Dave Folland | A Call to Action
20 friends and members of the LDS Action Team, Citizens Climate Lobby, enjoyed hearing stories told by David Folland, founder of the LDS Action Team, and an early pioneer with Citizens Climate Lobby. Dave talked of observing receding glaciers, over decades, and how this was a wake-up call to the changing climate. Dave read Naomi Oreskes book, “The Merchants of Doubt,” concerning a group of scientists who worked to cast doubt on the research linking tobacco and cancer, and further doubt on the link between fossil fuel emissions and global warming. Dave went to Washington D.C. to meet members of Congress, and found the core principles of non-partisanship and conservation of the environment were compatible with his values.
Dave told how he realized that faith can help connect us on a meaningful level with others who disagree with us about the climate issue. In a meeting with then Utah Senator Hatch, Bill Barron shared with the Senator a statement by Pope Benedict about this important issue. Dave noticed that this reference to a respected religious leader through some of the tension.
Dave shared stories of Jim Hanson, who in 1988 testified before Congress about fossil fuel emissions being a primary cause of rising world-wide temperatures; Marshall Saunders, the founder of CCL, who had enjoyed a successful career in real estate, turned to micro-loans to help disadvantaged people around the world, and then, after inquiry, realized that nobody in Washington was leading the effort to map out a national policy to curb carbon emissions. So, he founded Citizens Climate Lobby, and then hired the fabulous Mark Reynolds to reach out to Republicans, Democrats—all members of Congress.
Dave’s memoirs are rich with gratitude to so many: his family, friends, now-Senator John Curtis, Evangelical and climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, many students in Utah acting on their own to raise awareness among legislators, members of the LDS Church, and many others who have now felt the call to action. Dave excels at talking with people—respectfully—to find out where they are coming from, what they are interested in, and their of stewardship and creation care.
