Sustainability, Spirituality, and Discernment or Discernment Upholds Sustainability

There is considerable evidence that the climate of the earth has been growing warmer over the past century and is likely to continue to do so.1 Scientists report that it is caused primarily by the effects of industrialization and the increased use of fossil fuels, especially by those in economically developed countries.2 Many people believe that with concerted collective effort worldwide, this process of global warming can be slowed, stopped, or even reversed. It is here that the most controversy exists about global warming, as we move from the scientific recognition of past and present climate patterns and the interpretation of what they mean to the realm of social perceptions and political activity. What should we do about it? As weather patterns continue to change, large groups of people are and will be affected by drought, flooding, and destructive storms. Hence, individuals, organizations, and political entities must decide how to respond to these problems in a socially just manner. Making choices about our present and future behaviors, individually and collectively—at the personal, family, organizational, and national levels—is a moral and spiritual process to which we bring our beliefs, values, and imaginations.