Author: kominko.1

Technology for the Poor

Technology for the poor is a non profit organization that seeks to provide technological advancements to all poor people throughout the world. This group has helped to develop and distribute technologies such as a bicycle with a pedal power attachment and low cost construction techniques. To see all that they have done, check out their website here. you can also take a look at some of the innovations that the group has helped to develop, promote, and supply in the video below.

Video Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7cpVWCBi_qE

Engaged Organizations: Earth Charter Initiative

Earth Charter

Photo Credit: http://earthcharter.org/

The earth charter initiative was created to help engage communities on sustainability all around the world. This includes engaging religious communities. For an excellent resource with numerous success stories, check out their homepage here.

 

Sustainability in Religion: A History

Photo Credit: https://renatakar.wordpress.com /2013/04/03/ religion-and-environmental-justice/

Sustainability has been developing for a long time. It has recently been featured more prominently, as various world events and cultural changes are pushing it to the forefront of modern issues. Churches and religious houses are no exception when it comes to adopting sustainable goals and ideals. To read a history of how these two intertwine, click here.

 

Factory Farming and Religion

Photo Credit: http://www.ciwf.org.uk/research/ethics-and-religion /religious-views-on-factory-farming/

Food is an important part of life. It is also important to many religions. Specifically, using animals as food has a long standing history with many religions. Many faiths have rules and guidelines about how animals are to be raised and killed. With the rise of factory farming, it is expected that many religions would shun its practices, but that’s not completely true. To see what various faiths are doing in response to factory farming, read the full report here.

Hindu Funeral Pyres

Indians pay last respects at a mass cremation of 15 school girls at the banks of the river Orsang in Bamroli on April 16, 2008.

Photo Credit: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/12/world /asia/india-funeral-pyres-emissions/

Hindu people traditionally have a funeral pyre for their deceased. However, this funeral pyre is very environmentally damaging, as it burns hundreds of kilograms of wood and creates a lot of ash. To combat this, a Green Cremation System has been developed that will allow for all traditional funeral rites and bring down environmental impacts. To read more about this new system, click here.

 

Faith and Composting

Photo Credit: http://www.religionnews.com/2014/01/03/ congregations-turn-compost-lessons-life-death-environment/

Many churches and religious houses have recently took to composting. This is a more spiritual way of disposing of trash while remaining environmentally conscious. Not only that, but composting programs help to teach spiritual lessons of renewal. To read about all the different faiths that are involved in composting programs, check out the full article here.

Urban Death Project

St. John’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in Darien, Connecticut.

Photo Credit: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/faithbased /2015/07/urban_death_project_wants_us_to _compost_the_dead_can_religious_groups_ get.html#comments

Death is a part of life. Every religion has its own traditions and rites when it comes to laying a body to rest. A new program, the Urban Death Project may be changing how some faiths proceed with funeral services. To read about the Urban Death Project, click here. For information on how different faiths are responding to it, follow this link.

 

Islamic Practices and Sustainability

Mr. Iskandar Waworuntu is working with Islamic faiths in Indonesia to incorporate sustainability with forgiveness. Much of the Muslim traditions have to do with purification. Waworuntu is hoping to incorporate these two ideas with each other, linking sustainability as a form of purification. To read all about this, click here. A video that explains Mr. Waworuntu’s views can be seen below.

Video Credit: https://vimeo.com/102535122

Faith and Fire

Photo Credit: https://www.washingtonpost.com /news/energy-environment/wp/2015/11/17/ the-surprising-reason-the-planet-sees-fewer- wildfires-on-sunday/

A recent study conducted by professors at the University of Melbourne shows a connection between fires on earth and religion. They found that there were significantly less fires on the earth on the traditional days of rest for the predominant faith in an area. To get a deeper look into these findings, visit the web-article here.

 

Sustainability at Religious Sites

Photo Credit: http://www.monasterygreetings.com/

Years ago, religious sites such as monasteries would be completely self sufficient. All the goods needed by the monks and the surrounding community would be made in the monetary itself. This tradition is having a resurgence in today’s age. These locally made goods are being created and used to boost the economy of the area through tourism and sales to visitors. To read about how many different monasteries are incorporating this old tradition of local production, click here.