of Community and Climate Week NYC

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Once a year, environmental leaders from around the United States and around the world come together to meet in New York City. On my first big solo trip as an organizer, I too was blessed with the opportunity to attend, representing the North Carolina Council of Churches. My main aspiration was to connect with other environmental justice advocates and learn about the work others are doing in their own communities.

Being there in the space of organizers, I felt energized to continue on in the work of advocacy, mobilized to use my own voice to speak to the masses, and uplifted in my understanding of Eco-Justice and in my confidence that the role that we play is critical. However, another idea was also reinforced: we cannot do this work alone, for our job is only part of a much larger picture.

At the end of the day, all it really comes down to is people. People coming together to form communities, which can create collaborations, which can create coalitions. Energizing that movement is what keeps us together and growing strong, and that is where I personally would like to come into play. 

Through my art, my words, and my actions, I feel called to breathe life into the people around me, especially those whose lives have been disproportionately affected, targeted, and overwhelmed by systematic oppression. People who oftentimes look like me. 

In NYC, I had the great fortune of going to the Black Climate Leadership Summit, where I was able to engage in a space that was not only informing, but inviting, and invigorating in itself. It reminded me that we need to create spaces where Black passion can grow, flow, and be unapologetically free.

I was also reminded that environmental justice was born from the idea that we should all be free to live a life free of toxins and pollutants. That people of color shouldn’t have to suffer injustices at the hands of those with wealth and power (which often go hand in hand). 

Instead of living in a toxic environment that makes thriving impossible, we are called to create a system of our own that will be conducive towards growth, change, and transformation. This is what Climate Week NYC was for me. A space where I was able to step away from the normal pace of life and focus on what matters. To be able to connect and create a sense of community. THAT is environmental justice. Not forgetting that we can never be free until ALL the people are free. 

While we have a long way to go on our journey towards creating the climate future we want to see, for the first time in a while, I was able to feel a powerful presence wash over me—to get a glimpse of the light.

The Earth is our home

It ebbs and flows
Through the seas and the trees, 
the Earth actually breathes.
The mycelium network of mushrooms 
Connects our forests to one other
They provide for each other
Like the cells in our veins
They carry nutrients & warnings of the pain
We have afflicted onto our common home.
We are not only hurting a single tree or bird,
We’re destroying a network of love
The screams left unheard.

Let our faith guide us towards a new path
Lest we face climate devastation & Gaia’s wrath.
When we care for creation, we care for ourselves
If our body is our temple
The Earth is our village, our protective shell
From the ocean of the unknown 
This is where we were raised and where we have
grown up for generations.

All of our nations
were started started around a river, an ocean, a lake.
A fertile crescent of hope 
Where we could eat, rest, and wake
That’s what we have to lose and what’s at stake
This beautiful world the Lord has created and makes.

We lost the garden of Eden in a single day
But we are losing inches of the Earth in new ways,
every month, every year, every decade 
By 2050 it is projected there may be no more coral reefs
By 2050 there could be no relief for island
nations that could’ve been protected, 
because so many of them will already be affected and underwater.

Think of your daughters, your sons, your
children who have grown up in a world that
could’ve been powered by wind & sun
But is instead run on hatred, greed, and fossil fuels
The rich and powerful sit behind closed doors
Delegating death sentences for the poor,
for minorities, people of color
At the end of the day all we have is each other.
Jesus and Martin Luther King Jr both wanted us to love thy neighbors
To unite with our sisters, siblings, & brothers
Let us rise up! Bring hope and faith to the world
to know that nature cannot be ignored
That the people cannot be ignored
That those most impacted by climate 
DESERVE. TO. LIVE.
and not only to survive, but thrive!

Let us live in a world where the voices of Black
and brown communities no longer hide
Where indigenous peoples are not pushed out,
but can live and lead with pride.

We all deserve to breath clean air
Let us come together in prayer… 

Dear lord, I understand now 
We cannot care for creation without action
Without knowing, acknowledging, and feeling
compassion for the history we share
Some of us have had our past, present, and
futures irreparably broken
But there are still things we can do to try
and repair our relationship with one another
To LOVE thy sister, sibling, and brother.
Lord, give us the strength to carry on
The wisdom to hear the Earth’s quiet songs
The power to confront and right so many wrongs
And the compassion to be there with those
whose homes, friends, and families are gone.

Oh lord, may you provide living waters
In a world where rivers & lakes are drying out as oceans rise.
Where island nations are being wiped out by rising tides.

At the end of the day, 
After you have thought, after you pray
Remember there’s still actions and words left to say.
Through connecting our communities like the fungi and trees, 
Let us all stay together in unity!
Let us not stray from our goals
But reenforce our roles
Where we can take collective action 
To enrich the Earth and our souls.
Amen.

The North Carolina Carbon Plan

By Ren Martin, Eco-Justice Connection Program Coordinator

In the past few months, for better or for worse, the climate crisis has come to the forefront of the conversation. The Senate recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which […]

The North Carolina Carbon Plan

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In the past few months, for better or for worse, the climate crisis has come to the forefront of the conversation. The Senate recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which could potentially have major impacts on national policy and funding around climate resiliency. Additionally, the West Virginia v EPA United State Supreme Court decision was released just last month, stripping away needed regulations to limit pollution and protect public health. 

There is also a particular environmental policy discussion closer to home that could significantly affect our ability to regulate pollution. Here in North Carolina, we are in the midst of yet another momentous decision on climate: the N.C. carbon plan. Last year, North Carolina passed a historic piece of legislation that seeks to respond to climate change by reducing carbon emissions. This energy bill, known as HB 951, calls for carbon emissions to be reduced by seventy percent by 2030, and to net zero emissions by 2050.

Duke Energy, the energy provider for our state, has been given free rein by the utility commission to write the first iteration of potential plans. In preparation for creating the final version of the carbon plan, four public hearings have been held to gather community testimony and opinion. During these meetings, the commission overwhelmingly received public testimony in favor of a more robust carbon plan. Several environmental nonprofits–including members of our very own Eco-Justice Connection (EJC) program–were present to give testimony. 

Although many have spoken out at the hearings, there is still more public outreach work and engagement that needs to be done. This is one of many reasons why the North Carolina Council of Churches has become an official intervener in this planning process. Through our collective voice, we aim to have the utility commission incorporate community input with low-income ratepayers, focus on investments in renewables and energy security, and decrease energy burden. As a commitment to community engagement, our staff has been present during each hearing to listen to the voices of North Carolinians. Environmental organizations across the state not only participated in the hearings but have been driven to action. Right before the last in-person hearing in Charlotte, our EJC staff worked in collaboration with other nonprofits to organize a rally, where Ren Martin spoke during the press conference. Multiple environmental organizations have also come together to form collaboratives intended to provide the public with information on the carbon plan, and why Duke Energy’s plan is lacking.

In short, we are at a pivotal moment in history. If the utility commission were to create an ambitious carbon plan, North Carolina could be at the forefront of clean energy in the United States and set a standard that other states could follow. However, Duke Energy’s proposed plans leave much to be desired. Their plan contains no mention of environmental justice nor the real costs that climate change has had on our most vulnerable community members. This cannot stand. Corporations who benefit from the current status quo must not be allowed to control the narrative around climate progress, for the consequences of our inaction grow larger day by day. As the deadlines for major environmental decisions loom before us, we must come together as people of faith to lift up the voices of those most impacted by the climate crisis. 

Come this December, the utility commission is expected to vote on a finalized version of the carbon plan. There are still actions you can take to have your voice heard! Although the in-person hearings are over, on August 23rd there will be two virtual hearings. If you wish to testify, you should register before 5 p.m. on August 16, by emailing the Commission at ncucpublichearing@ncuc.net or by calling 919-733-0837. Learn more about how to attend this hearing by clicking here. If you cannot attend the hearing or you wish to participate in another way, written comments can also be submitted at the NCUC website.

If you would like to advocate and learn more about the Carbon Plan, check out the resources below: