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• Buddhism and the Environment

  Buddhist beliefs, at their core, line up with environmental stewardship.
• Punjab Farmers and Pesticide

  Many farmers from Punjab, India are beginning to speak out against the high levels of pesticide use that are occurring in the area. These farmers feel guilty because they are donating these chemical laden crops to the poor as part of a religious custom. They are pushing for a reform to go back to producing crops organically.
• Some Religious Views on Fracking

  Fracking is, and has been, a highly controversial and political issue. Various religious leaders of many different faiths have come out within the past few years to advocate against the use of this practice. Most, if not all, are citing the need in their religious text to preserve and care for the earth. They are all getting very involved in their communities, which range from New York to Colorado.
• Religion and Food

  Every religion has its own special rules and considerations on food. Each religious teaching also addresses the idea that people should share with their neighbors and eat healthy and moderate amounts of food. The difficulty now lies in connecting today’s food shortages with these teachings.
• Green Muslims

  Green Muslims is a resource for the Muslim community. It hopes to teach people about the environment and how to care for it. It also hopes to reach out and connect different people in a common cause of environmental stewardship.
• Buddhism and Environmental Issues

  Buddhists have many beliefs when it comes to the environment. They believe that man and nature need to coexist, and that nature is neither good nor evil. Buddhists have a respect for all life, and therefore they value everything in nature.
• Tu B’Shevat

  Tu B’Shevat is the Jewish Arbor Day. Students of Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley Religious School have recently prepared for and decorated the building to get ready for the holiday.
• Muslim Leaders on Endangered Species

  Indonesian religious leaders have released a statement confirming that killing endangered species is no allowed in their faith. Most people have already agreed to this concept, but this push from religious leaders will have an effect on farmers and fishermen who don’t always care about whether or not they kill endangered species.
• Jewish Tradition and Endangered Species

  The Jewish ways teach members of its community to care for the earth and all of God’s creations. With so many species becoming endangered, the Jewish faith has made cited scripture to show that all animals are to be valued.
• Bicycle Pilgrims

  Two South African men, Haron and Cairncross, went on a typical pilgrimage in an untypical way. These young Muslim men road bicycles all the way from South Africa to the holy city Mecca. Not only was this physically invigorating, but it was spiritually rewarding as well. This was also an extremely sustainable way to travel.
• Bicycling to Church

  When it comes to meeting for a religious service or ceremony, some people are beginning to switch their mode of transportation to a more sustainable option. More and more people are switching to riding their bikes to their respective houses of worship, as they feel that this is more in line with what their faith teaches.
• Water, Walking, and Spiritual Journeys

  Sharon Day, a member and leader in the Ojibwe community, has started a movement to raise awareness for the water issues in the United States. She, as well as anyone who wants to join, are walking hundreds of miles on the banks of the Minnesota River. As they walk, they are praying to and for the water.
• Fit to Eat

  Hazon has recently released a guide to help Jewish Communities come together to more effectively fight food shortages. This guide shows how a better food system can be made to benefit everyone.
• Good Friday Meals and the Environment

  Sustainable fishing has been a huge topic for the past decades. One man, Neville Palmer, makes nets that are specifically designed to capture prawns without harming other aquatic life such as sea turtles or tuna. Making nets that specifically capture prawn can help to restore ecological balance to the food chain, while still having a sustainable food source for a Good Friday meal.
• Faith Communities on Nigerian Environmental Degradation

  A research study was conducted on how faith communities view environmental degradation in Northeast Nigeria. 18 congregations throughout the states in the area were interviewed to see how they view these issues. Almost all said that they environmental degradation as an issue, and source the blame to human activity. The human activities that are to be blamed range from corrupt politics to a lack of social responsibility. However, they all agree that through spirituality, these problems can be overcome.
• Green Deen: What Islam Teaches about Protecting the Planet

  Written by Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, this book goes into the Islamic Faith’s connection with the environment. It discusses Islamic followers’ responsibility to the earth as stewards, as well as some of the ways that Muslim communities are taking action.
• Earth Keeper Day

  Earth Keeper Day is celebrated in Southern Africa by people and parishes from South African countries including Malawi, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and South Africa. It is a day for people to reflect on the earth and give thanks. The youth of these churches come together to pray, learn about the earth, and participate in activities to clean the environment. Various leaders in the community come and give presentations as well as lead discussions on how to create a positive impact on the environment.
• The Boomerang Alliance’s Use of Good Friday

  The Boomerang Alliance in Queensland is calling on the government to implement the use of container deposits. They are doing this with the theme of Good Friday, invoking religious feelings and morals to gain support. This Easter and holiday season, it is always important to think about what we can all do to make a difference.
• Easter Shutdown at the University of Leeds

  The University of Leeds has been urging students to participate in a shutdown. During Easter as well as Christmas, the University is encouraging all students to turn off anything that is not essential to research or safety as the students leave for break. The energy savings from these shutdowns is incredible.
• The Effect of Religion on Climate Change

  Religion is a powerful thing that can spur social movements. In this case specifically, religion has been the cause of people trying to live in a more environmentally friendly way, regardless of the politics around the issues of climate change. This is due to the fact that people involved in this movement are doing it for moral reasons, which can be extremely effective motivators.
• Karenna Gore Speaks on Faith Communities and the Environment

  Karenna Gore, the director of the Center for Earth Ethics at the Union Theology Seminary was recently interviewed on the morning news segment, Ethics Matter. She and Stephanie Sy, the interviewer, discussed everything that is happening with faith communities and the environment. They discuss the bible, what past religious leaders did not do in regards to environmental stewardship, and how things have changed to be what they are today.
• St. John’s Lutheran Church and Solar Power

  Churches have turned to solar power to bring down energy costs for their sanctuaries. St. John’s Lutheran Church in San Antonio has begun to use a large array of solar panels, as well as more energy efficient lights to cut costs.
• Official Denominational Environmental Webpage – Evangelical

  The Evangelical Environmental Network is a valuable source of information on sustainability and environmental awareness. It shows how people can come together in the church community and help make it a better place.
• Sustainability at Our Lady of Guadalupe

  Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Catholic parish located in Seattle, Washington, has recently undergone the transition to become more sustainable. With the help of Energy Star, city grants, and their own agenda, this parish has implemented changes that help the environment as well as cut costs to their budget. New buildings have been constructed and old ones have been retrofitted to reduce energy consumption as well as teach people about sustainable living.
• Black Churches Turning Green

  African American faith communities are demonstrating how important environmental issues are. These minority congregations are becoming more sustainable in the hopes of helping to reduce the effects of climate change. They are an inspiring group, seeking to make a difference in their communities.