• Come to terms with the serious and urgent needs of our planet, the increasing effects of climate change on ecosystems and all aspects of our lives, and then consider the faithful responses we are called to make for the future of God’s creation and well-being for all peoples.
• Seek out the stories of people and communities who have been negatively affected by policies and practices which polluted their air, or nearby land or water.
• Create a creation care team in your local church or annual conference.
• Develop a cooperative creation care ministry of neighboring area churches, staying connected to a conference creation care group for support and exchange of ideas.
• Re-think your missional goals:  integrate creation care and creation justice into all aspects of your ministry.
• Establish in your congregation an annual Creation Care Sunday near the time of Earth Day in April or a month of creation care focused teaching, projects and worship themes.

• Share your own faith story of coming to the point of creation care action.
• Provide opportunities for children, youth and adults to experience the wonders of nature:  nature walks, stream hikes, camping, canoeing, field trips to farms, urban gardens and nature preserves.
• Contribute creation care and creation justice articles and reflections to your church’s newsletter, facebook page, website.
• Share reflections from your faith perspective with the media outreach of other organizations.
• Develop educational presentations and/or utilize existing ones for mid week programs, Vacation Bible School and day camps, adult and youth Sunday School classes, United Methodist Women and Men’s programs, retreats, youth mission and adult mission trips.
• Create community events by inviting outside speakers to your church (soil and water conservation,  native plants, gardening,  urban recycling updates, food waste, college and university sustainability programs, transportation and vehicle trends,  sources of greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy production, future job markets and transitions, current justice or legislative campaigns, etc).
• Share your expertise with others (extended family, church family, creation care team, community organizations):  raising food locally, cooking with local and seasonal food, composting, energy efficiency and facility maintenance knowledge, organizing experience, small group leadership skills, scientific background, etc.

Energy Efficiency of Church Buildings, Use of Church Land, Purchasing Policies/Recycling:

• Assessing energy efficiency of building(s)
• Weatherization, facility repairs and upgrades
• Renewable energy sources
• Lighting
• Gardens:  rain gardens, pollinator gardens, food gardens
• Offering space for farmer’s market, or compost drop off site, etc
• Outdoor prayer and meditation space
• Use of pesticides and toxic chemicals
• Kitchen and cleaning supplies
• Single use plastics

• Join and support organizational networks of your choosing
• Letter writing
• Build relationships with local, state and national leaders
• Become part of faith based coalitions – as an individual or congregation
• Stay informed
• Public speaking and presentations
• Direct action responses to legislative initiatives and justice campaigns

Greener Living (US Environmental Protection Agency; broad compilation of resources)

The Powerful Role of Household Actions in Solving Climate Change (Project Drawdown.org. October 2021)

The Issue with Tissue. (NRDC.org. September 2021)

Encourages us to purchase paper products made from recycled paper rather than trees. Contains consumer information.

What’s Your Water Footprint? 

Carbon Calculator

13 Steps to Sustainability

Part of United Methodist Women’s Be Just. Be Green materials

UM Creation Justice Tips

This is a monthly publication of suggestions designed to engage individuals and congregations in best practices to respond faithfully to our current climate and ecological circumstances.

Greening Houses of Worship (Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light)

Recycle the right way  (Davidson CO/  Nashville area.  This web page includes the app Nashville Waste Wizard and also general guidelines for recycling.)

Nashville Recycling: Where It Goes and Why You Should Recycle Right (5 min video)

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