Climate Change and Food, Ftt··Yh lA"'-c.\ -j1..( Go !\II~~ 

As a Registered Dietitian, I work with people to prevent disease and promote health. 

see the impacts of climate change and environmental justice through this lens. As a 

person of faith, I believe that we live within an interdependent web of existence. I see 

the impacts of climate change and environmental justice through this lens. As an 

American, I am grateful that we are able to speak out and make choices. I see the 

impacts of our loss of win-win thinking when we don't consider climate change and 

environmental justice in our choices and commentary. I would like to comment from this 

philosophy of my life and experience. 

As a Registered Dietitian, I worry about the loss of food diversity and security which will 

lead to increased malnutrition. I worry about food insecurity and food diversity which 

our nation already is experiencing in those at the margins of income. Food insecurity 

and food diversity will be impacted by decreased production, increasing variability of 

weather including frequency of major weather events like drought and floods. Those at 

the margins of income and eventually those at the median of income may find food 

increasingly at prices that cannot be afforded for the diversity of diet necessary for 

healthy existence. America can already see what happens when a diverse diet is not 

available to a population. Right now in our country it seems to be related to an inability 

to purchase healthy food or inappropriate choices in food. Rising health care costs, 

obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes are all related to malnutrition of some sort. 

We think of malnutrition as a poor people's disease. The reality is it is also related to 

poor choices in diet With climate changes impact on food security and diversity, it will 

no longer be our choice. Our choice will be limited by the limited availability of food 
whether because it is totally not available in some areas or due to costs of food because 

it has become limited in availability or in economic terms a scarce resource. 

Malnutrition in children leads to a decreased capacity to learn and grow to physical 

productivity; malnutrition in adults leads to a decreased ability to think, work and 

problem solve. These losses will not be evident quickly; these losses will creep up on 

us to the point we have no ability to solve our problems any more. This decreases our 

economic viability as a nation to succeed. We must make decisions now to be a 

successful nation in the future. 

As a person of faith, I believe we are interdependent web. From Matthew 25:40 , 'Truly 

I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least 

of them, you did it to Me.' Whether we think of "these brothers of Mine" as our Earth, as 

our fellow beings on this planet , the Nations of the World, American brothers and 

sisters, local neighbors, or our immediate family and friends, I believe we must 

remember always that we are an interdependent web of life. We must make decisions 

that value this planet and our brethren. As was stated this morning by the Rev. Gerald 

Durley, Civil Rights Activist of long standing, minister of faith and man called to 

environmental action, the first commandment of the God of Abraham is to take care of 

this gift of the earth to us. This interpretation is a gift from Rev. Durley to us all that in 

our dominion and acting as god of this world, we bear ultimate responsibility for our 

actions. Our decisions for America impact the Whole world in so many ways. We are 

models for some of a way to be on this earth. We are beneficent caregivers for some. 

We are consumers of resources to others. We are hated intermediaries for others. Our 

decisions in America on every level are important. We must take courage in hand and 
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make choices that will help for the long run. That will leave us with a planet to live on. 

That will allow all people an opportunity to succeed in this wonderful web of life that we 

have been granted. 

As an American, I am grateful that I live in a place that will listen to my thoughts on this 

issue. I am grateful that I have sufficient food day to day. I am grateful that I have a 

career to help people make choices or be assisted to resources that will make a health 

difference in their lives. I am grateful. I still must state clearly that I feel that Americans 

do not treat our "Commons" very well. We do not as a nation honor our "Common" 

areas. The American commons of media, social media, politics, and government have 

become un-trusted from repeated lack of courage, repeated lack of decision making for 

the benefit of all, increasing fear-mongering and hatred of the Other and poor follow 

through on plans. This is an opportunity for courage, honoring the diversity in our 

country, increasing our respect for the world and following through on a mission that will 

be like our mission to the moon in the sixties. This is the millennia! Mission to the Moon. 

Please be our inspiration for this Mission to save our Future. Help us be the best we 

can be. 

I am acting today with Love for my country, Love for my planet and Love for my fellow 

beings. I support the Clean Power Plan.