Things are really changing, right? As we all look forward, the “new” normal will, in all likelihood, be nothing like “normal” at all—many changes which have rained down on us these past months will probably stay with us. Grocery shopping, church services, restaurant meals, haircuts (remember them?), concerts and sports—all may be very different experiences as we move back (forward?) into what we may—albeit wistfully—remember.
I live with a magnificent view of the Hamilton harbour outside the windows of my home—the beautiful bay, downtown Hamilton and, just off to the east, if I crane my neck a little, the heartland of Hamilton—the steel industry. I also live very close to two major arterial roads—lots of traffic! While the wail of sirens has not particularly diminished over these last months, the volume of traffic certainly has. The air quality over downtown is markedly better—bluer skies, a clearer view of the bay, and generally a “cleaner” environment.
There is abundant evidence all around us that a slow down, such as that we are experiencing with COVID, results, among many other things, in a dramatically improved environment. While we all know that the climate crisis is very real and very much the issue on the horizon (pun intended…), it sometimes takes a crisis of pandemic proportions to bring the message home. Irrespective of whatever the “new” normal does indeed look like, we know that we have the means to reduce carbon emissions, to clean up our environment, even though that all could come at a steep price.
How wonderful, then, that the Foundation, in its recent granting cycle, made 20 grants (totalling $50,000) to local projects all concerned with the climate crisis. We in the church community, working with others around us, can make such a difference. We who support the Foundation know only too well what a difference we can make by ensuring that the Foundation can continue to foster and finance such important work.
Bravo!
By Peter Wall. AFC Gift Consultant
