Our Planet Earth
Our journey to care for our planet earth!
Featured Articles
Should We Believe Scientists?
As a trained scientist from St. Bonaventure University, I’ve been concerned that people do not believe scientists, especially in global warming or climate change. I ask why especially since the average global surface temperature has risen by more than 1.1°C to 1.3°C (about 2.0°F to 2.3°F) since 1880, according to data from NASA Science and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and compiled by Climate Central, the nine warmest years for the contiguous U.S. on record have all occurred since 2012. August 2026 ranked as the hottest August on record for the contiguous United States, according to NOAA data. The lower 48 states averaged 75.6°F in August, making it the warmest August in the 132-year record. June through August 2026 was recorded as the hottest summer on record for the United States, beating previous highs in 1936 and 2021. Such data confirms that the world is getting hotter and will continue to do so unless we mitigate and adapt.
See Full Article· 6 min readWhy Plant Trees?
Would you like to plant trees, or do you have seedlings coming up in yard? Or do you use others to plant trees? Or would you like to collect tree seeds and plant them? My yard has a large sassafras which was damaged in a windstorm a few years ago. Ever since it was injured, seedlings have been coming up all around it. I’ve let these seedlings grow because their roots absorb water, and they will act as a visual barrier, absorb carbon dioxide, provide shade, add oxygen, and help keep my property cooler from ever higher temperatures to come.
See Full Article· 6 min readIs Climate Change Affecting Sports?
Pope Leo XIV offered, in June 2026 a prayer intention, “For the values of sports.” His message centers on recognizing sports as an analogy for life, aiming for it to serve as a school of fraternity and a universal language that builds peace and bridges cultures. He emphasizes that sports should foster encounters and teamwork, rather than empty rivalry and exclusion. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is leading global sports in its mission to combat climate change
See Full Article· 4 min readRecent Articles
Climate Migrants
The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) said, “Climate refugees also referred to as climate change refugees and climate migrants are individuals who have been displaced from their homes due to natural disasters and climate change. This includes floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, desertification, droughts, rising sea levels, and more. These events not only affect the safety of individuals, but can also cause food, water, and other long-term resource shortages that push people from their homes”. They also said, the term “climate migrant” is more accurate than climate change refugee because, much like internally displaced persons, climate migrants are not recognized as refugees under international refugee law. This means they do not have the same protections and rights when seeking asylum as people who have fled their home country to escape persecution based on religion, race, nationality, or political opinion.
See Full Article· 5 min readTen Eco-Commandments for Earth Citizens
For nearly three years, this column in The Message has consistently given good reasons to be less consumer- driven and more eco-friendly. It has promoted “Laudato Si’” to all people and to all religions in the world, as requested by Pope Francis - including through his “Ten Commandments for Climate Change” (See What can we do section).
See Full Article· 4 min readThe Sun
Rhett Herman, Ph.D., physics professor at Radford University in Virginia (Scientific American, 10/26/1998, How fast is the Earth moving) says, the Earth revolves around the sun in 365 days at a speed of nearly 67,000 mph, and rotates on its axis, at the equator at 1,000 mph. In addition, the sun is a yellow star made of hydrogen and helium, 93 million miles from earth, and its volume would need 1.3 million earths to fill it (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
See Full Article· 5 min readEarth Day and the Catholic Church
Gaylord Nelson, who founded Earth Day, saw, in the 1960’s, a deteriorating environment and Anti-Vietnam War protests. Both gave him the idea for a “teach-in” about environmental issues on April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day. It’s estimated that 20 million people participated in this event, according to “The History of Earth Day, Adirondack Council.” The first two websites under “What can we do!” give ideas for Earth Day on April 22, 2023.
See Full Article· 5 min readRighting Wrongs Through Legislation
Historically, we’ve learned much about righting wrongs to promote environmental protection. Two notable authors are Aldo Leopold (“A Sand County Almanac”) and Rachel Carson (“Silent Spring”). Both were helpful in passing legislation like:
See Full Article· 4 min readRethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Restore
There are simple and economic ways to live an environmentally sensitive and thoughtful lifestyle. For instance, we could rethink, reduce, reuse, recycle and restore. Applying these five R’s will reduce our carbon footprint, promote healthy environments, increase soil fertility, and improve Earth’s air, water, and land.
See Full Article· 4 min read