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  • 10 Eco-Mission Projects

    Evangelical Environmental Network MOMS has created a list of family oriented service projects that focus on the environment. These ideas not only offer ways to serve the community, but also take care of God’s earth in simple but effective ways.

  • For Love of Lavender

    For Love of Lavender is an account of how Christine Sine, creator of Godspace and writer for Evangelical Environmental Network MOMS, encountered God through the beauty, fragrance, and abundance of the lavender in her garden. Reflecting on her garden informs her of God's work and calls to mind numerous bible verses, including Proverbs 27:9: The heart is delighted by the fragrance of oil and sweet perfumes, and in just the same way, the soul is sweetened by the wise counsel of a friend. Christine also mentions how to use these lessons to teach children.

  • Columbus YMCA Youth Engage in 4-H Urban Gardening Program for Cultural Exchange with Youth in Accra, Ghana

    This summer, dozens of Columbus North YMCA youth participated in 4-H urban gardening programs as part of an urban agriculture exchange program with 4-H and YMCA youth from Accra, Ghana. In response, in May of 2017, three Ghanaian youth and an advisor will travel to Columbus to share their urban agriculture experiences at the annual Ohio Future Farmers of America (FFA) conference at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. Please click the link below to read more:

  • Fasting for Climate Justice

    Fasting for Climate Justice is a resource from Global Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM ) on the practice of fasting for climate action through two initiatives: meatless Fridays and monthly fasting. The GCCM encourages abstinence from meat on Fridays as a way to reduce one’s negative impact on global climate change. The GCCM also promotes fasting for the climate which takes place the first day of each month.

  • Evangelical Environmental Network: Trump Budget would harm National Parks and the Protection of God’s Other Creatures

    The president of the Evangelical Environmental Network, Rev. Mitch Hescox, made a statement saying that the budget proposed by the Trump administration is a “devils bargain,” which would harm national parks and the protection of God’s creatures.

    “The Trump Administration’s budget, if implemented, would be an abdication of our stewardship of our public lands, which are entrusted to each generation to pass on to their children.”

  • Becoming a CreatureKind Institution

    “Having compassion for others begs the question of who ‘the others’ are. The animals whom we farm are sentient beings and individuals in their own right, even when they are crowded together in barren cages or windowless sheds. They are surely – in their billions – ‘others’ who deserve and desperately need our compassion. I wish CreatureKind great influence in bringing compassion to these fellow-beings of ours.”

    – Joyce D’Silva, Ambassador Emeritus,
    Compassion in World Farming

    CreatureKind is a Christian animal welfare group that works to help institutions improve their practice as it impacts farmed animals, with benefits for humans, animals, and the environment. Becoming a CreatureKind institution means committing to a cycle of reviewing current sourcing, setting goals for improved practice, and acting on them, together with engaging your community about the program. The program have two major goals: reduce consumption of animal products and obtain remaining animal products from higher welfare.

  • CreatureKind Church Course

    CreaturKind has created a 6-week course to help Christians think about what their faith means for animals. The course is free and is meant to assist churches in learning about animal welfare and how to care for animals faithfully. They aim to encourage Christians to consider what they believe about God’s creatures and how they might move toward living out those beliefs as members of the body of Christ.

  • Love and Environmentalism

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores how love and care impact how people interact with the environment, and how spirituality views and impacts this. It discusses how religion encourages love and how love encourages environmentalism, and how the three work together. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "My mother had one general rule for me as I was growing up: to respect others, respect myself, and respect the environment. Obviously there were more rules that fell under this— 'clean the dishes after school' being one I was just as frequently reminded of—but they all fell under this principle in some form. This was also the basis of my environmental education: respecting the environment, showing it the care, love and awe that it deserved, was a fundamental aspect of our lives. Every time we would go outside or take a hike, I would be reminded not to touch anything I didn’t have to, to leave things the way I found them, and to appreciate the beauty of our surroundings. These ideas of respecting others and your surroundings are common themes in religious doctrines as well—'love thy neighbor' is a common refrain, and one that is often used in religious environmental arguments. As can be seen in many religious statements on environmental crises, protecting those less fortunate than yourself (respecting others) and protecting the gift of creation (respecting the environment) are the focal points of religious arguments in support of environmental action. Yet the love of nature is often underappreciated or overlooked when it comes to discussions of the environment, despite its universality. Perhaps because the concept is emotional rather than scientific, love is more easily dismissed as a weak persuader, but because it is so basic to humans it stands to be one of the more powerful forces we have available to us. As a common religious and moral value, the love and respect that people are asked to treat their surroundings with is a significant driver in environmentalism, both to better understand the environment and to create a sense of responsibility in preserving it."

  • Origins of the Pro-Religion, Anti-Environmentalist Conservative Stereotype

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the relationship between political affiliation and environmental values, as well as the stereotypes surrounding them. It examines how religion interacts with political views and the evolution of environmental values thoughout political and religious history. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "The conception of someone who is 'anti-environment' usually evokes one of two images: 1) a fat cat in a suit, smoking a cigar while lining the pockets of the fossil fuel industry, or 2) a truck-driving rural American scoffing at the Prius-driving liberals in the cities who preach about their recycling practice. This chapter focuses on the second image...The distinction has been made clear in our minds: liberals care about the environment and conservatives don’t. This, along with another common conception that conservatives are religious while liberals aren’t, paints an inaccurate picture that drives religious conservatives out of the environmental conversation. How did this happen?"

  • Sustainability Photo Contest

    This RESTORExchange photo contest is being brought back from the pre-COVID era, and with an added collaboration with the Sustainability Institute. It's based around the question "What does sustainability look like?" This can include sustainability in environmental justice, technology, energy, lifestyle and wellbeing, society and culture, economy and politics, and any other context where you see sustainability in action. We want to see your perspectives and show all the different places that sustainability is practiced! Winning photos will be decided by a panel of judges (yet to be determined), and the top four photos will win a prize! First place will receive $400, second place will receive $300, third place will receive $200, and an honorable mention will receive $100. Submissions will be accepted through March 15, 2023.

  • Decolonizing Thanksgiving

    "As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the United States, it’s great to think about all the things we can be grateful for. It is good to have a time to pause and reflect, to participate in the seasonality of gratitude for the year’s bountiful harvest, and to gather with family and friends. (We’ll ignore the über-consumerism of the day following Thanksgiving…)

    Many of us probably know by now, however, that the story many of us learned in school about the first Thanksgiving is rather inaccurate at best, and racist and paternalistic in many ways, with a focus on the Manifest Destiny idea of the divine mandate for Europeans to conquer the “New World” in the name of Christ and country.

    A few questions come to mind (at least my mind), for those of us with European-American roots, such as:

    Should we even celebrate Thanksgiving, since it’s so tainted with colonialism?
    What might it look like to “decolonize” our own understandings and our culture?
    How can we do this work in a way that encourages our own folks to partner, rather than making them (our White brethren) feel further ostracized, but while also speaking real truth?
    What can we do this Thanksgiving to begin to reconcile relationships damaged in the colonial era, both human to human and human to this land?"

  • MLK Day 2024

    "ServeOhio Funds 19 Statewide Service Projects Taking Place in celebration of MLK Day

    These grants support more than 1,300 volunteers engaging in local community service projects across fifteen Ohio cities

    ServeOhio, the Governor-appointed commission on service and volunteerism, announces grant awards to support 19 local Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service projects throughout January totaling more than $25,000. Much like Dr. King’s legacy, these grants will help nonprofits across the state improve their communities through service and volunteer activities. The grants will fund service projects in fifteen Ohio cities led by more than 1,300 volunteers.

    Each project commits to bringing volunteers together to create or improve community assets or infrastructure and supports local community engagement and impact. Additionally, every project includes an education component based on Dr. King’s message of peace, unity, and service to create long-term, sustainable change.

    ServeOhio awards these grants with support from the American Electric Power Foundation. Each grant totals between $250 - $1,500."

  • Checking on the Chickens With the Next Generation

    "Checking on the chickens with the next generation. We built the coop from recycled materials, the chickens eat much of our food waste, provide eggs, and encourage us to think about the cycle of our consumption and how we can be more sustainable. We want our son to approach his entire life this way, and these chickens will be his responsibility as soon as able. We live in the city of Columbus so we try to bring a different lifestyle to city living."
    Taken by Grace Freeman. Submitted to the Sustainability Photo Contest.

  • EPN Signature Earth Day Event - Monday, April 22, 2024: Eat This Earth Day! Ohio's Native Plants for Food

    "Ohio State’s Environmental Professionals Network, in collaboration with the Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens and native plant enthusiasts from across the state, proudly invite you to eat and drink from Ohio’s native plants this Earth Day! Discover through your senses, the edible flora of the Buckeye State. Over long periods of history, through the tastes, smells, and eyes of diverse native wildlife and human cultures, both ancient and present, these plants have sustained life."

    This event will take place on Earth Day, April 22, 2024 from 4:45 pm to 7:30 pm. Admission is free and the event will be held at the Fawcett Center in Columbus, Ohio. Food and drinks will be provided.

  • Prescott Community Compost Project

  • Eat Close To The Ground!

    "Eat Close To The Ground!" Taken by Linda Sterling. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest.

  • Exploring Fresh Produce in a Chinese Wet Market

    "Exploring Fresh Produce in a Chinese Wet Market: The diverse array of vegetables is what I long for the most about my homeland China, and there is no better place to shop for vegetables than wet markets, where produce is locally sourced. This is what sustainability looks like for me––where people eat green and shop locally. The photo features a typical vegetable stall at Tuandao Market in Qingdao, my partner’s hometown, where we savored last year’s summer together." Taken by Mianmian Fei. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest.

  • Ontario Tech University Sustainability in Art Exhibition

    "The Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (FSSH) at Ontario Tech University recently hosted a Juried Art Exhibition with the theme of Sustainability in Art. Artists were invited to interpret sustainability in their own unique ways, resulting in a thought-provoking and inspiring collection.

    Due to an overwhelming response, the original plan to select the top ten submissions was expanded to include the top fifteen, who were then invited to bring their art to Charles Hall for the reception event...

    First place - Deanna Young for We All Are Part of the Great Circle – $1,250 cash prize
    Second place - Camille Augustyn for In Another Dimension – $500 cash prize
    Third place - Nuhad Kibria for It’s Not Too Late – $250 cash prize
    Three honourable mentions were also awarded to Avery Snelling for Preservation Story Quilt; Katherine Gifford for Nature: Harmonious for Sustainability; and Rebecca Fortin for Wildflowers on Blue."

  • Gateway Into Sustainability

    "This photo depicts a gateway into sustainability. Portraying a pathway into a huge lush garden. I believe gardens of any kind are a sustainable practice. That brings people closer to the earth while also providing a variety of amenities for said people. Not to mention the wildlife that flourishes too.This photo was taken in the fall of 2022 at the botanical gardens in Madison WI. In my mind I envision you’re entering a new world which is a lush paradise. Among that it’s filled with vocal birds, reptiles of all kinds, an array of colorful flowers. On the flip side I also envision as if you’re leaving the suffocating, bland concrete world behind." Taken by Logan Gosse. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest.

  • A Jewish Response to Environmental Stewardship: LEEDing the Way

    The article highlights Temple Israel of Minneapolis's achievement of LEED Gold Certification, reflecting their commitment to sustainability through a multi-year renovation project. This accomplishment aligns with their Jewish values, particularly the principle of Pikuach Nefesh, which emphasizes protecting life and the environment. The synagogue's efforts extend beyond their building to include community-wide initiatives such as climate action resource fairs and partnerships with environmental organizations. Their ongoing commitment to sustainability is showcased through continuous improvements and active participation in broader climate justice movements.

  • Resources for Preaching & Speaking on Climate Change

    The resource gives information for preachers and other religious figures to use when talking about climate change. It starts by giving reasons for preaching about climate change and why it is important for us now and in the future. It also gives facts from scientists on the climate which mentions the aspects of climate change such as the causes and effects on the environment, and what humans can do to help. The article then gives biblical themes related to climate change and also gives advice for religious leaders to overcome possible barriers when preaching.

  • Ancient Judean Dates

    A date tree planted in Ketura, Israel from 2000 year old seeds found at an archeological site in the Judean wilderness has finally bore fruit earlier this month (September 2020). The harvest was hailed a modern miracle of science. “In these troubled times of climate change, pollution and species dying out at alarming rates, to bring something back to life from dormancy is so symbolic,”... Date palms were praised in the Bible and the Quran, and became symbols of beauty, precious shade and succulent plenty.

  • Engaged Organizations: Global Oneness Project

    The Global Oneness Project was founded in 2006 as an initiative of Kalliopeia Foundation, and is focused on education aimed a planting seeds of empathy, resilience, and a sacred relationship to our planet. They are passionate about the power of stories and offer a rich library of multimedia stories comprised of award-winning films, photo essays, and essays as well as companion curriculum and discussion guides focused on world culture, social justice and sustainability.

  • What Karl Marx has to say about today's environmental problems

    Ted Benton, a Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex, writes about how Marx's theories can be applied to modern environmental issues such as climate change. He talks about how Marx's ideas about capitalism relate to current exploitation of nature, and specifically about soil degradation which was an issue during the 1860s when Marx was alive. He also includes problematic parts of Marx's attitudes towards nature, such as his praise of increased productivity of land that may have inspired Stalin.

  • How Buddhist monks in Ladakh are fighting climate change

    Buddhists Monks in the Himalayas are taking a stand to climate change. On Earth Day 2018, thousands of people came together in the village of Yerat to plant trees. The region is rapidly losing glaciers, causing a shortage in water supply to the villages in the area who rely on snowmelt for water. The volunteers were inspired to participate due to their devotion to His Holiness Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoche and his vision for "a more verdant and organic Ladakh."