Source: One Makes the Difference: Inspiring actions that change our world by Julia Butterfly Hill & Jessica Hurley. New York, NY: HarperCollins. 2002, page 190.

Notes: Julia Butterfly Hill is best known for living in a 180-foot (55 m)-tall, roughly 1500-year-old California Redwood tree affectionately known as "Luna", for 738 days between December 10, 1997 and December 18, 1999. Hill lived in the tree as a tree sit protest that was successfully able to prevent Pacific Lumber Company loggers from cutting it down and the surrounding grove of trees. She is the author of the book The Legacy of Luna, which she recounted the experience.

Hill co-authored the book One Makes the Difference to inspire actions for people to reduce their carbon footprint and improve the health of our planet from global warming.

This sound bite on the final page of her book is an inspiring quote of how one can respond to climate change.

The catch phrase like a formula that can be broken up into three parts:

1. Eternal Optimism
 Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing great was ever acheived without enthusiasm.” Add to that thought is optimism that we can act to limit the worst consequences of climate change.

2. Loving Action
According to climate scientist Dr. Hayhoe, the choices we make today to limit our carbon emissions helps those most vulnerable to catastrophic climate change, which is the world’s poorest people and our children. Thus, she states at the towards the end of one of her talks,

“Climate change is an opportunity to express our faith through love.”

3. The most powerful tool I own
This part is a reminder that it boils down to our own personal responsibility to act on climate change.

Florida nature photographer Clyde Butcher said:

"So many of us don't realize that we are the government. I like to call it 'the God of they,' as in, 'Oh, they'll fix it.' No, it's up to us."

Julia’s quote can also be interpreted as mathematic formula to effectively respond to the climate crisis:

Eternal optimism + loving action = most powerful tool I own.

May you use this sound bite/formula to effectively join with others to reduce the threat of climate change.

Image Source: Brian Ettling