ECO–JUSTICE NEWS
May 2021
The Eco–Justice Collaborative (EJC) of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting issues this monthly bulletin to provide Friends with time-sensitive information and resources to help in their ongoing work for social and environmental justice. Please share as you think appropriate. If you have events or resources to share, please send them to Ruth Darlington.
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“Remember that at the heart of all our activism is love—love for humanity, love for future generations, love for our neighbors who experience environmental and other injustices, and love for the one and only home God has given us.”
– Diane Randall, FCNL
TAKE ACTION
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is Under Attack. Anti RGGI bills are moving in Harrisburg. Call your legislators asap and ask them to support RGGI and vote NO on SB 119 and HB 2025. RGGI is critical for Pennsylvania’s economic recovery, job creation, local businesses, and environmental justice. RGGI will create at least 27,000 new jobs in Pennsylvania and will create $5.6 billion in health benefits. All of PA will benefit from RGGI.
PennFuture Urges Action to Save Chesapeake Bay. In a recent report, “Underfunded and Polluted: Solutions to Fund Clean Water in Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed,” PennFuture notes that what Pennsylvania lawmakers do between now and 2025 will determine the health not only of Pennsylvania’s waterways but of the Chesapeake Bay as well. Ask your legislators to vote for two bipartisan bills that could come up for a vote soon in Harrisburg. SB 251 would implement standards across PA for use of lawn fertilizers, a major source of nitrogen pollution. SB 465 would create an Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program to help farmers and landowners adopt practices to prevent agricultural runoff into PA waterways. Read the PennFuture report.
Take action for Environmental Justice at FCNL website. Recently introduced, the Environmental Justice for All Act seeks to strengthen environmental regulation, address health equity, and provide resources for groups working to improve the health in environmental justice communities. Write to your legislators to support this bill.
Ask your members of Congress to support a just and equitable infrastructure plan that cuts carbon emissions. Join Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) in asking your legislators to approve an infrastructure plan that delivers jobs and clean energy to all of our communities. Email your members of Congress and urge them to approve this plan.
MINUTE OF CONCERN
On April 24th, Haverford Quarterly Meeting approved the following minute of concern over the increasing culture of violence in our country.
“A minute of concern over the events of January 6, 2021, and the increasing culture of violence in our country.”
As Friends, it is our understanding that we are not meant to conform to the ways of the world but to listen attentively and act in obedience to the Light Within. At this time, we are called to bear witness to our commitment to the Quaker testimonies of peace and equality. It is our deeply held belief that we are all equal in the eyes of God. We embrace the practice of mutual respect and caring for the welfare of all humanity, and when we have differences, we address them peacefully, in a spirit of love and understanding. Conversely, we stand resolute against violence in all its forms including racial and economic injustice. Violence, hate, and bigotry, regardless of the cause or rationale, should have no home in our hearts or in our society. Let us be guided in our actions by love of one another and in our shared belief that there is that of God in every person. In direct response to our concern regarding the growing culture of violence and injustice, we as Quakers are led to speak truth to power and to bear witness through our actions that the way forward is through an unwavering commitment to peace, equality, and the power of love to transform.
We call on each Monthly Meeting to consider and reflect upon this minute and season it with actions and communications to promote peace, equality, and justice at all levels of our community and government.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Managing Forests in Pennsylvania With Climate Change in Mind.
May 12, 12-2 PM
Join the Penn State Extension for an overview of how climate change may influence PA forests and how to manage forests with climate change in mind. Expert panelists include representatives from USDA Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and members of the Penn State faculty. The event is free to participants unless seeking SAF credits. Registration deadline is May 12th at noon.
Get Ahead of the Stampede: EV Charging in Your Town.
May 25, 7:00 PM
Join this webinar sponsored by the Association of NJ Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) to learn how to get an EV ordinance adopted in your New Jersey town and find out about funding options. To register email info@anjec.org.
QEW and FGC Host Worship Sharing.
May 26, 8:00 PM
Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) is hosting monthly online worship sharing groups in partnership with Friends General Conference (FGC). Together we are creating more opportunities for Friends to be in spiritual community with one another. We gather every last Wednesday of the month at 8:00pm EST. Register to receive the link to the upcoming sessions.
RESOURCES
How Quakers Are Working for Climate Justice.
At this April 28th FCNL Quaker Change Makers event, Beverly Ward, SEYM Field Secretary for Earthcare, and Lina Blount, Earth Quaker Action Team, talk about their work. Watch the video recording.
American Farmland Trust Townhall Conversation with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
In this American Farmland Trust (AFT) Free Range Conversation, Vilsack discussed the benefits of the American Rescue Plan for farmers and ranchers and talked about the importance of agriculture policy on fighting climate change, with a focus on regenerative agriculture. Listen to the interview.
Eco–Justice Collaborative (EJC) presentation on current work
In this PowerPoint, you will also find links to previous EJC webinars, the EJC video “Race, Climate, Justice: We’re All In This Together,” the EJC Climate Justice Minute, and many other resources.
Inside the Greenhouse.
Sign up here to get monthly alerts and updates on FCNL’s work on climate action, sustainable and a healthy planet.
BeFriending Creation, January, February, March 2021.
Articles in this first edition of 2021 include, “Equality-Equity-Justice: The Transportation Case Example” by Beverly G. Ward, “Examining Institutional Racism” by Lauri Langham, and “Water Protectors Block Line 3” by the Giniw Collective. Read BeFriending Creation here.
Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) Mini Grants.
Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) is a network of Quakers seeking to live in right relationship with Earth and in unity with nature. The QEW Mini-Grants Committee provides small matching grants to help fund Friends’ projects that put this principle into practice. We are looking for projects to support, especially those that help with providing food, or involve youth, or help with challenging racial/ethnic barriers.
We are set up so that we can only fund through Quaker Meetings, Churches, Camps, Schools, etc. If your Quaker organization is doing a project that meets our criteria, we invite you to apply. If you are an individual Quaker, involved with a project that meets our criteria, perhaps your Meeting could adopt the project. This would enable us to fund you. Our maximum matching grant is $500. More details are on the Mini-Grant application form.
Subscribe to PYM Peace & Social Justice News
The Eco–Justice newsletter is now distributed by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting through the Peace & Social Justice Network.
Please sign up to continue to receive the information that interests you by filling out your name and check the “Peace & Social Justice” list via the PYM subscription link.
Subscribe to the Eco–Justice Newsletter, contact Patricia Finley or Ruth Darlington, co-clerks of the Eco–Justice Collaborative.
Please visit the Eco–Justice Collaborative website.
