Faith-based communities have increasingly articulated environmental stances and developed programs over the past 30 years, as part of the justice and outreach agenda. The environmental justice movement began in faith communities, and these provide a ripe opportunity for adult ecology education and partnership. Since 82% of the US population identifies with a faith tradition, congregations provide a large audience that can be readily-organized for non-formal adult education. We surveyed Ohioans (who closely approximate US religious demographics) and assessed interest among the three major approaches to environmental concerns - justice, stewardship and spirituality - as well as level of concern, interest and action of members. An assessment of needs analyzed preferred environmental terms and the relative priority of environmental compared with other social and moral issues. To improve educational delivery, we assessed relative importance given to various ecological issues and the desired means, content and delivery desired for resources. We also surveyed denominational statements and religious environmental curricula to analyze how ecology was used and to identify the ecological knowledge and methods whose understanding was needed to address ecological issues.
Results/Conclusions
We found that predominant activities were split among education, sustainable practices, and political engagement. Favorite environmental activities included: guest speakers, study groups, following a simplicity , eco-team or carbon footprint curriculum (especially with fasting traditions), creation care worship service, and contacting legislators through sign-on letters promoted by national religious bodies. Popular environmental actions are: fair-trade coffee, eliminating disposables, using recycled paper, establishing congregation recycling centers and establishing a green committee to address these concerns in the community; Conservation practices of energy audits of buildings, changing light bulbs to compact fluorescents, and installing a solar array; Outdoors - joining a CSA to support locally-grown food and small farmers, doing organic gardening and native plant landscaping on grounds. Overall, the environment ranked lower than other social justice issues, except for climate change which is being highlighted especially among Catholics and Protestant denominations, but less-so among Evangelicals and inner-city congregations. Interest was highest in information from the local/regional community. Ecology partnerships with faith community members could become a fundamental pathway for delivery of ecological education. Approaches that are likely to be most effective include: educating along a full range of topics of interest (ie spiritual/theological, ecological, and the practical/how-to), training members of faith communities, and adult education that demonstrates impacts and the connections with local issues.
