Ever wonder what is in the dust we breathe or the products in your home? Ever thought about how these chemicals might effect the whole body of Christ- from you to me to infants to vulnerable communities? Learn more about what chemicals are in our bodies and what people are doing to protect the most vulnerable among us. Contaminated Without Consent is a fifteen minute educational video produced by the Chemical Safety Workgroup. It includes a clip from Reverend Jeffrey Barz-Snell discussing our moral call to care for creation and each other.

After watching the video, click here for ideas on what you can do. Or if you are in Massachusetts, email me (chloe at nccecojustice.org) for a copy of the Clean Creation Coffee Hour Toolkit for use with this video at your church. The toolkit is produced by our partner, the Massachusetts Council of Churches.

For the past year and a half, I have been working with the National Council of Churches to address the issue of climate change and the need for national legislation that mandates the US to reduce its carbon footprint in the world. The affects of climate change are overwhelming. From the impacts on God’s creation and God’s people (look at the typhoon that recently hit Myanmar) to other impacts connected with health, children, and security. 

While some of us are focused on what we can do at the national level to reduce our use of fossil fuels and create a more sustainable society, we are continually faced with daily challenges. A recent note from a friend in PA is a great example of what we are facing as a broader society.

Mining companies (historically known for their poor practices in the Rocky Mountain west) have now moved eastward and are looking for gas reserves on the east coast. One place they have targeted - Wayne County, PA. Gas companies are offering money to land owners who allow them to drill on their property. Though there is clear financial incentive in this for the land owner, these companies fail to highlight the impacts to both God’s creation and God’s people that result from this type of drilling. The land is left devastated from the machinery and process used to extract the gas and there is great potential for aquifer pollution as a result of drilling having tremendous consequences for the surrounding community and the local water supply. The list of potential problems is endless and this process is clearly one could truly devastate God’s creation and many of our communities. These companies are trying to take advantage of land owners, not providing full disclosure about the drilling process, and providing no information regarding the long term impacts of these practices. 

Stories such as this always serve as a helpful reminder that, as both global and local communities, we face a tough road ahead in our efforts to prevent catastrophic climate change and more importantly, create a sustainable world for future generations. God has called us to be good stewards of the land and work for justice for all of our brothers and sisters. This is a challenge we face daily in both our backyards and around the world. As people of faith, we must work together, support one another and find ways to live out our call in each and every part of our walk with God.

It is Holy Week for the Orthodox community of Christians around the world, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew called attention to the spiritual connection between the story of Christ’s death and resurrection and our call to care for those who are suffering around the world, and all of God’s Creation. Click here to read more. The Patriarch “has the historical and theological responsibility to initiate and coordinate actions among the Churches of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Russia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Albania, The Czech Land and Slovakia, Finland, Estonia, and numerous archdioceses in the old and new worlds” (Click here for more information on the Ecumenical Patriarch).

Patriarch Bartholomew was also recognized this week as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people, and in the article written by Archbishop Rowan Williams of the Anglican Communion, his voice on Creation Care was again held up. “Probably more than any other religious leader from any faith, Patriarch Bartholomew, 68, has kept open this spiritual dimension of environmentalism.” Click here to read more.

As we join our Orthodox brothers and sisters in celebrating Christ’s death and resurrection, may we here the Patriarch’s message: “The miracle of Resurrection calls for an openness to confess the reality of the darkness within us and around us, admitting our role and responsibility in refusing to eradicate the suffering in our world”, and join him in striving for another way of living.

A recently released UNICEF UK report titled, Our Climate, Our Children, Our Responsibility: The Implications of Climate Change for the World’s Children recognizes the same reality that our two most recent resources have. Reading, “For the vast majority of people the impact of climate change means an increased risk of losing their homes and livelihoods, more disease, less security and sometimes death. Children in the world’s poorest communities are the most vulnerable. They are already seeing the impacts of climate change through malnutrition, disease, poverty, inequality and increasing risk of conflict – and ultimately an increase in child mortality rates”, the report puts into focus the reality that those bearing the least responsibility for the changing climate are those feeling the greatest impact.

It is for reasons like these that we scream that climate change is an issue of justice! It touches on our faith communities work on hunger, poverty, development, even peace. In the news lately there have also been reports of food shortages around the world, putting into reality some of the expected developments of global climate change. Recently, we have released two resources, one a worship and study resource, The Poverty of Global Climate Change, and the other a background paper titled, Climate and Church: How Global Climate Change Will Impact Core Church Ministries. These two resources further put into focus why the battle against climate change extends across the lines of all the justice ministries in our churches.

Protecting God’s Creation is an issue of being faithful stewards of the world given to us, but also a larger question of justice, and our responsibility to the least of these - especially children living in poverty. Click here for more information on how to get your church involved. Click here to read the UNICEF report.

From John Johnson, Domestic Policy Analyst in the Episcopal Churches Office of Government Relations, and the Episcopal News Service:

Stressing that the urgency of climate change calls for action now, the Episcopal Church has voiced support for legislation from Senators Leibermann and Warner.  “Urgent action is needed by the United States in response to global warming, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in a March 31 letter to the U.S. Senate, urging Congress’ upper house ‘to take up climate change legislation at the earliest possible moment.’

The full text of Jefferts Schori’s letter to the U.S. Senate is available here.

“The Presiding Bishop said she was encouraged by bi-partisan legislation, introduced by senators Joseph Lieberman and John Warner, that ’successfully moved through the committee process with many improvements and now awaits Senate debate.’ Acknowledging support for Senate bill 2191, America’s Climate Security Act, which she called ‘a strong step forward in achieving carbon emission reductions,’ Jefferts Schori said the legislation ‘includes measures aimed at addressing the needs of the world’s most vulnerable: those, who for demographic reasons such as health or location are most susceptible to the effects of climate change, and those living in poverty at home and around the world.’”

To read more, click here.

The ministry Season of Creation, in their online chapter titled, “A Theology of Deep Incarnation and Reconciliation” writes, “Christ is the crux of our theology and our worship. It is vital therefore that we are clear, as we celebrate a Season of Creation, how Christ is related to creation. Who is the Christ we worship? A spiritual being detached from Earth, residing in heaven and liberated from the burden of the material world? Or a living presence who is somehow revealed in, with and under the substances from which all creatures emerge?” (www.seasonofcreation.com).

This question rings true to me this Earth Day Week as well. This past Sunday, hundreds of churches celebrated Earth Day Sunday, and many used our resource The Poverty of Global Climate Change, which challenges us to consider our role in the reconciliation and renewal of the world – and the impact of our living on both those living in poverty and the entirety of Creation around us. Central to our attitude about that is our conception of Christ who inspires us. Romans 8:19 reminds us that Creation waits for the revealing of the children of God. Imagine, if it could be expressed, the enthusiasm with which Creation would greet us if we were to live in the glorious way that God intended. As the children of God, we are tasked with continuing the reconciliation that Jesus Christ began. This means living in harmony with the rest of Creation, both our brothers and sisters living in poverty, and the environment which surrounds us all. Check out www.nccecojustice.org for more ways to participate. And, check out the comic below for a bit of a lighter take on Earth Day, courtesy of Hagar the Horrible.

Or better yet, like water from the tap to an uncontaminated water bottle. This week a chemical used in most plastic baby bottles, aluminum cans, and some popular sports bottles came under fire in the US and Canada over concern for its impacts on the long term health impacts on children. This lead to a response from industry and government regulators that previously denied any need for concern. Why all the foot dragging until now? Read more here.

In yesterday’s NY Times, Nicholas Kristof writes about the indirect and difficult to forsee consequences of climate change. He correctly points out that food insecurity is a cause of civil conflict and violence.

Indeed, perhaps the greatest threat to food security is climate change. As the earth warms, weather patterns become less predictable, droughts and flooding occur more often.

In the northern plains of the U.S. crop production will likely increase due to a longer growing season, but in the the southeast coastal regions crops are negatively affected.

In developing countries, the impact could be devastating. Recent studies show that crop losses for corn/maize in Southern Africa could be as much as 30% by 2030. Since much of the population in this region get their food from subsistence farming, work must start soon to help them make the necessary adaptations. We as a global community must help people in danger of food insecurity to prepare for the future by increasing their current yields and switching to more appropriate crops.

For more information head to the NCC Eco-Justice Climate site and this report from Stanford University.

Tags: climatechange, hunger, security, Africa

We want to help you in celebrating Earth Day! Let us know if your community, or your church is sponsoring or attending an Earth Day activity.  Click here to send us an email and tell us about it.  We will post it on our interactive map. If you are looking for a place in your community to attend an event, click here to view the map and find one near you!

Earth Day Sunday is the Sunday before Earth Day, April 20th.  Click here to download the NCC’s 2008 Earth Day resource, “The Poverty of Global Climate Change”, and get your church involved!

We want to hear your “Great Green Congregation” story! Tell us what your church is doing for the earth, and the NCC will share your story to inspire others. We’ll also select congregations to receive a $500 prize to support its environmental work. We are looking for congregations that are:

• Advocating for environmental justice at the local, state and national levels
• Teaching about environmental justice and health in their churches and communities
• Hosting “Green Cleaning” fellowship activities
• Promoting wilderness protection through trips, education, and worship
• Supporting alternative transportation to worship
• Conserving energy and using green energy sources
• Reducing waste in all aspects of church life
• Engaged in their own unique, location-specific eco-justice ministries

Please share the story of your church’s environmental ministry in 500 words or less. What do you do? How did you get started? What have you achieved? What goals lie ahead? Include:

• your name
• your contact email
• your daytime phone number
• the name, city, state and denomination of your church.

Send your story and information to Jenny Phillips by Wednesday, April 30th, 2008. Then watch www.nccecojustice.org – your church might be the next Great Green Congregation!