I’m resuming my writing on the blog after noticing an interesting coincidence this week. Around the same time the month of Ramadan started for Muslims, we have also seen an unprecedented worldwide call for action by Pope Francis on climate change issues.
Photo: by Steve Evans under a Creative Commons license on Flickr
Ramadan on one hand marks the start of the holy month for Muslims that is not merely about fasting. It is a spiritual month where prayers gain further importance and positive attitudes (including good deeds to those in need) are more common, while bonds within the communities are strengthened in a mentally peaceful manner. It is often refereed to as a harmonious spiritual detox period of the year.
At the same time the holy month started for Muslims, Pope Francis gave an inspiring call for action to every human being on this planet (via an extensive 184 page document) regarding the threatening consequences of climate change across the globe. Some of his written statements include the following.
“Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, solcial, political and for the distribution of the goods. It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day.”
“The basic idea is, in order to love God, you have to love your fellow human beings, and you have to love and care for the rest of creation” – written by Pope Francis
Photo: by Dan Lacey under a creative commons license on Flickr
He mostly blames the burning of fossil fuels and human activity such as consumerism, irresponsible development, lack of concern, reckless pursuit of profits and political shortsightedness. However, over the last few years and after experiencing clear evidence from several natural disasters, governments and public officials seem to start prioritizing climate change measures (although of course not enough has been done yet).
My question is whether this could be the starting point towards a lift in human consciousness, from public officials to corporations and citizens, regarding climate change and environmental sustainability. I feel we are all responsible (in some way or another) for this situation and we could always contribute a bit further to achieve a more sustainable lifestyle. For instance, we could all start by recycling more, walking, using public transport or biking instead of driving a car and buy more season food products. Nevertheless, the sustainable impact of collaborative consumption was one of the key drivers towards starting this blog 3 years back.
At the end, Pope Francis does leave some room for future hope.
“Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good, and making a new start.” – written by Pope Francis
I just wish it’s not too late and that his call for action marks a significant turning point towards fighting global warming, where the collaborative economy would definitely play an important role.
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