Wednesday, March 05, 2008
St. Joseph Workers and Mother Earth
What does being a St. Joseph Worker have to do with the environment? It just takes a look at our five values to realize the environment is truly incorporated into our program. In spirituality, we find our fullness and connection with Mother Earth, in community we see each other and all things near and far as beings living in unity, through leadership we find our calling to do things out of the ordinary such as ‘letting it mellow’, in simplicity we buy products in bulk or we choose not to buy unnecessary products at all, and in justice we find our roots in advocating for our precious environment. What doesn’t the environment have to do with the St. Joseph Worker Program.
Caring for the environment didn’t start when I became a St. Joseph Worker nor will it end when my year in the program is finish, it is something that has been with me since my upbringing. However the St. Joseph Worker Program has allowed me to start being committed to earth friendly practices that I might not have been able to commit to without my community. To be able to buy and eat organic and local food is something that a recent graduate these days is lucky to do on occasion. I realize the cost to the environment when something is shipped from across the world. However, by being part of the St. Joseph Worker Program, I am lucky enough to be able to choose to spend our dollars at the local co-op so local farmers and organic farmers can be supported. So for the winter it is less green peppers and bananas and more root vegetables and Minnesota apples!
Here are some more things our communities have committed to:
~The Rita house uses shampoos, conditioners, hand soap, laundry detergent, and dishwashing soap that are natural and fully decomposable.
~Although we are not experts both of the SJW houses are committed to the little boxes in our back yards that are working to turn our food scraps into rich dirt for our future gardens.
~Each house grows plants inside the house and in the spring will be planting beautiful gardens in our backyards.
~Both houses are committed to keeping the heat a few notches lower this winter and putting on an extra pair of socks and a heavy sweater.
~We make a habit to unplug all unnecessary appliances such as the toaster, our computers, and our cell phone chargers to avoid energy being used while they are not in use.
Beyond our individual houses, each of us are doing things personally to make a difference. I ride my bike or walk to work at Sarah’s… An Oasis for Women each day. Which doesn’t seem like a huge commitment, but when there is snow on the ground and it is below zero, it really becomes one. I took a survey of my fellow SJW’s to find out what personal commitment they have to our Mother Earth, here are some results:
~Anna’s morning routine includes filling to the brim her to-go mug with coffee and carting it with her all day when she gets refills. She knows the styrofoam cups will never break down in a land fill.
~One of Kirsten’s impulses is to habitually shut off any light that is on. In addition, to respect our sacred right to water, she is serious about inspecting the many faucets of her house for drips.
~Katy B keeps a tub of worms in the Rita house. These worms are composting worms, feed them your table scraps and you have rich soil.
~Tweet shows her gesture of non-violence to the Earth community by biking or walking basically everywhere. If she can’t bike it, it’s her commitment to carpool with a friend or house mate.
~Shelly while walking around the neighborhood will pick up trash that she sees.
~Wendy is committed to wrapping any presents she gives away in cloth with hemp or twine to bind it. She even explains to the recipient why she uses cloth and asks them to reuse it for a present they are giving.
~A few of us have switched to Diva cups and re-usable pads to keep our monthly periods from harming our precious earth with the garbage we throw out.
Overall, I think loving our Earth and being committed to being as non-violent to her as possible is what each of us at SJWs are committed to. We may not be perfect, we might not have all the answers, but we realize that our Earth friend cannot wait any longer to make environmentally conscience choices in our lives.
Written by Krista Senden, SJW 07-08
| 