Making an Impact Through the Water Heater

Picture courtesy of
blessedtomorrow.org

Setting the temperature on your water heater is an easy and efficient way to lower the bill and to save energy. Blessed Tomorrow has provided a guide that describes how to implement this in your congregation and overall tips on how to lower the water heating bill. To read more, click here.

The Critical Role of Water in Understanding Global Warming and Climate Change

Picture courtesy of irejn.org

The Critical Role of Water in Understanding Global Warming and Climate Change is an article by the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network to help people better understand the importance of water. It focuses on the science of water and how that plays a role in global warming, especially pertaining to the oceans. To read the entire article, click here.

Earth Ministry: By the Waters

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earthministry.org

By the Waters is one of the two-part Caring for Creation program from Earth Ministries. It is meant to show how human activity significantly affects the amount of water and the quality of water available to other humans across the world. It is also meant to show how to better appreciate water as a life-giving gift from God. To read more on By the Waters, click here.

Earth Ministry Caring for All Creation

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earthministry.org

Earth Ministry has a two-part Caring for All Creation program that encourages individuals and communities to live with God’s creation. These two modules contain resources and worship aids that address specific environmental issues. At the Table and By the Waters were created to help change behaviors in these places in order to protect and restore the gift of God’s beloved creation. To read more about these two resources, click here.

Walk for Water

Picture courtesy of elca.org

In 2015, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Word Hunger held Walk for Water which was a youth-led fundraiser challenge to raise 500,000 dollars for water projects around the world. They exceeded their goal and raised one million dollars to support water related projects. Their website offers facts and tool kits to help others start their own walk for water; click here to learn more.

WATERSHED: Replenishing Water Values for a Thirsty World

Picture courtesy of worldwatervalues.org

On Wednesday, 22 March – World Water Day 2017 – Pope Francis will begin a global conversation in efforts to shift how the world values and understands water. WATERSHED will be launched on World Water Day as the first in a series of programs and activities planned for the next five years. WATERSHED will consist of four main events: a global social media conversation among the public that encourages them to share compelling stories about water values by using  #MyWaterStory, a public participation in a live broadcast of the events and activities, an expert workshop that brings together different perspectives and objectives concerning water issues, and a virtual reality experience inside “The Miracle Molecule” which is a model of an H2O molecule that brings water risks to life. To learn more about this event, click here.

Legal Rights Granted to New Zealand River

Picture courtesy of npr.org

The Whanganui River in New Zealand has been granted the legal rights of a human as of Wednesday March 15, 2017. The Maori tribe, who call the river Te Awa Tupua, have been fighting for its protection since 1873. The case is one of New Zealand’s oldest in history with more than 140 years of legal struggles. The 90 mile Whanganui River will now be represented by two legal guardians, one from the Maori tribe and one from the government. According to NPR, the New Zealand government stated that they recognized the deep spiritual connection between the tribe and its ancestral river and their view of the river as an invisible and living whole. To read NPR’s full article and a video clip of the tribe’s reaction to the court’s decision, click here.

Eco Stewards Program

 

Picture courtesy of ecostewardsprogram.com

The Eco-Stewards Program is a grassroots community that shapes young adult leaders through place-based experiences that connect faith and the environment. They are looking for young adults with an interest in faith and the environment to join and explore this year’s theme of Water is Life: Journeying Towards Justice on the James River. The program is held in Richmond, Virginia, from June 5 -10. Applications are due by March 15, and the cost which includes means, housing, and transportation is $375. If you are interested, click here to visit their website and learn more.

The Presence of Water in Religion

Hindu women pray in the Old Brahmaputra River in central Bangladesh at the start of an annual 2-day religious ceremony. Hindus believe that bathing in the waters of a holy river, such as the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh and the Ganges in India, will purify one's life of past sins.

Photo Credit: http://www.waterencyclopedia.com /Po-Re/Religions-Water-in.html

Water is an important element in all religions. Whether you look at the Muslim faith, Christianity, or the beliefs of American Indians, water has constantly played an important role in purification and creation. Because of its high importance to all religions, as well as its necessity to sustain human life, it is essential that water is conserved and used in a sustainable way. The following article goes more in depth on how and why water is important to each religion specifically.