January 2026

John Wesley began a New Year tradition of leading people in renewing their covenant* with God. At the very beginning, God gave us a garden to tend and till. Now is the time to renew your commitment to be good stewards of Earth. Choose one new thing you can do throughout the year to care for creation.
 
Why not eat beef? Wanting this food increases the demand for grazing land and corn cultivation, which increases deforestation (even in the Amazon Rain Forest) and emissions as grain travels to cattle, cattle to slaughter, meat to groceries and restaurants. Reduce those pressures. Eat less or no beef.
 
Stop wearing plastic. Are you surprised? Synthetic fibers from clothing are a significant contribution to microplastic pollution. Go back to nature—wool, cotton, silk, and even bamboo and hemp. Plastic doesn’t go away.
 
Plastic bottles or aluminum cans? Technically, both are recyclable. However, due to multiple factors beyond putting it in the recycling bin, plastic is less likely to be recycled into new products. On the other hand, the systems for recycling aluminum are effective. Choose aluminum.
 
To God’s prophet Jeremiah, it seemed nobody was listening as he warned of impending doom from the Babylonians. In the face of climate change, we too may feel ineffective as we speak out for justice. Jeremiah continued: He was faithful to his call from God to speak up, and he bought land as a sign of hope, trusting God that the people would return. Stay faithful to your call.
 
Drilling for gas and oil on previously protected lands is disrupting the habitats and reproductive patterns of the native species. So, in addition to spending valuable resources to provide deadly greenhouse emissions, the policy is also killing wildlife. Speak up for funding alternative energy sources and for protecting God’s creation. 
 
If you live in an apartment complex, condo, or retirement community, do they have a recycling service? Are they planting trees? Or switching to LED lights? If not, advocate for God’s creation. Gather a Green Team of residents who care. Educate the other residents, and lobby for change. 
 
Invest in the future, not the past. Your bank account, insurance, or stock portfolio may be supporting the fossil fuel industry. If their practices do not align with your values, change banks, insurance companies, or stockbrokers and tell them why. Reinvest in clean energy and sustainable practices.

Keep in mind these three big threes: 1) Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide make up greenhouse gas emissions; 2) emissions, deforestation, and food waste are top contributors to climate change; 3) viewing life through the lens of climate justice (how global warming is affecting people near and far), making changes both large and small, and speaking up to others are keys to addressing the problems.
 
The cost of solar has dropped dramatically. The environmental and justice costs of fossil fuels have climbed relentlessly. Make this year a renew year to investigate and install clean energy at home, church, business, or community buildings.

*Wesley’s Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

Yes, One Person Can Make a Difference!

Individual actions that I have taken to help prevent climate change include driving a hybrid plug-in, installing a heat pump water heater, insulating my home, putting solar panels on my garage, and eating less meat. I am also trying to be more environmentally conscious in my purchases and am exploring fossil-free investments for my retirement funds.
Catherine Houle is a member of Williamsville United Methodist Church, Williamsville, NY.

As a reader of the Tips, do you have a Tip to share from your own experience? Send your idea to tips.creationjustice@gmail.com.

The United Methodist Creation Justice Movement is providing these Tips 
as a tool to equip church members, families, and individuals to respond to God’s call to care for creation and do justice with our neighbors.