NJ Churches Answer Call To Go Greener: ‘Climate Change Is Real’

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — An “environmental task force” in the Archdiocese of Newark has been helping to make Essex County and other towns in North Jersey a little bit greener over the past few years. Now, its members are calling for Catholic residents across the state to join the effort.

The archdiocese’s Environmental Justice Task Force was created with the blessing of Cardinal Joseph Tobin in 2019. The task force has since established a subcommittee of parish liaisons to foster environmental advocacy at the local level, including Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montclair, which built a community garden.

Other activities inspired by the task force include:

• Notre Dame Church in North Caldwell planted a pollinator garden and cleaned up a nearby neighborhood
• St. Lucy Church in Newark pushed for the creation of the Essex-Hudson Greenway through efforts like obtaining signatures for the initial petition and other outreach
• St. Catherine Church in Glen Rock holds Sustainable Sundays monthly to promote ways of helping the planet
• Our Lady of Mercy Church in Park Ridge launched a Creation Care Corner in its weekly bulletin, distributed wild seed packets to parishioners, and advocated for the nonprofit Save Barnegat Bay, among other efforts

After the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference came to a close in November, the archdiocese task force released its own plan to guide parishioners on how they can help the planet. The full list of goals and actions can be seen here.

According to the archdiocese:

“‘Laudato Si’ — On the Care of Our Common Home: Actions for the Archdiocese of Newark’ is a localized version of Pope Francis’ own Laudato Si environmental encyclical, which states that caring for Earth is a Christian duty. To help local Catholics fulfill this obligation, the document presents seven goals for reversing climate change and environmental degradation. Each goal comes with a menu of corresponding actions that individuals, families, parishes, and organizations are encouraged to pursue in their communities. For instance, to achieve Goal 1: Response to the Cry of the Earth, people can install solar panels, compost, fix a leaky faucet, or pursue 13 other options.”

Some “easy” suggestions from the task force include:

• Use energy-efficient lighting
• Reduce food waste
• Eliminate single-use products where possible

Looking for some “moderate” or “hard” tasks? They include:

• Minimize chemical use on lands
• Plant trees
• Plant for pollinators
• Ensure members of the community have access to clean water and sanitation
• Ensure members of the community have regular free access to green space
• Promote adequate public housing
• Divest from fossil fuels and any activity harmful to people and the planet, or sign the pledge for no future investment

“Climate change is real,” said Gerry Dalzell, vice president of the archdiocesan Environmental Justice Task Force.

“Resources are finite,” Dalzell continued. “Droughts, wildfires and floods all exact a price on us. But we can all address these, individually or collectively.”

The Archdiocese of Newark serves nearly 1.3 million Catholic residents of Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties.

• See related article: NJ Catholics Want To Reach Youth, See Women Ordained: Survey

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