A group of religious leaders met at the Iowa statehouse today to discuss a call for action on climate change. The event was organized by Reverend Susan Hendershot Guy, the executive director of Iowa Interfaith Power and Light. Regardless of the political debate between the two parties regarding climate change, Gerald Sorokin of the University of Iowa Hillel Foundation said he and the other faith leaders at the capitol that day can find some consensus on the issue.
The Catholic community is joining with the Earth Day Network to help reach the goal of planting 7.8 billion trees by 2020. This would equate to one tree per person on earth. Pope Francis's recent encyclical, Laudato Si, focuses on the importance of trees and their benefits to the environment as well as human kind.
"Every April 22nd, stakeholders of all backgrounds come together to advance sustainability and climate action in commemoration of Earth Day. Our world needs transformation. It’s time for the people of the world to hold governments and the private sector accountable for their role in our environmental crisis while also calling for bold, creative, and innovative solutions. This will require action at all levels, from business and investment to city and national government.
That’s where you come in: as an individual, you yield real power for change through your influence as a consumer, a voter, and a community member.
Don’t underestimate your power. When your voice and actions are united with millions of others around the world, we can create an inclusive and impactful movement that is impossible to ignore.
Throughout April, we commemorate Earth Month with marches, rallies, volunteer events, and more. United together, we’ll drive a year of energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to a sustainable and equitable future for our planet."
"Everywhere we look in our culture you will find plastic. One place where you will not find plastic, however, is in the Bible.
This resource is designed to help congregations think more deeply about the ways that plastics impact our lives and God's creation. It is also intended to equip people of faith to take actions to address this epidemic in faithful and practical ways.
Download this resource to find stories of individuals and communities making a positive impact, sermon starters to spark meaningful discussions in your church, worship resources to unite in prayer and reflection, and actionable steps to address the plastic crisis in your life, community and, our world."