6/2015 Creation Corner Column: An Aggregation of...

June 2015 Creation Corner Column: An aggregation of appeals, a quotation, conferences, anniversary, exhibit, PBS P.O.V. documentary, notable distinction book, web sites, groups, people you may want to know about, new words and concepts.

Appeals:

www.earthjustice.org/savethebees 

Answer the Call to Care for Creation at www.BlessedTomorrow.org/Sojourners 

Sacred Land Film Project at www.StandingonSacredGround.org and films available at PA-based Bullfrog Films at 1-800-543-3764.

Quotation:

 "The effective struggle against global warming will only be possible with a responsible collective answer, that goes beyond particular interests and behavior and is developed free of political and economic  pressures...On climate change, there is a clear, definitive and ineluctable ethic imperative to act..."  Pope Francis, January 18, 2015 

Conferences/Meetings/Retreats:

 Earth-Honoring Faith: Native Wisdom in Dialogue.  June 22-28, 2015.  www.ghostranch.org Promoting justice-centered, earth-honoring, interfaith efforts on common earth issues.

Wild Goose Festival. July 9-12, 2015, Hot Springs, NC.  Theme: Blessed are the Peacemakers. www.wildgoosefestival.org Spirit, Justice, Music, Arts.

 Anniversary

 30 Years:  Earth Island Institute.  See the listing of their 63 projects at www.earthisland.org 

Exhibit

 7 Days of Garbage, photography slideshow of Gregg Segal's work at www.earthislandjournal.org ; also see www.greggsegal.com

Documentary Film on PBS P.O.V. series, June 29, 2015 pbs.org/pov/theovernighters 

 The Overnighters, by Jesse Moss.  Summary: Chasing the American dream, thousands of workers flock to a North Dakota town where the oil business is booming.  But instead of well-paying jobs, many find slim work prospects and a severe housing shortage.  Pastor Jay Reinke converts his church into a makeshift dorm and counseling center, allowing hundreds of men, some with checkered pasts, to stay despite the congregations' objections and neighbors' fears.  When opposition to the "overnighters" reaches a boiling point, Pastor Jay makes a decision with shattering consequences.  A modern-day Grapes of Wrath, The Overnighters tells an electrifying story about the promise of redemption and the limits of compassion.  Winner, Special Jury Award for Intuitive Filmmaking: Documentary, 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

 Notable Distinction:

2015 Pulitzer Prize Winner for General Nonfiction: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, by Elizabeth Kolbert (author of Field Notes from a Catastrophe).

Web Sites:

www.350.org 

Appalachian Community Health Emergency, the ACHE Act: www.acheact.org 

www.carbontracker.org 

Catholic Committee of Appalachia www.ccappal.org 

www.ceres.org

www.christiansforthemountains.org

www.dirtyenergymoney.com/view.php 

www.ecowatch.com

www.ecofaithrecovery.org is an Oregon-based effort for earth-healing

http://greenfaith.org/programs/divest-and-reinvest 

www.GreenWorldRising.org

www.InsideClimateNews.org

www.lutheransrestoringcreation.org

www.oilchangeinternational.org 

www.plough.com quarterly published by the Bruderhof community

www.priceofoil.org

www.swcoalition.org for an Earth Day 2015 special

www.worldwildlife.org/pages/earth-hour  (also see #earthhour)

Groups:

Appalachia---Science in the Public Interest  www.appalachia-spi.org 

Flood Wall Street

Religions for the Earth

United Planet Faith and Science Initiative (UPFSI)

People You May Want to Know More About:

 Sally Bingham

Tim DeChristopher

Chris Hedges

John Murdock  

Michael Pollan

Joel Salatin

Ron Sider

Sandra Steingraber  

New Words and Concepts:

 a. eco-Reformation:  effort to make earth stewardship part of the 2017 500-year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation

b. Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI)

c. oikophilia:  the love of home

d. topophilia:  a love of place (aka homesickness?)

e. The "Precautionary Principle" is premised on this, that if "an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically." 

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Biographical detail:  Mike Ochs graduated from Gettysburg College 50 years ago this month.

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