Seattle Area Happiness Initiative

Sustainable Seattle, a regional sustainability indicator organization, is currently working on a project to provide a comprehensive assessment of well-being and to engage and inspire people, organizations and policy makers to action. It is called the Seattle Area Happiness Initiative, and it is centered around a new way of measuring well-being called the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index. GNH, originally developed in Bhutan, establishes a quantitative measurement of well-being and happiness, identifying measures of well-being as more important than traditional measures focused on production and consumption.

International Day of Prayer for Creation

Renewal, a Christian creation-care organization, is sponsoring the 2011 International Day of Prayer for Creation. This year's theme is "Prayer for Environmental Justice", and is focused on environmental justices issues around the world. You can sign up to do a campus-wide event, or participate in an interactive prayer meeting online. The event takes place on February 2, from 5:00 to 5:45 pm.

Two Great Events Just Around the Corner!

National Day of Prayer for the Gulf

This Sunday, July 18, the National Association of Evangelicals and the Evangelical Environmental Network are calling for a National Day of Prayer for the people of the Gulf, for God's creation, and for the Lord's intervention and deliverance. This is a great time to join together in prayer for our neighbors in the Gulf. For more information, visit the website.

Duwamish River Ecojustice Boat Tour

On August 14, Earth Ministry, a local nonprofit committed to engaging the Christian community in environmental stewardship, is putting on an event with the help of St. James Cathedral, St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle First Baptist Church, and Plymouth UCC. On this short trip, faith communities will join in prayer, learn about the contaminated ecosystems of the waterway, and be updated about advocacy opportunities to protect the only river in the City of Seattle. For more information, and to register, visit Earth Ministry's website.

Happy Weekend!

Christians and Conservation: A Theology of Stewardship

Can he read? Susanne Weissenberger. 1st place, Natural Environment at Risk, ICP Awards 

"God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars." - Martin Luther

Last week I was able to attend the Burke Museum's latest exhibit showcasing the International Conservation Photography Awards.  I definitely recommend making the trip to see it.  The exhibit is a moving display of some of the best conservation photography in the world.  The collection is diverse: some pictures show the great beauty and wonder of the Earth, while others show the oftentimes discouraging relationship between humans and the natural environment.  For me, the experience raised questions about my role in environmental degradation.  Even further, as a Christian, it invoked questions about where my faith intersects environmental issues.  Because of that, I decided to use this post to open a discussion about why the environment is a concern for Christians.

Running the Numbers

Did you know that the U.S. goes through 106,000 aluminum cans every 30 seconds? I often see facts such as this one employed in the hope of encouraging individuals to live more sustainably. But really, how do you even begin to wrap your head around numbers that big?