This section clarifies and illustrates how our ministry uses the following  terms:

Creation, Environment, Ecology, Ecosystem

Weather vs. Climate, Climate Change, Global Warming, Climate Crisis

Greenhouse Gases, Sources

Clean Energy, Renewable Energy

Pollution, Single-use Plastics

Creation Care, Conservation, Sustainability, Biodiversity, Regeneration

Creation/ Climate/ & Environmental Justice; Frontline & Fenceline Communities

Climate Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience

See these two links for even more terms — like greenwashing, net-zero, carbon sink, green jobs, re-wilding, etc.:

UNDP (United Nations Development Programme). (2023, February 2). The Climate Dictionary: An Everyday Guide to Climate Change.   climatepromise.undp.org

UNDP. (2024, October 2). The Climate Dictionary: Nature Edition.  climatepromise.undp.org

 

 

 

1) Scientific Foundations:

Why Trees Matter (Robbins, J. 2012, April. Opinion, nytimes.com)  More reasons than most of us would imagine!

Benefit of Isolated Wetlands in TN  (February 2024, University of Tennessee School of Natural Resources pdf.)

Making Peace with Nature (February 2021, United Nations Environment Programme)

Climate Change Indicators in the United States /EPA

Skeptical Science.  (Explaining climate change science & rebutting global warming misinformation)

Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis

What is Climate Change: Facts for Kids.  (National Geographic Kids)

A Guide to Climate Change for Kids. (NASA Climate Kids)

Children’s Books About Climate Change.  (yaleclimateconnections.org)

NASA: Earth Minute Videos  (This fun whiteboard animation series explains Earth science to the science-curious.)

Climate Weirding with Katharine Hayhoe   (Series of short engaging videos by Katharine Hayhoe,  atmospheric scientist, endowed chair at Texas Tech University and Chief Scientist at The Nature Conservancy) 

How Trees Talk to Each Other  (TED Talk, Suzanne Simard, 18 min. August 30, 2016)   Conservation, regeneration, resilience

 

 

2) Health

Breathe Again: Healthy Air is Health Care.   (YouTube presentation by Dr. Anne Mellinger Birdsong – 49 min)

Climate Effects on Health   (April 2022, Centers for Disease Control/CDC)

Climate, Kids, and Health  (Harvard School of Public Health)

 

3) Justice:

United Women in Faith :  Just Energy 4 All — Webinars

Equity: Kids and Climate Change.  (Harvard School of Public Health)

What is the Farm Bill and Why Should People of Faith Care?. 9/14/23 

(United Methodist Creation Justice Movement webinar/ YouTube)

 

 

 

 

Recycling Center Tour (Grades 9-12)

Chasing Arrows: The Truth About Recycling (10 min YouTube video)

Birds and Transmission: Building the Grid Birds Need (Audobon Society/ webinar recording, 1 hr, 2023)

Birds and Transmission Report. pdf (Connects the urgent need to plan for increased electrical grid capacity for renewable energy and increased safety for birds.)

 

 

 

 

Wake Up, World!  New Curriculum, New Opportunity

(A six week study for adult groups, developed by two commissioned United Methodist EarthKeepers.)

Loving People and Planet in God’s Name

Harmony Creation Care Curriculum 

(A multigenerational tool, which ” interweaves gardening stories and strategies with Biblical narratives about creation care.”)  Available at Cokesbury.com

 

Creation Justice Resources for Children & Youth

(Includes Harmony: God’s Original Plan and Original Seeds in a World of Diversity;  Green Mountain Earth Stewards Virtual Bible School;  Creation Care Curriculum by Minnesota Conference UMC and Hopeful Earthkeepers (free download); Virtual Day Camp from UM Camping and Retreat Ministries; and others.)

 

A Roche Wild Wonder Camp Curriculum   (Designed for ages 5-9 yrs)

 

Climate Weirding with Katharine Hayhoe  

(Series of short engaging talks [Youtube videos] by Katharine Hayhoe: atmospheric scientist, professor, chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy and person of faith.)

 

Recycling Center Tour (Grades 9-12)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Methodist Creation Justice  Movement Cafe

Through the Movement Café, the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement now has an informal, virtual space to facilitate connection and conversation about creation care and justice issues. …

Each third Wednesday (10am PT / 11am MT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET), and occasional evenings, the Café will feature a topic and/or a speaker and generate hope for our good earth.

Everyone is welcome—from local churches, districts, jurisdictions, green teams, agency teams. Everyone. By connecting, we become stronger! That’s what the Café can do. This webpage will provide updates on speakers, topics, and recordings.

 

Creation Justice Tips

Free, monthly tips for churches to use in their worship bulletin, church newsletter, weekly emails, and more.

Our Creation Care Tips resource offers you a simple way to get your congregation actively involved as individuals, families or teams in creation justice and environmental ministry!

 

Just Energy 4 All –  United Women in Faith          

Looking for ways to connect with other United Women in Faith members and people of faith who are working to advance just energy all year long?   Newsletters, monthly webinars, and focus work groups.  Get involved!

Creation Justice Tips

Free, monthly tips for churches to use in their worship bulletin, church newsletter, weekly emails, and more.

Our Creation Care Tips resource offers you a simple way to get your congregation actively involved as individuals, families or teams in creation justice and environmental ministry!

United Methodist Creation Justice Movement Newletter

TIPL (Tennessee InterFaith Power& Light) Newsletter

1) Forming a Green Team

 Green Team Formation  (This video walks you through the 2023 TWK Conference Resolution.  10 min)

Your Green Team pdf  (Creation Justice Tips, 2023)

 

3) Advocacy Webinars:

State Level Advocacy  (UM Creation Justice webinar (February 2021)

Speak Up!  Letter Writing Campaign  (West End UMC Creation Care Team webinar and related power point/ download 

Guiding Principles for Public Policy Advocacy (United Methodist Creation Justice Coordinating Team, 2021)

4) Energy Efficiency

Greening Houses of Worship (Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light)

Inflation Reduction Act and Churches  ( Includes IRS and Dept of Energy links.)

ENERGY STAR Action Workbook for Congregations (updated 04/2022)

6 Things to Know About Heat Pumps  (Simon, J.  April 1, 2023, npr.org)

Solar Energy for Churches   (Georgia Interfaith Power & Light)

Key Questions and Answers About Going Solar.   (Stanger, T.  September 29, 2023. consumerreports.com)

Commercial Rooftop Solar: Frequently Asked Questions/ Better Buildings 

 

5) Recycling

Recycling Round Ups: Tennessee Environmental Council

These statewide events offer recycling for the difficult household items – tires, mattresses, etc.   Watch for an event near you!

Recycle Tennessee, Recycle Right (Facts and guidelines.  See also their recycling roundups statewide. Tennessee Environmental Council)

Nashville Recycling: Where It Goes and Why You Should Recycle Right. [5 min video]  Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County. (2021). Recycling Services in in Nashville

Chasing Arrows: The Truth About Recycling.  (10 min video)

 

6) Land Use:  Gardens, Trees, Streams:

Church Gardening Resource Book (Berbiglia, J. for [Legacy] TN Conference UMC.  (2003)

Gardening Stories From Across the UMC Connection  (Church gardens)

Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, Expanded Second Edition, by David Mizejewski (National Wildlife Federation, paperback, 163 pp.) Very helpful illustrations and photographs. 

Plant the Right Tree in the Right Place  (Tennessee Environmental Council, November 2020. pdf. 6 pp)

How to Plant a Tree (8 min video presented by The Metro Nashville Tree Advisory Committee – very helpful!)

Tennessee Smart Yards  (Keeping Tennessee’s land and water healthy, one yard at a time)

Tennessee Smart Yards is an Extension-led program that guides Tennesseans on practices they can apply in their outdoor spaces to create healthier, more ecologically-sound landscapes and communities. Nine principles of stewardship serve as the foundation for the program and are explored in online modules and practical workshops taught by UT-TSU Extension and water professionsals. SEE “Path to Certification” to access these information modules, certification aside.)

The Tennessee Yardstick Workbook: Smart Yards pdf

Urban Water Stewardship  (Rain gardens, rain barrels, water run-off, depaving, Cumberland River Compact)

Tennessee Urban Riparian [stream bank] Buffer Handbook  (TN Department of Agriculture & Forestry, pdf)

How to build a rain garden  (Cumberland River Compact – short form)

Rain Gardens for Nashville:  A Resource Guide for Planning, Designing and Maintaining a Beautiful Rain Garden  (Comprehensive, helpful charts and illustrations; free download pdf, 18 pp.)

Generate Some Buzz   (TN Environmental Council — Pollinator gardens)

Your Backyard Pollinator Garden Handbook /updated.  (Tennessee Environmental Council)

Homegrown National Park   (movement dedicated to planting native plants)

7) Composting:

Come, post your compost!   (TN Environmental Council — How to begin composting for home and businesses; plus the invitation to join others in registering your amount of composting)

The following three websites specifically address the categories of home compostable vs. industrial compostable products and standards:

Certificates for compostability USA – overview of certificates used

Compostable Certifications – Why Do They Matter?

BPI – Certified Compostable  (This webpage explains the North American standards based on the Australian standards, and includes a search page for  product certification by categories.  Press on green SEARCH button/ homepage.)

 

 

 

 

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

UM Creation Justice Tips  (A monthly publication of suggestions designed to engage individuals and congregations in best practices to respond faithfully to our current climate and ecological circumstances.)

Go Zero Waste  (Tennessee Environmental Council).  “The best way to deal with waste is not to create it!”

Tennessee Smart Yards  (Keeping Tennessee”s land and water healthy, one yard at a time.)

Energy and Water Efficiency Checklist for Worship Facilities — Energy Star  (United Women in Faith, pdf.  10 pp.)

The Issue with Tissue. (NRDC.org. September 2021)  New Report Uncovers Dirty Truth about Beloved Toilet Paper Brands.  (thecooldown.com. October 5, 2023)

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

Guide to Green Shopping

What’s Your Water Footprint? 

Carbon Calculator

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

Greening Houses of Worship (Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light

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

Recycling Roundups: Tennessee Environmental Council

These statewide events offer recycling for the difficult household items – tires, mattresses, etc.   Watch for an event near you!

Film Recommendations

The Biggest Little Farm   Documentary, feature film; true story of family farm and the power of biodiversity (2018)

A Life on Our Planet   Documentary by David Attenborough  (2020)    

Kiss the Ground: The Solution is Right Under Our Feet  Documentary by Interfaith Power & Light (2020)

Leah Penniman: Farming While Black- Ecofarm Keynote 2020   YouTube  (40 min)

Under Cover Farmers  YouTube  (28 min)

How Trees Talk to Each Other  TED Talk by Suzanne Simard  YouTube (18 min)

The Most Important Thing You Can Do to  Fight Climate Change: Talk About It  TED Talk by Katharing Hayhoe  (17 min)

Book Recommendations 

Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home by Pope Francis  (2015)

Climate Justice:  A Call to Hope and Action  ed. By Pat Watkins (2016 United Methodist Women Mission Study)

All We Can Save:  Truth, Courage and Solutions for the Climate Crisis ed by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine  K. Wilkerson  (2020)

Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katharine Hayhoe (2021) 

Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman (Paperback 2018)

Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, Expanded Second Edition by David Mizejewski/ National Wildlife Federation (2019)

Gardening with the Native Plants of Tennessee: The Spirit of Place by Margie Hunter (2002)

Climate Courage: How Tackling Climate Change Can Build Community, Transform the  Economy, and Bridge the Political Divide in America by Andreas Karelas (Paperback, 2020) 

Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest  by Suzanne Simard (2021)

From Nature to Creation: A Christian Vision for Understanding and Loving Our World by Norman Wirzba (2015)  [in The Church and Postmodern Culture series, ed.by James Smith]

Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible by Ellen F. Davis (2008)

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (2013)

 

Webinars from Faith Climate Action Week (April 2021) / TN Interfaith Power& Light

Sustainable Food Preparation: A Workshop with Seema Prasad [Seema is a chef and local restaurant owner]

Do More With Composting: Workshop with Karen McIntyre [Karen works within the school system toward net zero waste]

United Methodist Creation Justice Summit – (October 16-17, 2020)

The complete 7 hour recording with links to 23 separate/short videos highlighting work of our UMC Boards and Agencies for support of creation care ministry in the local church.

Keynote address —  Bee Moorhead — Four Questions regarding the role of faith communities in addressing climate change

Keynote Address — Rev. Michael Malcolm:  For Such a Time as This  

National Creation Care Summit UMC (July 2019)

Keynote Address — Katharine Wilkinson of Project Drawdown    (July 12, 2019)

Keynote Address — Heather McTeer-Toney of Moms Clean Air Force   (July 13, 2019)

All recorded presentations from National Creation Care Summit UMC (July 2019)

 

Global Ministries EarthKeeper Training 

Fall 2024  Training Events

October 3-6, 2024                          St.Paul, MN and Baltimore, MD

Application deadline: August 14, 2024

For details and application, click here.