Earth Day Action- Expand Farm to School Program

Today is Earth Day. Are you celebrating Earth Sunday this weekend? Whether you already observed Earth Sunday or have yet to celebrate it, you can take this action any time!

Earth Day is a time for us to come together with our communities and rekindle commitment to a better future and a thriving planet. As we face increasingly severe storms, droughts in once fertile agricultural lands, and rising seas, it is critical that we use Earth Day as a catalyst to take decisive action to ease the harm we are causing to our ecosystems. 

This year, our ecumenical partner, Creation Justice Ministries, has prepared an Earth Day resource to engage our families and congregations in conversation and action for a healthier planet through the lens of food. It is called "Have You Anything Here to Eat?" and encourages us to reflect on how food production and consumption impacts the changing climate. It includes ideas for what you can do in your day-to-day life to live lighter on the land and give thanks for the abundance of God's creation. Please click here to download this wonderful resource and share it widely with your community. 

Click here to write to your Members of Congress about food this Earth Day.

On the national scene, we are drawing attention to the Farm to School Act of 2015, which helps children and their families make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy by funding projects around the country that connect children to food production, harvest, and preparation. This program makes grants on a competitive basis for schools, nonprofits, state and local agencies, agricultural producers, and Indian tribal organizations to increase local food procurement for school meal programs and expand educational activities on agriculture and food. It educates children about ecological preservation, increases the number of fruits and vegetables they eat daily, and provides organic farmers with a market for their produce in schools. This year, we are asking Congress to strengthen and expand the program’s scope through the Child Nutrition Reauthorization.

Write to Congress in support of Farm to School here!

For many years, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been bearing witness to the ecological devastation that humans are bringing to the planet through global climate change. Presbyterian General Assemblies have called for changes at all levels of our lifestyle – from a national comprehensive climate plan to changing the way we use energy in our homes and churches. Together, we can make a difference.

Earth Day Action: Water, Holy Water

Today is Earth Day! How are you and your church community planning to commemorate Earth Day and celebrate God’s beautiful gift of Creation?  Have you chosen a Sunday to hold an Earth Sunday worship service?

Make sure to check out the annual Earth Sunday worship resource from Creation Justice Ministries (formerly the NCC Eco-Justice Program). This year, we are focusing on Water, Holy Water, with which we have been blessed throughout our faith story. “Throughout the Bible, water plays a significant role in helping us understand the nature of God… [from] the crossing of the Red Sea [to] Jesus’ baptism… [from] the woman at the well [to] Jesus describing himself as ‘living water.’”[1] Indeed, water – fresh, clean water – has an essential role in our lives even beyond its spiritual significance. Clean water is essential for life and identified by our faith tradition as a human right. [2]

And in the Reformed tradition, we engage our faith beyond the church walls as well. Take action today to support a new rule that will provide greater protection for U.S. water.

This month, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a draft rule that will provide clarity, protecting streams and wetlands that connect to larger watersheds and protecting the quality of the water that we depend on for drinking, cooking, washing, swimming, and fishing. Under the proposed rule many of the streams and wetlands that were historically covered under the Clean Water Act will again be covered. The proposed rule works within the more narrow definition of "waters of the United States" given by the two Supreme Court rulings and clarifies that under the Clean Water Act:

• Most seasonal and rain-dependent streams are protected.
•  Wetlands near rivers and streams are protected.
• Other types of waters that have less certain connections with downstream will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if their connection to overall water quality is significant. 

The process opens the rule up for public comment, so this is a great opportunity to weigh in for a proactive regulation that will protect our water. The EPA needs to hear from you in support of U.S. waters and safe and clean water for all. 

Click here to submit a comment to the EPA.

“The health of rivers, lakes, bays, and coastal waters depend on the streams and wetlands where they begin. Streams and wetlands provide many benefits to communities – they trap floodwaters, recharge groundwater supplies, remove pollution, and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. They are also economic drivers because of their role in fishing, hunting, agriculture, recreation, energy, and manufacturing.” [3]

The most recent Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly (2012) acknowledged protection of the environment as vital to the Christian faith, supported a strong and proactive EPA, and affirmed a statement urging strong oversight authority over waters of the U.S. [4]

For more information on the proposed rule, visit the EPA site on Waters of the United States.

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[1] Excerpted from Water, Holy Water, published by Creation Justice Ministries, Earth Sunday Resource, 2014. http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50750/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=7497

[2] 219^th General Assembly (2010), Minutes, p. 332.

[3] Press Release from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Clarify Protection for Nation’s Streams and Wetlands: Agriculture’s Exemptions and Exclusions from Clean Water Act Expanded by Proposal,” Released March 25, 2014.

[4] 220^th General Assembly (2012), Minutes, p. 241.