Earth Day

Earth Day -- April 21, 2002

A sad illustration for an Earth Day sermon ... and some steps to take [4-18-02]

The Rev. Bruce Gillette has sent this sad but helpful thought for those who will celebrate Earth Day on Sunday, April 21.

Pollution from power companies is killing twice as many people annually as died on September 11th. (See the New York Times report on April 18, 2002, headlined "Study Sees 6,000 Deaths From Power Plants"). We are spending billions in response in our war against terrorism - now our nation needs to respond to these ongoing deaths.

Solutions:

	Strengthen clean air regulations and use less power. Our congregations need to "walk the talk" and to model energy conservation to our members and surrounding communities while advocating that the Bush administration strengthen, rather than weaken, the clean air standards.
	Contact the Interfaith Coalition on Energy for energy audit and conservation resources for churches
	See also the EPA web site for congregations
	Contact the Natural Resource Defense Fund to advocate clean air

Presbyterian resources available for Earth Day Sunday (April 21), and for Rural Life Sunday (April 28).

[3-23-02]

Earth Day

Resources specific to Presbyterians are available online for Earth Day Sunday (April 21) or any worship that celebrates God's creation and our stewardship of the earth.

Developed by our Environmental Justice office to build on the theme of preserving biological diversity (from a GA Overture from Susquehanna Valley Presbytery approved by 85% vote in Louisville last year), the worship and interpretive materials can be downloaded in PDF format. http://www.pcusa.org/environment/earthday.htm

Soil & Water Stewardship week

Soil & Water Stewardship week is the last Sunday of April through the first Sunday in May. Our denomination has worship resources for "Rural Ministry" in conjunction with April 28, but there are also terrific worship resources available through local Soil & Water Conservation Districts, including bulletin covers. The theme this year is "The Gift of Trees." Information from the National Assn of Conservation Districts is posted below.

"One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade."
Chinese proverb

The Gift of Trees Soil and Water Stewardship Week 2002 April 28 - May 5 Soil and Water Stewardship Week is sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) -- 3,000 local conservation districts that manage soil and water conservation programs on private lands in every community. Since 1955, NACD has selected an annual theme and developed educational materials for for public school teachers and for churches of all denominations.

Today, as we begin the 21st Century and our country rapidly approaches 300 million people, it is clear that we must continue to improve the management and conservation of trees and forests, from the nearest city street to the most remote mountaintop. In most situations, the scientific knowledge for conserving and managing trees and forests is available. What is needed is the willingness of people to do what is necessary.

Encouraging people to act responsibly is a task for many sectors of our society - organizations like conservation districts, who work at the local level to promote conservation; schools that teach our youngsters the ideas and values needed to become responsible adults; and churches the provide the faith-based values and attitudes that shape our Nation's moral character. For each of those institutions, and for each of us, one place to begin is to understand and fully appreciate the gift of trees.

The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago.

The second best time is now!

The materials for the 2002 Soil and Water Stewardship Week help remind individuals of their personal responsibility to be a good steward of the land, water, wildlife, and all natural resources that will improve quality of life for all. You can order from your local Conservation District or national headquarters in Texas by March 15 for use in mid April. NACD Service Center, 408 E. Main , P.O. Box 855, League City, TX 77574-0855
Phone: (800) 825-5547, ext. 23
email: Sally-Francis@nacdnet.org
Fax (281) 332-5259

Thanks to Janet Adair Hansen, of Presbyterians for Restoring Creation

Eco-Justice Ministries is offering worship resources for Earth Day Sunday, April 21.

Peter Sawtell writes:

We have developed a set of worship resources for congregational use on April 21. The theme we have used is "Holding All Things in Common." The resources are posted on our website (http://www.eco-justice.org) and have just been updated to include:

	a call to worship
	sermon outline
	an Earth Day prayer
	a bulletin insert on oceans and fisheries
	quotations that support the theme
	suggested hymns
	links to sites with other worship resources

We hope you'll find these materials helpful in your congregation.

For those near Denver, Colorado, Eco-Justice Ministries is sponsoring an ecumenical worship service on the evening of April 21. That service is using the theme "So Great a Cloud of Witnesses" -- a celebration of the deep heritage of faith and action which nurtures and informs the church in our call to care for all of God's creation. This service will be held at 7:00 PM at Christ Church, United Methodist, 690 Colorado Blvd in Denver. A poster and bulletin insert to publicize the event are also on our website (http://www.eco-justice.org).

Please share the word about these worship options with others who may be interested.

Peter Sawtell
Executive Director
Eco-Justice Ministries
303.715.3873
E-mail: ministry@eco-justice.org

On the web: www.eco-justice.org

Tips & Activities for Celebrating Earth Day are offered by the EcoMall (www.ecomall.com), one of the oldest and largest portals for environmental shopping. [3-28-02]

This Year Make Earth Day, April 22nd, A Family Affair

Tips On Getting Kids Excited About Greening Our Planet Earth

(March 26, 2002: Woodstock, NY) - This April 22nd marks the 32nd annual Earth Day, a national American and now global expression of public will bringing together environmental activists and the community at large, to foster respect for the planet and help create a sustainable society. Tom Kay, environmental pioneer and co-founder of one of the oldest and largest environmental portals on the Internet, the EcoMall, (www.ecomall.com), urges parents and educators to celebrate and appreciate the environment at a grassroots level with activities ranging from purchasing organic food staples to planning a community Earth Day event with the help of local schools.

Earth Day is a great opportunity for parents to reinforce positive, meaningful events with their children, said Kay, a father of two children. This one-day observance can evolve into a year-round lifestyle choice for conscientious families wishing to do good for themselves while taking care of their community and environment. Most importantly, parents and educators can use Earth Day as a means of encouraging earth-friendly habits and deeds in their everyday lives.

Kay suggests that parents and educators consider the following environmentally conscious activities to celebrate Earth Day:

	Appreciate the Earth: Wake early, take a morning walk with your children and watch the sunrise. Breathe in the morning air and focus on the natural world around you. Reflect on the things that you love about the earth. Write in your journal, make up a story, draw a picture, write a poem. Think about how you as a family can preserve and keep the earth in good health.
	Make an Earth-Day Pledge: Sit down with your family and come up with earth-friendly resolutions you can all keep. Examples could be to start recycling and purchasing recycled products, make the change to non-toxic cleaners and pesticides, purchase organic produce, bike to school or work, or become vegetarians.
	Arrange a Special Earth Day Action in Your Own Community: Plant a tree or organize an Earth Day clean up - supply bags and pick a park, street, or other public area and clean it up. Host a recycling event or organize a drop off site for toxic materials such as batteries and paint cans. Set up a table in a public place and let people know how you feel about taking care of the earth. Set up a compost demonstration alongside a plant sale.
	Beautify Your Schools: Participants can prepare garden beds and children can plant flowers at a later date. Have volunteers bring garden tools. Ask for landscaper and Master Gardener volunteers to help oversee this project. Plant a tree at the school.
	Green Your Schools: Talk to school administrators about changing over to non-toxic cleaners, serving organic milk, food and juice, and using recycled, non-toxic school supplies. Have your school conduct an energy audit. Ask them to incorporate environmental themes and activities into the school's curriculum.
	Organize an Eco-field Trip: Plan a trail walk through a park, a visit to a nature center, organic farm, science museum, your local recycling plant, landfill, or water reservoir.
	Plan an Earth Day Event: Write and perform an Earth Day play, organize an Earth Day Music Concert or Earth Day Art Show. Have an Eco-Fashion show, demonstrating clothes made from hemp and organic cotton. Organize an organic picnic - invite friends for lunch in the park on the grass with only organic foods. Get the local schools involved in their own special events with the kids. Your school can make a sculpture of recycled materials, or individual classes or individual children can create their own recycled art projects. Create an Earth Day mural.
	Support Pro-Earth Groups: Plan an Earth Day walk-a-thon or clean-up-a-thon. Take financial pledges from people to sponsor you for each mile you walk or each garbage bag you fill. Donate the money to a reputable environmental agency or use the money for local beautification. Adopt a park, playground, or street. Adopt an endangered animal from an environmental organization.
	Shop Green: Use your purchasing power to support environmentally friendly companies and products by doing your shopping on-line, which cuts out pollution from car travel and the waste of paper catalogs. To browse hundreds of earth-friendly companies offering everything from non-toxic household cleaners, organic and hemp clothing, natural body care, energy efficient products to recycled paper and more, check out the EcoMall on the Web at www.ecomall.com.
	Reduce Waste: Clean out your closets and bring things that you no longer need to a thrift shop. Don't throw things away! Instead, have a swap meet and trade clothes, toys, and books with your friends. Make a list of disposable items that you can do without. Take a grocery store tour and learn how to purchase products that have little or no packaging, organic produce, and products made of recycled materials.

Take Action! Write a letter with your children to the President or your local, state or federal government representatives asking them to focus on a particular environmental issue. Write to a corporation and congratulate them on their "good" environmental practices or ask them to clean up their act.

Tom Kay is co-founder and president of EcoMall.com. He has been a pioneer in alternative environmental solutions and a leading force in green retailing since 1970, when he started his own distribution company for solar energy, TK Solar Distributors. As a solar energy consultant for Exxon Enterprises, Kay was commissioned to write a report that became the seminal white paper, "An Overview of the Solar Thermal Industry." Tom Kay holds two patents on solar collectors.

Since its launch on November 15, 1994, the EcoMall (www.ecomall.com) has received over 70 awards and accolades for its on-line service which provides green education, a comprehensive selection of environmental products and services, exclusive interviews with celebrities and more. The EcoMall offers a voice to America's sustainable business industry, featuring over 300 retailers and wholesalers in over 60 shopping categories, links to government education, environmental news, activism alerts, the popular Green Shopping Magazine and business-to-business opportunities.

NCC Earth Day Sunday 2002 Theme is "Making the World Safe for Children"

[2-18-02]

February 7, 2002, NEW YORK CITY -- "Caring for God's Creation: Making the World Safe for Children" is the theme of resources offered by the National Council of Churches for congregational observances of Earth Day Sunday (April 21, 2002).

The resources are available at www.webofcreation.org/ncc/earthday/2002/index.html

"Each year, Earth Day Sunday provides an opportunity to direct our attention to God's creation, our relationship to it and the responsibility God has given to us to tend and to keep it, " said the Rev. Richard L. Killmer, NCC Environmental Justice Director. "This year, worship and study resources focus on children.

"The Biblical visions of a redeemed and restored creation often make special note of the security and well-being of children," he said. "For example, Zechariah has a vision of a restored Jerusalem where old men and women sit on their porches and the city is full of boys and girls playing safely in the streets (Zechariah 8:5.)

"Children are among God's most precious- and most vulnerable, gifts. They are the hope of the future, but theirs is a future threatened by environmental pollution. People of faith are called to work together to help safeguard children's health and their future. We can work together to help make Zechariah's dream a reality, where children play safely in their homes and schools, on their playgrounds, and even in our city streets."

The NCC's 2002 Earth Day Resource Packet was prepared by members of the NCC Eco-Justice Working Group. The resources include:

	"Raising Children Toxic Free," an essay on Children's Environmental Health by the Rev. Shantilal P. Bhagat. From Elgin, Ill., he is a Church of the Brethren representative to the NCC's Eco-Justice Working Group and author of "Your Health and the Environment: A Christian Perspective." The essay describes children's greater vulnerability to toxins and offers practical action suggestions for families and links to many resources.
	An action alert, urging Congressional support for the School Environmental Protection Act (S. 1716). "SEPA is an important first step toward reducing the exposure of children to potentially toxic environmental hazards in our schools," Killmer said. The action alert was prepared by Eco-Justice Working Group member Jaydee Hanson of the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society, Washington, D.C.
	Worship resources, with links to additional resources on the Web at www.earthministry.org/earthday.htm and www.webofcreation.org . The worship resources were prepared by the Rev. Sharon Delgado of Santa Cruz, Calif., a United Methodist Church minister.
	An 8-1/2x11" church bulletin insert, prepared by John Paarlberg of the Reformed Church in America, New York City. The bulletin insert is in PDF version downloadable from the Web at www.webofcreation.org/ncc/earthday/2002/index.html

Through the NCC's Eco-Justice Working Group, representatives from 23 Protestant and Orthodox denominations carry out an extensive program helping people of faith engage in environmental issues. Formed in 1983, the Eco-Justice Group seeks to support and assist denominational and ecumenical work to protect God's Creation. It publishes resource materials for congregations, including the annual Earth Day resource, sponsors biennial conferences for environmental justice leaders, sponsors a Web site -- www.webofcreation.org/ncc/Workgrp.html and has created several programs for the historic black denominations.

The NCC has spearheaded many programs to encourage energy savings, including an "Energy Stewardship Congregation Program," which urges congregations to covenant to make their church buildings and grounds more energy efficient. NCC resources also help church members to write letters, call and make visits encouraging their local, state and national elected officials to endorse a "Clean Energy Agenda."