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From the Ground Up: An Adult Outdoor Education Program AKA Our Deen is Green! for Adults"We are happy to announce that applications are now being accepted for From the Ground Up: An Adult Outdoor Education Program (aka Our Deen is Green! for adults). This special program, funded by a grant from the National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways Office, will begin after Ramadan, in late April 2024, and continue into spring of 2025. It is a unique opportunity to become immersed in the various facets of ecology, environmental science, sustainability and stewardship. It will include monthly classes, mostly in-person and outdoors in parks and wildlife sanctuaries in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia, focused on specific aspects of and issues pertaining to our local region, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Classes will be led by local subject matter experts and include a variety of topics, including local plants and animals, the interconnectedness of our watershed, the challenges it’s facing, and what we can do to help. Specific classes will include: · An introduction to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed · Local herps: reptiles and amphibians · Monitoring stream health with benthic macroinvertebrates · Stream restoration and invasive plant removal · The importance of native plants and pollinator gardens · Watershed education through an interfaith lens · Native trees · Soil health · Environmental justice · Local birds and “bugs” · Solar power and clean energy · Sustainable living · Water-quality monitoring · And more! We are looking for 10-15 strongly committed local residents who are interested in learning about our local watershed, its needs, and what they can do to help it. Participants will be encouraged to create a long-term project or plan of action describing something they will do to support the watershed and/or encourage their families or communities to pay more attention to environmental issues. Program participants must be able to commit to the majority of the monthly classes. All in-person classes will take place on weekends and last 2 to 4 hours. (We will do our best to help provide transportation if necessary.) This entire program is being offered free of charge thanks to a National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways grant. The National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways Office (NPS Chesapeake Gateways) offers competitive grant opportunities to advance the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 within the full 41-million-acre Chesapeake Bay watershed. Chesapeake Gateways grants bring out familiar, untold, under-appreciated, or yet to be uncovered narratives and promote resilient communities & landscapes through tourism, sustainability, conservation & local economies throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The program begins after Ramadan, with the introductory class set for April 21st! Applications are due by March 8th. Access the application form below. Please reach out to us at contact@greenmuslims.org with any questions."
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Community Grower's Network"The Community Growers’ Network is an initiative for Columbus-based Urban Farmers and Gardeners who steward a fresh food culture in their own neighborhoods. The Community Growers’ Network (CGN) focuses on communities which are food deserts/apartheids. The project is designed to build food system resilience by investing in the capacities of Urban Growers with various experience levels."
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Plastic Jesus: Real Faith in a Synthetic World"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."
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Evolution of the Collective Unconscious"The collective unconscious is made up of experiential knowledge, symbols, and imagery that humans are naturally born with (no tabula rasa) and are rooted in ancestral experience and shared by all persons in all cultures. After millennia of evolution, the current collective unconscious of humanity would seem to include human exceptionalism, patriarchal hegemony, short-terminism, delusions of grandeur, illusions of unending growth, and the idolatry of technology. As the planet becomes overloaded with industrial civilization, our collective mindset seems to be unwilling to think long-term and face the realities of ecological overshoot. It remains to be seen whether our collective mindset can evolve to voluntarily refocus human agency toward contraction of the human enterprise, simplification of lifestyles, and peaceful resolution of conflicts before it is too late to prevent a chaotic collapse of industrial civilization."
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Critique of Religious Patriarchy"This supplement is about transcending religious patriarchy in order to foster integral human development and a healthy mutuality between humans and the human habitat. Some meditations are proposed on the mysteries of the creation, the incarnation, and the redemption. They explore the Christian understanding that all men and women are consubstantial in one and the same human nature, and are consubstantial with Jesus Christ as to his humanity. The meditations are based on a layman's reading of the Sacred Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the Theology of the Body as they pertain to the consubstantial complementarity of man and woman, which transcends the patriarchal binary of mutually exclusive male-female opposites. This understanding of the "complementarity in consubstantial unity" of man and woman applies to all the sacraments, sheds light on the great nuptial mystery of Christ and the Church, and would seem to support the ordination of women to the ministerial priesthood and the episcopate. The meditations are preceded by recent news on patriarchy in religion, society, and human ecology, and are followed by articles and research notes, a summary of points for discernment on the ordination of women, an annotated timeline of religious patriarchy in the Judeo-Christian tradition, and links to relevant literature, substantive research, and the synodal process of discernment currently underway in the Catholic Church."
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The Kirkmont Memories Project"The Kirkmont Memories Project is my Capstone project for my senior year at The Ohio State University. I originally came up with the idea in 2020, while I was working on Summer Staff at Kirkmont Center and hearing so many interesting stories about the history of camp. I wish that I had done what I wanted to do at the time, which was to sit down with Buzz Reed, press record, and ask him everything he knows about Kirkmont. When I entered into my final semester at Ohio State, I was assigned to create a lasting change within a community through acts of leadership. All I could think of was that idea of sitting with a friend of Kirkmont, listening to their stories about what Kirkmont means to them, and using that knowledge to help create more memories for the future of camp. I created a plan to interview and survey as many Kirkmont alumni and friends as possible to find a collective story of the history of camp and hear about different perceptions of the value of camp, what camp means to them, and what we see for our future. After reaching out to alumni via Facebook, I've had the privilege of collecting over 30 amazing stories! I loved getting to spend time learning more about alumni who I've looked up to for years, as well as folks who I got to know better. Reading through my notes one after another while creating this website has brought up so many emotions and memories of my own experience, and I hope that as you view this project you can also feel some of that nostalgia and appreciation for our Kirkmont family."
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EPN Breakfast: Yellowstone to Yukon: Enhancing Rocky Mountain animal migration through remote sensing and international collaboration"Caribou, grizzly bears, bison, and many more megafauna and countless bird species rely upon a major migration corridor of western North America spanning the Yellowstone-to-Yukon (Y2Y) region. Y2Y extends more than 3,400 kilometers from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in the western United States to the Arctic Circle in the Yukon Territory of Canada. These species are impacted by roads and other human infrastructure developed throughout the corridor. Enter the Room to Roam: Y2Y Wildlife Movements (Room2Roam) project. Room2Roam is funded through the NASA Ecological Forecasting Program and is accelerating data analysis and coordination to improve wildlife management efforts across borders. With coordination from Ohio State’s Dr. Gil Bohrer and representatives of seven agencies and conservation groups from First Nations, Canadian provinces and territories, and American states, launched this project from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, in 2022... With support from Ohio State's Translational Data Analytics Institute (TDAI), join this EPN event to learn more about this incredible research and partnership endeavor, and its implications for land and resource managers in Ohio and beyond." The event will take place on 2/13/2024 from 7:15 a.m. to noon at Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4H Center. The cost is $25 for non-students, $5 for students, and free for virtual participants.
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Wildland Firefighting"The photograph shows my crew on the Lost Horse Creek Fire outside of Fairbanks, AK. Wildland Firefighting was an incredibly unique way for me to connect with nature and challenge myself. Fighting this particular fire protected the rural communities residing in the area which tremendously touched when I interacted with them firsthand. They showered us with food and gifts. This was practicing sustainability values in my own way." Taken by Kelsey Wolf. Submitted to the Sustainability Photo Contest.
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Living Minimally"The image shows my crew's pitched tents on a beautiful summer day in Indian, Alaska. We were firefighters living mostly out of our tents for the summer. Conservation work and living minimally were ways I practiced sustainability in my life and connected to nature." Taken by Kelsey Wolf. Submitted to the Sustainability Photo Contest.
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Old Growth"This photograph shows my view of old growth redwood trees located in the Redwoods National Park. Enjoying nature is an important aspect of sustainability in that it reminds us of our inherent connection to nature, its beauty, and importance." Taken by Kelsey Wolf. Submitted to the Sustainability Photo Contest.
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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.
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As Dusk Dawns"This photo was taken in Paulding County Ohio. In the back ground is Haviland Tile and their new small ethonal plant. All bringing sustainability together." Taken by Jamie Merriman. Submitted to Sustainability Photo Contest.
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Field of Milkweeds"Field of milkweeds remind us of the essential role of native plants and pollinators''. Taken by Karima Samadi. Submitted to the Sustainability Photo Contest.
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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."
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Congregational Solar Resources"This is a great time to put solar on your church, synagogue, mosque, or other faith community property with the new federal funding available for nonprofits through the Inflation Reduction Act. It’s like a sale on solar, a 30% discount! The 1300 IPL congregations listed in the directory below have the combined capacity of 105 Megawatts of solar – approaching the amount of FaceBook, the 10th largest commercial user. Save on your energy bill and have more for your mission. Read below to find out how to fund solar on your church building, find a solar installer, and get an award."
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52 Ways to Care for Creation: January 2024"Download the January 2024 52 Ways to Care for Creation bulletin insert! Use this resource to deepen your congregation’s commitment to creation justice. Each week highlights a creation justice idea for action or reflection for yourself and your community."
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God's Creation Needs You Video Series"'God’s Creation Needs You' is a new video series featuring six Catholic communities across the nation caring for our common home through climate action, advocacy, farming, community organizing, service to others, solar energy, education, prayer and a focus on environmental justice. Watch for a new video each week!" This page contains a compilation of the videos involved in this series, as well as a preview to the series.
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Nativities and the Natural WorldHoused at the University of Dayton Roesch Library Building, this exhibit is available Nov. 20, 2023 through Jan. 12, 2024. "Explore the intersection of Christmas and nature through the Marian Library’s Nativity sets, artwork and more. In this exhibit, artists incorporate plants and animals from around the world into the Christmas story. Gourds, straw, wood, mother-of-pearl and beeswax are among the materials used to create Nativity sets that reflect the natural world in which Christ was born."
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EPN Breakfast: Recognition of historical injustices in agriculture and the importance of environmental experiences for racial healing"This program, on the 8th annual National Day of Racial Healing, addresses land access and explores the human connection to the environment through farming, gardening and other active outdoor activities and the ability for agricultural experiences and acknowledgement of historical injustices to serve as healing towards racial equity. The National Day of Racial Healing, part of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial, Healing & Transformation efforts, is a time to contemplate our shared values and create the blueprint together for #HowWeHeal from the effects of racism. Launched on Jan. 17, 2017, National Day of Racial Healing is an opportunity to bring ALL people together in their common humanity and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world." 1/16/2024, 7:15-9:30 a.m. Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4H Center Columbus, OH $25 for non-students, $5 for students, free for virtual participants
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Taking Down Goliath"It can be daunting to confront the climate crisis and move toward effective action – but there’s so much we can do together. Dayenu has developed a Jewish climate organizing training especially for young people, and it has empowered and motivated hundreds of us already. Join us in the new year for Taking Down Goliath, Dayenu’s signature program for people ages 18-32. This four-part virtual training takes place during two consecutive weeks on Monday and Wednesday evenings. The dates for Winter 2024 are January 29, January 31, February 5, and February 7. Participants should plan to attend all four sessions. During the first week, we’ll focus on themes of POWER and JUSTICE. In our second week together, we’ll talk about building RELATIONSHIPS and taking ACTION. More than 350 young people have already engaged in Taking Down Goliath. This is your chance! All participants who complete the course will be offered a $50 stipend. Dayenu is committed to racial equity and accessibility. Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews, Black and Indigenous people, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA people are strongly encouraged to register. The early bird registration deadline is Friday, January 19, 2024!"
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Windmills of Northwest Ohio"Windmills of Northwest Ohio" Taken by Townsend Wilkinson. Submitted to the Sustainability Photo Contest.
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Advent Simplicity Challenge"This Advent, commit to simplicity. In a season that can mistakenly be focused on gifts and consumption, explore ways to live simply as we hopefully prepare for the coming of Jesus and the restoration of the earth. This year, we’ll be mixing in new daily challenges, as well as accompanying PDFs for folks who prefer not to use the interactive calendar."
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The Faith Voice at COP28"A webinar co-hosted by Catholic Climate Covenant and Laudato Si’ Movement featuring presentations from renowned climate scientist, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Fordham professor of theology, Dr. Christiana Zenner, and COP 28 Vatican delegation member, Fr. Eduardo Agosta Scarel. In this timely discussion, Dr. Hayhoe, Dr. Zenner, Fr. Agosta Scarel, and staff from Laudato Si’ Movement and Catholic Climate Covenant provide insight and analysis on: a) COP28: The expectations for this global meeting, the key issues the delegates will discuss. b) Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum and how it might have an impact during the COP28 meeting. c) The Vatican’s goals for COP28. d) Why (and how) the U.S Catholic community should take action (nationally and globally) as the world debates the climate crisis during and after COP28."
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Prayers and Meditations for UNCOP28"Our invitation to you and request of you on behalf of the ILC? We encourage people of all faiths to offer their prayers and meditations towards a beneficial UNCOP 28. Our prayer and meditation around the world has helped the previous COP’s .This was the feedback we have received. The picture above is of Prayer and Meditation at COP26 in Glasgow. Not pictured are those who offered their spiritual practice at that time from many other places in the world. Our invitation is that we continue what we have begun with a renewed sincerity of commitment."
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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?"