Earth Ministry

Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power & Light is a groundbreaking and influential non-profit organization that stands at the vital intersection of faith and environmental stewardship. For over 30 years, this multifaith organization has been dedicated to transforming faith and conscience into action for the well-being of communities and the environment, primarily within Washington State and as a leading voice within the national Interfaith Power & Light network.

They operate on the profound belief that caring for creation is a moral and spiritual imperative, calling on people of all traditions to embrace their role as environmental stewards and advocates for a just and sustainable world.

Mission and Vision: A Moral Compass for Environmental Action

Earth Ministry's vision is clear: to see a just and sustainable future in which people of all spiritual traditions fully embrace their tradition's call to environmental stewardship. Their mission directly translates this vision into action, focusing on:

• Mobilizing Faith Communities: Engaging and empowering diverse faith communities to recognize and act upon their shared ethical responsibility for the Earth.
• Advocacy and Policy Change: Translating spiritual values into tangible public policy, advocating for strong environmental protections and climate solutions at local, state, and federal levels.
• Environmental Justice: Centering the voices and experiences of communities disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation, recognizing that environmental health is intrinsically linked to social justice.
• Sustainable Practices: Guiding congregations and individuals in adopting sustainable practices in their daily lives and institutional operations.

They understand that the environmental degradation are not just scientific or political issues, but deeply moral and spiritual ones that demand a faithful response.

Core Programs and Initiatives: Putting Faith into Action

Earth Ministry's work is channeled through several key programs designed to educate, inspire, and empower:

1. Faithful Advocacy Program:

   • This program is at the cutting edge of empowering clergy and lay leaders to be effective environmental advocates.
   • Earth Ministry prepares people of faith to speak out on critical public policy issues, coordinating advocacy efforts in the state capitol (Olympia) and training members to make their voices heard in meetings with elected officials, at public hearings, and through media engagement.
   • They champion legislation on topics such as climate change, clean energy, toxics reduction, public lands protection, and critical water issues like salmon and orca recovery. A notable success is their work supporting the passage of the Health Environments for All Act (HEAL Act) in Washington State, which embeds environmental justice into state agency actions.
   • They also engage in direct action organizing, building local power through initiatives like "Fortify Washington!" to encourage city councils to pass resolutions and take concrete action on environmental issues.

2. Washington Interfaith Power & Light (WA IPL):

   • As the Washington State affiliate of the national Interfaith Power & Light network (active in nearly 40 states), this project specifically focuses on climate and energy issues.
   • WA IPL hosts interfaith events, Earth Day gatherings, and advocacy opportunities, fostering collaboration among diverse faith communities across Washington. This collaborative spirit emphasizes shared values over theological differences when it comes to caring for creation.

3. Greening Congregations Program:

   • Earth Ministry's Greening Congregations program was one of the first in the country to provide comprehensive guidance to houses of worship on implementing sustainable practices across all aspects of their operations.
   • They offer a valuable "Greening Congregations Toolkit" and provide hands-on support through consultations with congregational "green teams" and leading adult education classes.
   • This program helps faith communities reduce their environmental footprint through energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, and the adoption of renewable energy, often assisting with navigating programs like the Federal Clean Energy Tax Credit Assistance Program (CETCAP) from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Grandmother Wisdom for Environmental Justice: GiveBig '24 for EJ

Unique Approach and Impact:

Earth Ministry's unique strength lies in its ability to:

• Bridge Faith and Action: It provides a crucial platform for people of faith to translate their spiritual convictions into tangible environmental advocacy and action, offering a moral voice to the environmental movement.
• Build Diverse Coalitions: By fostering interfaith collaboration, they create powerful, unified voices for environmental justice that transcend denominational or religious divides.
• Empower Grassroots Leaders: Through training and resources, they equip clergy and lay leaders to become effective advocates and implementers of environmental change within their own communities.
• Influence Policy: Their consistent engagement with lawmakers has led to significant policy victories in Washington State, demonstrating the tangible impact of faith-based advocacy.
• Address Environmental Justice: They are intentional about confronting systemic inequalities, ensuring that environmental solutions prioritize the well-being of the most vulnerable communities who often bear the brunt of pollution and climate change.
• Land Acknowledgement: They consciously acknowledge that their office is located on the traditional land of the Duwamish People, past and present, recognizing Indigenous histories and the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights and land justice.

Earth Ministry/WA Interfaith Power & Light demonstrates that faith communities are not just passive observers of environmental crises but active, powerful agents of change. By uniting people of conscience, they are building a movement that strives for a just and sustainable world for all of creation.