Caring for Creation

PLASTIC is popular, practical, and prolific. It is also invasive, insidious, and imperishable.

Those objects of plastic that escape recycling (made of non-recyclable plastic; fly away in the wind; float down a river into the ocean) go on living for as long as 100 to 1000 years, eventually becoming microplastics. These have been found in the Alps (shedding of microfiber clothing); in all oceans; Lake Superior; in fish we eat; and more. By taking steps such as listed below we can take to heart the request of Pope Francis to care for our common home and help decrease the accumulation of plastic waste and contamination.

When shopping, purchase items packaged in glass or paper or the least plastic wrap. If your favorite product comes only in plastic, write to that manufacturer and tell them of your concern.

Always bring your own reusable bag and avoid using plastic bags. If you have plastic bags, check with Cub Foods bag recycling service.

Support companies producing plant-based plastics (bioplastic) such as Full Circle Bioplastics in CA; Renmatix in PA; Mango Materials in CA.

Become informed about which plastics are recyclable. Don’t buy products packaged in non-recyclable plastic. Try to avoid plastic altogether.
 

CLIMATE CHANGE:11 FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW 

https://www.conservation.org/  
https://www.conservation.org/stories/11-climate-change-facts-you-need-to-know

416 part​s per million  
The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere, as of May 2020, is the highest it has been in human history 

2019 ​was the second warmest year on record 
NASA data show that average global temperatures in 2019 were 1.8 degrees F (0.98 degrees C) warmer than the 20th century average.  In fact, the five warmest years in the 1880–2019 record have all occurred since 2015. 

11% of emissions 
Eleven percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are due to deforestation — comparable to the emissions from all of the passenger vehicles on the planet. 

Nature is an untapped solution 
Tropical forests are incredibly effective at storing carbon, providing at least a third of the mitigation action needed to prevent the worst climate change scenarios. Yet nature-based solutions receive only 3% of all climate funding 

Fight climate change, improve livelihoods — naturally 
Natural climate solutions such as restoring degraded forests could create as many as 39 jobs per million dollars spent — that's a job-creation rate more than six times higher than the oil and gas industry.  

10x the return on investment 
Roughly 3.2 billion people are currently impacted by land degradation worldwide. Restoration is critical and cost-effective. Every US$ 1 invested in restoration generates, on average, 10x that amount in benefits.  

800 million people 
Eleven percent of the world’s population is currently vulnerable to climate change impacts such as droughts, floods, heat waves, extreme weather events and sea-level rise. 

Coastal ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems are critical 
Just 0.7% of the world’s forests are coastal mangroves, y​​​​​​et they store up to 10 times as much carbon per hectare as tropical forests. 

800,000 hectares lost every year 
If we continue to lose mangroves at this rate, they may disappear within the next century. This loss, removes an important buffer from extreme weather for coastal communities and releases immense amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere 

Save nature. It’s cheaper 
Conserving ecosystems is ​often more cost-effective than human-made interventions. In the Maldives, preserving the natural coral reef is four times cheaper than building a sea wall for coastal protection, even after 10 years of maintenance cost 

189 nations on board 
189 countries have ratified the 2015 Paris Agreement, agreeing to limit global warming and adapt to climate change, partly by protecting nature. 
 

Climate changes and global warming have people talking about greenhouse gas emissions. So what are greenhouse gases? These are gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. They let sunlight pass through the atmosphere, but they prevent the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere. The main greenhouse gases are: Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons.

A greenhouse is full of windows that let in sunlight that creates warmth. A greenhouse doesn’t let the warmth escape. This is exactly how greenhouse gases act. Overall, greenhouse gases are a good thing. Without them, our planet would be too cold and life as we know it would not exist. But there can be too much of a good thing. Scientists worry that human activities such as deforestation and fossil fuel use are adding too much of these gases in the atmosphere. This traps greater amounts of the sun’s radiation that contributes to rising temperatures also known as global warming.

The two greenhouse gases most important in contributing to human caused global warming are Carbon Dioxide, from burning fossil fuels like coal and oil and Methane gas released from wetlands, growing rice, raising cattle, using natural gas and mining.

Because of the greenhouse effect the world today is almost 1.8F degrees warmer that it was before the Industrial Revolution. This may not seem noticeable but countries are already seeing the severe effects of planet wide warming at this level. Heat waves are lasting longer, crop yields are shrinking and rising sea levels threaten coastal areas.

Without a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures will rise and the results would be catastrophic and the effects would be irreversible.

At St. Joseph the Worker we are all one.  As a community of faith, family and loved ones, we must all work together to be diligent and true to our caring for creation.  Pope Francis has stated that “each community can take from the bounty of the earth whatever it needs for subsistence, but it also has the duty to protect the earth and to ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations.”  Let us take this to heart as we proceed with our duties as responsible Christians. The pandemic we are experiencing reminds us of how we are all connected and really are responsible for our fellow human's well-being.  Be kind and loving to others and the earth, and you will receive the same in return.

Climate change has been a key factor in increasing wildfires in the US. The last decade was our warmest on record and the temperature continues to rise  each year, leading to an increase in evaporation which has led to longer droughts and much longer fire season. Since 2000, 14 forest fires have caused at least a billion dollars in each case and this amount continues to rise as fires increase, having a financial impact on federal and state budgets as well as local banks and insurance companies which lead to an increase in costs for all of us. The actual fires themselves contribute to health risks/costs, pollution and the cycle of continued climate warming. 

Rachel Cleetus of The Union of Concerned Scientists is clear that climate change, rather than forest management, is the predominant factor in increased wildfires. She has said, "Forest management is no panacea for what we're seeing."

Jennifer Balch, an associate professor of geography at the University of Colorado Boulder, said on CNBC, Sept. 2020, "Science is very clear that there is a direct link between warming and burning. If we don't  take the science seriously, we're essentially putting lives and homes at tremendous risk."

While short-term changes can be made to reduce some risks from extreme weather and wildfires, experts say that aggressive action at the national and global level to reduce emissions is the only long-term solution. 

Information sources:  
United Nations Environmental Programme
Environmental Defense Fund
CNBC-Sept.17,2020

In his Encyclical, Pope Francis talks about the interconnectedness of all things. Trees are an integral piece of that web. Take the example of a rainforest. Leaves in the high canopy of the trees pull water from the roots way below. They then take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and use energy from the sun to create carbohydrates for food for themselves. A byproduct of this process of photosynthesis is oxygen and water vapor! Rainforests can release 20 billion tons of water into the sky each day in the form of clouds. These clouds in the sky are called “aerial rivers” and are larger than the Amazon River itself! These aerial rivers produce rain throughout much of S. America and even affect moisture as far as the Midwest of the U.S. and southern France. There are several rainforests throughout the world, but the Amazon is the largest. When deforestation happens, the balance of carbon dioxide, oxygen and water is disrupted. Climate, health, biodiversity, agriculture, economy, and life are subsequently affected. Explore the research of Nobel Laureate Carlos Nobres, a Brazilian climate scientist working to protect the forests of S. America. And, plant a tree whenever you can!

When stuck in your house, time is your friend.  Now is the time to get creative and break those food ruts.  Maybe you made a resolution to eat more plants this year or maybe you just want to boost your immune system with an abundance of vitamin rich fruits and vegetables.  Either way, now is the time to get creative with your cooking. 

Try some new plant-based recipes.  Non-perishable foods like canned or dry beans and rice are easy to prepare and nutritious.  I always end up making too much and the have left overs which makes my next meal easy for me. 

It’s always important to save leftovers and reduce food waste and this is an especially good time to be making the most of what you have.  If you have produce that has gone bad and you can’t use, try composting.  You can compost in Tupperware and store it in your freezer.  When you have a sizable amount of organic material bring it to your nearest recycling center. 

Please check out 10 more actions you can take at: 

Earthday.org/11 actions to take for the planet during a pandemic. 

When in person meetings are possible again please consider joining  the Caring for Creation Group at St. Joe’s.  For more information on the group contact Steve Kriz at s.kriz@comcast.net

Have you eaten your plastic today?  No?  You may be surprised. Scientists say each of us may be ingesting as much as a credit card’s worth of plastic a week.  The raw materials of plastic are created from fossil fuels including oil and natural gas.  Thousands of chemicals are used to make the plastic harder, softer or more flexible.  Since the 1950’s the world has produced more than 10 billion tons and we just keep making more. The worldwide public attention to the plastics issue is growing, yet global plastic production is increasing.  Plastic production is expected to quadruple by 2050.  Half of the plastic ever made was made in just the last 13 years.  Most of the plastic ever produced hasn’t been recycled.

Plastic is everywhere. Plastic items start to come apart with use and time, breaking down to tinier and tinier fragments which make their way into our lakes, rivers, oceans and our bodies. The plates we eat from, straws, furniture, toys, clothes, cars, the lifesaving medical equipment in hospitals all contain plastic.  More than anywhere it is in packaging from laundry detergent to prescription pills, from the food we eat to the beverages we drink. 

There is no limit on the types of plastic products that can be made from thousands of types of chemicals from flimsy grocery bags to bullet stopping Kevlar.  Opening a brand new plastic bottle, tearing a wrapper off a sandwich releases fragments of plastic that we might ingest. Household dust can be full of microplastics that we breath in. Plastic fibers wash off clothes into our water supplies. 

Here are some ways to use less plastic.  Drink tap water, not bottled water. Heat food in or on the stove or by microwaving in glass.  Buy and store food in glass, silicone or foil.  Eat fresh food not processed food wrapped in plastic. Vacuum regularly. Don’t allow surfaces to get dusty. Work with your community.  Joining forces with community level recycling groups can truly make a difference.  Educate yourself about and support any city, county and state legislation limiting single-use plastics.

GRATITUDE AND GENEROSITY  

The best thing that we can do during this pandemic is to consciously be aware of the blessings we have in our lives and then let that lead us to being generous. 

Caring for Creation members love the Earth and want to help heal it and pass on a healthier planet for future generations. 

Here are some ideas for how to show love, kindness and care for people and the Earth. 

 Practice acts of social kindness-pick up litter. 

Go out of your way to make contact with a person of another race, nationality, religion or lifestyle. 

Buy fair trade products.  With your purchase you can “vote” for businesses that respect God’s creation and ensure equitable pay for their laborers.  

Plant a tree.  This spring St. Joe’s gave out free trees to parishioners.   We hope to do that again in the future. 

Contribute to organizations in our community working on behalf of social, racial, economic or environmental justice.  When the coronavirus in under control consider volunteering at one of these organizations. 

Caring for Creation is not meeting now but when we can gather again please consider joining us and help to educate others on climate change and learn  how changing our habits can reduce the warming of the Earth.  Contact Steve Kriz at s.kriz@comcast.net.
 

This article is based on Pope Francis' Encyclical Letter--Laudato Si'; Chapter 6 "Ecological Education and Spirituality"

"Since the market tends to promote extreme consumerism in an effort to sell its products, people can easily get caught up in a whirlwind of needless buying and spending."
"The current global situation engenders a feeling of instability and  uncertainty, which in turn becomes a seedbed for collective selfishness."
Considering all that we've been through with COVID19 and the racial unrest in our city and country, now would be a good time to change our lifestyle to reflect spiritual values that create respect for the world we live in. Our own Pope points out the misuse of creation for profit and the inequity of a consumer lifestyle creates imbalance and unrest in humans and in nature.
In the above chapter of his encyclical he states. "Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and a joyful celebration of all life."

Young people demand change.  They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future with the outthinking of the environmental crisis and the suffering of the excluded.
Pope Francis
 

How Minnesota students are combating climate change
“From eliminating single-use plastic items to pressing school boards to commit to 100 percent clean energy, Minnesota students are changing how schools respond to climate change. 

Jason Rodney, a youth program coordinator for Climate Generation — a Minneapolis-based nonprofit founded by Will Steger in 2006 that’s focused on supporting climate change education and youth-led climate change solutions — says he supports students who are involved in projects at the school or city level. 
His organization is one of many that are helping youth think about how to take action against climate change, through policy changes at both the state and local levels. In schools, he says some of the other most common initiatives include things like integrating climate change education into classrooms, providing more training and job opportunities in green careers — like sustainable agriculture practices, especially in rural districts — and improving composting and recycling services at schools”. 

-adapted by an article by Erin Hinrichs, MinnPost’s education reporter
 

Next Phase of Recycling: Lab Gloves and Apparel 
More labs and cleanrooms are aiming for zero waste by diverting gloves and apparel from landfills and turning the items into totes, shelving, and lawn furniture. Just to name a few uses. 
Lab workers use several pairs of gloves a day which creates a big environmental waste in landfills. One university estimated that nearly 30 percent of its waste comes from research buildings.  A waste audit from University of Washington found that 22 percent of its waste consisted of nitrile gloves. Many labs and cleanrooms are now shipping used gloves and apparel
to recycling facilities where they are turned into plastic pellets which are then reprocessed into durable consumer goods. Universities are also assisting other schools and laboratories to reduce their waste in the same way.

FOOD WASTE
Food is wasted throughout the supply chain from agricultural production, shipping and storage, all the way to household consumption. This results in a waste of resources such as land, water, and energy.  It’s estimated that hundreds of barrels of oil and 1/4 of the world’s freshwater reserves are used to produce food that’s being wasted.  By being careful with your own food purchases and storage, you can benefit the environment.  Half of all produce is thrown away because it’s too ugly to eat. This amounts to 60 million tons of fruit and vegetables going to waste.  Look for specials and reduced price on ugly produce. Ask the produce manager if they would sell the produce instead of throwing it out. Buy only the produce your household can consume, Store produce properly so that it stays edible longer. Consider freezing produce before it decomposes. 1.6 billion tons of wasted food is left in landfills every year, creating methane, a greenhouse gas.  Large amounts of animals are drawn to landfills with rotting food which can have a big impact on local ecosystems and wildlife. Instead of putting food scraps in the trash, start saving organics for composting or dropping it at the collection site on Jefferson Highway. Organics make up 30% of our trash and provide the biggest opportunity to reduce the waste we send to landfills.

TWO SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE
1. Do not use plastic bags when you shop. Always use reusable bags. They are inexpensive and can be purchased at many stores. They last for years and do not add to plastic pollution. People are still using 10-15 plastic grocery bags when they shop at places like Cub. This is unnecessary and adds to the huge amount of plastic pollution in our cities, state, country and world. If you forget your reusable bags, use paper grocery bags, and reuse them. They can be used several times before you recycle them.

Also, ask to talk to store managers and ask them to stop using plastic bags.

2. Refuse plastic straws when eating in restaurants and tell the server why. Say something like “I don’t want a plastic straw. They are a huge source of pollution”. If you must use a straw purchase a reusable one made from bamboo, metal or paper. Some sources where you can find these optional straws: Buluh for bamboo straws, Simply Straws for glass straws, Final Straws for silicone/stainless steel straws or Koffie for silicone straws.

These actions may seem insignificant but if all of us take time to consider our use of plastics and find options that are healthier for our planet the effect can be VERY significant.

If you would like to join Caring for Creation here at St. Joe’s contact Steve Kriz at s.kriz@comcast .net. The group meets once a month from 7:00 to8:30 PM in the library except in June, July and August.

DO YOU KNOW ALL THE ACTIONS CARING FOR CREATION HAS TAKEN IN 10 YEARS? 

The Caring for Creation team was started in 2008 as an off-shoot of our Social Justice Group, with support and encouragement from Roxanne Smith.   The group’s purpose is to educate about how we can help care for God’s beautiful creation, Earth.  The members of the group also educate ourselves on climate change and how we can implement changes in our personal lives to become more thoughtful in the ways we live, to become more energy efficient and dispose of our trash in the least damaging ways.  It is now a group of 7 people and hopes to continue to grow. 

These are some of the actions the group has taken in ten years. 

1.  Hosted Will Steger to speak at St. Joe’s, followed by a Q&A session.  He spoke on climate changes in Arctic.  

2. Hosted author Jack Nelson-Palmyer presentation who spoke to us about his book, “Authentic Hope-It’s the end of the world as we know it but soft landings are possible” and we had a Q&A with him as well. 

3. Hosted a discussion with J. Drake Hamilton who is science policy director at Fresh Energy, an independent, Minnesota –based nonprofit organization working to speed the transition to a clean energy economy. 

4. Screened the documentary, Days of Living Dangerously, an American television series, followed by Q&A. 

5. Hosted 4 Green Fairs in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2018 at St. Joe’s. 

6. Did a letter-writing campaign to local restaurants regarding use of paper vs. Styrofoam for take-out. 

7. Partner with faith formation classes to provide information on caring for creation topics or to work on projects together. 

8. Partnered with the Garden Ministry to clean up outside compost and dumping area in 2014. 

9. Created and maintain the Caring for Creation bulletin board inside entrance 2, since 2014. 

10.   Caring for Creation Group read and discussed two books:  “On Care for our Common Home”  by Pope Francis and “Caring for Creation”by Mitch Hescox and Paul Douglas. 

11.  Applied for and won a grant from Hennepin County to begin an organic recycling program at St. Joe’s in 2015. 

If these activities sound interesting to you and you are concerned about climate change and caring for our planet we invite you to join our group which meets once a month, except over the summer, at 7:00 PM in the church library.