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  • “Worldviews” in Simpler Living, Compassionate Life

    Simpler Living, Compassionate Life, is a book from Earth Ministries that consists of both essays and community guides regarding humanity’s relationship to our earthly home. This section, "Worldviews," takes a close looks at what has led humans to treat the earth so poorly. It highlights various ways of viewing and comprehending the world around us, especially in the West. It offers that ideas such as dualism have been toxic to our understanding of the world and our relationship to it.

  • "Theology in Support of Simplicity and Eco-Justice" in Simpler Living, Compassionate Life

    Simpler Living, Compassionate Life, is a book from Earth Ministries that consists of both essays and community guides regarding humanity’s relationship to our earthly home. This section, "Theology in Support of Simplicity and Eco-Justice," captures the Biblical and faith inspired foundation of the movement toward simplicity. It encourages those who are participants in a culture of over-consumption to reconsider their lifestyles and reverse the damage done to the gift that we have received.

  • “Simplicity is Nothing New” in Simpler Living, Compassionate Life

    Simpler Living, Compassionate Life, is a book from Earth Ministries that consists of both essays and community guides regarding humanity’s relationship to our earthly home. This section, "Simplicity is Nothing New," looks back to ways that the Holy Spirit has inspired simplicity in the lives of Christians through the ages. It provides a framework for the 21st century pursuit of simplicity in American and Christian history.

  • "Social Structures and the Politics of Simplicity" in Simpler Living, Compassionate Life

    Simpler Living, Compassionate Life, is a book from Earth Ministries that consists of both essays and community guides regarding humanity’s relationship to our earthly home. This section, "Social Structures and the Politics of Simplicity," looks at systems in society that perpetuate and encourage over-consumption. From theology to capitalism to advertising, authors call out ways in which we have built our world for destruction. It focuses not only on personal choices, but the necessity of engaged politics and policy. For the full version Moriah Reichert's review of this section of the book, visit the link below.

  • Pope Francis and Environmental Leaders Forge Vision for Global Action

    Environmental leaders, activists and advocates gathered with Pope Francis for a two-day Vatican-organized conference with hopes to emerge with a shared vision for protecting our planet. The conference was inspired by the third anniversary of the Pope’s encyclical and was attended by political and religious leaders, scientists, economists and heads of civil society organizations. Inspired by the call for unity and action in the encyclical, UN Environment also introduced their Interfaith Rain-forest Initiative at the conference.

  • Season of Creation Week 1: A Culture of Relationships That Heals our Throwaway Culture

    For each week of the Season of Creation, the World Council of Churches offers a resource for celebrating creation. The first week focuses on the throwaway culture that society has created and urges individuals to instead focus on just and sustainable practices. The document includes a call to prayer, a scripture reading, a hymn, and a responsive reflection.

  • A Quaker Response to the Crisis of Climate Change

    A Quaker Response to the Crisis of Climate Change discusses how climate change and consumer waste negatively impacts disadvantage populations the most. The first two paragraphs of the introduction are stated below:

    "The crisis of global climate change represents a supreme test of humanity’s collective wisdom and courage. Our immoderate use of the Earth’s resources violates the entire biosphere, threatening the lives of millions of people and the habitats of thousands of species. Many of the poorest people are already suffering a changed climate; they are
    asking us all to act.

    How has humanity produced this crisis? Our faith response is that prevailing social values have obscured what it means to live authentically on this Earth. In rich European countries we consume more than we need within an economic system that divides us as a society; in much that we do, we cause harm to the planet and each other without enriching our lives."

  • The Kabarak Call for Peace and Ecojustice

    The Kabarak Call for Peace and Ecojustice, at the World Conference of Friends in 2012, maintains that we live in times in which the Earth can not replenish itself, so we must intervene where we can. In addition, we need to look out for our fellow humans, especially those who are less fortunate than us. The following paragraph provides the introduction to the text:

    "In past times God’s Creation restored itself. Now humanity dominates, our growing population consuming more resources than nature can replace. We must change, we must become careful stewards of all life. Earthcare unites traditional Quaker testimonies: peace, equality, simplicity, love, integrity, and justice. Jesus said, 'As you have done unto the least… you have done unto me'. We are called to work for the peaceable Kingdom of God on the whole earth, in right sharing with all peoples. However few our numbers, we are called to be the salt that flavours and preserves, to be a light in the darkness of greed and destruction."

  • WCC Executive Committee: global biodiversity crisis reaches urgent level

    This article from the World Council of Churches discusses the current biodiversity crisis. The majority of land surfaces and ocean areas are significantly modified, and over 85% of the wetlands are gone. The following excerpt notes how this subsequently affects the poor and vulnerable:

    "The statement notes that, increasingly, the drive for relentless expansion built into dominant economic systems are endangering the survival of many of God’s creatures. 'Ultimately our significant and adverse impacts on ecology will impact humanity’s own future,' the statement reads. 'Already they are destroying the very basis of sustenance of our income-poor, vulnerable and Indigenous sisters and brothers, who contribute least to the ecological damage for which human beings are collectively responsible.'"

  • Engaged Organizations: Lake Erie Institute

    Lake Erie Institute (LEI) is an environmental education organization that was formed through world visions of forward thinking environmentalists, activists, ecological leaders and educators. Over the years, they have designed workshops, retreats, and professional training programs that empower participants to become leaders to engage in re-visioning their own lives, other organizations, communities, and the world. Their offerings provide opportunities for individuals to connect more deeply with one's true self, by strengthening their ties to the Earth and relationships with others in order live more whole, healthy, and harmonious lives.

  • Interfaith Rainforest Initiative

    From the organization's website: "The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative is an international, multi-faith alliance that aims to bring moral urgency and faith-based leadership to global efforts to end tropical deforestation. It is a platform for religious leaders to work hand-in-hand with indigenous peoples, governments, civil society and business on actions that protect rainforests and safeguard those that serve as their guardians." The initiative focuses on raising awareness, mobilizing action, and influencing policy.

  • Religion and Environment Songs: Connect to Nature (Beatrice Dossah) music video

    From the YouTube video description: "The Song, '' Connect to nature' talks about connecting children to nature using creative medium such as the arts.

    The song is part of a research work by Beatrice Dossah with sponsorship from the United Nations University Land Restoration Training Programme in Iceland. The research work was supervised by Dr. Ellen Gunnarsdottir and Dr. Ásthildur Björg Jónsdóttir of the Iceland Academy of Arts."

  • Congregational Profile: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Grove City, OH: How it began in one parish

    In 2016, prompted by Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si,” we at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Grove City, Ohio, held two 8-week sessions of discussions on the encyclical and at the end of the second session, our pastor, Fr. Daniel J. Millisor, appointed the discussion leader, Sister Nancy Miller, OSF as chairperson and called together a team to explore how the parish might lower our carbon footprint. The Creation Care Council (CCC) of our parish meets monthly for prayer, discussion and action in response to Laudato Si’s call for greater care for our common home.

    We conducted a parish survey, with the intention of enhancing awareness among parishioners, as well as to determine if, and how, members were already incorporating recycling and composting into their daily lives. The results were highly, though not entirely, favorable. In addition to regularly inserting information and suggestions into our parish bulletins, taking the CCC members to tour a landfill, recycling plant, and the OSU Byrd Polar Research Center, we requested that all committees at the parish look at ways to reduce or eliminate their use of Styrofoam dinnerware. Rather than condemn polluters, we wrote thank you notes to businesses that showed environmental stewardship. We began annually purchasing and giving away seedling trees to plant on Earth Day. We took on trying to improve parish recycling efforts – providing new recycling containers for all parish offices, inviting a local official – an environmental expert – to explain to us what is and is not recyclable, preparing an interactive recycling quiz at the parish festival, and then attempting to bring recycling to the parish picnic and festival.

    The efforts to incorporate recycling in parish events “failed” the first year, but we got it right the second year and this (the third) year, we successfully introduced food waste composting to Lenten Parish Fish Fry dinners, the Parish Picnic, and our largest parish event of the year: the Parish Festival. The 2019 Parish Festival served an estimated 5,000 meals, working with food vendors to increase their ability to serve compostable dishware and cutlery. In total, the CCC was able to divert 2,704 gallons of waste from the local landfill, which constituted 86% of all waste at the Festival.

    We also exceeded all expectations in soliciting nearly 100 volunteers to help teach and monitor correct depositing of these materials - without tapping the usual volunteer corps that was still needed to keep the regular parts of the festival going. With the support of our pastor and dedicated CCC members, we’ve come a long way, and still feel like we have only just begun!

  • Church Bulletin Insert quotes from Laudato Si' (one year's worth)

    This resource is a Word document containing a year's worth of quotes from Laudato Si' (the Pope's encyclical letter about the environment) for use in a church bulletin. This file was created by the Creation Care Council of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Grove City, OH, and submitted to their church bulletin editor. The result is that each weekly bulletin for the church services contains a quote related to creation care, which keeps the teaching of Laudato Si' current on a weekly basis. By creating a single file with enough quotes for a year, the CCC provided the bulletin editor with easily accessible material, requiring a minimum of follow-up time and energy.

  • Season of Creation Daily Devotion Calendar

    A daily calendar of actions, reflections, meditations and ideas for creation care during the Season of Creation, which runs from Sept. 1 until Oct. 5. This calendar was created by members of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Grove City, OH, and can be readily adapted for use by others. The creators suggest editing the activities for Sept. 8 and Oct. 4, which are specific to options in their own community.

  • Creation Care t-shirt designed by the Creation Care Council of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH)

    These t-shirts with a quote from Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si' were created for members of the Creation Care Council of OLPH to wear at creation care events sponsored by their church.

  • Resources for Preaching: On Caring for God's Creation

    Resources for Preaching: On Caring for God's Creation offers that one does not need to be an expert in the field to preach about environmental justice. The authors encourage homilists to focus on what they know, what's around them, and what can be learned relatively easily. One example is to draw upon surrounding physical beauty or examine what is being destroyed in the area. This resource provides an outline of pertinent themes that can lead to future discussions, as well as opportunities to incorporate crucial eco-friendly messages into parishioners daily lives.

  • Prayer for Creation

    This Prayer for Creation reminds us to give thanks for the basics of living that nature provides us and to ask for forgiveness for the times that we have taken the Earth's resources for granted. It is also a reminder that the vulnerable often do not even have regular access to clean food and/or water.

  • Bishop Hartley High School, Columbus, OH

    Bishop Hartley has assembled a Care 4 Creation faculty committee, which focuses on long-term plans at the school. There is also a Care 4 Creation Association, which is for students and is also student-led. Instructors Rick Kohut and Ann Hawk have spearheaded some of the more long-term creation care projects there. Each have set up a vermicomposting bin in their classrooms, offering that it works well and is relatively low maintenance. Students from one of Rick’s classes had worked on a project where they created a poster/chart with pictures of endangered animals. Some of the students from Rick's classes engaged in the school's climate strike. One highly motivated student, Jamal, wrote a letter about the event which he sent to local politicians. Ann has been attending a yearly AEP Ohio energy efficiency program, and they in turn provide her with free energy savings kits for each of her students. AEP also offers energy saving kits for residential customers who are willing to complete their online Home Energy Profile. In addition, two new drinking fountains are about to be installed at the school that are designed to fill reusable water bottles. The school is also in the process of creating water bottles for sale with their school’s logo on them. The intent is to cut down on students and faculty purchasing and bringing in individual plastic bottles of water.

  • Engaged Organizations: The Catholic Foundation of Ohio - Columbus

    The Catholic Foundation of Columbus, Ohio is designed to be responsive to interests that come from within the diocesan parishes and schools. To the extent that those interests have included creation care work, there has been grant activity. Dan Kurth, Director of Grants for the Catholic Foundation, offers that the foundation’s rubric for creation care initiatives is essentially: Does this project have any green energy sustainability pieces to it? The energy efficiency component of the foundation’s responsive grants is the main integration of a Laudato Si' principle into the foundation's grant work. As the Laudato Si encyclical has grown in awareness, more funding has become available as energy efficiency-related projects have become more commonplace over time.

    The foundation has recently partnered with the Columbus Catholic Diocese on their Diocean Loan LED program, which has had considerable impact on diocesan savings. In addition, the foundation encourages schools to establish their own maintenance reserve funds in order to maintain more efficient operations. Specifically, there is a push to have schools and parishes upgrade their boilers, change over to LED lighting, and replace their windows with more efficient ones.

  • Engaged Organizations: Christ the King Catholic Church, Columbus, OH

    Jason Cervenec, Education and Outreach Director for OSU's Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, has helped plan and carry out a number of initiatives for events and projects at Christ the King Catholic Church over the past few years. With the assistance of Deb Steele, the Volunteer Coordinator for Ohio Interfaith Power and Light (Ohio IPL), Jason has organized energy audits that were conducted by Ohio IPL programming and support. The LED retrofit with diocese Facility Director, Bruce Boyan, has been a noteworthy achievement at the parish as well. Additional energy efficient projects have included window replacement (also with Bruce) and the installation of an HVAC system. While the parish center is currently undergoing renovation work, Jason and other parishioners have reviewed the plans to look for additional efficiency and sustainability improvements. Recently, Jason had designed creation care bulletin inserts, with feedback from the Creation Care team at the Columbus Catholic Diocese, that have been widely circulate around town. The annual creation care information program that Jason initiated has garnered substantial support, with roughly 30 people in attendance each time. An additional work in progress project includes the installation of a bike rack station outside of the parish.

  • Engaged Organizations: Springs Dominican motherhouse, Columbus, OH

    The Springs Dominican motherhouse hosts 150 individuals (maintaining 76 beds). Initial green projects included replacing their lights with LED bulbs and replacing seven boilers, which had been there since the 1940s, with just one new one. Recently, Innovative Organic Recycling composting company had been invited to speak with house members, and their composting program took off from there. Jean Sylvester, Motherhouse Administrator, had found it easy to do at her own house and was also aware of Shepherd’s Corner success with it. Both staff and residents adapted quickly and the process is streamlined at this point. Composting is done by the sisters themselves, with administration providing the bags and cans. In addition to composting food, even the bones, all of plates and cups, including coffee cups, can be composted as well.

    For administration, this is a business model that makes practical sense. Management had been quoted at $35 per pick up, so they decided to give it a two-week trial period. Overall, composting has been a "win-win" for them, with its ease of implementation and minimal ongoing efforts. In addition, their dock smells better because the food waste bags are not left open in the dumpster now. There is also less garbage for RUMPKE to take, so the project cost savings of waste management will be reaped over time .

  • Engaged Organizations: Shepherd's Corner, Blacklick, OH

    In 1966, the Dominican Sisters of Peace had purchased 160 acres of land in Blacklick, Ohio, for what eventually evolved into the formation of various farms and ecology centers. Shepherd’s Corner is one part of this larger network. Srs. Rosie Ann Van Buren and Marguerite Chandler maintain their 1.5 acres well and use the area predominantly for educational purposes, with most food (usually 60-65% but more recently 80%) donated to local food pantries.

    The following are some of the current activities and events that take place at Shepherd’s Corner: Sorting donated food from Fresh Market's food waste into compost or food to animals, Shepherd’s Fest, 5K – their main fundraiser, walking trails throughout the property, groups volunteering to garden, St. Charles high school students volunteering one Saturday per month, Meet the Animals, space rentals, school groups walk through the woods, small farm stand every Tuesday (run by Julie Laudick), slide show, calendar designed with a plan of action or set of events for each month. Srs. Rosie and Marguerite also monitor the water for Blacklick Creek, along with other individuals who are affiliated with county soil and water work.

    Shepherd's Corner offers several group activities as well:

    School groups and other youth groups, grades 3, 4, and 5 are invited to Shepherd’s Corner for educational programs. Cost per student is based on length of program and supplies needed.

    Adult groups can enjoy the space for tranquility meditation, and prayer. Staff is available to give tours and lead sessions on special topics such as spirituality, universe story, nature and gardening. Fees are based on length of program and services provided.

    They also offer use of our space to groups whose mission is compatible with ours. Please contact Miranda Land at scecologycenter@gmail.com regarding facility rental.

  • Creation Care Tips Winter 2020

    This Creation Care bulletin insert provides a message from Pope Francis on how even small actions on a daily basis can impact the earth and fellow humans in great ways. It focuses on reducing waste by composting, cutting back on purchases, and recycling.

  • Engaged Organizations: Stratford Ecological Center

    The Stratford Ecological Center is an organic farm and nature preserve that provides education sessions, tours, and hiking trails to the public. They also offer various workshops and classes on an ongoing basis.

    Trinity Catholic Elementary School 4th and 5th graders participation each year in a 5-day environmental camp "Messages of the Earth" at the Stratford Ecological Center.