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103 items

  • Sacred Watersheds and the Fate of the Village Body Politic in Tibetan and Han Communities Under China’s Ecological Civilization

    Coggins studies the spiritual ecologies of Tibetan and Han communities in the People's Republic of China. The Tibetan animism focuses on the protection of landscapes because of their relation to various deities and spirits. Han communities worked on creating fengshui forests to find balance a balance of qi in all things.

  • Interfaith Rainforest Initiative (IRI) Campaign Videos

    The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative (IRI) creates artistic and well-produced videos that accompany their programs on climate change education and awareness-raising in branch offices around the world.

    These videos are great resources for those looking for multimedia inspirations that amplify sustainability communications efforts.

  • Should Rivers Have Right? A Growing Movement Says It’s About Time

    “Should Rivers Have Rights?," published through the Yale School of Environment, addresses not only the growing impact of river degradation but also the spiritual connection that indigenous cultures have with river systems around the world. Attributing legal rights to rivers and other bodies of water will contribute to their protection from further human pollution as well as restoration of these natural areas. Through legal policy, rivers can be brought back to a safe state of equilibrium while also being preserved for indigenous groups.

  • Religious Affiliation and Environmental Challenges in the 21st Century

    This paper researches the relationship of religion and environment in the 21st century. They do this by studying religious affiliations from all over the world, and comparing and contrasting their results to examine the impacts those affiliations have on the environment.

  • Lessons from Islamic Environmentalism: Interconnection, Structural Change, and the Limitations of Religious Environmentalism

    In this article, Rosemary Hancock explores the lessons of religious environmentalism within the Islamic faith and discusses how these lessons were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and the current environmental crisis.

  • American Jewish World Service- Land, Water, and Climate Justice: Story Collection

    The American Jewish World Service compiled a website of their outreach stories from the US, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Reflections from work with Indigenous communities are included as well. The environmental activism showcased on their website also defend women and their crucial involvement with agriculture and the environment. From the website;

    "We aid communities and movements organizing to protect the land, water and natural resources that people depend on for their survival".

    More information on how to get involved is listed on their website.

  • The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

    "After too many years of unfulfilling work, Bronnie Ware began searching for a job with heart. Despite having no formal qualifications or experience, she found herself working in palliative care.Over the years she spent tending to the needs of those who were dying, Bronnie's life was transformed. Later, she wrote an Internet blog about the most common regrets expressed to her by the people she had cared for. The article, also called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, gained so much momentum that it was read by more than three million people around the globe in its first year. At the requests of many, Bronnie now shares her own personal story.Bronnie has had a colourful and diverse past, but by applying the lessons of those nearing their death to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for people, if they make the right choices, to die with peace of mind. In this book, she expresses in a heartfelt retelling how significant these regrets are and how we can positively address these issues while we still have the time.The Top Five Regrets of the Dying gives hope for a better world. It is a story told through sharing her inspiring and honest journey, which will leave you feeling kinder towards yourself and others, and more determined to live the life you are truly here to live. This delightful memoir is a courageous, life-changing book."

  • Quench Their Thirst

    "Welcome to the Quench Their Thirst Fundraising Project!

    Water is a basic necessity of life, yet millions of people around the world lack access to this essential resource. By setting up a fundraising page, you can make a difference and help quench the thirst of those who need it most.

    The money you raise will build water wells, boreholes and water filtration plants in rural communities in Africa and Asia, where people currently have no choice but to walk for miles to collect dirty, contaminated water. This not only puts their health at risk, but also takes up valuable time that could be spent on education, work, or caring for family members."

  • Saving India’s Rivers: Ecology, Civil Society, Religion, and Legal Personhood

    "Abstract: In recent decades, India’s environment has been severely compromised by riverine pollution combined with large-scale dams and exacerbated by diversion for irrigation. Most prominent among the rivers so affected has been the Ganges and its tributaries in northern India, which for Hindus include the country’s most sacred bodies of water. This paper examines three campaigns opposing dam construction, arguably the most widely publicized and analyzed efforts of this kind since independence in 1947. One campaign was essentially secular with virtually no religious component, the second mostly secular with some religious support, and the third almost totally a religious initiative. In the end, only the third attained any real success, and that rested on circumstances unlikely to be replicated. The possibility that future campaigns of this scale can be taken up again appears remote. Meanwhile, riverine pollution has continued to increase everywhere despite massive governmental programs to reduce it. Theoretically, it would seem that environmentalists and Hindu devotees with their veneration of nature should be able to work in common cause to reduce pollution, but any large-scale cooperation seems unlikely between these two disparate realms. More recently an effort to protect rivers by endowing them with legal personhood enjoyed an initial success, holding the promise that lawsuits could be brought on behalf of a river against those polluting it. The paper concludes that while the legal personhood strategy is currently stalled, it offers the best chance for eventual success in attenuating riverine pollution. In the course of the paper, a comparative theoretical framework for assessing anti-dam protests will be tested."

  • In Deep Waters: Spiritual Care for Young People - an author conversation with Talitha Aho

    "Join us for a captivating webinar as author Talitha Aho engages in a thought-provoking conversation about her book, 'In Deep Waters: Spiritual Care for Young People in a Climate Crisis.'

    Discover how the climate crisis impacts the younger generation and the importance of offering ecologically informed spiritual care. Talitha will also discuss practical ways to care for and respect God's world, drawing on science, Scripture, and her expertise.

    Whether you are a caring adult, a member of Generation Z, or simply interested in the intersection of Christianity and the environment, this webinar is not to be missed. Join us for an enlightening dialogue that will deepen your understanding, provide actionable strategies, and ignite hope in the face of our planet's challenges."

  • UN Environment Programme Faith-Based Activities Compilation

    "The World Environment Day is a UN day celebrated to promote awareness and inspire action. It has been celebrated since 1974. The event has grown to become a global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated in over 100 countries...In the celebration of World Environment Day, 482 faith-based related activities were organized all around the world"

  • Its promised land drying, Mormon Church works to save the Great Salt Lake

    Due to overuse and climate change, the Great Salt Lake is drying and is estimated to disappear in about five years. In response to this, the Mormon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has started public conservation and water-saving efforts. This article describes these efforts and the role of the Great Salt Lake in the local environment and culture.

  • Compassion, Pollution & Community Health

    This event was created to help people learn about and discuss the health impacts of methane pollution and how to create positive change with the environment and community.

  • Magic Mushrooms in Religion and Alchemy

    This book discusses the roles that the fly agaric mushroom played in human perceptions of God through many religions. The same religious practices and stories present in some of the most prevalent religions of today can be explained by the beliefs held about Amanita muscaria. As it was thought to be eaten by the Gods, when humans consume it, they become closer to the divine.

  • A Glimpse at the Reality Existing After Ours through Near-Death Experiences

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the phenomenon of near death experiences through several first-hand accounts. The author explores the spiritual aspect of these experiences and compares and contrasts each instance. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "Near-death experiences (NDEs) are gateways for the soul—a profound, transformative experience that has taken place for some who have kissed death and returned. It is estimated that NDEs affect 1 in 10 people (The European Academy of Neurology, 2019). At best, these experiences are dismissed as wild dreams or hallucinations, but we struggle to make sense of what they are. One way some scientists have been trying to explain the reality of near-death experiences is in the connection between psychedelics and psychology. Dr. Rick Strassman (2001), a psychologist who has done extensive research on the topic, is one among many hypothesizing that NDEs are a result of the hallucinogenic chemical dimethyltryptamine, or DMT for short. He suspects that DMT is produced in the pineal gland of the brain, which is an area of the brain we still know little about. Because of the pineal gland’s connection to light (what we do know is that it produces melatonin, a hormone that regulates both the reproductive system and the circadian rhythm), it has been spiritually associated with many ideas of a higher conscious and enlightenment such as the third-eye, crown chakra, and the seat of the soul. Strassman infers that DMT is produced in times of birth, near-death, death, and intense pain."

  • The Intellectual Martian Society of “Stranger in a Strange Land” by Robert Heinlein

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the environmental ethics and spirituality of the book Stranger in a Strange Land. Specifically, the author discusses the importance of water and the environmental impact of the book. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "In 1961, the accomplished science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein shared his latest work with the world. In the fashion of a fairytale, Stranger in a Strange Land begins 'Once upon a time,' and goes on to describe the fantastic culture of Mars and its impact on human society. The timing of its publication in the early 1960s allowed for a short digestion period, so that it was ripe in the mind of the counterculture in the latter half of the decade. Themes of religious reform, free love, and a oneness with the cosmos permeate the book, and coincidentally rose to popularity during this time. The alignment of the novel with the counterculture cannot be understated: in 1967, the Freak Scene recorded a song entitled 'Grok!,' an homage to the word coined by Heinlein in Stranger in a Strange Land, and a year later the Byrds referenced water brotherhood in their song 'Triad.' The verb 'grok' even found its way into the vernacular of the counterculture (Blackmore, 1995). Messages about the sanctity of clean water and the positive potential of religion reached tens of millions, securing the legacy of Stranger in a Strange Land as one of the books which shaped religious and environmental values in the United States (Library of Congress, 2012)."

  • Humans as Part of Nature: The Benefits of Time Spent Outdoors for Mental Health

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the impact of connecting with nature and the environment on mental health. The author describes their own experiences with mental health problems and healing through activities in nature to frame this issue. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "In the summer of 2019, I was a high-school junior going to be a senior the coming year, going on a SCUBA trip out of state with my specialized environmental science class so that I could finish up my certification. This time in life at the end of high school but before college is widely regarded as the most fun and free time for a young person. A time where you’re so close to the end of the life that your parents and the state have laid out for you and still far from the stresses of choosing for yourself in life and dealing with the repercussions of those choices. This expectation was far from where I was at that point in my life."

  • Near Death Experiences and their Implications for the Afterlife

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the science as well as the spirituality behind near-death experiences. The author assesses hypotheses behind this phenomenon and describes some examples of them occurring. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "What happens after death is a mystery that humans all over the world have speculated on since the beginning of time. In many religions, there is a sense of certainty among the followers regarding what to expect when they pass, as promised by God or a higher power they worship. Although no one really knows for sure, the closest we have come to proving the reality of the afterlife are the stories told by people who have had near death experiences, or even died temporarily and came back to life. Spiritual revelations during these incidents are a cross-cultural phenomenon felt all over the world, with details that overlap and hint at the answer to this unsolved mystery."

  • An Insight into Wilderness Therapy

    This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the benefits of nature and being in the wild for mental health. The author uses research on wilderness therapy as well as her own experiences to discuss this relationship. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.

    "Nature has so many captivating qualities. Whether it be the rustle of summer green leaves, the indescribable blue of the sky on a clear day, or the countless creatures that scurry across the earth’s floor, I always find myself amazed by its peculiar yet familiar structure. Nature is something that is often taken for granted. Yes, individuals are constantly reminded of its presence, but do we often think of its value? For me, the wilderness has been a place of refuge and comfort. Somewhere that I look to when I am feeling lost and confused."

  • The Spirit of the Rillito

    This article explores the ideas of animism and new animism. Animism is the belief that all things, living and non-living, have a spiritual essence. The author connects this system of beliefs to their local river, the Rillito.

  • Catholic Diocese of Columbus: Creation Care Guide

    The Creation Care Team of the Catholic Diocese of Columbus has created a Creation Care Guide based on the teachings of Laudato Si’. This guide contains information on energy conservation and efficiency, purchasing and recycling, transportation, and water conservation. Additionally, they have a section on making Laudato Si’ more accessible to younger generations. The inspiration for this guide came from the Archdiocese of Atlanta who wrote a document titled, An Action Plan for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.

  • Mid-Winter Stroll on a Pier

    "A mid-winter stroll on a pier in beautiful Lake Erie. This lake is the most valued fishery in all of the Great Lakes. Keeping this lake clean is important for the human and non-human residents that depend on this water source. A resource that sustains all life." Taken by Gabriel Sanchez. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest.

  • Lake Yojoa

    "This is a photo of Lake Yojoa, Honduras. It is one of the biggest lakes in Honduras, but it has been shrinking. Because the lake is vital to the local economy, the municipal government has prohibited bathing and fishing to protect the lake from contamination." Taken by Cristian Vallecillo. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest.

  • Ignite the Passion

    "To be passionate about sustainability, one must align themselves in nature and ignite the passion. To live a life dedicated to sustainability means reigniting that flame is necessary to remind oneself of the reasons the effort." Taken by Kenedy Witherow. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest.

  • Krka National Park

    "Admire the peaceful charm of Krka National Park: a majestic waterfall draws attention, and a small cabin can be found away among dense trees. Here, travelers appreciate the peace of nature while finding shelter from the busy life of the city. This picture serves as a reminder of our responsibility to protect these havens for coming generations and is the epitome of sustainable peace." Taken by Balint Horompoli-Toth. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest.