FAITH IN ACTION - Sierra Club

ST. DAVIDS, PA
Eastern University is a Christian school near Philadelphia with
more than 4,000 students. Recently, many of the students put
their money where their mouth is on environmental issues, voting
in 2007 to pay an additional fee to help offset the cost of using
100 percent wind power on the campus. The commitment to use
100 percent wind power was first made in 2002, and this past fall
the university finally attained this goal.
Sixty-three percent of Eastern’s 1,500 residential students voted to
pay $25 each for the wind energy surcharge. University officials
said this decision did not surprise them.
“Environmental stewardship is an essential component of the university’s
mission, and this wind energy purchase is just the latest
demonstration of our ongoing commitment,” said Eastern President
David Black. “After considering the damaging effect of fossil fuels on
the health of the globe and its people, our students have concluded
thoughtfully that this ethical issue demands a response.”
Achieving 100 percent wind power also netted the university the
2007 “Green Power: Turn It On” Award from Penn Future, an
organization that promotes the development of renewable energy
sources in Pennsylvania.
CATHOLIC CHURCH INSPIRES ISLAND-WIDE
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
CAGUAS, PR
For Father Pedro Ortiz and the Catholic
parish of Nuesta Señora De la Providencia in
Caguas, Puerto Rico the connection between
God, the community and environmental protection
is second nature. In order to directly
address issues of environmental degradation
and social justice which they understand to be
intrinsic to their Catholic faith, the church
formed the Alianza Comunitaria y Ambiental
en Accion Solidaria (ACAAS) or Community and Environmental
Alliance in Solidarity in April, 2007.
The parish sets aside portions of its liturgical calendar for reflection
on relevant social issues. In 2007, Holy Week was dedicated
as a time think about creation. During this season parishioners
gathered in small groups for prayer, discussion and community
reflection on environmental issues. From these small group discussions,
the original idea to found ACAAS was born.
ACAAS is now a group of 100 community organizations, environmental
non-profits, churches and universities from across the island
who share a common concern for the environment, sustainable
development and community engagement. Through grassroots
community engagement and public education they work to create
STUDENT LEGACY OF CREATION CARE
Ben Hoover, an Eastern student, says choosing wind energy was the
morally correct decision for the students. Hoover is part of
Earthkeepers, a student club “devoted to promoting proper stewardship
of God’s creation through education and service.” “Members of
Earthkeepers agree that environmental stewardship is a fundamental
aspect of Christian faith,” explains Hoover. “We have a biblical mandate
to love, serve, manage and protect what God has given to us,
and our act of caring for the creation is a form of worshipping the
Creator. Also, humans are integral members of the environment
and therefore will be affected by positive and negative changes within
it. The biblical command to care and love other people must
include caring for the environment in which they live.”
an environmentally conscious community
equipped with tools to participate effectively
in the public and private decision
making processes that affect their quality
of life. The diversity of their partnership
uniquely positions them to do so.
Recently, the Alliance is focusing its
attention on energy issues, the economy
and global climate change. In partnership
with local universities, they have held five
public forums on related topics in various parts of the island. An
April 2008 forum took a closer look at a newly proposed gas
pipeline, an issue that is growing in importance to local residents.
Nuesta Señora De la Providencia functions as a coordinating body for
ACAAS and remains at the heart of the Alliance as its parish founder.
“As human beings we have not respected creation. We are not the
only species on the planet, but we act like we are,” Father Ortiz
explains. “The way in which we see creation fails to recognize the balance
and interconnectedness of all species and, ultimately, has resulted
in a problem of violence not only against creation but also against
the society and communities we are all a part of.” Nuesta Señora De
la Providencia and ACAAS recognize human responsibility to take
care of the environment and it is what inspires them to action.
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