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The Pope’s universal popularity is a result of the fact that he practices what he preaches. His words have become part of our everyday lexicon because he has helped us make sense of the world. His ability to see through an enormous amount of negativity has been the salve that many people around the world have so desperately needed, regardless of faith.

“LAUDATO SI’,” the Pope’s social encyclical, is a worthy read for everyone, not just Catholics.  The Pope writes, “Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”.

The Pope reminds Catholics throughout the world that civic engagement is a duty of those who seek the word of God. He has said,

The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor

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LAUDATO SI’ lays out a long list of issues that the Pope says every Catholic should care about. From conservation to wars from “exploitation of nature” to scientific advances, the encyclical is the best place to start to learn about how to start conversations on climate change. The Pope insists that we all play a role in ensuring that we inhabit a livable planet.

Science Moms is hoping to help with that goal! This group of climate activists hopes to bring a cleaner environment to the forefront. It’s comprised of climate scientists and (you guessed it!) moms.

Climate change is settled science. It’s not the earth, it’s us. It’s happening right now. If left unchecked climate change could break us. But there is still time to address it!

In the LAUDATO SI’, the Pope lays the problem bare:

In recent decades this warming has been accompanied by a constant rise in the sea level and, it would appear, by an increase of extreme weather events, even if a scientifically determinable cause cannot be assigned to each particular phenomenon. Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it.

The Pope’s words go hand in hand with the Science Moms‘ message: if we are to survive and thrive we must act now to come together to save the world. This problem is bigger than any one of us. Together, we must put pressure on the government — the only entity that can make the big, sweeping changes we need.

This article was produced and distributed in partnership with Potential Energy Coalition in support of the Science Moms.