Current Events

Enter Sustainability Photo Contest and win up to $400!

RESTORExchange and the Sustainability Institute are asking you “What does sustainability look like?” Show us by submitting your photos of sustainable practices in your life. Anything can be made sustainable, and we want to see how you see and incorporate sustainability into your experiences. The subjects of these photos can be anything related to sustainability, including but not limited to technology, environmental justice, energy, wellbeing and lifestyle, society and culture, the economy, and politics.

Photos will be accepted through March 15, 2024, and the winning photos will be selected by a panel of judges and announced on Earth Day, 2024 with the Environmental Professionals Network. First place will win a financial prize of $400, with second place receiving $300, third place receiving $200, and an honorable mention receiving $100. Photos will be displayed on the RESTORExchange photo gallery, and you can find our site’s information page for the contest here.

Read more and submit your photos here!
Drawing of Earth with two hands holding branches. Text reading, “What does Sustainability look like to you? Technology, Environmental Justice, Energy, Lifestyles & Wellbeing, Social & Cultural, Economic & Political. Win up to $400. Photography Contest, RESTORExchange, Sustainability Institute. A QR code is in the bottom-left corner.

Sacred Seasons of the Sacred Earth

Picture courtesy of theshalomcenter.org

Sacred Seasons of the Sacred Earth is a series of four webinars focusing on the festivals of Hanukkah, Tu B’Shvat, and two sessions of Passover. The first webinar will be on Tuesday November 13th,  2018 at 7 pm Eastern time. The webinars are from Rabbi Arthur Waskow and Alanna Kleinman, a rabbinical student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and the Ira Silverman Memorial Intern at The Shalom Center. To read more or to register for the webinars, click here.

Season of Creation in a Box

picture courtesy of greenchurches.ca

Season of Creation in a Box is a resource from the Green Churches Network in Canada. It includes a prayer guide, poster, fundraising guide, activities on spirituality, education and action, and an explanation of the Season of Creation. To download any of these resources or the entire “box,” click here.

Season of Creation Week 2: Climate Change: A Challenge, our Concern

Picture courtesy of seasonofcreation.org

The second week of the Season of Creation is focused on climate change and the challenge of responding to Pope Francis’ call to care for creation. This week contains a hymn, a call to repentance, a responsive reflection, and an intercession. To read or download the document for week two, click here.

Season of Creation Week 1: A Culture of Relationships That Heals our Throwaway Culture

Picture courtesy of seasonofcreation.org

For each week of the Season of Creation, there is a resource offering different ways to celebrate creation that week. The first week is focused on the throwaway culture that society has created and ways to heal the problem. This week offers a call to prayer, a scripture reading, a hymn, and a responsive reflection. To read or download the entire document, click here.

Season of Creation Calendar 2018-2020

Picture courtesy of seasonofcreation.org

The Season of Creation Calendar is a calendar of weekly themes to celebrate during the season. Each week will be centered around a different domain of creation and the season will always end with a blessing for animals. To view the entire calendar, which includes themes for 2018, 2019, and 2020, click here.

Irish Bishops Announce Bill to make Ireland First Government to Divest from Fossil Fuels

Picture courtesy of religionnews.com

The Irish Catholic Bishops Conference announced it would divest from fossil fuels hours before the arrival of Pope Francis. The bishops move means withdrawing investments in 200 oil and gas companies within five years. The bill was introduced in the Irish Parliament requiring the country’s sovereign wealth fund to divest from all fossil fuels, and if the Irish bill passes, it will make Ireland the first government to divest from fossil fuels. To read more, click here.

Season of Creation Event Planning

Picture courtesy of seasonofcreation.org

The Season of Creation is a great time to introduce environmental themes by holding a prayer service, planting a tree, advocating for change, or simply holding a conversation about the Christian responsibility to Creation. Here are some tips on how to:

Pray and worship

Hold an education or sustainability event

Participate in a campaign

The Church of England Green Energy Program: EcoChurch Southwest

Picture courtesy of ecochurchsouthwest.org.uk

The Church of England is challenging the disposable culture as a response to globally recognized ecological concerns. The excessive emissions of carbon dioxide is recognized as causing ecological imbalances, and people are putting alarming pressure on valuable resources. At the same time, inequality is growing, and poverty continues to be a global issue. Justice is being denied to our neighbors, whether our fellow human beings, future generations, or the rest of creation. EcoChurch Southwest aims to provide resources to churches and church members who seek to address these issues. To read more, click here.