Superior Watershed Partnership Projects...

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EARTH KEEPERS: An Interfaith Coalition

EarthKeeper 2009 Plant a Tree Project. Volunteers pictured here assembling trees for pick-up the following day.

Earth Day 2008 - SWP is encouraging everyone to stay home to conserve energy.

With the SWP Energy Checklist, home energy conservation can be fun for the whole family.

Carrie Biolo playing percussion at the Lake Superior Day Concert, July 15, 2007

SWP Executive Director Carl Lindquist pictured here with Monsignor Cappo and EPA representative John Pereconne during the 2007 Earth Day Clean Sweep at St. Peter's Cathedral in Marquette.

Container of drugs collected on April 21, 2007 to be disposed through incineration.

And even older - maybe 100 years and in their own leather case.

Disposal contractor picking up medications from a church collection site.

SWP Board Member Jerry Mogavero and wife, Jane, dropping old drugs.

Officer Brandon Boesl overseeing the disposal of controlled substances at Messiah Lutheran Church on April 21, 2007.

EarthKeepers 2009 "Plant a Tree" Project

Over 100 EarthKeeper congregations took part in this year's event - planting 12,000 red and white pines. Trees were planted on church grounds, parishoners homes and camps, and city parks!

A special thanks to Plum Creek Timber Company, The Forestland Group, Holli Forest Forest Products, and Meister's Greenhouses in Marquette for donating 1,000s of trees!

Why plant trees?

Trees are the true symbol of Earth Day. For many of us, Earth Day is every day, but taking part in a ceremonial event has meaning. Trees help to protect water quality, prevent erosion, provide habitat, reduce atmospheric carbon, and much more.

Is your church participating in the 2009 "Plant a Tree" project?

2009 Plant a Tree Project - Participating EarthKeepers churches

Who are the EarthKeepers?

There are over 140 congregations UP-wide participating in the EarthKeepers program. View a list here. Particiapting EarthKeeper Congregations - May 2009

Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Jewish, United Methodist, Baha'i, Unitarian Universalist, Quaker, and Zen Buddhist

During 2004, the Superior Watershed Partnership, in cooperation with The Cedar Tree Institute, approached the Bishops and religious leaders from nine faiths across the Upper Peninsula to sign an Earth Keeper Covenant agreeing to make a commitment to environmental stewardship addressing pollution prevention and toxics reduction. Currently, over 140 congregations from 50 U.P communities participate in the Earth Keeper Coalition. Other Earth Keeper partners include, but are not limited to, The Cedar Tree Institute, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, The Nature Conservancy, and Northern Michigan University. In 2005 the SWP and the Earth Keepers collected over 40 tons of household hazardous waste in one day, breaking all known records. In 2006 the SWP and the Earth Keepers collected over 320 tons of electronic waste in one day, again breaking all known records.

What have we accomplished?

Over 3 million lbs. of carbon reduced in 2008.

1+ tons of unwanted pharmaceuticals collected for proper disposal in 2007.

320+ tons of defunct computers and other electronic items collected in 2006.

45+ tons of hazardous household products collected in 2005.

The Superior Watershed Partnership received funding from the EPA's Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program. See the summary of CARE's commitment to Earth Keepers EK CARE.

Disposal Methods

Wondering where to dispose of old electronics? An old computer? The oil-based paint cans in the basement? Look no further. Download this Comprehensive Disposal Methods for information.

What happens if you break a compact fluorescent lightbulb? Click here Broken CFL Guidelines.

EK Quick Links: Other Faith and Environment Initiatives Around the Country

Michigan Interfaith Power and Light is another Michigan connection to God's creation and environmental protection. Check them out online!

University of Chicago Religion and Environment Initiative: The University of Chicago Religion and Environment Initiative (REI) is a community of students, scholars, activists, and others motivated by shared concern over our environmental crisis.

A Rocha: Christians in Conservation A Rocha is a Christian nature conservation organisation, our name coming from the Portuguese for "the Rock" as the first initiative was a field study centre in Portugal. A Rocha is now a family of projects working in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America, Asia and Australasia. A Rocha projects are frequently cross-cultural in character, and share a community emphasis, with a focus on science and research, practical conservation and environmental education.

Web of Creation The Web of Creation was established to foster the movement for personal and social transformation to a just and sustainable world from religious perspectives.

UU Ministry for Earth Our mission is to facilitate and support the work of Unitarian Universalists by affirming and promoting the Seventh Principle of the UUA, "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." Our members believe that the Earth is in peril from human activities, and for us as people of faith, this is a moral and spiritual crisis of utmost importance.

Earth Sangha Our formal mission is to practice Buddhism in ways that help people become better stewards of the planet, and to do the practical environmental work that good stewardship demands.

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) deepens the Jewish community's commitment to the stewardship of creation and mobilizes the resources of Jewish life and learning to protect the Earth and all its inhabitants.

Caring for all Creation: Earth Ministry To inspire and mobilize the Christian Community to play a leadership role in building a just and sustainable future.

Target Earth Target Earth is a national movement of Christians who reflect this commitment to care. It's a movement of individuals, churches, college fellowships and Christian ministries motivated by the biblical call to be faithful stewards of everything God created-to love our neighbors as ourselves and to care for the earth.

Good Reading

ONEARTH article on being religious and GREEN.

"God and the Environmental Crisis" by Bill McKibben Delivered at the First Religious Society, Unitarian-Universalist Carlisle, Massachusetts March 18, 2001

What to do with old and unwanted drugs?

Download a fact sheet on what to do with old drugs now that the 2007 Earth Day Clean Sweep collection is over Pharmaceutical Factsheet.

AWARDS AND PUBLICATIONS

Earth Keepers has been nationally and internationally recognized for its success. View the award from the Steering Committee of the State of the Lakes Ecosystems Conference SOLEC Award. View the Lake Superior Binational Program award Lake Superior Binational Program Award. World Magazine recognized Earth Keepers as one of the "15 Best Groups Doing the Hardest Work in America."

The Superior Watershed Partnership and Earth Keepers were awarded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) grant of $200,000 on November 16, 2006. For more information visit the EPA Site.

EPA Cooperative Conservation External Activity for the FY2007 Annual Report Cooperative Conservation