Earth in Earnest

Welcome to the August edition of the New Community Project’s environmental e-newsletter, Earth in Earnest "What makes a river so restful to people is that it doesn't have any doubt—it is sure to get where it is going, and it doesn't want to go anywhere else." — Hal Boyle

In this edition:

Facts to Act on-What can we do?
Simplify-Ideas for living more and using less
Good News-Worship resources for a better world
What’s to eat? –Dietary choices as an act of faith

One thing that I really love about our home is that a creek runs adjacent to the property. I love to have the windows open and to hear the gushing, and I also enjoy sitting outside in the yard at night and listening to that trickling sound. Something about it is so reassuring, so life-affirming. Obviously, we need the stuff to survive, but you may not know that drinking lots of water can reduce your risk of several types of cancer, can keep you healthier and younger looking, can prevent headaches and back pain and assists in proper circulation. Our bodies are 70% water, and the earth is 75% covered in water, and water helps to regulate the temperature of both. Like air, clean water is the kind of resource that is easy to take for granted...except that much of the world's population can't. In fact, around 1.2 billion people lack access to a safe water supply. At least two million people die annually of water-borne diseases, and it is predicted that by 2020, 135 million people could die of causes associated with lack of clean water. That exceeds the number expected to be taken due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In fact, dehydration and diarrhea (from unsafe drinking water) contribute to many AIDS deaths. There are things that we can do to protect this precious resource, and perhaps the first step is to remember that we are among the world's most priveleged if we are able to simply turn on the tap and the clean water flows.

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." ~John 4:10

Facts to Act on-

Perhaps one of the most effective tools for change is education. Whether you have children, teach school, teach in religious education or in some other manner have opportunity to impact young people regarding the importance of protecting and conserving clean water, Project WET is a great site for such an undertaking.

Even as the focus of this edition of Earth in Earnest is water conservation, the people of Pakistan are dealing with the devastation of too much of the stuff at once. The catastrophic flooding has been linked to climate change, and current models suggest that there may be more of the same in years to come. For greater understanding of this situation and the ways this tragedy is connected to environmental stewardship, click here.

Simplify-

Looking for practical ways to conserve water? Eartheasy offers 25 suggestions for using less water in the home and yard. If that is not enough, over 100 water-conserving tips, games and educational resources can be found here. Additionally, New Community Project offers Water Woes, a guide that will help elucidate the challenges faced by humanity in the struggle to make clean water accessible to all. A special section on bottled water and ideas for conservation can also be found therein.

Good News-

I have highlighted these before, but they remain excellent resources to promote awareness of water issues in the worship setting. Wade in the Water and Thirsty can be found at http://newcommunityproject.org/creativearts.shtml.


"Every eight months, nearly 11 million gallons of oil run off our streets and driveways into our waters—the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez oil spill."
— “America’s Living Oceans”

What’s to eat? It takes 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat, while 2,500 gallons are required to produce a pound of meat. Preservation of that essential liquid is yet another reason to eat less meat (or no meat at all).

Salsa Pasta Salad

Ingredients
2 cups dry rainbow radiatore pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives
3 tomatoes, diced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder

Directions

In a large pot with boiling salted water cook radiatore pasta until al dente. Drain.
Meanwhile, combine chopped onion, bell pepper, olives, tomatoes, and green chilies in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, cilantro, garlic salt, lemon juice, vegetable oil, sugar and chili powder.
Mix cooked pasta with vegetables. Toss with cilantro dressing and serve.

Find more tasty, earth-friendly recipes here.

To submit a vegetarian, vegan or otherwise environmentally friendly recipe, email kchaffin@newcommunityproject.org with "recipe" in the subject line.

NCP main office: 718 Wilder St. , Elgin , IL 60123 ; 888-800-2985 toll free; ncp@newcommunityproject.org