FossilFreeUMC

Photo by Sharon Delgado.

On April 22, the day before General Conference began, there was a livestreamed Earth Day worship service in Charlotte that focused on our United Methodist call to care for creation. This last day of April here at General Conference would not be complete without tying together this year’s Earth Day theme and the need to divest from fossil fuels. The theme of Earth Day 2024 was Planet vs. Plastics, and we have all the evidence we need to know that the plastics epidemic is ANOTHER reason we must divest from fossil fuels and break free from coal, oil, and gas: 

• The world’s top seven plastic-producing companies by volume are all fossil fuel companies. 

• 98% of single-use plastics are made from fossil fuels.

• Microplastics and other fossil fuel by-products are extremely dangerous to our health.

• Plastics are another way for fossil fuel companies (and those who invest in them) to profit while our communities and ecosystems suffer.

• Plastic production drives climate change.

After General Conference, as we enter into a new era of ministry in the United Methodist Church, we at Fossil Free UMC won’t give up until our church leaders direct all our fossil fuel investments, which is money supplied by our church members, into renewable energy projects, products, and services that will lead to a just transformation to a fossil free clean energy future.

Find out more at Creation Justice Ministries: Earth Day Plastic Jesus: Real Faith in a Synthetic World and at Earth Day 2024: Planet vs. Plastics. Information for this post came from 350.0rg. 

Urge your General Conference delegates to support our legislation to add Fossil Fuels to paragraph 717 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline.  And join us in prayer.