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water is a human right

3/31/2022

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In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis affirms that “access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights (LS #30). Pope Francis goes on to say “Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity. This debt can be paid partly by an increase in funding to provide clean water and sanitary services among the poor.” (LS #30)

Here are just a few water facts to think about. Worldwide, two billion people live without access to safe water. Of all the water in the world, only 0.3% is available for human consumption. A clean, sustainable supply of water is vital for life. What habits can I develop to value and share water? I can turn the water off when brushing my teeth and lathering my hands; I can toss water from washing vegetables into the garden; I can consciously shorten time in the shower; I can run only full dishwasher and clothes washer loads. I can support organizations that provide safe water. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of hamburger. This amount of water could be used to grow more than 50 pounds of fruits and vegetables. Beef is the most water intensive meat; I can add variety and conserve water by eating more chicken, fish, and pork. Drinking from reusable water bottles encourages less water waste, less water used in production of disposable bottles and there is less environmental pollution. Reusable water bottles make great gifts! I can advocate with local and state authorities for protection of our Chesapeake Bay watershed, and I can do my individual part by ensuring that runoff from my property does not carry chemicals into the storm water system. What can you do to be a better steward of the gift of water?

​Explore UN World Water Day at https://www.un.org/en/observances/waterday, and take a walk in an April shower!
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what to do with old shoes and jeans?

3/27/2022

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In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis reminds us that unlike nature’s life cycle where all waste and by-products are re-used, “our industrial system, at the end of its cycle of production and consumption, has not developed the capacity to absorb and reuse waste and by-products. We have not yet managed to adopt a circular model of production capable of preserving resources for present and future generations” (LS#22).
 
I am motivated to consume less by facts about what happens to clothing and textiles in the landfill :  
  • Textiles can take 200+ years to decompose in landfills, generating the greenhouse gas methane.
  • Chemicals and dye may leach into the soil eventually contaminating ground water. 
  • The volume of clothing Americans throw away each year has doubled in the last 20 years from 7 million to 14 million tons.
  • It takes 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt and synthetic blends come with their own set of perils.
We know many options for donating usable clothing and goods, such as local nonprofit thrift stores (Goodwill, The Closet in Herndon, The Clock Tower in Falls Church, Treasure Trove in McLean, Capital Caring’s Thrift Shop at Seven Corners), but what about those old shoes and jeans? Here are a few solutions:
 
Madewell* stores in Tysons and the Mosaic take old (blue or any color) jeans and work with partner Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green, who fabricates the jeans into insulation for Habitat for Humanity Homes.  Donate your jeans, keep a home warm and receive a store coupon toward a new pair.

The Teva Forever* program works with Terracycle to turn your old Teva sandals into running tracks, playgrounds and more.

Soles4Souls*
 focuses on shoes that are distributed in programs in the US and around the world.  Their local collection partners include The North Face, DSW, and mail in donations through Zappos.

​Postage paid mailing labels are available for these programs on their webpages.

Can we all be more mindful of following the Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle this year?

*See reference: https://www.madewell.com/inspo-do-well-denim-recycling-landing.html
https://www.teva.com/tevaforever/
https://soles4souls.org/give-shoes/
https://www.zappos.com/e/soles-4-souls
​
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fighting "Eco-grief"

3/20/2022

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Wondering if you are like me and experiencing some “eco-grief,” an interesting label for climate disaster fatigue? The news seems to be mostly bad storms are unusually destructive; glaciers are disappearing; Congress struggles to pass a bill with climate action funding; and one questions whether those small steps we are taking will really have an impact. Plus, it seems those actions are often a bother and many are expensive! As a person of faith, am I going to let these waves of pessimism distract me, pull me down? What can I do to rejuvenate optimism or at least hold the pessimism at bay? For me, the counterpoint often starts by finding and reading some words from Pope Francis. His comments about environmental justice often get me off thinking about myself and focusing on others. The other day I was watching a news report about China’s use of coal. Even though they have invested billions in clean energy sources, they refuse to begin the scale back of coal use likely the single worst source of carbon emissions and the source of sickness for those living near plants energized by coal and those working in the mines bringing the coal to market. That got me thinking about what I can do about that. Indeed, I could avoid buying China sourced articles that likely are a product of manufacturing processes using coal sourced energy e.g., products with Chinese steel. More questions for exploration occurred to me what US manufacturers import Chinese steel for their fabrication processes? I don’t have to do this by myself so long as I am prepared to talk about this issue. I have been talking about this with family and friends for the past several days. Did you know that...? So, this is an aspect of caring for our planet that appeals to me. What issue has caught your attention lately? Will you start talking about it? Perhaps Lent is the perfect time to take up this practice.

See reference: The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change https://www.ipcc.ch/assessmentreport/ar6/
“As COP26 gathers, faithbased environmentalists fight ‘ecogrief’,” https://www.ncronline.org/news/earthbeat/cop26gathersfaithbasedenvironmentalistsfightecogrief
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Greener flowers?

3/13/2022

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What could be ‘greener’ or more earth friendly than flowers? Are some flowers ‘greener’ than others? Our Creator gives us the gift of beauty in flowers. We may especially treasure flowers during our dormant winter season, but since 90% of cut flowers sold in the US are imported from Columbia and Ecuador, have we thought about the impact of their long air journey? We know that airplanes are major greenhouse gas emitters. And what about environmental justice? We read that flower plantation workers can experience harsh conditions, low pay, and unfair treatment to women. But what can we do when 90% of flowers are imported? There is a small but growing core of enterprise in local seasonal flowers. In addition to avoiding the transportation impacts, locally grown flowers support small businesses, and use native plants to nourish pollinators, feed the earth and clean the air. Is our earth worth the time and cost of using local resources? We do have choices. Here are some options to consider before picking up that handy grocery store bouquet, or ordering a centerpiece online. MOM’s Organic Market has no flowers on display right now, but once the blooming season begins, they stock fresh blooms from the Lancaster Cooperative in Pennsylvania. Whole Foods sells flowers that do make that long journey, but their Whole Trade brand are certified Fair Trade products, so workers are paid and treated fairly. Local Farmers’ Markets all feature in season displays of local flowers and plants. A nationwide movement called Slow Flowers is dedicated to promoting American grown flowers and florists who use local flowers. (www.slowflowers.com/aboutus.html) Slow flowers has a directory of florists and wholesalers who serve their local areas. There are a number of florists and wholesalers who grow and use local flowers in our region. Listings for some of these are posted on the Care for Creation Ministry webpage under Blog. As I appreciate the gift of flowers, I ask myself, what does the earth need from me so it can continue to sustain the plant life cycles that reward us with beauty and fulfill their role in creation?
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what's the future of ski resorts

3/6/2022

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How better to commune with God’s creation than by beholding snow covered peaks from the top of a mountain? Breathing the crisp air and feeling the wind as you glide down a frozen slope (or race pell-mell through a mogul field!) surely makes us feel at one with the universe and treasured by God.  
 
Sadly, some ski vistas have changed – while the trails are white, the surrounding countryside is a wintry gray/brown, no snow in sight.  The stark backdrop of the ski venues during opening days at the Winter Olympic Games this year showed this to the world.
 
Recently, a Washington Post Travel section* piece looked at how some ski resorts are responding to climate change. The ski industry is dependent on climate and is also responsible for exacerbating warming that may lead to skiing’s demise.  The article looks at several US ski resorts that are taking action to respond to the needs of the environment as they try to sustain their industry.
 
Aspen Skiing Company captures methane leaking from an old coal mine to produce power to operate the entire resort of four snow hills, hotels and restaurants and stops the methane leak.
 
Taos Ski Valley is a certified B Corporation that considers environment, sustainability and social responsibility in every action. Taos protects the health of water in the Rio Grande by caring for the forests in its watershed. The resort will convert to all solar by the end of this year and be carbon neutral by 2030.
 
Berkshire East Mountain Resort in Massachusetts generates 100% of its electricity on-site using a wind turbine and solar panels, feeding excess power to the local grid. A top-of-mountain pond for snow making uses gravity to reduce power needs.
 
Bluebird Backcountry is a dramatically different type of ski operation that is “human powered,” no lifts, no snow making, no hotels or restaurants. Portable solar panels heat the tents and at the end of the ski season, they disappear leaving the slopes unmarked.
 
These approaches show that, as stewards of creation, we can see with new eyes, asking -- what can we do for the earth? what does the earth need? What can I do today, to show that I value the intrinsic worth of creation?  Whom will I talk to about this?
 
*(How four ski resorts are working to slow their demise, Heather Balogh Rochfort, The Washington Post, Travel, Sunday, February 13, 2022)
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    Care for Creation - Blog Team

    Care for Creation Blog Team share information on variety of topics and initiatives, in an effort to educate and increase awareness of Pope Francis' encyclical, Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home.

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