Faith is important to many. And, the Pope recently accelerated the climate conversation in faith communities around the world. So, we listened to what people had to say about it. Being able to share these voices with you via video is part of what the Climate Listening Project is about. But, we also hope that it inspires you to talk with other people about climate in whatever way makes sense to you.

In his recent encyclical Laudato Si (Praise Be), Pope Francis urges "every person living on this planet" to enter into an effective dialogue about our common home. He encourages everyone to discuss "how we are shaping the future of our planet." He states that "[w]e need a conversation which includes every one, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all." In this latest video from the Climate Listening Project we aim to encourage the kind dialogue which Pope Francis calls for in his encyclical. Communities of faith have a significant role at the heart of many of these conversations and hopefully this video can help kick-start meaningful dialogues. But this is a discussion in which we all are encouraged and needed, "each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents."  - Luis Martinez, NRDC

It is hard to explain the experience of going on the road to listen to these stories. The people we meet along the way make me laugh and make me cry. We traveled all around Asheville and spent some time listening to conversations for the Climate Listening Project's new video. Plus, we took a few trips to film with Interfaith Power and Light founder Reverend Sally Bingham and Showtime's Years of Living Dangerously epidode four star Anna Jane Joyner. Over the past year, I've shown our videos and had discussions with students at Lenoir Rhyne University, University of North Carolina Asheville and Warren Wilson College; visited Georgia, South Carolina, New York, Florida and North Carolina; and had a chance to try and tell the story of how people are talking about climate change and cultivating resilience in Asheville and beyond. Talking about climate change opens up so many conversations about faith, food, family, health, business, culture, and more.

We've been working on a new video around food and farming and cultivating resilience. One collaboration we’re really excited about is with Laura Lengnick, author of a new book from New Society Publishers, Resilient Agriculture: Cultivating Food Systems for a Changing Climate. We've been traveling around the Southeast, listening to farmers featured in her new book, on the beginnings of a national Cultivating Resilience Tour. We'll have a new videos to share soon.

Share your climate story and see what other people are saying on Facebook @ Climate Listening Project.

I am excited to be sharing stories from our resilient community of good people, groups and businesses here on Asheville Grit.

Have a story to share? Connect with me here.