Social Justice Tag: Earth

By Jason Giovannetonne, Climate and Sustainability Director 

 Composting is important to waste reduction.   For the next few weeks, we will outline simple steps for composting. The first step is to locate your compost pile and select the bin or type of structure you would like to use.  The following video does a great job providing a detailed overview of how to start composting. 

Compost Pile/Bin Location: Select a location that is in the shade and at the top of a slope if there is one. Planting in the shade prevents plants from growing on your compost pile. The uphill end of a slope is recommended because compost is much more dense and heavier than the ingredients you use to create the pile; it will be easier to haul the finished compost downhill when needed. Your compost pile should not be too far from where you will be using the compost.   

Bin Type: You can use a simple open structure such as the wooden one shown in the video or a more elaborate (and typically plastic) option that facilitates mixing and aeration to increase the speed of the compost process.  There is no correct answer here; it really comes down to individual preference.   

Green Tip 

Identify a good location on your property for a compost pile. Determine which type of bin you prefer.  A quick internet search should provide many options to consider. 

By Marianne Comfort, Mercy Justice Team 

On March 24^th we marked the eighth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’. In this document the pope invites us to ecological conversion and action flowing out of the realization that everything is connected; we can’t address social injustices without also addressing environmental degradation, and vice versa. 

“Our goal is …to become painfully aware, to dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own personal suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it,” Pope Francis wrote (paragraph #19). 

This year the Laudato Si Movement chose “Hope for the Earth. Hope for Humanity” as the theme of Laudato Si Week, the days immediately leading up to and following the encyclical’s anniversary. 

Pope Francis himself speaks to this theme: “Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good, and making a new start.” (#205) 

He writes that there is “a nobility in the duty to care for creation through little daily actions” and that “we must not think that these efforts are not going to change the world. They benefit society…for they call forth a goodness which, albeit unseen, inevitably tends to spread.” (#211-212) 

Green Tip: 

Watch The Letter, a film that explores Laudato Si’ through the perspectives of five people who travel to the Vatican to meet with the pope. They include a young man struggling with both climate change and poverty in Senegal; an Indigenous leader in Brazil defending the rainforest from extractive industries; a teenage girl committed to climate activism; and two marine biologists from Hawaii. Renew your commitment to living more sustainably in light of their stories. 

By Mike Poulin, Justice Resource Manager

Capitalism is another significant obstacle to sustainability. Companies focus on profit to gain wealth and fuel growth. Many companies’ profits rely on selling products. Making products that are disposable or irreparable that quickly become obsolete or unstylish means that companies sell more products to make more profit. We can resist the pull of capitalism by declining to buy single-use items, repairing possessions when they break and resisting the latest trends and fashions so that we aren’t always purchasing the latest thing. 

By Mike Poulin, Justice Resource Manager

Consumerism is a significant obstacle to sustainability. Especially in the U.S., we exist in an economy and a culture that is constantly providing new things while also telling us “More is better.” For the next month, before buying something new, ask yourself the question, “Do I really need that?” Keep track of how many times the answer is “no.” See if you can get in the habit of reducing your consumerism. 

By Sister Rose Marie Tresp 

The clothing we wear has an unseen price on the lives of workers and the environment.  

In the effort to produce clothes more cheaply and quickly, companies often turn to workers in underdeveloped nations, where they are paid unfair wages and may work in slave-like conditions that contribute to the cycle of poverty. In garment factories, children may be put to work at any or all stages of the supply chain, from the production of cotton, to the yarn spinning, to the final cuts and sewing stages.  

Clothing production also creates a significant environmental impact. There is a massive amount of waste created as newer fashion trends push older ones into landfills. Modern textiles also rely heavily on petrochemical products that come from many of the same oil and gas companies driving greenhouse gas emissions. Today, in fact, fashion accounts for up to 10% of global carbon dioxide output—more than international flights and shipping combined, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. It also accounts for a fifth of the 300 million tons of plastic produced globally each year. 

Green tip: 
Buy secondhand clothing to keep textiles out of landfills and reduce the demand for plastics in fashion. If everyone bought one secondhand item of clothing a year instead of new clothing, this would be the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent of taking ½ million cars off the road. 

By Jason Giovannettone, Climate and Sustainability Director

As we enter the month of May, I hope that you have enjoyed your time outdoors, including gardening. One important aspect of gardening that I have learned is to add native plants to my yard. 

There are many benefits to incorporating native plants. Because they are accustomed to the local climate and the potential predators that may feed on them, native plants are generally easier to grow and tend to be more resistant to our deer, rabbits, and other wildlife. Even better, they are beneficial to a host of wildlife, especially birds. Many native trees, shrubs, and flowers will support a large number of caterpillars. In fact, native plants support about 35 times as many caterpillars as non-native plants on average.  Did you know that an adult chickadee bird needs to catch approximately 100 to 150 caterpillars to feed a single baby bird? As such, these birds search for places where they can find enough caterpillars. Planting native plants is a great way to fulfill this need and attract many birds to your yard. Native trees that are especially good at supporting caterpillars include oak, cherry, willow, birch, and poplar. Other types of caterpillar-friendly native plants are goldenrods and asters.  Additional information on this topic can be found in the following video. 

To find out which native plants may thrive where you live, visit the National Audubon Society and National Wildlife Federation. 

Green Tip 

Plant a native tree or shrub on your property or request that whoever is responsible for the grounds of your facility do so. Local nurseries typically have sections devoted to native plants.  Also, some states may have a coupon you can use to support native plants (e.g., Maryland –https://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/Pages/MarylandersPlantTrees/Print-Your-Coupon.aspx).  

By Mike Poulin, Justice Resource Manager

We know that for many, one tip a week is a good pace for living more sustainably. But if you get on a roll and want to explore a larger variety of options here are two helpful tools to check out: 

Sister Elaine Lopez Pacheco, RSM, recommends My Ecological Footprint. This extensive checklist, created by Christine Rochester, was inspired by the Green Women Leadership Training, a program of www.HealthyWomenHealthyEarth.org.  

The Catholic Climate Covenant guides the U.S. Church’s response to climate change by educating, giving public witness, and offering resources. Their Abundant Living Worksheet provides an inventory for personal and community growth. 

By Sister Anna Regina Gakuhi   

The St. Joseph Mercy Hospital herbal garden was the Sisters of Mercy Associates’ original idea. They invited me to join them because I work in the hospital and have a passion for farming. 

The reason for this herbal garden was to have the staff take care of it and enjoy the produce. I organize and involve the staff in weeding, trimming, watering and harvesting. We often discuss the use of the herbs we are tending. I notice that some staff are passionate about caring for the herbs and have brought some from their own gardens to add to our shared hospital garden. Others have asked for cuttings to start their own.  

Although our garden may be small, its impact is large. We are taking care of Mother Earth as our herbs are naturally grown.   

Green Tip

Get to know whomever manages the property of your workplace, school, church community or other communal space. Offer to support their efforts to maintain the lawn and gardens and enter into dialogue about environmentally sustainable practices.  

Sister Anna Regina lives in Georgetown, Guyana.