Conversation Blog: Climate Change (October 2010)

[IPJC Office]

Join the Conversation on Climate Change.
-Post an update and photo from your Justice Cafe
-Share an insight, question or action idea
-Interact with young adults from across the U.S. and in Africa
Click here to post a comment

[IPJC Office]

Here's a picture from the first Justice Cafe in Kenya, which took place at St. Patrick's Church in Tikah on Sunday, October 17th, hosted by the Youth Intercommunity Network. Welcome to our first Kenyan Justice Cafe!

[Raphael Wanjaria Njararuhi]

Sure,it was amazing to have these young leaders in our first Justice Cafe. The concept was literally new to most of these young people,but by the end of the session all of them were saying...ooooh thats what it is?...Next time we will have hundreds of others attend!

[IPJC Office]

Read the full report from the Kenyan Justice Cafe. A few highlights:

“This was an awesome experience. I have understood how the big guys spoil the environment at the expense of the poor. I appreciate I have a role to play at a personal level”-Ann Wanjiru

“I have understood better matters climate change. Inorder to counter the effects of climate change,we need to change our ways which calls for sacrifices today for the sake of generations to come”-William Mwangi

[JVC Billings]

Our cafe focused on the interconnectedness of the planet and all of its inhabitants and the often unseen effects that our wasteful habits here in America have upon other parts of the world. This realization emphasized the need to make the typical American lifestyle more sustainable and we brainstormed ways to accomplish such a feat.

[IPJC Office]

From the Oakland Justice Cafe at Holy Names University (you can read more updates on their group page):

October’s Justice Café was a great event, full of meaningful interactions between HNU students. The theme of the night, climate change, was interesting to many students since they had heard about it before but confessed that their knowledge about it was limited.

By way of introducing the topic, we selected a short video clip from National Geographic and screened it, which later helped the group conversation. Students shared insights about what they perceived to be the effects of climate change, like radical variations in temperatures, and freak incidents like the sinkhole in Guatemala.

In the small-group conversations, respectful exchanges took place. Some students were split between the ideas that climate change might not exist while others felt that they can already see some manifestations of it in their everyday lives. Everyone agreed about one thing: we have limited resources. The topic of water was brought up by some students, sharing their fear that without even thinking about our next generations, we might not have enough fresh water for ourselves.
In the larger group conversation, students shared their ideas about taking action to make a change in the society. Some suggested increasing awareness on the topic among their relatives. Others shared the example of unplugging electronic devices when they are not being used, or buying local food as a means to saving energy.

Everyone left with a little better understanding of the issue!

[IPJC Office]

From the Elizabethtown Justice Cafe (you can read the whole update here):

"It is startling to think that even though we do not live so as to destroy the environment outright, many of our daily activities as Americans can be doing just that."

[Raphael Wanjaria Njararuhi]

Sure,by the way Climate change effects are very live in USA.But its not usually reported in the mainstream media.For instance the numerous forest fires in California?,the increase in typhoons,tycoons and cyclones;rivers levels are decreasing among many occurences.

The Americans are also suffering because of their own actions.

[Ogbonna, Chris Anthony]

we had a swell time during the October cafe as we took a critical look at the issue of climate change.
the cafe started with the introduction of the topic to all present.
there at the cafe, we discovered that a lot of people prior to the cafe see the subject of climate change as an alien problem that does not affect us.
we then took a tour into the past and discussed how our weather and climate used to be until now.
we discovered that the rains have become increasingly inconsistent, as it is the case with undulating temperature.
those that have little knowledge thought that the problem of climate change is being caused by the big and industrialized nations alone until we started identifying harmful practices that affect the climate adversely.
it was then that members made their individual vows to me friendly to the environment and to equally contribute positively to the fight against climate change.
members equally promised to join the tree planting campaign so as to improve the environment.
the cafe was held on the 29th of October 2010 at the J. T.Memorial Hall of Apurimac Onlus Vocational Center.
We had 16 persons in attendance.
5 new members also joined the cafe. They include Jennifer, Simi, Evelyn, Fidelis and Msoh.
the next cafe will be held on Thursday, 25th November, 2010 at the same venue.
we eagerly look forward to nhaving every member in attendance.