Social Justice Tag: Earth

By Jason Giovannettone, Climate and Sustainability Director 

Canned water is often recommended to minimize the consumption of single-use plastic products.  A quick introduction of potential alternatives to bottled water can be found in the following video: 

Aluminum is great because it is not made from fossil fuels and can be recycled indefinitely without losing quality. Plastic relies heavily on fossil fuels and can only be recycled a limited number of times. Glass requires large amounts of materials and energy during production, and due to its higher weight, it causes more emissions during transportation. Recycling glass also requires more energy than recycling aluminum and plastic. 

The recycling rate of aluminum is higher than for plastic bottles (43% vs. 20%, respectively), with nearly 97% of recycled aluminum becoming new cans.  Though some plastic bottles are recycled into new bottles, most end up in other types of products (e.g., polyester in clothing) as lower-quality plastic. The conversion of recycled aluminum into a new can requires only 5% of the energy needed to produce a new can, which is much less than plastic and glass. 

Additionally, aluminum scrap is more valuable at $1,388 per ton; recycled plastic is $215 per ton and glass is $23 Therefore, by recycling aluminum you are essentially subsidizing the recycling of other materials. 

One major concern with aluminum cans is that they require an inner liner to prevent metal corrosion and food contamination. These liners commonly contained bisphenol A (BPA), which is a hazardous chemical that can lead to multiple types of health issues. Luckily, many companies now sell drinks in cans containing a BPA-free liner. 

Helpful Hint 

If you need to purchase packaged water, consider purchasing a brand that comes in a BPA-free aluminum can composed of a high percentage of recycled material (i.e., post-consumer waste).  Examples include Open Water (75%; Climate Neutral certified), Blue Can (45-70%), RAIN (up to 100%), and Proud Source (75%).  

Sources: The Aluminum Association; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

February 2025

Articles from Mercy:

• National declaration of emergency in Bajo Aguán (Ana Siufi, RSM; Institute Justice Team)
• Critical Considerations: Has the United States declared war on immigrants? (Karen Donahue, RSM)
• What energy emergency? (Marianne Comfort; Institute Justice Team)

Local Justice News & Upcoming Mercy Events:

Justice Resources & Links

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National declaration of emergency in Bajo Aguánⁱ

Ana Siufi, RSM; Institute Justice Team

[A declaration issued on 01 February 2025 by activists in Honduras, including Mercy sisters and associates]

The organizations of the social, popular, feminist, human rights, indigenous, Garifuna, artistic, sexual dissident, Afro-indigenous, and student movements of Hondurasⁱⁱ declare the area of ​​the campesino (poor farmer) cooperatives of Camarones, El Tranvío, and El Chile as an emergency territory due to mortal risk from armed attacks by groups of hired assassins (sicarios) – supported by guards [employed by] the DINANTⁱⁱⁱ Corporation – who are displacing and killing campesinos to evict them from the land they have organized to defend.

In this context we [the signing organizations] warn:

1. That this is a strategy to dismantle the campesino and indigenous struggle in this territory and throughout the country.
2. In these settlements there are women, men, boys, and girls who have been living in terror every day for months, which has worsened in these last days of January. The calls for help and solidarity through broadcasts and calls from people who are in the area have not touched this government headed by President Xiomara Castro, now complicit in what is happening there. The national police stationed in the area with a deployment of agents and equipment do not intervene in favor of the lives of the land defenders; and the supposed judicial mechanisms are not effective in capturing the leaders of these groups that keep campesino families terrorized. The ministers and government officials who should preserve life only justify themselves, publicly lament, and put off a reality in which people are already reported injured, kidnapped, and murdered.
3. The campesino movement of the Aguán, accompanied once again by the entire social movement of this country, is once again denouncing the lack of compliance with the agreements that President Xiomara Castro signed with the Agrarian Platform and COPA on February 22, 2022, to resolve the situation that should never have reached this level of extreme and historic violence in the Bajo Aguán region.
4. We point out from now on that the government of the president and its officials are complicit in the aggression, displacement, persecution, criminalization, and murder of the families who are under fire on the sacred soil of Honduras that they promised to defend, because despite being fully informed of the gravity of the situation, they do not respond to the level of this lethal crisis. At this moment making this declaration, we receive the terrible news of the murder of two people, members of the Gregorio Chávez Association: Suyapa Guillén, a member of the Network of Peasant Women, and her partner, José Luis Hernández Lobo.
5. The people of the Aguán are not alone. We call on all organizations and communities to join in to protect the lives of campesino families who are under fire today. We ask you to disseminate this call and follow up on the actions that we will be calling for.

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1. Bajo Aguán – lower region of Aguán River valley, major agricultural producing region, 20% owned by DINANT
2. signatories’ logos listed below
3. DINANT Corporation: palm oil corporation of the Facusse family, heavily supported by World Bank, linked to numerous murders connected to land evictions and illicit drug trade, with a private army

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Critical Considerations

Has the United States declared war on immigrants?

Karen Donahue, RSM

Since taking office on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump has issued an avalanche of executive orders addressing a wide range of issues. While many of these orders are of dubious legal and/or constitutional standing, few are more problematic than those dealing with immigration.

Shortly after Donald Trump signed executive orders addressing immigration, the American Immigration Council, an organization that advocates for just and humane immigration policies, released After Day One: A High-Level Analysis of Trump’s First Executive Actions, a document which looks at the key policy changes the president is proposing, what’s already happened, what happens next and what does it all mean?

These policy changes can be summarized under the following four headings:

• Turning the U.S. interior into an enforcement dragnet
• “Sealing” the border—using the U.S. military and more
• Rolling back existing legal protections—up to and including U.S. citizenship
• Restricting future arrivals to the United States

The report notes that the president is following up on the record his first term and his campaign promises to redefine and limit who is an American. Even more troubling are novel legal arguments about using the military to repel asylum seekers, including invoking the Insurrection and Alien Enemies Acts.

The report warns immigrant advocates that “it is important to understand not just the scope of the executive orders, but also what precisely they aim to do, and on what timescale. The flurry of first-day activity was itself a signal to immigrant communities that they are under attack—but it is also a blueprint for future actions.”

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What energy emergency?

Marianne Comfort; Institute Justice Team

Among the early executive orders that President Donald Trump signed soon after his second inauguration is a declaration of an “energy emergency.” This despite the fact that the U.S. is producing more oil and gas than ever, and exporting more than any other country.

The declaration provided a rationale for a slew of related executive orders that signal a distinct policy shift away from renewable energy expansion and toward fossil fuel development. These include opening up more oil and gas drilling in Alaska, reversing President Biden’s pause on new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export terminals that threaten communities along the Gulf Coast, freezing congressionally allocated investments in renewable energy, and restricting wind energy and pausing approvals of renewable energy on public land and waters. The president also pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement, and revoked policy that was designed to ease the disproportionate burden of pollution on low-income and Black, Indigenous and other  communities of color.

The energy emergency declaration specifically calls out obstacles to this agenda in the Northeast and West Coast, “where dangerous State and local policies jeopardize our Nation’s core national defense and security needs, and devastate the prosperity of not only local residents but the entire United States population.” It will be worth monitoring to see if this leads to attempts to overturn state and local laws and regulations that ban certain forms of energy development, such as fracking, and that restrict siting of pipelines and other infrastructure.

The emergency declaration also appears to indicate support for speeding up permitting of energy projects, electricity transmission lines, and mining for minerals used for renewable energy and the military. Members of Congress are working on bills that would loosen environmental regulations around mining and energy development and limit public input, including from communities located near pr0posed projects.

The Sisters of Mercy’s Awakening to a New Consciousness on Extractivism theological reflection process offers many examples of the harms of extracting natural resources, analysis of the impacts of this extraction, and calls to action.

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Article Archive

2025

February

National declaration of emergency in Bajo Aguán

Critical Considerations:

Has the United States declared war on immigrants?

What energy emergency?

January

If you make a mess, clean it up! (Advocacy success in NY)

Youth claim climate victory in Montana court

Critical Considerations:

Was January 1, 2025 a wake-up call?

(click years to expand)

2024

December

Gender and climate justice

Critical Considerations:

Is the United States becoming a plutocracy?

Making nuclear weapons taboo

November

Critical Considerations:

What happened on November 5, 2024?

The Ecological Debt

October

Overturning the Chevron deference

Critical Considerations:

Who are the Israeli settlers and what motivates them?

Assassination of Honduran water protector deeply grieves Sisters of Mercy

September

God walks with his people: National Migration Week September 23–29

Critical Considerations:

What does CEO compensation say about corporate priorities?

Anxiety – election season can heighten it!

August

Critical Considerations:

What is Project 2025 all about?

Working to stop weapon exports to Haiti

Beyond Voting:

Participating in Elections, part 2

July

Critical Considerations:

Is there a better way to spend $91 billion?

Education, Agriculture, & Emigration in the Philippines

Beyond Voting:

Participating in Elections, part 1

June

Critical Considerations:

Are we creating a prison-industrial complex?

Conscience

Mercy student videos address the Critical Concerns

May

Critical Considerations:

Degrowth is the only sane survival plan

Argentina and the government of hate

Listening to a chorus of voices

April

Critical Considerations:

An Israeli Jesuit reflects on war in the Holy Land

Advocacy Success! Expanded Background Checks for Gun Sales

March

Military spending and national (in)security

February

The challenge Gaza war presents for American Jews

January

Gaza war threatens credibility of West’s commitment to human rights and the rule of law

2023

December

Climate Summit fails to adequately respond to gravity of climate crisis

November

Critical Considerations:

The dangers of conflating Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism

Red flag laws in jeopardy: faith voices speak to save them

October

Jewish and Palestinian perspectives on Gaza crisis

September

U.S. China tensions impact efforts to address climate change

August

When Good Economic Policy Isn’t Enough

July

States Move to Weaken Protections for Child Workers

June

Corporate Lobbyists at Climate Talks

May

Electric Vehicle Transition Challenges

April

Repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery

March

Misrepresenting War

February

The Rise of Christian Nationalism

January

How the News is Reported Affects What We Know

2022

December

How Corporations Took Over the Government

November

The Independent State Legislature Theory Explained

October

The Next Phase in the Voting Wars

Local Justice News & Upcoming Events

Check back soon!

Justice Resources & Links

Mercy Justice Resource Pages

• Resources for Immigrants
• Advocacy Amplified! (Mercy Justice Videos on advocacy tools)
• Mercy Walks with Migrants (interviews with Mercy sisters on immigration work)
• Mercy Tips to Care for the Earth

Peace & Justice Calendars

By Marianne Comfort 

From the time we started dating, my now-husband, Ted, has had one firm rule: Remove your shoes upon entering the house. It turns out that his health concerns are aligned with science. 

Medical experts have determined that our footwear regularly brings bacteria, lead, hazardous chemicals and allergens into our homes. A University of Arizona study showed that there are more than 421,000 bacteria on the soles of our shoes, including strains that can cause diarrhea, meningitis and pneumonia. And a visual inspection doesn’t catch much of it. 

Just imagine the germs from indoor public spaces, pesticides from perfect looking lawns and industrial salts from winter roads and parking lots. They’re all dirtying your floors and carpets, polluting your indoor air and sometimes getting in the mouths of crawling babies. 

An internist at the Cleveland Clinic compared wearing your shoes in the house to not washing your hands; they’re both examples of poor hygiene practices. 

We have found that most guests are very accommodating to our request. Regular visitors know to bring slippers or heavy socks. Some have foot issues requiring them to wear shoes inside and, of course, we grant exemptions for those cases. 

Ted owns a pair of indoor shoes, with medically necessary orthotics, that he never wears outside. And he carries them with him when we’re visiting others. 

Sister Mary-Paula Cancienne & Jason Giovannettone

Taking time to become as informed as possible about concerns related to sustainability, especially those that affect our lifestyle, is a wise practice; many actions that initially appear to have a positive effect on the planet may cause harm and/or have harmful social implications.  

For example, installing solar panels on your roof is great for the planet because solar is one of the cleanest sources of energy available. But we also know that many companies source the panel materials from countries or regions of the world that are considered conflict zones where unfair labor practices are common, and/or where the  local communities are negatively impacted by the extraction of raw materials.  

As a second example, electric vehicles (EVs) may seem like a great way to reduce our carbon footprint, but the extent to which that is true depends on where you live and how much of your electricity is sourced from fossil fuels. Many of the metals used to create EV batteries  are sourced from regions where child labor is rampant, where there is deforestation due to mining, or where groundwater quality and quantity are depleted to a level that cannot sustain human or animal life.  

Purchasing toothbrushes or utensils made from bamboo may sound like a more environmental-friendly option when compared to plastic, but they may be causing significant harm to critical habitats if the bamboo is not certified to have been grown and harvested in a sustainable manner (certified by the FSC or Forest Stewardship Council).  

There are always trade-offs, but some are wiser than others; Information and awareness are important. As you consider sustainability in your life, ask the following questions: 

What are the practices that shape my own formation around love and care of Earth? What do we need to form ourselves into people who have sincere concern for the environment, who are willing to take informed actions to conserve Earth’s environment, and who have the passion to spread a message in a way that is not confrontational and not righteous, but whose attitude and practices lean more toward invitations to address problems as equal members of a community. Not necessarily easy, risk and sacrifice are always possibilities. 

Consider implementing these sustainable practices: 

• Purchase a bamboo toothbrush. 
• Purchase a native plant (maybe wait for the spring for this one). 
• Try a shampoo bar. 
• Select “no” each time you are asked whether you would like a receipt at the gas pump. 
• Identify the trees and plants growing in your yard using an app such as “Picture This.” 
• Remove the vines from one of your trees. (This really helped me realize what a negative impact invasive vines have on tree growth.) 
• Use laundry and/or dishwasher tablets. 
• Refrain from using straws with your drinks when dining out. 
• Purchase “pasture raised” or “free range” organic eggs that come in a cardboard carton.
• Brain-storm with friends for other ideas and investigate their pros and cons. 
• With a friend or as a family/group, choose an idea to enact and be mutually supportive. 

By Bailey Woodward, Justice intern 

As the holidays approach, you may already be planning your family celebrations. Traditions look different from home to home, but one unifying factor seems to be a shared meal. Gathering around the table with your loved ones and breaking bread fosters an atmosphere of love and community.    

This year, as we celebrate togetherness, we can also embrace the idea of sustainability in our holiday meals. A great place to start is with the source of your ingredients. You may consider shopping from local businesses or farmers’ markets over large-chain grocery stores. By doing this, not only are you supporting small local businesses, but you are also reducing the carbon footprint associated with transporting food long distances. If your meal typically includes meat, you may also consider purchasing from a local farm that practices humane and sustainable farming.    

Another way to have a more sustainable holiday dinner is to reduce your food waste. Be creative about using leftovers and food scraps. In my own home, we use leftover turkey to make a turkey-noodle soup. By using up all of your leftovers, you are reducing waste and saving yourself money too.    

These mindful choices can help us celebrate the holidays in a way that honors Christ, our loved ones and the planet, making our holiday celebrations even more meaningful. Happy holidays! 

By Jason Giovannettone, Climate and Sustainability Director 

One common sustainability concern that I hear (and often think about personally) is whether there are options for purchasing sustainable candy (in terms of both ingredients and packaging) or other packaged snacks to hand out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. Much of the packaging of candy and other snacks is not recyclable, which adds to plastic waste. Passing out unpackaged candy will likely result in it being thrown away immediately by caring parents, adding to food waste.   

Why are most candy and snack wrappers and bags unrecyclable? Such packaging is often made of a mix of individually recyclable materials such as plastic, tin, aluminum, and others.  The problem is that when you mix these together, they are extremely time-consuming and expensive to separate, and, as such, considered non-recyclable.  Therefore, when tempted to recycle your empty chip bag with other recyclable bags, it should go in the trash; otherwise, it may contaminate the other bags and cause everything to end up in the landfill. 

There are a few more sustainable options available when purchasing treats for Halloween.  Look for candies packaged in cardboard boxes or wrapped in aluminum foil such as Junior Mints, Milk Duds and Nerds.  Many types of chocolate are individually wrapped in foil.  When ordering any type of candy online, try to verify whether it is shipped in a box or some type of plastic packaging.  There are many options for foil-wrapped candy, especially Halloween chocolates, available online through the Natural Candy Store website. Some of the chocolates sold through the website (e.g., chocolates made by Thompson) are also listed as being Fair Trade Certified, which means that they were made in a way that supports the livelihoods of the producers, their communities and the surrounding environment. 

If you much prefer treats that are packaged in difficult-to-recycle mixed packaging, some of the packaging can be recycled through Terracycle; you just need to print a free shipping label, collect the items in a box and mail them in.  A full list of companies with packaging that can be recycled can be found here.   

Green Tip 

During the next few weeks, try substituting one candy or snack that you typically purchase with one that is either unpackaged or comes in packaging other than plastic.  For an extra challenge, look for snacks that are Fair Trade Certified and/or come in cardboard or paper packaging that is FSC-certified (i.e., certified by the Forest Stewardship Council that the trees or other plants used to make the packaging were sustainably grown and harvested). 

Purpose

For this year’s contest we are seeking short, PSA style videos (30 to 90 seconds) that are suitable for sharing on social media platforms such as TikTok or Reels. Video entries must focus on one of these topics:

Who Can Enter

Any student or group of students, high school age or older, enrolled in Mercy high schools, colleges/universities, or involved in a Mercy-affiliated ministry.

Use this tip-sheet to help you as you begin the process of creating your video.

Format

Read the complete rules

Length: 30 to 90 seconds

Language: English or Spanish

Other Requirements

1. Title. Each video must have a title. The title must be indicated on the submission form. The title does not need to be included in the video itself.

2. Credits. Credits must include the name of those involved in the creation of the video. The credits must also include citations for any images, audio, or text used in the video that is not original. The credits do not need to be included in the video itself, but must be included in the submission form.

The Sisters of Mercy may delete title and credit screens before posting videos on social media.

Entrants are strongly encouraged to use original footage and graphics as much as possible.

Important Note on Rules: In order to honor copyright protections, rules regarding use of images and music were updated for the 2022 contest and remain in effect for 2025. See the complete rules for details.

Deadline

All entries must be received by April 1, 2025.

Prizes

A panel of judges will use these criteria to select the winning video. Individual winners will receive financial awards. The Grand Prize Winner receives $500.

Winning entries may be featured on the Sisters of Mercy Institute web site and social media channels. Winners and their winning institution will be formally announced.

Interested?

If you think you might be interested in entering this contest, fill out this form to receive contest information and updates.

Past Winners

Click here to view all of our past winners.

By Sister Joan Margret Schwager 

Things I have done to care for the Earth: 

I have created a compost bin for scraps and use the composted materials in my garden. 

I grew a garden each year with vegetables that lessen my dependence on getting things from the store. 

I have two water barrels; one to catch rainwater so that I have “natural” water for indoor plants and garden and the other gets filled with water from the dehumidifier and air conditioning. 

I bake my own bread. I also make my own jam and jelly.  

I cook from “scratch” whenever possible so I’m not buying “packaged” items. 

I buy in bulk: beans, lentils etc. I also make my own black bean and lentil burgers. 

I freeze produce from the garden for the winter. 

I like to make use of rummage sales and garage sales instead of buying things that are new. 

I use ceiling fans to lessen reliance on air conditioning and heating. 

I also sew blankets from scraps, even old T-shirts. 

Lastly, I remind our schools to not use Styrofoam. 

I hope this list gives you ideas for how you can also care for the Earth.  

Preparation for Session 6

Prior to the session, participants should read Deep Transformation from the Self-Study Guide, paying particular attention to the definition of transformation and to the cases of transformative action. Access the suggested opening prayer, or select another prayer.

Outline for Session 6

Welcome and Prayer

After a welcome and any initial business, lead the opening prayer. The suggested prayer has space for personal reflection. Invite participants to share their reflections with the group.

Discussion

Remind participants of where we are in the process. We have listened deeply to the impacts of extractivism on people, communities and Earth. We have examined extractivism through various theological lenses, through analysis of systems that help the extractive development model to thrive, and through intersections with other contemporary issues. We are now looking at how this process has transformed us and is leading us into action.

Share this excerpt from the Self-Study Guide to ground your group’s conversation:

Transformation is not focused on a “one-time event of clarity and action” but a tug to always dig deeper.

Invite participants into a few moments of silent reflection to consider these questions:

• What learning or insight in the process so far most stays with you?
• How is that calling you to shift your perceptions? 
• How does it feel to move toward deep transformation and action?

Invite participants to briefly share their insights.

Next, invite participants into a few minutes of silent reflection on the case studies. Pose these questions for their consideration:

• Which example and category of action spoke to you most? Why?
• How does it influence your thoughts on what an appropriate individual, communal and corporate response would be?

Invite participants to share, and then invite the group to consider any commonalities among the individual responses. Where does this conversation seem to be leading the group?

Moving Into Action

Now that you have completed this journey of Deep Listening, Deep Reflecting and Deep Transformation, the next steps are up to individual participants and the group. Individually or collectively, they can tap into their deeper understanding and sense of where they feel called and look for opportunities to take action in solidarity with people, communities and Earth.

Learning about, reflecting on and discussing extractivism was important. Deciding to take action, the next step on this journey, is equally important. Failure to take action, to make a change, leaves the process incomplete.

This guide does not prescribe specific actions for participants to take. Individually or as a group, participants must discern their own choices for action. We do provide the following resources and suggestions.

Invite participants to look at the frequently updated Action Page, which contains information on current issues that are global in scope , as well as calls to action at the national level in the United States. They might find these resources helpful as they discern their next steps.

Since extractivism has very local impacts, we suggest participants focus their efforts first on what is happening in their own community or nearby communities. Encourage them to seek out organizations acting in solidarity with communities and natural spaces threatened by extractive industries and subscribe to their mailing lists. Getting to know these organizations will help participants determine how their skills, time and knowledge can best be utilized.  

If the group wants to take action together, set another meeting time to identify concrete action and start planning.

We would love to know how you choose to take action and to hear about the fruits of your actions. You may email us at justice@sistersofmercy.org.