jvc northwest: lean, green, justice machine

Although it has been an important facet of our organization for years, “ecological justice” was officially adopted into JVC Northwest’s four core values in September of 2013. The JVC Northwest staff members make it a point to live out this value, and their green efforts are beginning to receive widespread recognition. Below you can read about our popular presentation on ecological justice at the Ignatian Family Teach-In For Justice.

The Ignatian Solidarity Network, a national social justice network inspired by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, provided an  opportunity for JVC Northwest to share its green and sustainable practices at its annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington, D.C. The Teach-In is “an annual gathering for members of Jesuit institutions and the larger church to come together in the context of social justice and solidarity to learn, reflect, pray, network, and advocate together”.

During the Teach-In’s first day our Jesuit Volunteer Program Manager, Julia Brown, and Recruiter, Steph Haas, put on a  breakout session entitled “Stories of ecological justice: how we can create a more sustainable presence on earth”. The title was a mouthful but included several resources and angles from which to approach the ecological problems facing our planet. These resources included an “Ecological Examen”, quotes about ecojustice, reflection questions on sustainability, and a list of websites and organizations that are working to help preserve the planet. The session proved a powerful draw and ended up being a standing-room-only affair. Julia and Steph gave out a few “green” prizes, such as low-flow shower heads, throughout the presentation to encourage participation. If you are interested in checking out this resource for yourself, you can view it here.

Now that 2014 is here, we encourage all members of the JVC Northwest family (and beyond!) to discern what changes they can make, both big and small, to work towards a more healthy, sustainable planet.