It Isn't Easy Being Green

     Many years ago, I was walking along a hallway at Rutgers University when a man in a clerical collar hurried up to me and said, "Hi, I hear you're Episcopalian and an environmentalist, do you want to be on my environmental commission?"
     The environmental commission in question was that of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark. The priest was Franklin (Skip) Vilas, then rector of St. Paul's Chatham. 
     Anyone who ever met Skip knows I said yes. Nobody can say no to Skip. 
     Eventually, the Diocesan commission worked with other Christian denominations and with area Jewish congregations and a Mosque in Jersey City to form Partners for Environmental Quality. I was on the inaugural advisory board. Like I said, nobody can say no to Skip.  PEQ expanded to include Buddhist and Hindu congregations and from a local to a national group called GreenFaith.
     Rev. Fletcher Harper, executive director of GreenFaith, wrote a book titled Green Faith: Mobilizing God's People to Save the Earth.
     I have moved on to other projects in my life, but I continue to subscribe to GreenFaith's email newsletter and I got the book as soon as it came out. I didn't, however, read it immediately, because, well, life.
     A train ride from Hackettstown to Bellmore, LI, inspired me to read it.
     I learned a lot from the book.
     In a way, that surprised me. After all, I was on the diocesan commission and PEQ. I taught the environmental curriculum for Sunday School prepared by the diocese -- we were the first church to do so, St. Peter's Mt Arlington. We were the most obvious church to adopt the environmental curriculum, located on a rise above Lake Hopatcong. The kids, even the little ones knew a lot about saving water, recycling, many topics other children don't live with day to day. I even gave presentations at the annual Creative Congregations conference in the diocese.
   

Lake Hopatcong from the Miss Lotta cruise ship

     But, while I  knew a good deal about the environment and about teaching children about caring for God's Creation, there were things I learned from Fletcher's book. 
      I knew Christian and Jewish teaching about Creation. I also knew some Buddhist teachings. What I didn't realize is that every major religion says pretty much the same thing about our duties toward the natural world. That "dominion" over animals doesn't mean "ownership," it means "stewardship." We are to treat all living things with compassion.

Bleu is one of God's more beautiful creatures, a Weimaraner. He's standing on the rocks at the Lake Hopatcong State Park Beach.

     

       I also learned a good deal about the environmental catastrophes threatening many islands in the South Pacific. I learned about the food shortages that will occur if climate change isn't stopped in its tracks. And, I learned some of the simple things people and organizations, specifically congregations, can do to alleviate the problems.

Climate change affects what crops will grow and the length of the growing season. 

 

Coastlines are jeopardized by rising sea levels.

     

     I can't recommend the book strongly enough. Even if you don't have a God-centered faith, you will learn and be inspired to take action.