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Virtual Earth Day and Mutual Aid During COVID 19

4/16/2020

This year on April 22nd, we're celebrating Earth Day's 50th Anniversary, honoring the living world around us and taking any steps we can to protect our planet. There are many ways to virtually engage this year, and however you choose to do so, you won't be alone in celebrating.
The Human Element Documentary
The Human Element is an inspiring documentary that "captures the lives of everyday Americans on the front lines of climate change" and Interfaith Power and Light has partnered with the filmmakers to offer a link to view the documentary for FREE! The Human Element sign up.
Faith Climate Action Week
Faith Climate Action Week, April 17th-26th, is 10 days during Earth Month when IPL congregations focus on how we can all take action to protect our planet. This year's theme is Love Made Visible: Engaging in Sacred Activism to protect the people we care about who are the most affected by climate change. Download resources HERE.

Earthday365 Virtual Festival
For those of us craving community, St. Louis Earth Day Festival has transformed this one day celebration into a week long interactive event featuring speakers, panels, music performances, yoga classes, and more. Click here to read more and register for this free online festival! You do not have to live in St. Louis to join this event!

Giving Directly to Those in Need during COVID 19
COVID 19 has been on our minds constantly, and the pain it causes can be overwhelming. But let's not let our grief overwhelm our ability to assist others in this time of crisis. As stewards of the Earth, we know part of caring for the planet is caring for our most vulnerable populations. COVID 19 has hit these vulnerable communities the hardest, but local organizers have stepped up to provide resources that make all the difference. One example is Solidarity Economy St. Louis, a group organizing mutual aid efforts that provide funding to people in need. Check out this article to learn more about mutual aid and its importance for building resilient communities. Learn more about Solidarity Economy St. Louis on their website and check out their Facebook for webinars and virtual events.

Have you heard of the #ShareMyCheck movement? You can pledge to donate a portion of your stimulus check to those that need it most. There's a variety of mutual aid funds and grassroots movements listed on their website, or you can donate directly to the STL mutual aid fund.

Thoughts on Earth Day During a Pandemic
Below, our steering committee member Jeanne Clauson shares her thoughts as we approach celebrating Earth Day during a pandemic.

"Countries that have been under the longest lockdown are showing large reductions of greenhouse gas emissions through satellite images. However, enduring a pandemic by forced quarantines and shuttered businesses is not the way anyone wants to achieve the goal of pollution reduction. Have you noticed the air outside seems clearer? After the pandemic subsides and we're back to our daily lives, what are the ways we can remember to focus on reducing air pollution and other environmental issues? Missouri Interfaith Power and Light will continue to bring individuals and congregations the resources needed to move away from our habit of burning so much coal, oil and gas, so that we can all enjoy clean air, all the time."

In peace,
Nicole Muschinske, Communications Volunteer

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You CAN Make a Difference!

9/23/2018

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With the high heat of mid-summer, it is easy to lose our motivation to get outside and enjoy God's bounty. It can be even harder to continue the work of protecting it. I find it inspiring, though, to see how God has provided for each minute of the season. As my coneflowers start to brown, my black-eyed susans take over. While raspberries are long gone, blackberries are starting their peak. Soon, Fall gardens will be planted to sustain us through the dark Winter months. God does provide. With all the recent bleak news regarding climate change, I want to provide you with some inspiration. Sometimes we forget that there are a whole lot of folks doing good work and making real changes in their communities.

Erbab and Aamna are active members of the Islamic Foundation of Geater St. Louis and have started an environmental initiative at their mosque. I had the great fortune of presenting there a few months ago and am very impressed with their dedication and enthusiasim in making their mosque "greener". They undertook a special project for this past Ramadan. The following is Aamna's description:

"We were inspired to undertake this project when we noticed how many plastic water bottles were going to waste during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. Well-meaning individuals would bring huge cases of plastic water bottles to offer to the couple thousand--rather parched--congregants of the prayers that take place every night in Ramadan. Most of the bottles ended up in the trash and many of them would not even be half empty. After visiting the Shedd Aquarium last year, we were inspired by the "Washed Ashore" art pieces made from trash salvaged from the ocean. Our display was up for the last 5 nights of Ramadan, and we received some mixed reactions from community members. Some people couldn't believe that these bottles were collected from just the one mosque over the span of 20 days. We heard of a family who, after seeing the display, went out and bought reusable stainless steel bottles. A few individuals tried to make the argument that you just can't beat the convenience of bottled water--plus, who can remember to take a reusable one every time they leave the house? We tried to tell those folks that it's just a matter of building a habit, like putting on your shoes before you leave the house! On the last night of Ramadan, the chairman of the mosque's board announced that for the following Ramadan, plastic water bottles would be banned from the mosque! After putting so much work into something we care about so deeply, it was so validating and gratifying to hear that announcement! (Some tears may or may not have been shed.) Sometimes the hard work of a few individuals can bring about serious change!"

I appreciate that Aamna describes that there was some initial resistance to the idea. That happens and can be discouraging. Don't let it stop you, though, from doing what you know is right for God's creation. Who knows what minds might be changed. Thank you for sharing Aamna and Erbab!

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Standing Rock and Water

11/29/2016

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The Rev. Pamela Dolan, a friend to MO IPL, recently posted this to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Please read it as she captures why this is such an important issue.

The reason water is such a powerful symbol in religious ritual, poetry, art, and even in dreams is because it is so powerful in our real lives. It is the primary component of our bodies. We cannot survive without it; at the same time, we know it can kill us.

It should come as no surprise that the hashtag #waterislife has become one of the rallying cries for those protesting the Dakota Access pipeline that is slated to stretch more than 1,100 miles, including through land considered sacred by the Standing Rock Sioux.

Last Sunday night the demonstrations took a horrific turn. While the reports of militarized police using attack dogs, pepper spray, rubber bullets, and tear gas were brutal enough, there was something almost obscene about the images of water cannons set loose on human beings, nearly drowning them with their torrential force, especially given that the air temperature was in the 20s.

Water as a weapon, being used against people protecting water — this is beyond irony and veers into an almost blasphemous kind of cruelty. Feeling my heart heavy with the images I had allowed myself briefly to witness, including clips concerning a young woman who may have to have her arm amputated due to injuries received (allegedly by a concussion grenade thrown by police), I decided to reach out, to find some connection to someone with firsthand experience.

Lauren R. Stanley is a fellow Episcopal priest; I know her only through Facebook, although many of my friends in the St. Louis area know her personally from time spent on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where the the Rev. Stanley is priest-in-charge. Based on her life and ministry among Native people and her multiple visits to Standing Rock, she has much to say about the situation there.

Her first point is that the people demonstrating against the DAPL are not merely protecting their own water and land — they are doing this for the sake of others, as well. As she put it, there are 17 million of us who live downriver from the part of the Missouri that the proposed pipeline would cross — do we all know where our water comes from? Are we sure it wouldn’t be contaminated in the event of a spill? She repeated a familiar but potent refrain: “I can’t drink oil.”

Stanley also spoke of the long history of exploitation of and violence against the original people of this land. She traced it back to the Doctrine of Discovery, as first officially promulgated in a papal bull in 1492 that allowed for the subjugation of any people who were “discovered” in the so-called New World.

This took away their humanity along with their rights to the land on which they had lived for untold generations. This history can only add to the pain caused by the treatment of the Standing Rock Sioux and their allies today. One especially traumatic episode that she recounted was when four tribal leaders were arrested while at prayer; during their detention officials put them in dog kennels. “Enough is enough,” Stanley said. “This is about dignity and respect.” When asked what she wanted people to do about the situation, Stanley asked for everyone concerned to look at the tactics being used and say, “This is not who we are.” She urged everyone to contact state and federal officials to demand that the militarized response end. She continued, “Let’s stand up for the people without whom we would not have survived on this continent, and from whom we took and took.

This Thanksgiving, can we at least show respect?” Thanksgiving and the winter holidays that follow are times for family reunions and for expressing gratitude for the gifts in our life. I consider it a tremendous gift to be a priest, but a gift that comes with responsibilities. The first time I baptized a baby, I cried. The power of the sacrament hit me with such force that I could hardly get the words out. Before the actual baptism, the part where the water makes contact with the body, the priest says a Thanksgiving over the Water that begins, “We thank you, Almighty God, for the gift of water. Over it the Holy Spirit moved in the beginning of creation.” In baptism God does something that is irreversible and therefore eternal, using two primary ingredients to bring forth new life: water and human beings. Water is the outward and visible sign of a powerful inner grace, the transformation that occurs when one is adopted into the household of God and made a member of his eternal priesthood.

We desperately need transformation in our world today. We cannot let our sacred words and actions become empty rituals because they do not reflect the way we live our lives. Perhaps as we gather with family and friends during this holiday season we could place a pitcher of water on our dining tables, a reminder of the source of all life and a pledge to protect our planet and the most vulnerable among us.

Dolan serves as rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Town and Country. She is a regular Faith Perspectives contributor

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Greening Your Purim

3/15/2016

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This post is brought to you by Gail Wechsler the Director of Domestic Issues and Social Justice at the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis. The post originally appeared on their Planet Jewish blog.

The Jewish holiday of Purim, which begins this year on the evening of March 23, celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies in the biblical Book of Esther. Purim typically involves reading from the Megillah, dressing up in festive costumes , eating hamantashen and giving gifts of food and drink to others (Shalach Manot). With a little creativity, you can make this holiday more eco-friendly. Below are some suggestions:
• Do a clothing/costume exchange with friends: Instead of buying a new costume for the holiday, gather with friends (both adults and children) and do a swap of costumes. Reusing and recycling a costume previously used is key.
• Make your Shalach Manot gift more environmentally friendly: There are several ways you can do this. First, put your food items in a reusable package, such as a reusable cloth bag or a Mason jar. Second, find organic and local food items to put in your bag. Finally, minimize packaging. Items such as apples, pears and other fresh fruits don’t need to be placed in separate bags. Reduce waste as much as possible.
• Consider focusing on the needy on this holiday: Giving money and gifts to the poor is an integral part of celebrating Purim. Consider delivering your Shalach Manot gift bags to residents of an area nursing home this year. In addition, donate any unopened food or gifts you don’t need or can’t use after the holiday ends to a local food pantry (such as the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry), rather than throwing anything out.
• Cook with organic and healthy ingredients for your own Purim festivities: If you are making hamantashen, look for organic jams and jellies for your filling. If you are inviting others over for a meal to celebrate the holiday, focus on foods that are local and healthy for your Purim table. Look for winter farmers markets to buy your ingredients.

Chag Sameach!

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Eco-Friendly Lent

2/3/2016

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Lent is quickly approaching. For those who observe this time of reflection, repentance, and sacrifice, I encourage you to spend the next forty days opening your hearts and mind's to the care of God's beautiful creation.

Following are some sites and programs that may help you in your spiritual journey.

:: Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast
:: Daily Lenten Carbon Fast from Michigan IPL
:: Presbyterian Tread Lightly for Lent
:: A Green Lent - 40 Days of Green Preparation for the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
:: Christ Church ESM Lenten Care Practices

If you have any additional resources, please let me know. May this Lent reflect our passion for all that God has made!

In faith,
Tracey

* I would love to compile a list of *greener* fish fries in Missouri. Drop me line if you know of one!

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Thank you! Year in Review

12/15/2015

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Dear Friends,

This has been an exciting year of growth for Missouri Interfaith Power & Light! Thanks to your help, we:

co-sponsored the successful Make a Bigger Difference Event
organized the Interfaith Moral March for Climate Justice
held the Merchants of Doubt film viewing & discussion
implemented the 12 Tasks for Reducing Congregational Energy program
provided the opening blessing for St. Louis Earth Day
lobbied our legislators in Jefferson City and Washington DC
worked with the US Green Building Council to provide energy audits & Energy Star training for congregations
presented at numerous congregations making the connection between faith and earth stewardship

With the Paris Climate Talks successfully concluding, it is now more important then ever that faith communities become involved in the care of our common home. Please help MO IPL continue to be a beacon and resource for congregations. Your donation goes directly to programming. We would love for 2016 to be another year of education, growth, and inspiration. Thank you!

Tax deductible donations can be made to:

MO Interfaith Power & Light
c/o USGBC
4651 Shaw Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63110

In faith,

Tracey

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The Encyclical Can Resonate with all Faiths

7/7/2015

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The encyclical by Pope Francis makes a compelling case as to why, as the pope stated, “climate change is a global problem with grave implications” and “one of the principal challenges facing humanity today.”

Many of the themes noted by the pope are resonant not only to the Catholic faith, but to other faiths as well. A core tenet of Judaism is that the Earth is a gift from G-d and human beings are stewards and protectors of G-d’s creation. As Jews we learn that we are not to destroy G-d’s world, “for there is no one to repair it after you.”

Another theme common to the encyclical and Judaism is that we have a duty to address the needs of the poor. Just as Pope Francis connected the fragility of the Earth and its devastating effect on the poor, so we as Jews view repairing the Earth as connected to helping those in low-income communities, communities that often bear the worst consequences of pollution and environmental degradation.

We hope people of all faiths will heed the pope’s words to recognize we all have a moral imperative to love and care for creation. This should compel us to take bold steps to address climate change, including drastically reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and expanding our development of clean, renewable energy. We must change our behaviors as individuals, organizations and citizens of the planet for the good of humankind.

Susan Mlynarczyk • Creve Coeur

Chair, St. Louis Jewish Environmental Initiative, a committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis

Gail Wechsler • Creve Coeur

Director of domestic issues/social justice, Jewish Community Relations Council

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We Need Your Help!

6/15/2015

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This summer will be an important one for the environmental movement. With the upcoming Pope's environmental encyclical, the release of the Clean Power Plan, and the release of the Missouri Comprehensive State Energy Plan, we need to make sure the faith voice is heard! As people of faith, we realize this is a moral issue that needs to be addressed now.

One of the best ways to do this is to write Letters to the Editor and Op-Eds. I would like to compile a list of folks who would be interested in helping with these. Fear not if you have never written one! I am here to help and guide you. Please let me know if you would be willing to be contacted to write one. The larger and more diverse our voices, the better chance we have in making a difference and preserving God's beautiful Creation. Never forget that your voice matters.

In faith and hope,
Tracey

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Rational

5/26/2015

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Thank you, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, for publishing my letter to the editor!

Kevin Horrigan’s May 17th op-ed, “Reason v. Guilt” makes no sense. How is it rational to know the devastating effects of climate change, yet completely ignore any culpability you may have in the problem? As a person of faith, I see it as my moral responsibility to take care of all that God has given us. I want my children to enjoy all the beauty and diversity in the world that I have enjoyed. I also realize that to make this happen, I need to take action. While it will be a challenge to make the necessary changes, it’s increasingly clear that supporting clean energy will have both economic and health benefits. According to a recent NRDC report, Missouri could see the creation of over 3,900 jobs. I encourage my fellow rational Missourians to contact Gov. Nixon’s office to support a strong, clean energy based Comprehensive State Energy Plan and to advocate support for the EPA’s Clean Power Plan with our Senators. Not only is this a rational approach, it will also relieve some of that guilt.

In faith,
Tracey

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Take Back Earth Day

4/14/2015

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Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote "Human progress never rolls in on the wheels of invevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men (and women) willing to be co-workers with God, and with this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation."

While King was writing about the Civil Rights movement, I believe that the current environmental crisis is facing the same urgency. Environmental justice needs folks like you to work on the behalf of those who do not have a voice. Climate change will affect those who are least able to adapt. We need to step up and demand justice for everyone. I invite you to join us and other groups across Missouri to Take Back Earth Day. We need voices of faith to show Missouri lawmakers that we see climate change as a moral issue. As stewards of God's creation, we have been covenented to take care of his masterpiece. We need lawmakers to support policies that bring about this end. God did not say it would be easy or comfortable or convenient. It is, though, important and necessary. Please join us April 22nd, 10am in Jefferson City.

Genesis 1:31 "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good"

Faithfully,
Tracey

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