umcreationjustice@gmail.com

Top Twelve Actions

for the UM Creation Justice Movement

Developed by Elizabeth Williams, Greater Northwest Conference Earthkeeper

Here are the top 12 actions you can take to further this movement, broken down into examples for individuals, faith communities, and governments, as well as examples of organizations working in those areas. Click the plus sign (+) on each tab to open it.

#1 Facilitate

Individual
  • Be a role model.
  • Become a commissioned UM EarthKeeper.
Faith Community
  • Practice what you preach.
  • Relate Scriptures / teachings to guidance.
Government
  • Lead the world with high standards.
  • Assist other countries.
Agencies and Organizations

#2 Motivate

Individual
  • Register to VOTE! Get ballot! VOTE!
  • Encourage others to register and vote.
  • Check records and actions of candidates.
  • Sign petitions for environmental laws.
  • Be informed about ballot initiatives.
Faith Community
  • Encourage members to register and vote.
  • Assist vulnerable people to register and vote.
  • Encourage 17-year-olds to register to vote.
  • Have members remind others to vote.
  • Point out morality choices in initiatives.
Government
  • Provide mail-in ballots for all.
  • Reduce purging of voter rolls.
  • Reduce limits on early/absentee voting.
  • Reduce voting procedure disinformation.
  • Reduce identification requirements.
Agencies and Organizations

#3 Educate

Individual
  • Join Creation Justice Movement Team(s).
  • Become an expert and stay informed.
  • Fact check potentially significant claims.
  • Ensure climate facts are taught to children.
  • Use The Better World Shopping Guide.
Faith Community
  • Have a Creation Justice Movement Team guide members to support solutions.
  • Refrain from sharing misinformation.
  • Include children & youth in discussions.
  • Buy latest The Better World Shopping Guide for members to borrow.
Government
  • Create policies based on science.
  • Appoint truth-seeking leaders.
  • Allocate $ to retrain fossil fuel personnel.
  • Enact K–12 creation justice curriculum.
  • Appoint qualified scientists to lead.
Agencies and Organizations

#4 Advocate

Individual
  • Engage in conversations. Listen!
  • Set aside time each week to read/watch.
  • Advocate for creation justice policies.
Faith Community
  • Discuss with others in person and via webinars.
  • Guide with Creation Justice Movement Team.
  • Support and implement creation justice plans.
Government
  • Seek information from many scientists.
  • Make sure the E.P.A. protects!
  • Support frontline communities with action.
Agencies and Organizations

#5 Reallocate

Individual
  • Switch bank accounts to local credit unions.
  • Learn what banks/stocks/funds support.
  • Divest from fossil fuel investors.
  • Avoid crypto currencies.
  • Share a tithe with your faith community.
Faith Community
  • Save money in local credit union accounts.
  • Know what savings accounts are supporting.
  • Divest from fossil fuel investors.
  • Invest in renewable energy sources.
  • Promote & give to creation justice projects.
Government
  • Eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, raise taxes on the industry, and stop bailing them out.
  • Promote renewable energy projects.
  • Provide subsidies for research into lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Agencies and Organizations

#6 Detoxicate

Individual
  • Decrease methane emissions. Carpool.
  • Install electric heat pump & solar panels.
  • Buy an electric vehicle. Avoid cruise ships.
  • Fly and drive less. Bike and walk more.
  • Eat less meat/dairy. Prevent food waste.
  • Avoid styrofoam and buying single-use plastics.
Faith Community
  • Arrange carpooling to faith events.
  • Install electric heat pump & solar panels.
  • Use/wash dishes at indoor events.
  • Use compostables at outdoor events.
  • Have a meatless potluck. Share recipes.
  • Avoid styrofoam and plastics, if at all possible.
Government
  • Neutralize carbon emissions from fossil gas, oil, and coal from heating buildings and for transportation AND methane emissions from leaks and from livestock (especially corn-fed cattle).
  • Expand tree canopy.
  • Give solar panel installation credits.
Agencies and Organizations

#7 Anticipate

Individual
  • Discover & reduce your carbon footprint.
  • Cold water wash & line dry clothes.
  • Grow own or buy/eat local food in season.
  • Use biochar to stably store carbon in soil.
  • Contribute to offset carbon emissions.
Faith Community
  • Find out faith community’s facility footprint.
  • Reduce heat; turn off lights; unplug all.
  • Make sure your facility is well-insulated.
  • Implement carbon removal technologies.
  • Plant a community garden & native trees.
Government
  • Implement a carbon tax.
  • Pass 100% renewable energy laws.
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Incentivize companies to donate excess food to food banks; reduce food waste.
Agencies and Organizations

#8 Accentuate

Individual
  • Practice the 7 R’s: Rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, repair, and recycle.
  • Stop wish-cycling. Dispose of used oil, mercury-containing light bulbs, old refrigerators, and batteries properly.
Faith Community
  • Teach stewardship, not consumerism.
  • Teach members about recycling/composting.
  • Get blue bin for recycling and green bin for composting (vegetation, shredded non-waterproof paper, food scraps).
Government
  • Give incentives to recycle & compost.
  • Encourage people to donate items rather than to just throw them away.
  • Promote items with ENERGY STAR label.
  • Ban single-use plastics and plastic bags.
Agencies and Organizations

#9 Eliminate

Individual
  • Save the butterflies/bees. Don’t use Round-Up or other glyphosate-containing pesticides.
  • Plant native trees, grasses, & wildflowers.
Faith Community
  • Make sure any lawn service company providing maintenance on your grounds is using organic treatments.
Government
  • Pass laws forbidding the use of glyphosate-containing pesticides and other harmful chemicals.
Agencies and Organizations

#10 Contemplate

Individual
  • Meditate and pray daily to sustain the struggle to address creation justice. 
Faith Community
  • Use creation justice liturgy & prayers.
  • Encourage others with words and actions.
Government
  • Pursue creation justice daily.
  • Seek truth.
  • Think of future generations.
Agencies and Organizations

#11 Rejuvenate 

Individual
  • Watch a sunrise or sunset.
  • Count stars.
  • Walk, hike, or bicycle on a nature trail.
Faith Community
  • Plan outdoor worship services.
  • Hike together, yet spaced.
  • Leave no trace.
Government
  • Preserve natural lands, water, & parks.
  • Do not open up public lands to industry.
Agencies and Organizations

#12 Activate

Individual
  • Make your voice heard
  • Go out into the streets and share your enthusiasm.
Faith Community
  • Advocate for our natural world.
  • Participate in Earth Day and other events.
Government
  • Listen to many scientists.
  • Pay attention to the climate activists.
Agencies and Organizations