A network of voices

by Dave Hockman-Wert Many years ago I was convicted of the need to “vote with my dollars” and spend my money in a way that…

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“Mennonites begin to see climate change as the moral equivalent of war/violence and begin to take collective action.” This forceful statement heads the one-page summary…

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The Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions and Mennonite Creation Care Network are partnering to hire a Faith Outreach intern for the summer of 2018.

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Camping professionals will gather to retreat renew and reconnect at Camp Friedenswald, Cassopolis, Mich., March 19 to 22, 2018. They will also contemplate topics such as land management, ecological leadership and creating a camp sustainability plan.

Dr. Luke Gascho of Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College is the keynote speaker and Janeen Bertsche Johnson of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary will lead worship.  More info

Reduce your carbon “pawprint.” Our four-legged furry friends’ consumption of meat is costly in terms of climate change. The production of one kilogram of beef results in 1,000 kilograms of CO2 entering the atmosphere. The annual eating patterns of dogs and cats in the U.S. have the same impact as driving 13.6 million cars for a year.
Editor’s note: An article in Science Daily suggests avoiding premium pet foods that pamper animals with cuts of meat that could be used to feed humans. It also suggests choosing vegetarian pets. Before adding a dog or cat to the family, consider what you hope to gain from the animal and whether these needs can be met in a different way.

Reuse, recycle or compost 90% of household garbage: The Environmental Protection Agency (US) sponsors a Gameday Recycling Challenge for universities aiming to make football games zero waste events. Schools that divert 90% or more of waste from a football game are named on a Zero Waste Wall of Fame. Can we take this as a personal challenge? Does your household reuse, recycle or compost 90% of its garbage?

These challenges are based on tips by Carole Suderman, Boulder Mennonite Church, Boulder, Colo. Carole has been offering her congregations challenges like these for the past 20 years. Tips are adapted for a broader audience.