“We underestimate the power of contribution - of acting within our own sphere of influence to tackle the piece of the problem that is right in front of us.”
— Abigail Dillon in “All We Can Save”
There is so much going on in the world of climate work. So much opportunity and so much anxiety. It’s hard to hold it all, to know where to turn, and to know where to focus our time and energy.
One of the central reasons JCAN NYC exists is to offer pathways to action. Managing fears about the future is always easier through action and our actions are consequential. Sometimes activists are called upon to speak truth to power; some people even feel compelled to put themselves in harm’s way to prevent a greater harm from being done. The work is endless and limitless. But sometimes there’s a piece of the problem that is right in front of us
We can’t vote everyday; we can’t march or organize a rally or make a legislative visit everyday; but we eat multiple times a day and can make choices about what we put on our tables and what we put in our mouths. We make choices about how we shop - what we purchase and what we choose not to purchase - and we make choices about how we deal with our food waste and other items in our throwaway world. We can choose how to power our homes, either by using whatever source ConEd sends our way or by sourcing renewable energy. We choose how to travel and how much to travel. These things are right in front of us.
When we take these actions, which are in and of themselves statistically insignificant, and when we do them in community with others, and when we then tell even more people about these small changes, our actions create ripples that begin to change culture. This is where Brit Hazon becomes a valuable tool in our work.
Here is how Hazon describes this program: “Brit Hazon is a framework by which you can make a personal commitment to manifest a shared vision of a more sustainable and equitable world.” Hard not to like that. I particularly love the words, “manifest a shared vision”. When we do this all together, each in our own way, we are being the change we want to see in the world. When we demand change from our elected officials, we do so knowing we are walking our own talk. We are strengthened with a greater moral authority and JCAN NYC is made more cohesive.
Back in the 1980’s we became aware of the unintended harm fishing practices were causing to dolphins and other sea creatures. Out of that awareness came a tuna boycott that changed those harmful practices and changed the fishing industry. It didn’t change everything, but it changed a lot and it taught many of us about the power of individual activism, joined with the synchronous action of many, many others. I was part of that boycott. At the time I was dating a woman who skeptically asked me, “Do you really think you can make a difference all by yourself? Isn’t your individual action meaningless?” Well, she was wrong, and history bore that out. And I believe we’ll find that people who today examine and alter the ways they live on this Earth indeed matter greatly in the creation of a sustainable future.
Brit Hazon can make examining how we operate in the world a personal, yet communal practice. We get to show our love and care for God’s creation countless times each day and our activism infuses our daily life and our spiritual lives. We receive the blessing of an enhanced sense of alignment with the holy.
So, I want to invite you to go to the Brit Hazon page, Brit Hazon - Commitment to Change , on the Hazon website. Sign up and browse through the six commitment areas where you can choose a commitment that feels like a stretch, but a doable stretch. I like the metaphor of yoga, where the goal is to stretch, and feel it as a stretch, but not to the point of harm. Anything and everything we do to change our culture of mindless consumption and convenience over conscience, will set us on a path to changing our world. Help manifest a shared vision of that world. Let’s each of us do it, and let’s do it together.
Jeff Levy-Lyons
JCAN NYC Steering Committee Member