Hardly a day goes by that we do not see or hear about some weather-related catastrophe that appears to be more frequent and devastating than ever before. Scientists almost uniformly attribute these disasters to climate change.

Germantown Quaker activist/author Eileen Flanagan sheds a powerful light on this issue in her latest book, “Common Ground: How the Crisis of the Earth is Saving Us from Our Illusion of Separation.”

Flanagan is a highly regarded speaker, and leader of spiritually grounded activism. She has confronted corporate CEOs, prayed in their lobbies, and been arrested (“between five and 10 times,” she says) alongside Indigenous water protectors, interfaith clergy, and fellow members of the Earth Quaker Action Team.

“There are more natural disasters than ever before,” Flanagan told the Local in a Zoom interview last week, “and yet Trump is cutting funding for FEMA. Climate change will literally kill people. People will be starving to death, and greed is the cause. It is making a small number of people very rich and hitting poor people the hardest. We are all vulnerable, and I don’t want to get to the end of my life and have to say I did not do enough to fight for this issue.”

Flanagan grew up in Bala Cynwyd and attended the former Ravenhill Academy, a private Catholic school, and Friends Central. She earned a degree in Middle East history and comparative area studies at Duke University and a master’s degree at Yale University in African studies.

She spent two years, from 1984 to 1986, in the Peace Corps in Botswana. “I loved it there,” she said. “That’s what got me interested in climate change. What used to be a hot day there, 113 degrees, is now a normal day. Farmers don’t know when to plant. ... Those with lots of money to pay off politicians and law enforcement are affected less, but no one can escape it all.”

In “Common Ground,” Flanagan reflected on her own direct-action experiences as well as conversations with community leaders to encourage readers to form coalitions. She argues that more than technology or even elections, acting in solidarity with like-minded individuals is humanity’s best hope for survival.

“American public opinion has really shifted,” she said. “Studies show a steady increase in Americans wanting more clean energy. My hope is that people will come together. We all have a common stake in this. I am spotlighting the key lessons on how to resist most effectively.”

Flanagan visited India in 2019 to learn how activists there are addressing climate change. “There are places in India that used to get to 120 degrees for a day or so,” she said. “Now they are getting those temperatures for long periods of time. The human body is not adapted to this, but in India they are ahead of us in solar energy, although the main source of energy there is still coal. They do have energy-efficient building technology, and they use much less energy than we do.”

Flanagan’s previous books are “Listen with your Heart: Seeking the Sacred in Romantic Love,” “The Wisdom to Know the Difference: When to Make a Change — And When to Let Go,” which was endorsed by the Dalai Lama, and “Renewable: One Women’s Search for Simplicity, Faithfulness, and Hope,” which was inspired by Flanagan’s Peace Corps experiences.

Flanagan’s book launch is Tuesday, Aug. 19, 7 p.m., at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting, 20 E. Mermaid Lane. A national speaking tour will follow. For more information, visit sevenstories.com.

Len Lear can be reached at LenLear@chestnuthilllocal.com.