Swarthmore Friends Meeting

Minute on Living in Harmony with Nature

(Approved February 9, 1997)

The world is undergoing a number of ecological crises that threaten the survival of many living things, including humankind. Ozone depletion, climate change, the widespread presence of toxic substances in the earth’s air, water and soils are among the better known. Human populations and levels of consumption have already exceeded the earth’s capacity in many parts of the world. The collective actions of humanity are destroying the intricate fabric and marvelous beauty of the natural world.

As members of the Religious Society of Friends, our faith requires that we seek to live in harmony with one another and with nature. Our goal is to live in a sustainable manner so that human societies natural ecosystems can survive and thrive together.

We ask our fellow citizens and public officials to acknowledge this crisis and to invite input from all who can help determine what is necessary to reach the goal of sustainable living.

REVISED MINUTE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

(Approved July 24, 2005)

Swarthmore Monthly Meeting, in light of the Epistle and Minute from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting at the called Session on Climate Change and in response to the individual concerns expressed by our members at the threshing session held at rise of Meeting on July 24, 2005, believes that care for God’s creation should be a central issue of concern for our Meeting.  We call on Meeting Members, Meeting Committees, and the Meeting as a whole to consider how their decisions and actions contribute to care for creation in all its diversity, to social justice and peace everywhere  and our own spiritual development and life as a community.In light of this concern we ask each committee to include, where appropriate, among its statement of responsibilities reference to this concern and bring it to Monthly Meeting following their committee meeting. We also hope that Clerks Committee will follow up on this issue.

We ask for the support of the ad hoc Swarthmore  Monthly Environmental Working Group. This group will report and be budgeted through the Peace and Social Concerns Committee.

We will support Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Earthcare Working Group, Quaker Earthcare Witness, Quaker Eco-Witness, and the Friends Committee on National Legislation on this issue and, as recommended by the Swarthmore Monthly Meeting Environmental Working Group, other Interfaith and secular groups. We will work with Swarthmore College and with the Swarthmore-Wallingford Interfaith Ministerium on this Concern.Further information  related to minute:

1. We will try to have our web page  become a resource on this issue.
2. We will have an environmental page on the back of our present Peace Page.
3. We will ask the library committee to have a special shelf for environmental resources. We suggest also that there be a special box devoted to environmental resources that may be “for the taking” by anyone interested.
4. For resources, we will list not only websites and books and magazines, but also identify people  in our Meeting who will specialize in one or more of the issues involved.
5. We will start a list for sharing property to cut down on consumption.
6. We will be more active in car pooling.
7. We will try to share information on political actions that can be taken on national, state and local levels.
8. We will start a list of environmental organizations worthy of support.
9. We will research information on consumption choices.
10. We will research information on relation with businesses, both as investors and as activists (requests to carry certain products etc.).
11. We will appoint at least one contact person to the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Climate Change Network