The President of the Earth Day Network speaks of the importance of the Day, for all members of society, and about how a true education on the matter could help to bring people out of poverty and into a green economy.
By Francesca Merlo
VATICAN CITY — Earth Day, celebrated annually on 22 April by billions of people all over the world, is both an entry point into the environmental movement and a validating point for those that spend their Earth Day, (or Week or Month) working on environmental issues.
Speaking to Vatican News, Kathleen Rogers, President of the Earth Day Network, highlights that for these (and other) reasons, their organisation is an “everyday” one.
A Day for all
From lessons on the environment to community events, protests and petition writing, Earth Day forms a special time in people’s lives. Those involved range from children in schools to mayors of towns and cities, and, as we know from Pope Francis’ consistent call, to world leaders, all involved daily in the struggle to protect and care for our common home.
“So, it really is for everyone,” says Ms Roberts, adding that the importance of the Day is precisely the beauty of being able to join a much bigger thing than yourself.
Pope Francis’ involvement
Pope Francis has dedicated a huge amount of his pontificate to raising awareness regards the need to take action against the climate crisis and, with his encyclical, Laudato si’, which has been read and studied by Catholics, and non, worldwide, Kathleen Rogers stresses the massive contribution he has made, as the leader of the Catholic Church, to the climate movement.
His contribution has been immeasurable, says Kathleen Rogers, noting that although Jorge Mario Bergoglio cared about the planet long before his election to the See of Peter, “once he was elevated to this important position, the entire world began to take notice”.
“He doesn’t just have the policy or the interests. He has the immeasurable opportunity to influence people, and for the close to 1.5 billion Catholics in the world, what he says and how he acts and lives, has a message that’s much more important than any global leader on the planet, and it has been this way since he became Pope”, says Kathleen Rogers.
The power to spread
When speaking of the difference between Catholic environmentalism and secular environmental activism, Kathleen Rogers points out that the goal of Earth Day is to “reach everybody else”.
She explains that “we’re not focused on the environmental community or the deep green living people”. Instead, the goal is to “really engage those communities that have themselves the power to reach more people”.
The mission
Catholics have influence because of the religion itself. “It’s a powerful religion that talks about community values, about loving one’s neighbour”, and this human message has influence beyond just those members of the Catholic Church, “it always has”, she stresses.
For this reason, Ms Rogers continues, we are particularly grateful to this Pope and to Catholics everywhere who are involved in the movement “because they carry that message both as a moral platform and as a ‘doing’ platform”.
The key is to educate
Kathleen Rogers stresses the importance of Earth Day as an opportunity to educate. She notes that if you look at all the environmental groups in the world, “almost no one has an education department”.
Thanks to Pope Francis, she continues, climate education has become not just important as in to teach the science, “but more to teach about hope and about becoming engaged and profiting from innovation, invention and entrepreneurism”.
In this regard, she explains that the green economy, just like what the Industrial Revolution did, “is about to flip everything on its head and change everything” – “except this is much bigger than the Industrial Revolution”, she continues, “because it includes all energy”.
“This is the lesson: whatever the lesson be, it must allow the global south and other poor countries to really enjoy and benefit from Earth Day, as we strive for them to become healthy as a result of the growing green economy in their country”.
This, Kathleen Rogers stresses, can only happen if their populations are educated and ready to get involved in business, in government leadership, in civil society, in churches and in faith groups.
