Hood River Pastor Talks about Climate Action

“Nature has a way of reminding us that it has its own rules and it’s bigger than our rules. It invites us to talk.”

—John Boonstra, Columbia Gorge Climate Action Network

The Pacific Northwest’s Columbia River, a highway for fossil fuels, is drawing numerous proposals for on site export terminals and pipelines. Collectively, these plus the smattering of other proposals elsewhere in the region would carry as much carbon annually as five  Keystone XL pipelines (Sightline Institute).

John Boonstra, a life-long ecumenical minister, now works with the Columbia River Gorge Climate Action Network (CGCAN.org). In June 2012, John Boonstra and his wife Rev. Vicky Stifter, also a pastor in Hood River, were reading Bill McKibben’s article in Rolling Stone on the terrifying math of climate change. “One of us needs to quit what we’re doing and work on this full time,” they agreed. John turned to Vicky and said, “I’m 62 and you’re 51. I think it should be me.” John jumped into climate work.

One effect of engaging with this work? He decided to pull his personal investments out of fossil fuel companies. “My pulling my tiny savings out of retirement isn’t going to change much, but I’ve disentangled, I’ve gotten a sense of what it means to be part of something bigger than myself.”

He says it can be hard working on climate change in Hood River while watching coal trains and barges roll by. John reasons that in theory there could be a lot of leverage living here at a focal point for transportation. Plus, there is always discussion of a pledge of resistance of blocking passage.

“It’s real easy to fall victim to mainline culture that tells us that this is a futile piece of work and that business will go on as usual,” Boonstra says. Add to that the “personal raptors” we have in our own lives, he says, the “raptors of cynicism or skepticism.”

“What keeps me going is that desire—and I’m not trying to sound rhetorical here—to live as a whole, connected person. I’m not going to get derailed because climate change is bigger than me, because it’s obviously going to be bigger than me. But every seemingly small action helps. I’m going to run and pick up some signs when people march in the streets to raise the alarm of global warming, I’m going to buy some lunch for people who don’t bring lunch to brown-bag lunches when we make calls to representatives about carbon pricing or the KXL. Do I think my actions will make one bit of difference to the White House? Who knows? But I’ll have spent my time with people who acted, and then built a more resilient community by sharing what taking political action felt like— and how liberating it was just to take an action!”

John says that his ecumenical work has taught him how “Nature has a way of reminding us that it has its own rules and it’s bigger than our rules. It invites us to talk.” Nature redefines our connection to time and geography.“The Golden Rule also must encompass future generations,” he noted, nodding to the phrase we teach our children to treat others as you would like them to treat you. “[Our] neighbors are not just a geographic construction but a moral one.”

It’s not easy though. “When I get tired is when I subject myself to those raptors of cynicism and skepticism,” John says.

With the financial and political influence that fossil fuel companies currently hold, it seems easy to become tired quickly while striving to sever their ties to our politicians. John told of a time when faith communities could sway representatives based on social capital. “In the 50s and 60s, faith communities had a statement on everything and, if organized, walked into the White House and made their case. Faith communities don’t have that power anymore. What we do have is people.”

written by 350PDX member Danny Thiemann