Eco-act 033: love for God, creation, and one another

What has this Advent felt like to you? We hope you have been able to practice stopping, taking a deep breath, being attentive to the present moment, collecting your bearings, and living in gratitude for all of the gifts of this life — even just for a moment. As we finish out this 4th week of Advent in the midst of a very long year, we are dwelling on and in God’s great love — for all of Creation (including us!).

waiting + love

for climate healing

We believe love is an action, not just an intention or warm and fuzzy feeling. It is embodied by seeing, listening, and knowing, by sharing in belonging and mutual care. God’s love radically embodied and made known by Jesus actively demonstrates and models for us what are the possibilities of love and that this abundant, overflowing love is for all of Creation — human and non-human. It is a Cosmic love that does not shy away from the hard yet truthful realities around the injustices of oppression, greed, and death that pervade the earth but rather, because of love, works tirelessly and creatively toward furthering life. In our time, Jesus’ love calls us to recognize, pray for, and act on much of the climate chaos we find ourselves in, as directly related to capitalism, consumerism, environmental racism (in the extraction of natural resources and BIPOC labor, ideas, lives), and in our accounting of Christianity’s entanglement in all of this. And yet, we can look to Jesus, the Word, who sustains and furthers all of the Cosmos as our hope and continued reason to act (Hebrews 1:1-2:8).

So. What might waiting on, looking for, and acting in God’s great love look like for us in this somewhat dismal state of our climate crisis? For one, it might look like joining in with what the Spirit is doing to bring wholeness, healing, abundance, vibrance, creativity, truth, interdependency, and ultimately more life. We would point to the other blog posts we’ve done on Eco-faith because acting for climate healing is a lot of things…but really does come from God’s invitation to participate in love-in-action.

For some ideas to further your reflection on God’s love and climate healing, we encourage you to check out these organizations, resources, and practices:

• For the Love (Canada): this interfaith organization in Canada that “invites Canadian faith communities and faith-based organizations to come together under a unified banner to mobilize education, reflection, action and advocacy for climate” (homepage).

• Interfaith Power & Light: this group is similar to the organization above, but located in the United States. It builds movements amongst faith communities, especially in the policy realms.

• Earth Ministry: on a very local Seattle level, this group helps churches green their congregations, partners with IP&L above, and provides resources for advocacy in the ways of sustainable futures.

• Read this reflection about Wendell Berry’s view of love, health, and wholeness.

• Show your love for the earth and our communities by going on a nature gratitude walk, tending to your plot of earth, or supporting local food growers.

“I take literally the statement in the Gospel of John that God loves the world,” he writes. “I believe that the world was created and approved by love, that it subsists, coheres, and endures by love, and that, insofar as it is redeemable, it can be redeemed only by love. I believe that divine love, incarnate and indwelling in the world, summons the world always toward wholeness, which ultimately is reconciliation and atonement with God.”

—Wendell Berry, “The Body and the Earth”

Eco-act 032: finding Advent joy in today’s physical world

We mark this coming Sunday, the third in Advent, with the lighting of the Joy candle. But when we think honestly about the current state and trajectory of our physical world, can we be entirely joyful? How do we hold both the reality of climate change and Advent joy?

A starting point might be to reflect for a moment on the notion of joy voiced by Henri Nouwen:

“Joy is not the same as happiness. We can be unhappy about many things, but joy can still be there because it comes from the knowledge of God’s love for us….”

Father Richard Rohr makes a similar point:

“… spiritual joy is something we participate in; it comes from elsewhere and flows through us. It has little or nothing to do with things going well in our own life….”

To these big ideas, we add two smaller thoughts of our own.

waiting + joy

for climate healing

First, we lament, we worry, not so much that climate change is happening at all—climate change has always happened—but that it is happening disproportionately, and in ways, in places, and at a pace fueled in part by human self-centeredness, indifference, denial and finally resignation. But because these are human behaviors, change is possible.

Secondly, to some extent anyway, creation is adaptable, resilient. Birds actually sing louder or softer depending on ambient noise levels. Ancient grains and biodiversity may help feed the world, should climate change threaten today’s mainstay food crop yields. And animals and crop-specific planting regions can migrate for viability; for example, some warm-weather wine grapes can now be grown farther north than in the past. Despite tidbits of good news like these, however, the bottom line remains the same: such adaptations cannot make climate change acceptable, or even bearable. They simply suggest that creation itself can act to “buy humans some time” to become better stewards. And anyway, all of this feels more like relief than joy…. How do we get to joy?

Maybe the answer rests in knowing that we have the chance to participate in environmental renewal; we get to be in solidarity with our natural world. Listen to Hildegard of Bingen: “Humankind, full of all creative possibilities, is God’s work. Humankind alone is called to assist God … to co-create. With nature’s help, humankind can set into creation all that is necessary and life-sustaining.” Now that is a big, joyous idea!

As we reflect on how to hold both joy and our concern for the environment in this season of waiting and preparing, here are a few final thoughts to consider: first, if you can, enjoy a good walk in nature, in your neighborhood or elsewhere (somewhere safe for you and others). Look and listen closely. Take a breath and take it all in. And as you walk …

• Commit to continue—or begin—your own pro-environment campaign in 2021 (your first New Year’s resolution!). While our individual efforts won’t save the environment, our absence from the battle will only make matters worse and set a bad example for others. And collectively, we can make significant contributions.

• Take a moment to start planning next year’s garden. Visualize the perfection of those flowers, tomatoes, lettuces … imagine the aroma of the basil and rosemary….

• Reflect on the conclusion of the above observation from Henri Nouwen: “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. It is a choice based on the knowledge that we belong to God and have found in God our refuge and our safety and that nothing, not even death, can take God away from us.”

May you find joy in Advent, and Merry Christmas!

Eco-act 031: Peace and climate health

As we look ahead to the second week of Advent through the lens of eco-faith, we are struck by how important this second candle, Peace (or Prophecy in some traditions), is for the work of Creation Care. This Sunday’s Old Testament reading is Isaiah 11:1-10:

1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
    the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the spirit of counsel and might,
    the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
    or decide by what his ears hear;
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
    and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
    and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
    and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

6 The wolf shall live with the lamb,
    the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
    and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze,
    their young shall lie down together;
    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
    and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy
    on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

Aside from the lush pastoral language, how do these verses land for you, especially verses 6-10 regarding this other-worldly, seemingly impossible peace among all of Creation? Where do you find such bold visions of peace in absolute contrast to what’s happening in our world today? Who are our prophets of today regarding the state of our earth and really, the state of us?

While it is hard enough to believe that peace can come for the above-mentioned relations, it seems daring to hope or hold our breath for peace to reign in our present societies. How do we wait with Advent hope for the powerful to relinquish their influence peacefully (and we’re not just talking about the Presidential transition)? For all of the industrial complexes (agriculture, pharmaceutical, prison, military, and even non-profit) to take account of their systemic harm and oppression and dismantle themselves for healthier communities? Can we realistically expect peace, and how do we act for it?

waiting + peace

for climate healing

To start, we can be inspired by the work of organizations doing this work at a global, national, and interpersonal level. The Institute for Climate and Peace is a great place to get your feet wet in the world of peace and climate mutuality. We highly recommend you look at their write-ups on Future Coastlines, Just Migration, Women & Gender Inclusion, and Positive Peacebuilding. All of these areas and more overlap and work together to produce healthier social and ecological fabrics for generative communities. Read the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to learn about the 17 targets that include both peace and various climate-related actions. And we can’t talk about peace and climate without highlighting the harm done to BIPOC communities who are usually first and most impacted by climate change...and the ways these communities have been innovating to support their survival and thriving. We’ve shared some BIPOC farmers and other community members making moves of wholeness and peace for themselves and their communities — please share any more folks you know of in the comments!

Moving to a very local and personal level, what might cultivating peace amidst a year of upheaval look like for you this Advent season? We invite you to find practices that move you forward in your peacemaking…internally, interpersonally, and at a community level. We all have to be aligned, rested, hydrated, and showing up as our full selves to face the challenges before us: both big and small. Take care and be gentle with yourself and those around you. Here are a few invitations:

• Get your hands in the dirt: work on that winter garden and prep your soil for spring planting! Your body might find peace when you are more connected to the earth.

• Read: We recommend My Grandmother’s Hands for learning about the somatic impacts of white supremacy and how to heal our bodies. Though not explicitly about peace or eco-care, these all overlap and we think you will find meaningful connections along the way! Or, read Wendell Berry’s “The Peace of Wild Things”

• Listen to music: Especially this year, Beautiful Chorus’ Hymns of Spirit album has been joyful, grounding, and calming for our bodies and spirits. And their newer released singles encourage us to Rise Up and act.

• Walk a labyrinth: Seattle has many labyrinths that may be used for full-body worship and walking prayer. Here is a list that details all the labyrinths in the Seattle area. Here’s one for Bainbridge Island. Find one nearby, or take a family field trip/pilgrimage and contemplate peace and prophecy.

Do you have any other reflections or practices of peace, prophetic wisdom, or climate care this Advent season? Remember, Sabbath rest is most definitely part of this equation; cultivating and caring for your mental and spiritual health is resistance!

Eco-act 030: Advent hope for climate change

Advent begins this coming Sunday, and we mark the day by lighting the Hope candle. But perhaps we also ask ourselves, what does hope look like in the context of climate change? Is there still time, or any reason, to hope? Experts tell us that it’s not a matter of if or even when: climate change is happening now. Those with eyes to see know this, even though others still refuse to acknowledge reality. So how do we find a way to hope for the care and healing of our physical world? Here are three thoughts for consideration.

waiting + hope

for climate healing

At the macro level, a broad range of factors offer hope, including:

• Transition to new national leadership that acknowledges climate change and includes people committed to addressing it—not just the President-elect, but John Kerry and others (with organizations like the Sunset Movement holding the gov’t accountable).

• The imminent return of our nation to the Paris Climate Accord.

• The announcement this week that General Motors will withdraw from the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking to stop California from setting its own (aggressive) clean-air standards.

• The UN climate chief's comments about major industrial nations’ renewed commitments to curb pollution.

• A USA Today article from earlier this year noting five reasons for hope: (1) global economic growth is outpacing emissions growth, meaning that a healthy economy AND a healthier environment can coexist; (2) energy-efficient solutions like LED lights have reached a tipping point and are becoming commonplace; (3) wind and solar energy prices are dropping, making them smart choices; (4) clean energy availability is growing too, even as prices decline; and (5) state/local governments control zoning, land-use, building and energy use regulations, and are often more agile than the federal government in taking climate-friendly steps.

• The World Wildlife Fund notes that when the US withdrew from the Paris Accord, literally thousands of leaders representing corporations, universities, states, counties, cities, tribes, faith communities, and others joined the We Are Still In movement. Concern for our environment is indeed broad-based.

• WWF also notes that “More than 3.3 million Americans are employed in the clean energy economy. There are more American jobs in renewable energy than in traditional fossil fuels.” When environmental concerns and economic interests coincide, there is reason for hope.

At the individual level, we can find hope in the knowledge that we have agency to ACT. Perhaps our private actions feel small, even futile, in the face of the environmental challenges confronting us. But collectively, our actions have the potential to deliver a mighty contribution. Throughout our Eco-Faith posts, we’ve identified intentional steps each of us can take to make a difference—reducing food waste and e-waste, properly recycling, mindfully disposing of things we no longer need, thoughtfully shopping, growing a garden, planting trees, and so on. Writer Christiana Figueres, referenced in The Hill, adds three more “tangible things we can do in 2020 and before we hit 2030: find out what our carbon footprint is using one of many online calculators, determine what are the low hanging fruit and commit to reducing our personal carbon footprint by 50 percent by 2030.” Here’s a link to a calculator provided by the EPA.

At a deeper level, we might also find hope by pausing, taking a deep breath, and then reflecting on our roles in the climate change battle. We’re not asked to win it by ourselves. We’re asked to support and collaborate with each other … to do what we can, consistently and faithfully … and then to wait, in the space and time between what’s now broken and the better environmental future we long for. We don’t know the outcome—but we know Who does, so we can wait in hope. And hope does not disappoint.

Eco-act 029: support local

This week, we’ve been reading this excerpt of Wendell Berry’s article “The Idea of a Local Economy” — and we highly encourage you to read it. Berry articulates so well how and why local economies matter in the big and small scheme of things. We invite you to consider a few quotes, as big corporations and multinational companies continue shaping our world (inequitably for the poor and people of color…and inevitably for all of us who share the land and its resources):

One begins to ask, What is here, what is in me, that can lead to something better?

…So far as I can see, the idea of a local economy rests upon only two principles: neighborhood and subsistence. In a viable neighborhood, neighbors ask themselves what they can do or provide for one another, and they find answers that they and their place can afford. This, and nothing else, is the practice of neighborhood. This practice must be, in part, charitable, but it must also be economic, and the economic part must be equitable; there is a significant charity in just prices.

…The “free trade” which from the standpoint of the corporate economy brings “unprecedented economic growth,” from the standpoint of the land and its local populations, and ultimately from the standpoint of the cities, is destruction and slavery. Without prosperous local economies, the people have no power and the land no voice.

This example of the practice of neighborhood has us wondering in what ways are we operating out of equitable subsistence…out of providing for and receiving from our community (burritos - food security and care, our garden box - hands in the dirt and free food, tutoring - education and connection). The ending of this excerpt highlights the colonial economy that we all find ourselves in, which is poignant (especially as we try to decolonize our lives…see our recent post on accounting truthfully for Thanksgiving). How does this show up in your life and other spheres? What hits you from this article? Let us know in the comments.

shop local

keeping here vibrant✨

So, here’s where our holiday series gets practical. What better way to stand up to climate change than by supporting the hardworking businesses and people in our community?! Reduce shipping and transportation emissions and pick up your items in person (maybe even walk or bike there?). As Black Friday approaches next week, we encourage you to opt-out of the fanatical deals/consumerism that really only benefits “big box” corporations — many of whom have gotten a whole lot richer in this pandemic. And for you online shoppers, we were displeased to find out that many online shopping returns do not in fact get restocked…they often end up in the landfill in the tune of 5 billion pounds!

Anyway, as we head back into greater covid restrictions, our small businesses need our help (and if the federal gov’t won’t help…we will show up for our beloved small biz community!). So, we invite you to shop small and shop local on #SmallBusinessSaturday, 11/28 instead of Black Friday, and in addition to REI’s call to #optoutside (which by the way, they have great ideas about safe outdoor activities to get you reconnected with Creation!).

We especially recommend the Seattle-based company, Intentionalist, whose search tool you can use to find BIPOC-owned, veteran-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, disability-owned, family-owned, and women-owned businesses. You can sign up for some of their games and play bingo by frequenting certain stores — they even have a curated gift list to help your impact go further this holiday season. In the ways of food, may we suggest supporting Seattle Restaurant Week (errr, month), happening until 11/21. Finally, here’s an updated list with covid-updated eateries. You can also refer to previous Eco-faith posts for more local farmers, book stores, etc!

So. Vote with your wallet by re-circulating your money in your local economies and let us know how you are practicing neighborhood in the comments below!

Eco-act 028: thankfulness, and thoughts about two traditions

With mid-November and colder weather, we anticipate Native American Heritage Month & also Thanksgiving. But in 2020, is this just “muscle memory?” After all, this month falls at a dark moment in a dark year. Holiday travel will be curtailed. Family gatherings will be smaller or relegated to zoom—or even canceled. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be a TV-only event, featuring no high school or college marching bands, no live spectators.

In all of this, we must also acknowledge the truth about Thanksgiving — that Native people showed generosity to settlers yet their treaty rights, land, and ways of being have not been honored — they have been decimated. Still, some 400+ years later, we hope that you might learn more about Native American Heritage Month and find ways to practice gratitude to the Indigenous tribes whose land we occupy. (As Kitchen Table Conversations discussed this week, often good meaning “woke” people get things wrong — it is messy. Check out this poignant, satirical play by Larissa FastHorse for more: The Thanksgiving Play).

While our present moment is one of complexity, there are still many reasons to be thankful: our health, for most of us. Our veterans. Our friends and family, resilience, the promise of vaccines, warm memories of better times. Jojo’s release. Our community’s care for food security.

living grateful

decolonizing Thanksgiving, celebrating climate wins

We can also find reasons for gratitude regarding our environment and climate change. Consider …

• Young people everywhere who are setting aside panic, indifference or despair and acting to support climate justice. And not just Greta Thunberg. How about high schooler Tseng I-Ching and her discovery of a Styrofoam-eating bacterium? How about Julia Bennett and Isabella Schaak and their efforts to remove single-use plastic from their Minnesota high school? And how about so many more young people, known and unknown to us, in school and after graduation, working to make the world a better place even before they inherit it?

• Walmart's on-track project with its partners to remove 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases from its supply chain by 2030 — hopefully not just a move of corporate green-washing but of genuine commitment to our collective future.

• Apple's commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030; and since the company’s own electricity requirements are already being met 100% through renewable sources, further progress will be accomplished through its suppliers.

• The growing role of wind and solar in meeting global electricity requirements

• Lyft's plan to operate a 100% electric vehicle fleet by 2030

• The efforts of Seattle/King County and other government bodies to tackle recycling and climate change more broadly

By themselves, of course, these and similar efforts will not be enough to stop or reverse climate change. Much more needs to be done — especially at the policy/institutional levels. But these developments point to a broader understanding of and response to climate change. They do give us reason to hope and call us to gratitude this month (and always).

As we plan our Thanksgiving dinners, perhaps we can also take a moment to reflect on the story of the first Thanksgiving—specifically, the fact that two groups attended. Our traditions are likely built around grandma’s cranberry sauce or Aunt Jane’s pumpkin pie, or …. But does any part of the feast honor the Native people whose food and traditions were shared — might we decolonize our Thanksgiving meals? In addition to the tips listed, note that Three Sisters Salad uses ingredients demonstrating companion planting, an earth-wise technique employed by Native American planters for perhaps 10,000 years. Food, land, history, sustenance. Something to think about as we plan our gardens for next growing season!

And here’s one final thought as we approach Thanksgiving: the following day is Black Friday, the unofficial “tradition” that kicks off the Christmas shopping season. Before we jump into it, perhaps we can take a deep breath and think about how to tailor our gift-giving (and gift requests!) with climate change in mind. How can we reduce the greenhouse gas emissions generated by our own shopping trips, and by the UPS/FedEx/Amazon vehicles that will deliver our gifts—and handle our returns? Can we reduce the wrapping materials that would normally clutter landfills in the holiday aftermath? Can we repair/repurpose/re-gift a piece of furniture or clothing to avoid recycling or disposing of it? Can we think of recycling as the last resort? (The best case is having nothing to recycle in the first place!)

We have reasons for gratitude this Thanksgiving, personally, and with respect to climate change. Governments and corporations have begun to act in, larger, more responsible ways. A host of individuals are rising to the occasion, and each of us can contribute in a variety of ways. In fact, maybe this is the biggest thing we can be thankful for: our ability to act. What a blessing! The game isn’t over … it’s still on. Happy Thanksgiving!

Eco-Act 027: Gifts that Ripple

It’s the day after the election, with many of the results still pending. What is clear, is that regardless of the outcome, we need to continue acting with hope, purpose, and solidarity to care for the most vulnerable parts of Creation — human and non-human. Chances are high that thinking about eco-faith holiday gifts is probably low on your list of priorities, or even what you have the attention for right now. So let’s keep this short!

Green Gifts

of the Spirit

As we continue with our segment on planet/people-conscious gift-giving this holiday season, we invite you to think creatively about what kind of gifts you might give. Specifically, could you support organizations or creatives stewarding right relations with our (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, poor) communities, God, and all of Creation on behalf of your loved ones? As a reminder, climate change most and first impacts Black, Indigenous people of color, LGBTQ+, poor, and other underserved communities. Supporting individuals and orgs that seek to center these groups is part of practicing eco-faith and ensuring that all human and non-human relations flourish.

Beyond limiting consumerism, how cool to think that our generosity and giving to our loved ones could go farther and positively ripple out to other parts of our communities this season. Consider planning with your gift receiver (or make it a surprise!) and support some hardworking orgs or folks with a one-time or ongoing gift. Here are a few ideas to get your creativity moving:

• Sunrise Movement: “Sunrise is a youth movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. [They’re] building an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people.”

• Community Alliance for Global Justice: This Seattle-based education and advocacy group focuses on food justice, agriculture justice, and trade justice, in order to “support…the movements for healthy local food economies here and everywhere.” Their program specifically works with many BIPOC farmworkers to ensure better working, living, and market conditions for the communities who grow so much of our food.

• Black Farmers Collective/Yes Farm: We’ve already covered this Seattle-based, Black-led farm collective (and other Black farmers!). Support their efforts toward a more “sustainable, equitable future for communities of color [by] eliminating food scarcity and undoing the commoditization of the food industry.”

• Art: Creative expression through various art mediums is a critical, imaginative part of our collective liberation! Consider donating to cultivate the arts in our region. Read more about Acts on Stage’s upcoming screening of 12 Angry Men. Also, check out the important work that Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery is doing in Burien to center Latinx artists and community events. Finally, consider supporting the Wing Luke Museum for Asian American Pacific Islander histories, especially in the Seattle area.

And remember, support doesn’t always have to look like pure donations. You can purchase produce, craft goods, services, and other experiences from these communities to sustain their businesses and creatively liberative offerings.

Do you have any particular artisans or companies that you like to donate to or purchase from? Share your favorites in the comments!