Social Justice Tag: Earth

Local Justice News & Upcoming Events

Mercy Justice Collective: Public Action

These stalwart sisters of Mercy attended a rally in Hartford, CT on June 4th in 90 degree heat.  We were all told to wear white for this peaceful rally of testimonies and chants.  Really well attended…someone estimated about 500 people of all ages!

(Sister Nancy Audette, RSM)

Social Justice Video Contest Winners

The winners of our annual social justice video contest have been announced. Visit our winner’s gallery to watch some of the short videos produced by Mercy students this year.

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

Spirituality Integration Resource for Justice (SIRJ)

Nurturing Justice and Living Faith / Fomentar la justicia y la fe viva

• Women / Mujeres
• Other Critical Concern-focused documents are planned but not yet completed

Peace & Justice Calendars

These are some of the ways in which the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas will more fully live Laudato Si’ in 2026. To see the fourth year action plan click here.

Responding to the Cry of the Earth

The Department of Climate and Sustainability commits to:

• Estimate 2025 carbon emissions from utilities (e.g., electricity, gas) and vehicle usage throughout the Institute and compare to 2024 emissions to determine the impact of energy efficiency initiatives implemented over the past year;

• Finalize the development of a Sustainability Dashboard to assess, monitor, and effectively communicate the implementation of sustainability initiatives at major properties throughout the Institute;

• Complete construction of the Belmont, NC, solar array project;

• Finalize details of a strategy to stabilize the shoreline and prevent future erosion from coastal storms and sea-level rise at the Mercy by the Sea Spiritual Retreat and Conference Center; and

• Continue engaging in research that fosters awareness of potential environmental and social justice concerns related to plastic/paper consumption alternatives, renewable energy, and fuel-efficient vehicles. A dynamic webpage or app will be developed to share the results of this research within and external to the Sisters of Mercy.

Mercy Volunteer Corps will continue to partner with Mercy Ecology/Mercy Ecospirituality Center with hopes to place four volunteers in a short-term summer opportunity focused on care of the land and animals and sustainability practices.

Responding to the Cry of the Poor

The Justice Team will launch its extractivism map to showcase examples of Mercy sisters, associates and co-workers educating about, advocating on and resisting extractivism projects around the world.

 Mercy Volunteer Corps will:

• add a short-term placement at ARISE Adelante, a ministry that focuses on women’s empowerment, immigration and the environment in the Rio Grande Valley near the Texas-Mexico border.

• continue its partnership with Sanctuary Farm Philadelphia by offering a yearlong volunteer placement opportunity focused on supporting healthy communities in an economically deprived neighborhood and healing through a relationship with the Earth.

Mercy Investment Services will expand and deepen the integration of environmental, social and governance investment strategies by:

• actively allocating capital to address diversity gaps amongst decision-makers and financial access within the Inclusive Opportunities Fund;

• continuing to expand the emerging managers program supporting firms being shut out of traditional capital markets and overlooked by mainstream investors;

• discouraging companies from being involved in activities that identify and exclude immigrants from full participation in society; and

• deepening Mercy Partnership Fund’s continued dedication to racial and gender equity as well as those investment strategies that emphasize international opportunities.

Ecological Economics

Mercy Investment Services will:

• Continue to ground our investment actions in seeking prophetic change in climate action and solutions;

• Partner with other investors to engage corporations on water stewardship, greenhouse gas emissions, plastics use, biodiversity and other important issues; and  

• Speak out against regulatory and legislative changes that negatively impact creation.

Sustainable Lifestyles

The Department of Climate and Sustainability will:

• visit sisters and staff at various locations throughout the Institute to discuss concerns related to climate and sustainability as well as ongoing projects and also to continue to serve as a resource for Mercy ministries and other religious congregations around more sustainable lifestyles.

• continue providing articles on  sustainability topics to the Mercy Tips to Care for Earth, with the Justice Team and Communications Department, and to the Mercy schools’ newsletter on a monthly basis.

Mercy Volunteer Corps will:

• Collect utility usage data for volunteer residences located throughout the United States and investigate renewable energy options.

• Invite the Institute Justice Team and Climate and Sustainability Director to volunteer formation retreats to promote awareness about current work and to motivate/empower for personal lifestyle changes.

• Include monthly “Care for Creation” reflections (offered by the Cincinnati Mercy Community) as a regular resource in our monthly newsletter.

Ecological Education

Mercy Education, building on progress made in 2025, will continue to deepen our ministry’s commitment to ecological awareness and sustainable practices in these ways:

• Continue publishing the monthly column in our Flash newsletter, sharing practical sustainability insights from Jason Giovannettone, Director of Climate & Sustainability, to help schools put Mercy values into environmental action;

• Issue a special edition of Mercy Impact to spotlight major sustainability projects across its network, celebrating how Mercy schools are leading by example in caring for our common home;

• Explore and implement alternatives to traditional lanyards for events, since they cannot be reused for sanitary reasons. We estimate this change will keep approximately 400 lanyards out of landfills each year; and

• Engage in education around the environmental cost of technology use, including email, artificial intelligence, and digital storage. We will explore practical steps—such as adding an optional note in email signatures encouraging thoughtful communication—to reduce unnecessary digital energy consumption.

The Justice Team will plan a series of educational programs to deepen understanding of the root causes of our critical concerns of Earth, immigration, nonviolence, racism and women.

Mercy Volunteer Corps will collaborate with the Justice Team to host an online session for volunteers to more clearly draw links between care for the Earth, earth justice and spirituality.

Ecological Spirituality

The Justice Team will:

• promote Laudato Si Animator training to equip sisters, associates and co-workers to shift consciousness of their communities around environmental and climate justice.

• continue Friday reflections sent out to our 6,000 advocates that offer spiritual nourishment and encouragement amidst the struggles for social and environmental justice and nonviolence.

Community Resilience and Empowerment

The Justice Team will:

• begin to plan for targeted state-level advocacy on issues related to our critical concerns. 

• begin planning for building out a Mercy justice network to more intentionally reach out to others in Mercy beyond the sisters to engage them in education, advocacy, public witness and solidarity.

By Jason Giovannettone, Climate and Sustainability Director

According to The Nature Conservancy, approximately 10 million artificial Christmas trees are purchased each year in the United States, a vast majority of which are shipped from China. The greenhouse gas emissions from shipping alone are significant as are the emissions created to obtain the materials required to manufacture the trees. Artificial trees are typically made from PVC plastic (#3), which helps to make them more fire-retardant; the issue is that this type of plastic is one of the most harmful for the environment for the following reasons:  

1. PVC (#3) is one of the most difficult types of plastic to recycle, so much so that less than 1% ends up being recycled after use. Therefore, the landfill is the final resting place for nearly all artificial Christmas trees. 

2. Almost all products made from PVC (#3) plastic are made from virgin material that requires extraction of raw materials from the Earth. 

3. PVC (#3) plastic is considered the most toxic form of plastic as it contains a variety of chemicals that can leach out throughout its life cycle. 

4. PVC (#3) never breaks down and remains in the environment indefinitely. 

So, does purchasing a reusable, artificial tree make up for the fact that real trees need to be cut down every year?  

Yes! Purchasing a real Christmas tree supports local landowners and provides them with the income to effectively maintain the health of the forest land.  

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, farmers on average plant 1 to 3 seedlings for every Christmas tree that is purchased and cut down. The result is a healthy forest that produces a greater number of high-quality trees, which results in more carbon dioxide being taken out of the atmosphere. 

Also, because real Christmas trees end up being disposed of in the same landfill as artificial ones, they release their stored carbon into the atmosphere as they decompose. Many organizations will give used Christmas trees a second life as part of a conservation or habitat restoration project. Look for local organizations that are involved in such projects! 

Mercy Tip 

Get a real tree this Christmas. And when the holidays are over, consider donating it to a local organization focused on habitat conservation or restoration. 

By Jason Giovannettone, Climate and Sustainability Director

Leaf blowers have become more popular and affordable over the last few decades. Leaf blowers alleviate the physical demands of raking, making them a popular choice for many homeowners and landscapers. Though leaf blowers save much time and effort, they are extremely harmful to the environment (particularly gas-powered blowers) in multiple ways: 

1.     Air Pollution: Gas-powered leaf blowers use a two-stroke engine. In 2017, California’s State Air Resources Board found that one hour of use of the most popular gas-powered leaf blower released as much emissions as driving a new Toyota Camry 1,100 miles (source). They also estimated that total emissions from gas-powered equipment would soon outpace emissions from all cars within the state. This is not only due to increasing popularity, but also because small off-road engines have fewer regulations than automotive engines. 

2.     Destroys Insect & Worm Winter Homes: Brown leaves may appear dead, but they are full of life and provide an indispensable winter habitat in which pollinators, caterpillars, fireflies, worms, ants, beetles, snails, and a host of other organisms live and lay their eggs. The high winds that emanate from a leaf blower decimate this habitat, including both leaves and topsoil. Preserving ground cover will protect myriad organisms, increasing the biodiversity of your yard, which is a very good thing! . 

3.     Noise Pollution: Leaf blowers can produce low-frequency sounds of 100 decibels or more; the low frequency makes the sound especially penetrating. For this reason, Washington, DC, phased out the sale and use of gas-powered leaf blowers with the passing of the Leaf Blower Regulation Amendment Act of 2018, which took effect on January 1, 2022. 

4.     Tree Health: Leaves provide a natural protective cover for tree roots and release valuable nutrients into the soil. Maintaining a layer of leaves alleviates the need to purchase mulch, increases the health of your trees, and reduces the costs of hiring someone to remove your leaves.  

For more information on the negative impacts of leaf blowers, including a detailed comparison between gas and electric leaf blowers, refer to this article provided by the Montgomery County (MD) Department of Environmental Protection. 

Try to avoid or at least reduce the use of leaf blowers throughout the fall . If you need to remove leaves from your yard, consider investing in an electric leaf blower or doing it the old-fashioned way. Also, instead of disposing of the leaves, consider adding them to your compost pile or using them as natural mulch around your trees and other plants. They can also be very effective at preparing portions of your lawn for future vegetables and native gardens.

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. In an increasingly divided and polarized world, your video should reflect the charism of Mercy and connect to one or more of the Mercy Critical Concerns. Videos could focus on:

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 2026. See the complete rules for details.

Deadline

All entries must be received by April 1, 2026.

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 Marianne Comfort, member of the Mercy Justice Team

Mercy schools in Jamaica offer inspiration for how educational institutions can adopt environmentally sustainable practices in response to our critical concern for Earth. 

Alpha Primary School, Jessie Primary School, Alpha Academy and the Alpha Vocational Training Centre share one campus in the capital city of Kingston. 

This year 10 clearly marked recycling bins were installed on the property to engender a culture of recycling and sustainable waste management among students and staff.  

Guided by two gardening experts, students from the four schools planted a variety of trees and other plants in a memorial garden that honors sisters who had been instrumental to the schools’ success. Throughout this process, students learned the plants’ features, names, uses and more.  

Older students formed groups in which they designed and planned campaigns to tackle water shortage, waste management, deforestation and other issues.  

Finally, students took turns making personal pledges to engage in actions that mitigate the effects of climate change. 

The schools look forward to creating more opportunities for students and staff to care for the Earth, including through a compost heap now being planned.