A few weeks ago I encouraged our audience to read Laudate Deum, Pope Francis’ follow up letter to Laudato Si, his encyclical on care for the Earth. Today, I want to recommend another resource related to Laudato Si.
The Letter is a full-length documentary film that follows the journey of five individuals from around the globe as they prepare to meet with Pope Francis to discuss their efforts on behalf of the Earth. These protagonists include: an Amazonian tribal chief who represents the voice of indigenous peoples; a young climate activist from India who represents the voice of youth; a young adult from Senegal who represents the voice of the poor; and a married couple who are scientists in Hawaii and represent the voice of nature.
The Letter is emotionally moving and visually stunning as it documents the challenges ahead and the courageous efforts of these individuals. The film crosses cultural, religious and national borders as it presents a challenging, yet hopeful message. The Letter can be viewed free of charge on YouTube.
View last year’s grand prize winning video. (*Note: the contest themes have changed for 2024.)
The Mercy Justice Team needs you, a Mercy student, to create a short, social media style PSA (public service announcement) video – think Reels or TikTok – that reflects the Sisters of Mercy’s Critical Concerns. Put those creative ideas and video skills to work and you could win $500!
What does it mean to be a faith filled, values voter?
What is your own immigration story?
What is the immigration story of someone you know?
How can voting with Mercy affect our community, our nation, our world?
To receive information, updates and reminders about this year’s contest, complete this form and we’ll be in touch. Click here to learn rules for entry and how to upload your video.
View the grand prize winning video from 2022. (*Note: the contest format has changed since 2022.)
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:
Immigration
Videos should reflect the Mercy Critical Concerns, especially the Critical Concern for Immigration, but do not need to identify the Critical Concerns specifically.
Videos should inspire action to address the injustices that cause people to immigrate or the injustices that immigrants face in their new countries.
Voting
Videos should explore the ways that faith and Mercy values can influence the choices we make on our ballots.
Videos should inspire faithful citizenship and active involvement in elections without promoting partisanship or individual candidates.
Contest Webinar
Watch our 20 minute webinar to learn more about this year’s contest.
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.
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 2024. See the complete rules for details.
Deadline
All entries must be received by April 3, 2024.
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.
By Jason Giovannettone, Climate and Sustainability Director
We have received numerous inquiries regarding the search for sustainable, non-plastic options for disposable cups, cutlery and plates. It can be a challenge to find such items that are certified compostable and sustainable. Vendors will use buzz phrases in an effort to gain your trust:”100% natural, sustainable, and biodegradable,” “made of 100% natural plant-based sustainable materials,” “eco-friendly,” “Earth-conscious” and “plastic-free.” These words mean nothing if the product is not properly certified. A product that is BPI-certified means that it can be composted back into the soil safely but only at an industrial composting facility. A product (typically paper or bamboo) that is FSC-certifiedmeans that it comes from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, economic and social benefits.
A quick search revealed the following list of companies that provide potentially “sustainable” and “non-plastic” options for disposable cups, plates, and/or cutlery. The list also includes the material the items are made from and whether they are FSC- and/or BPI-certified (only brands with at least one type of certification are listed).
Green Tip
If there is a need for disposal dinnerware, advocate for the purchase of cups, plates, and/or cutlery from the companies listed in the table above. Also, if you know of other companies not mentioned here, please feel free to share the company name and the products they provide.
In 2015, Pope Francis addressed his letter Laudato Si, On Care for Our Common Hometo the entire world. It received considerable fanfare and has garnered much attention in the ensuing years. Laudato Si has become a document that supports efforts towards care of the Earth, reducing poverty and rejuvenating spirituality.
On October 4, 2023 , Pope Francis released a follow up letter,Laudate Deum, to reiterate his concern for the global climate crisis and renew his call for action on the local, national and international levels. While Pope Francis recognizes the sober truths facing our planet, his words also offer hope and inspiration. As you consider your own steps toward living more sustainably, reading the letters that the Pope has written to you can be a tremendous motivation.
By Marianne Comfort, member of the Mercy Justice Team
Over one-third of the food produced in the United States is never eaten. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this means we are wasting the resources used to produce that food and creating many environmental harms.
A significant part of the problem is that food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills, where it emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Municipal solid waste landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States, accounting for approximately 14.1 percent of these emissions in 2017, the EPA reports.
Reducing food waste can reduce our individual and national carbon footprint.
Decreasing food waste can also lessen the need for new food production, shrinking projected deforestation, biodiversity loss, water pollution, water scarcity and greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural production. In 2015, the United States announced a goal to halve U.S. food loss and waste by 2030, but the nation has not yet made significant progress.
Roughly half of food waste occurs at the consumption stage in households, restaurants and other food service sites. Fruits, vegetables, dairy and eggs are the most frequently wasted foods.
Green Tip
Make creative use of your freezer. Use it to store leftovers and scraps of food that could be added to soup or smoothies rather than dumped into the garbage.
Sustainable America offers tips for organizing your freezer to reduce food waste. However, you don’t need to go out and buy another freezer to expand space because that just increases your energy consumption. Consider what you can do with the freezer you already have.
I am a coward. I have never read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. I couldn’t finish Killers of the Flower Moon. I am a professional woman of white and consider myself an ally to the cause of all native peoples. And yet reading these stories was too painful for me. Ironic.
By Jason Giovannettone, Climate and Sustainability Director
As Mike mentioned last week, trees provide a number of environmental benefits for the planet humans, wildlife, and even other plants. A mature tree can take in and store significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But does it matter the type of tree or where we decide to plant it?
Mike reminded us that native trees (as well as other plants) are easier to maintain. Often, they need little more than water to thrive and remain healthy. If your tree is healthy, it is much more efficient at removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When considering a tree to plant in your yard, focus on deciduous trees (i.e., trees that lose their leaves during the autumn season); coniferous trees such as pines grow better at higher altitudes than those at which people generally live. Plant your tree close to other trees. Trees growing in forested areas are healthier and more efficient at removing carbon dioxide from the air than trees that are planted in locations isolated from other trees.
To determine which trees are native to your region, you can use the National Wildlife Federation’s “Native Plant Finder” by entering your zip code. For more information on the social behavior of trees and some tips on how to ensure your tree is as healthy as possible, we highly recommend reading the book The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. Other books that address our relationship with the environment are Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and The Secret Wisdom of Nature by Peter Wohlleben. Happy reading!
Trees are magical, multipurpose creations. They filter air and water, sequester carbon, provide housing for creatures and critters and shade for people and property. Some trees mark the passage of time with new buds in spring, full leafy branches through summer, a cascade of colors in fall and dormant branches in winter. Others greet us with greenery year-round.
Trees can be an investment. Shade trees can cool your home in the summer while evergreens can provide a break from cold winter winds. Studies have shown that trees on a property can increase the value by as much as 15 percent.
When you are ready to plant a tree, choose a variety native to your region, because as Marianne told us back in February, “Native plants generally require less maintenance — including the use of pesticides, herbicides and water – since they are adapted to the local climate.”
So, what are you waiting for? Make plans to plant a tree!
Where does our food come from? We sometimes hear terms like “farm fresh” or “straight from farm to table” in food advertisements. However, the iconic family farm as it existed for decades in the U.S. has all but disappeared. Today, only 1.3 percent of the U.S. workforce is employed in farming and ranching, and the number of farms has decreased from about seven million in 1935 to about two million in 2019.
Globally, about 26 percent of the world’s population is engaged in agriculture. Most food today is produced on large factory farms. This industrial agriculture has fundamentally changed our relationship to food and the natural world from which it comes.
Two examples:
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) can house more than a thousand animals in a relatively small area. These operations often feature cruel treatment of animals and over-use of antibiotics, which can contribute to the development of bacteria resistant to antibiotics. CAFOs also have serious environmental impacts, with massive volumes of animal waste that is often stored in open lagoons. During storms, these lagoons can overflow onto croplands where the runoff pollutes streams and rivers.
Large factory farms where one crop (monoculture) is planted on thousands of acres also presents new challenges. To assure uniformity, seeds are genetically modified by altering their DNA or introducing genetic material from another species to produce desired characteristics such as resistance to a specific herbicide. Nevertheless, some weeds develop a resistance to a cancer-causing chemical called glyphosate, so that even greater concentrations have to be sprayed on crops. This poses a threat to human health and to other species like Monarch butterflies.
Green Tip
Visit a local farmers market and talk with some of the farmers about how they grow their produce and raise their livestock, or read about their practices on their websites. Identify how you might adjust your food budget to purchase some of your food from smaller-scale operations that use practices that align with your values.
