West Michigan Environmental
Action Council (WMEAC) is a non-profit organization
dedicated to environmental education, advocacy,
and citizen empowerment.
Among other activities and projects, WMEAC sponsors
working groups on various environmental issues
in west Michigan, including one on Religion,
Ecology, and Spirituality (RES). The RES Working
Group is
open to people from any religious tradition and
meets on a monthly basis for discussion and event
planning. RES is currently working toward the
following four goals:
- Helping religious communities
in west Michigan see the spiritual dimensions
of caring for the earth
- Providing religious
communities
with resources that will help them become
more ecologically responsible
- Encouraging
religious
communities to model sustainability
- Fostering global justice by promoting
ethical consumer
practices on the local level
Over the course
of its history,
the Group has addressed numerous issues, including
land stewardship, sustainable economics, environmental
justice, urban sprawl, climate change, and the
role of environmental rituals in religious traditions.
In addition to organizing programs and speakers
for local religious groups, RES celebrates Earth
Day by holding environmental religious services
and sponsors biennial conferences on religion,
spirituality, and ecology. The Group promotes
responsible resource use and provides religious
groups with
guidelines for energy conservation. RES also
provides educational materials, such as books,
cassettes,
and videos, through its lending library. |
