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Class 6: What Can I Do?

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1: DEVELOPING A COMMON LANGUAGE

Climate Change Mitigation looks at ways to avoid and reduce emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere to prevent the planet from warming to more extreme temperatures. (World Wildlife Fund)

Climate Change Adaptation means altering our behavior, systems, and in some cases ways of life, to protect our families, our economies and the environment in which we live from the impacts of climate change. (World Wildlife Fund)

Renewable energy is energy that comes from naturally replenished resources, such as sunlight, wind, waves, and geothermal heat. By the end of 2014, renewables were estimated to make up almost 28% of the world’s power generating capacity, enough to supply almost 23% of global electricity. Because renewables don’t produce the greenhouse gases driving climate change, shifting away from fossil fuels to renewables to power our lives will put us on the path to a safe, sustainable planet for future generations. (The Climate Reality Project)

Sustainability is defined as avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. (Oxford Languages) A sustainable lifestyle is one that attempts to live in harmony with the earth and protect the planet for future generations.

Carbon Neutral means no net release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere; reduce what you can and offset the rest so the net increase is 0**. Net Zero** and Carbon 0 are often used interchangeably with carbon neutral, although Carbon 0 technically means no greenhouse gases are produced in the process in question.

Drawdown is the point at which we are decreasing rather than increasing the overall greenhouse gases being added to our atmosphere.

As a reminder of how we know this is a problem we need to work on together, let’s view this short video:

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2: POSSIBILITIES FOR MITIGATION

Efficiency:

Being efficient with our use of power (and water) is a first step, for example, turning off lights, unplugging technology not in use, turning down the heat at night, turning off vehicles while waiting in line, etc. Also improving our home insulation and windows will often decrease energy use.

Electrify Everything Now:

“Saul Griffith and his team at Rewiring America mapped the entire U.S. energy system and found that the most effective way to solve climate change begins in our homes. The best part? Every household in the U.S. will save thousands of dollars per year by powering their homes with clean energy.” Taken from their website:

https://www.rewiringamerica.org⁠

Watch Saul’s short video here:

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Saul says that 40% of mitigation decisions are made around our kitchen tables!

Many groups are encouraging the electrification of our transportation, our homes and buildings, and our electric supply. Please watch the two short videos below to get a fuller picture of how this might help with mitigation.

Electrify your ride

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What is community solar

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3: POSSIBILITIES FOR ADAPTATION

Cultural Change: Adaptation typically requires change. Will we just find new sources of renewable energy that will enable us to continue to live just as we are now? Or will we take this opportunity to make changes that can improve life for ourselves, others, the Earth and all her inhabitants? This last 100 years plus of history has been called by some the age of exuberance, suggesting we have lived beyond what the world can accommodate.

Mental Health Considerations:

How do we manage the emotional overload of accepting the reality of the climate crisis and making needed changes in our lifestyles? The Good Grief Network offers these 10 steps to personal resilience and empowerment in a chaotic climate.

Accept the Severity of the Predicament

Practice Being With Uncertainty

Honor My Mortality & The Mortality of All

Do Inner Work

Develop Awareness of Biases & Perception

Practice Gratitude, Witness Beauty, & Create Connections

Take Breaks & Rest

Grieve the Harm I Have Caused

Show Up

Reinvest in Meaningful Efforts

They also offer virtual groups. You can learn more about them here:

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https://www.goodgriefnetwork.org/good-grief-network-10-step-program/⁠

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https://www.goodgriefnetwork.org/good-grief-network-10-step-program/⁠

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4: LET’S MAKE A PLAN

How will you move forward? How can you share what you now know? We are going to close with five videos. The first is Greta Thunberg again, but much more impassioned. The second is a young Kenyan activist making a difference. In the third we return to Katharine Hayhoe for what we can do now. Then we will watch a solutions video from Drawdown. Finally, we will hear from our youth.

In this PBS video of Greta Thunberg’s speech to world leaders at the UN World Climate Action Summit in 2019, Greta makes an impassioned plea to world leaders to wake up. This 5 minute video will reiterate many of the things you have learned over these six classes.

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This United Nations video features a climate youth champion from Kenya and gives a beautiful example of how hope can exist within this crisis.

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This video with Katharine Hayhoe was recently produced by Netflix and the United Nations and helps us understand what we can do. (12 minutes)

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This Drawdown solutions video pulls many of the hopeful solutions together. (9 minutes)

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Our youth grasp the problem and are willing to work towards solutions. But they need our help and leadership. They are hopeful. Can we add our voices?

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Top 12 Actions For the UM Creation Justice Movement

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Top 12 Actions For the UM Creation Justice Movement⁠

was developed by Elizabeth Williams of Spokane, Washington. She uses 12 “ate” words to move us to individual, faith community, government, agency and organizational action. (click the arrow on the left to expand the text)

FACILITATE

Individual

Be a role model

Be a commissioned UM EarthKeeper

Faith Community

Practice what you preach

Relate Scriptures / teachings to guidance

Government

Lead the world with high standards

Assist other countries

Agencies & Organizations

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United Methodist Church⁠

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UM Global Ministries Creation Care⁠

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MOTIVATE

Individual

Encourage others to register and vote.

Check records and actions of candidates.

Sign petitions for environmental laws.

Be informed about ballot initiatives.

Faith Community

Encourage members to register and vote.

Assist vulnerable people to register and vote.

Encourage 17-year-olds to register to vote.

Have members remind others to vote.

Point out morality choices in initiatives.

Government

Provide mail-in ballots for all.

Reduce purging of voter rolls.

Reduce limits on early/absentee voting.

Reduce voting procedure disinformation.

Reduce identification requirements.

Agencies & Organizations

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United Women in Faith⁠

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UM Communications⁠

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UM Young People’s Ministries⁠

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League of Conservation Voters⁠

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Interfaith Power & Light⁠

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EDUCATE

Individual

Join Creation Justice Movement Team(s).

Become an expert and stay informed.

Fact check potentially significant claims.

Ensure climate facts are taught to children.

Use The Better World Shopping Guide.

Faith Community

Have a Creation Justice Movement Team guide members to support solutions.

Refrain from sharing misinformation.

Include children & youth in discussions.

Buy latest The Better World Shopping Guide for members to borrow.

Government

Create policies based on science.

Appoint truth-seeking leaders.

Allocate $ to retrain fossil fuel personnel.

Enact K–12 creation justice curriculum.

Appoint qualified scientists to lead.

Agencies & Organizations

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UM Creation Justice Movement⁠

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United Women in Faith⁠

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World Centric⁠

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UM Higher Education & Ministry⁠

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UM Discipleship Ministries⁠

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The Better World Shopping Guide⁠

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ADVOCATE

Individual

Engage in conversations. Listen!

Set aside time each week to read/watch.

Advocate for creation justice policies.

Faith Community

Discuss with others in person and via webinars.

Guide with Creation Justice Movement Team.

Support and implement creation justice plans.

Government

Seek information from many scientists.

Make sure the E.P.A. protects!

Support frontline communities with action.

Agencies & Organizations

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UM Gen. Board of Church & Society⁠

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Environmental Protection Agency⁠

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UM Commission on Religion & Race⁠

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REALLOCATE

Individual

Switch bank accounts to local credit unions.

Learn what banks/stocks/funds support.

Divest from fossil fuel investors.

Avoid crypto currencies.

Share a tithe with your faith community.

Faith Community

Save money in local credit union accounts.

Know what savings accounts are supporting.

Divest from fossil fuel investors.

Invest in renewable energy sources.

Promote & give to creation justice projects.

Government

Eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, raise taxes on the industry, and stop bailing them out.

Promote renewable energy projects.

Provide subsidies for research into lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Agencies & Organizations

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Wespath Benefits/Investments for UM⁠

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UM Gen. Council on Finance & Administration⁠

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Faith Foundation Northwest⁠

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Stop the Money Pipeline⁠

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Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility⁠

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DETOXICATE

Individual

Decrease methane emissions. Carpool.

Install electric heat pump & solar panels.

Buy an electric vehicle. Avoid cruise ships.

Fly and drive less. Bike and walk more.

Eat less meat/dairy. Prevent food waste.

Avoid styrofoam and buying single-use plastics.

Faith Community

Arrange carpooling to faith events.

Install electric heat pump & solar panels.

Use/wash dishes at indoor events.

Use compostables at outdoor events.

Have a meatless potluck. Share recipes.

Avoid styrofoam and plastics, if at all possible.

Government

Neutralize carbon emissions from fossil gas, oil, and coal from heating buildings and for transportation AND methane emissions from leaks and from livestock (especially corn-fed cattle).

Expand tree canopy.

Give solar panel installation credits.

Agencies & Organizations

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**Charge Hub⁠

(EV Charging Stations)**

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National Resource Defense Council⁠

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The Nature Conservancy⁠

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WeRenew⁠

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American Horticulture Society⁠

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World Wildlife Fund⁠

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Ecosia⁠

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The Wilderness Society⁠

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Greenpeace⁠

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ANTICIPATE

Individual

Discover & reduce your carbon footprint.

Cold water wash & line dry clothes.

Grow your own or buy/eat local food in season.

Use biochar to store carbon in soil.

Contribute to offset carbon emissions.

Faith Community

Find out faith community’s facility footprint.

Reduce heat; turn off lights; unplug all.

Make sure your facility is well-insulated.Implement carbon removal technologies.

Plant a community garden & native trees.

Government

Implement a carbon tax.

Pass 100% renewable energy laws.

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Incentivize companies to donate excess food to food banks; reduce food waste.

Agencies & Organizations

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Carbon Footprint Calculator⁠

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Earthjustice⁠

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Recompose⁠

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National Parks Conservation Association⁠

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UN Commission on Status/Role of Women⁠

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UMC Commission on Archives & History⁠

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ACCENTUATE

Individual

Practice the 7 R’s: Rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, repair, and recycle.

Stop wish-cycling. Dispose of used oil, mercury-containing light bulbs, old refrigerators, and batteries properly.

Faith Community

Teach stewardship, not consumerism.

Teach members about recycling/composting.

Get blue bin for recycling and green bin for composting (vegetation, shredded non-waterproof paper, food scraps).

Government

Give incentives to recycle & compost.

Encourage people to donate items rather than to just throw them away.

Promote items with ENERGY STAR label.

Ban single-use plastics and plastic bags.

Agencies & Organizations

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The General Commission on UM Men⁠

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Goodwill Industries International⁠

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World Health Organization⁠

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ENERGY STAR⁠

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Waterkeeper Alliance⁠

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Interfaith Rainforest Initiative⁠

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ELIMINATE

Individual

Save the butterflies/bees. Don’t use Round-Up or other glyphosate-containing pesticides.

Plant native trees, grasses, & wildflowers.

Faith Community

Make sure any lawn service company providing maintenance on your grounds is using organic treatments.

Government

Pass laws forbidding the use of glyphosate-containing pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

Agencies & Organizations

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Friends of the Earth⁠

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Sierra Club⁠

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US Public Interest Research Group⁠

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Environmental Working Group⁠

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CONTEMPLATE

Individual

Meditate and pray daily to sustain the struggle to address creation justice.

Faith Community

Use creation justice liturgy & prayers.

Encourage others with words and actions.

Government

Pursue creation justice daily.

Seek truth.

Think of future generations.

Agencies & Organizations

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United Methodist Council of Bishops⁠

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Defenders of Wildlife⁠

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ecoAmerica⁠

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REJUVENATE

Individual

Watch a sunrise or sunset.

Count stars.

Walk, hike, or bicycle on a nature trail.

Faith Community

Plan outdoor worship services.

Hike together, yet spaced.

Leave no trace.

Government

Preserve natural lands, water, & parks.

Do not open up public lands to industry.

Agencies & Organizations

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UM Camp & Retreat Ministries Association⁠

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National Park Foundation⁠

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ACTIVATE

Individual

Make your voice heard

Go out into the streets and share your enthusiasm.

Faith Community

Advocate for our natural world.

Participate in Earth Day and other events.

Government

Listen to many scientists.

Pay attention to the climate activists.

Agencies & Organizations

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Third Act⁠

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350.org⁠

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Sunrise Movement⁠

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United Women of Faith

Liz Lee and United Women of Faith have a wonderful

WEBSITE⁠

for very easily making your opinions known to your legislators. Be sure to bookmark this link for future reference. They keep it up to date, so visiting it regularly will give you an easy way to share your voice.

Exercise: Your final exercise is to begin a plan.

Watch this “

Find Joy In Climate Action” video⁠

(10 min.) by climate scientist Dr. Ayana Elisabeth Johnson.

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And if you have trouble getting started on what can be done, click on this website that will share the many areas needing work:

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Regeneration.org⁠

Draw your own Venn diagram. What brings you joy? What are your strengths? What needs to be done? What is your “sweet spot” for action? What will you do next week to begin? When we check in with each other again in a few weeks, what do you want to have done?

Now spend some time sharing your plans with the large group.

Additional Resources For Further Study:

Here is a shot of Hope video mixed with humor:

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Electrify Now Video

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https://youtu.be/wc7VBhu4ntQ⁠

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HERE⁠

is the website for Electrify Now.

The Story of Stuff Video

The 2009 Story of Stuff, with Annie Leonard (21-minute video) about how “stuff’ contributes:

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Four Levels of Action, Will Grant (view to 4:40)

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Climate Messaging Guide from EcoAmerica

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`Creation Justice Tips`⁠
by Crys Zinkiewicz

Comment to businesses and corporations, urging them to find ways to be better stewards or thanking them for their obvious choices to do Earth some good.

Stand up for truth in the face of those who do not know or who choose their own interests over the much greater good.

WE CAN contribute carbon offsets. In the face of carbon impacts that we cannot control or end, buying an offset is an opportunity to invest in actions in other areas that contribute the drawdown of greenhouse gases. For example, flying somewhere may be essential, but making a contribution to planting trees, one option, helps the bigger picture.

Water is life, yet many waterways are choking with pollution. Hackettstown (NJ) UM Men worked with a local watershed association to remove 40 bags of trash, plus discarded tires and bedsprings. They then planted 100 trees and bushes along the edge of the river. As a church, plan a day to give some TLC to a waterway nearby.

John Wesley began a New Year tradition of leading people in renewing their covenant with God. At the very beginning, God gave us a garden to tend and till. Now is the time to renew your commitment to be good stewards of our earth. Choose one new thing you can do throughout the year to care for creation.

Pack a sack with a few reusable containers and put it in your car. When you eat out, take your bag into the restaurant. Instead of having to get a Styrofoam to-go box, you’ll have a better solution for your leftovers.

Engage the children in your life in nature activities that create a sense of wonder. Together grow something—a flower from a seed, in the garden or even in a window, a tomato plant or cucumber on the deck, a pumpkin vine. Talk about the delight in God’s creation you feel. You’ll be planting seeds of caring in them

You may need to shred important documents, but the little pieces simply fall through most recycling systems and are wasted. Instead, put them into your compost. The bugs will love them and turn them into nutritious soil.

Tell your story about what you are doing for creation justice. You don’t have to convince or win an argument! Be an example—walk the talk. And by building a relationship based on respect and listening, you will find others will hear you. You are planting seeds of change. Others will water, and God gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Planning a vacation? Traveling with family or friends has benefits and one big downside. Whether you drive or fly, the CO2 emissions damage the planet. Buy a carbon offset from

onetreeplanted.org⁠

. For every dollar you contribute, they will plant a tree, which is one of God’s antidotes to our emissions. Check out

more offset options⁠

In a time of minimizing runs to the grocery store, planning menus is wise. It’s also a smart way to minimize food waste, which is a major contributor to greenhouse gases, both carbon dioxide and methane when discarded food ends up in landfills. Think through your food needs in advance. Drive to the grocery less (and save emissions). Eat well and waste less for yourself and the planet.

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Class 6: What Can I Do?

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1**: DEVELOPING A COMMON LANGUAGE**

2**: POSSIBILITIES FOR MITIGATION**

3: POSSIBILITIES FOR ADAPTATION

4: LET’S MAKE A PLAN

Top 12 Actions For the UM Creation Justice Movement

Additional Resources For Further Study:

⁠Creation Justice Tips⁠ by Crys Zinkiewicz

(return to Table Of Contents⁠)

(return to
`Table Of Contents`⁠
)

1: DEVELOPING A COMMON LANGUAGE

2: POSSIBILITIES FOR MITIGATION

⁠
`Creation Justice Tips`⁠
by Crys Zinkiewicz

(return to
`Table Of Contents`⁠
)