Consistent  with Catholic Social Teaching and Pope Francis’s call in Laudato Si’: Care for Our Common Home, the St. Monica Green Team is dedicated to protecting our common home.

We are committed to creating a culture of stewardship and conservation by improving energy and resource efficiency in our parish and city communities. We aim to transform our social values into actions that consider the disproportionate impact on the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable. Most importantly, we strive to provide our congregation with the necessary tools and training to live more sustainably and in solidarity with all of God’s Creation.

Recent news: Thanksgiving Feast Success!

A special thanks to the Green Team volunteers who showed up strong at the Thanksgiving Feast to divert food waste into the organics and recycling bins and educate our fellow volunteers about the three bins system. We continue to prioritize the health of our guests and our planet by moving away from plastics and single use items and continue to help everyone learn valuable lessons about “wish cycling”. We’ve moved one step closer to having a zero-waste with purchase of compostable coffee cups, ditching single use plastic water bottles for volunteers and guests and using cups instead. Instead of recycling the aluminum chafing dishes, the Green Team helped wash over 150 chafing dishes for reuse next year, saving over $400 for the parish. With over three bins full of cardboard separated to be recycled, there was little to no trash.

Upcoming events  

Chasing Carbon with Tim Kohut

Thursday, Dec. 14

7 p.m.

Zoom and Caruso C

Calling all energy enthusiasts!

Pope Francis’s latest letter Laudate Deum urges us to move toward renewable energy and divest from fossil fuels. This urgency was reinforced this week in the release of the Fifth National Climate Assessment, a congressionally mandated report. Both documents warn that reducing our planet-warming pollution is not happening nearly fast enough to meet the nation’s targets.

In this working meeting, Tim Kohut, Director of Sustainable Design at National Community Renaissance (National CORE), will help us explore how we can optimize our energy usage at St. Monica. Tim will share examples of how his organization is approaching decarbonization, dramatically improving operational economics while greatly benefiting the lives of working class residents who live in National CORE’s communities. National CORE believes that by proving that decarbonization can be accomplished in economically disadvantaged communities, it can be accomplished anywhere.

Click here to sign up!

Green Team x JustFaith: Sacred Air: Climate and Energy

Every Monday | Jan. 29-Mar. 18

7 p.m.

Zoom

For decades, JustFaith programs at St. Monica have been providing knowledge and the tools that inspire action to address the root causes of injustice. Join the St. Monica Green Team as we host Sacred Air: Climate and Energy. We will explore the impact of the climate crisis on God’s creation and God’s people and discern ways to restore the health of our planet and those who live on it.

Click here to visit the JustFaith page!

Green your Christmas Party

By Meredith McCarthy

As you prepare for your holiday party, you run into the store and think you are doing the right thing by purchasing compostable, disposable party supplies. Yes, it is quite a bit more expensive, but you are doing your part for the environment. You pay the difference because it is getting composted and not going to landfill?

Right? Wrong!

If you turn the package over you notice a little blurb that says, “Compostable in Industrial Facilities.”

Fun Fact: We don’t have industrial composting in the greater Los Angeles region. 

Across the state most cities use contractors that have organics recycling. Both processes aim to divert organic waste from landfills which is a critical greenhouse gas reduction strategy, but Organics Recycling can only process materials that are 100% fiber based. No bioplastics, waxy coatings or adhesives. If it feels like plastic, it is not fiber based. If your holiday paper plates have a big colorful snow scene on them they have a coating and they should go in the trash. Just to save you some time, there isn’t a hot cup that is acceptable in the organics recycling bin. Hot cups are usually wax or plastic lined and usually have an adhesive to seal the seam. Athens Services, the County’s largest waste hauler has a great cheat sheet to help you get it right.

Consider using reusable party supplies, or you can be mindful of choosing disposable items made from materials that are 100% fiber based. You might have to order them online. They don’t come in holiday colors (unless your holiday color is brown). They don’t want dyes and chemicals in the organic compost. The most creation friendly strategy of course is to do dishes. Alternatively you can always ask your friends to bring their own mug or flatware instead of a hostess gift. Consider it a gift to the environment!

Consistent  with Catholic Social Teaching and Pope Francis’s call in Laudato Si’: Care for Our Common Home, the St. Monica Green Team is dedicated to protecting our common home.

 

We are committed to creating a culture of stewardship and conservation by improving energy and resource efficiency in our parish and city communities. We aim to transform our social values into actions that consider the disproportionate impact on the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable. Most importantly, we strive to provide our congregation with the necessary tools and training to live more sustainably and in solidarity with all of God’s Creation.

 

 

Recent news: Thanksgiving Feast Success!

A special thanks to the Green Team volunteers who showed up strong at the Thanksgiving Feast to divert food waste into the organics and recycling bins and educate our fellow volunteers about the three bins system. We continue to prioritize the health of our guests and our planet by moving away from plastics and single use items and continue to help everyone learn valuable lessons about “wish cycling”. We’ve moved one step closer to having a zero-waste with purchase of compostable coffee cups, ditching single use plastic water bottles for volunteers and guests and using cups instead. Instead of recycling the aluminum chafing dishes, the Green Team helped wash over 150 chafing dishes for reuse next year, saving over $400 for the parish. With over three bins full of cardboard separated to be recycled, there was little to no trash.

 

Upcoming events  

Chasing Carbon with Tim Kohut

Thursday, Dec. 14

7 p.m.

Zoom and Caruso C

 

Calling all energy enthusiasts!

 

Pope Francis’s latest letter Laudate Deum urges us to move toward renewable energy and divest from fossil fuels. This urgency was reinforced this week in the release of the Fifth National Climate Assessment, a congressionally mandated report. Both documents warn that reducing our planet-warming pollution is not happening nearly fast enough to meet the nation’s targets.

 

In this working meeting, Tim Kohut, Director of Sustainable Design at National Community Renaissance (National CORE), will help us explore how we can optimize our energy usage at St. Monica. Tim will share examples of how his organization is approaching decarbonization, dramatically improving operational economics while greatly benefiting the lives of working class residents who live in National CORE’s communities. National CORE believes that by proving that decarbonization can be accomplished in economically disadvantaged communities, it can be accomplished anywhere.

 

Click here to sign up!

 

Green Team x JustFaith: Sacred Air: Climate and Energy

Every Monday | Jan. 29-Mar. 18

7 p.m.

Zoom

For decades, JustFaith programs at St. Monica have been providing knowledge and the tools that inspire action to address the root causes of injustice. Join the St. Monica Green Team as we host Sacred Air: Climate and Energy. We will explore the impact of the climate crisis on God’s creation and God’s people and discern ways to restore the health of our planet and those who live on it.

 

Click here to visit the JustFaith page!

 

Green your Christmas Party

By Meredith McCarthy

 

As you prepare for your holiday party, you run into the store and think you are doing the right thing by purchasing compostable, disposable party supplies. Yes, it is quite a bit more expensive, but you are doing your part for the environment. You pay the difference because it is getting composted and not going to landfill?

Right? Wrong!

 

If you turn the package over you notice a little blurb that says, “Compostable in Industrial Facilities.”

 

Fun Fact: We don’t have industrial composting in the greater Los Angeles region. 

 

Across the state most cities use contractors that have organics recycling. Both processes aim to divert organic waste from landfills which is a critical greenhouse gas reduction strategy, but Organics Recycling can only process materials that are 100% fiber based. No bioplastics, waxy coatings or adhesives. If it feels like plastic, it is not fiber based. If your holiday paper plates have a big colorful snow scene on them they have a coating and they should go in the trash. Just to save you some time, there isn’t a hot cup that is acceptable in the organics recycling bin. Hot cups are usually wax or plastic lined and usually have an adhesive to seal the seam. Athens Services, the County’s largest waste hauler has a great cheat sheet to help you get it right.

 

Consider using reusable party supplies, or you can be mindful of choosing disposable items made from materials that are 100% fiber based. You might have to order them online. They don’t come in holiday colors (unless your holiday color is brown). They don’t want dyes and chemicals in the organic compost. The most creation friendly strategy of course is to do dishes. Alternatively you can always ask your friends to bring their own mug or flatware instead of a hostess gift. Consider it a gift to the environment!

 

Our Church Calls Us

From Genesis to Laudato Si'

Caring for the Earth has always been at the core of our Catholic tradition. In Genesis, God creates the good Earth for humankind, on the condition that we care for it as His stewards. The rest of the Bible continues this theme, from awe of creation in Psalms to our responsibility to care for it in Paul’s epistles. Preached over 1,000 years later, St. Francis of Assisi’s teachings also emphasized the theme that all of creation must be respected and praised as the handiwork of God.

 

More recently, in encyclicals by current and past popes, we are called to recognize our mutual responsibility to restore the damages inflicted on earth. Pope Francis shook the world in 2015 with his letter to the Catholic community, titled Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. It was the first time a major faith leader publicly acknowledged our environmental crisis and reminded the faith community of our responsibility to creation. His powerful language includes:

• "The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all."
• "Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last 200 years."
• "We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it."

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reiterated this responsibility, saying Care for Creation is “not just an Earth Day slogan, [but] a requirement of our faith.”

 

Faith Organizations Taking Action Today

Today, millions of the faithful across the globe work to care for our common home. A truly ecumenical community has formed. Read below to learn about four groups highlighting the range of activities and depth of their commitment.

 

United States Catholic Conference of Bishops

USCCB’s Catholic Campaign for Human Development partners with over 70 community-based organizations in 25 states and has invested more than $3.2 million to support environmental justice. USCCB’s Laudato Si’ Advocates Program equips individuals with skills to advocate for legislation promoting the integral ecology described in Laudato Si’.

 

Interfaith Power and Light

IPL’s Cool Congregations program helps congregations reduce the carbon footprint of their facilities and in their members’ homes. IPL also supports Faithful Advocacy Captains and offers movie series resources to spark discussion about climate change.

 

Laudato Si’ Movement

Formerly known as the Global Catholic Climate Movement, the Laudato Si’ Movement aims to inspire and mobilize the Catholic community to care for our common home and achieve climate and ecological justice. They host the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, which promotes sustainable living plans for both individuals and parish communities.

 

Catholic Climate Covenant

Catholic Climate Covenant’s Catholic Energies provides expertise to design and finance sustainable projects that reduce parishes’ energy costs. The Catholic Climate Ambassadors are expert envoys available to deliver Catholic teaching on climate change.

 

Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology

Through conferences, publications, newsletters, and a robust web presence, the Forum explores the diversity of religious worldviews, texts, and ethics to contribute to environmental solutions.

 

Prayer and Reflection

The foundation of Catholic teachings on Creation is rooted in prayer and reflection on the gift of our common home. Below are some passages, prayers, and reflections to inspire our awareness, gratitude, and willingness about Creation.

Scripture Passages

 

 Prayer Card: Psalm 148, Hymn of All Creation to the Almighty Creator

 

    Prayer Card: John 1:1-5, In the Beginning was the Word

 

Prayers

 

    Prayer Card: A Prayer for our Earth, excerpt from Laudato Si’

 

    Prayer Card: adaptation of Canticle of Creatures, by St. Francis of Assisi

 

    Prayer Card: St. Kateri, patron saint of the environment

 

Reflections

Video Reflection: Fruit Trees

 

Video Reflection: Stuff

 

Archive

CONNECT: Fall Soups and Fellowship

Thursday, Oct. 26

6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Room TBD

Is it time to get out the gourd recipes? Join us for a trio of fall soups and vote on which recipes the Green Team will make for Fridays during Lent. We will also discuss Pope Francis’s new encyclical Laudate Deum and hear from special guest Mary Garbesi, who will help us tackle climate anxiety, reflect on Creation care, and help develop our personal actions plans.

 

Click here to sign up!

 

 

LEARN: “The Letter” Movie Screening

Wednesday, October 4

6:30pm-8:30pm

Caruso A/B

In partnership with the Archdiocese Office of Life, Justice, and Peace, we will host a screening of “The Letter, A Message for Our Earth.” This film builds on our pope’s call to care for our planet through the experiences of four individuals from around the world whom he personally contacted. They bring perspective and solutions for the poor, the indigenous, the youth, and wildlife into a conversation with Pope Francis himself. Attend regularly or volunteer with us!

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

VOLUNTEER: Zero-Waste Pancake Breakfast

Sunday, September10

8:30am – 12pm

Grand Pavilion

We’re taking the (in)famous Primetime Pancake Breakfast and making it zero waste! We need volunteers to help after all morning Masses: dish angels, pancake flippers, and recycling educators. Don’t worry; you will be trained!

 

 

 

 

 

LEARN: Youth Environmental Summit: If Not Now

Sunday, September 16

9am-3pm

Grand Pavilion

Young people aren't the future; they're the now. Gen Z is becoming more influential in the decision-making space, so it's more important than ever to amplify these young voices as they grow into adult change-makers.

At St. Monica Green Team 2023 Youth Environmental Summit, IF NOT NOW, we'll explore how students can lead their school and parish environmental groups to effectively develop and champion policies that help their campuses be more environmentally aware and active.

 

Green Team & Gazpacho

Date: Thursday, June 29

Time: 6:30–8 p.m.

Location: On campus, Caruso A/B

As our ministry season comes to a close, the Green Team celebrates a year of hard work with a summer social: Green Team and Gazpacho. Fresh faces and seasoned veterans alike can join us for a night of food, fellowship, and fun as we wrap up this year and prepare for the upcoming one. We'll talk about how you can get involved in the next three months and help you meet like-minded Green Teamers.

 

Gazpacho and baked goods provided. As always, bring your own water bottle!

 

Click HERE to RSVP

Celebrate Laudato Si’ Week

Laudato Si' Week, May 21-28, gives us an opportunity to begin to reflect on what a Laudato Si’ Action Plan could look like for our parish. Join us after Mass on May 21 to learn more and celebrate the start of Laudato Si’ Week.  

Laudato Si’ Week Events

• Stop by the Green Team  table after morning masses on May 21 to get your free kitchen pails for composting organic materials (the City of LA and City of Santa Monica residents only, while supplies last.) 
• Come to the  Composting/Recycling workshop on May 25, 6–7:00 pm. Learn what goes where in the three-bin systems (Recycling, Green Waste for Composting, and Landfill). Register here!
• Come to the Action Plan kick-off meeting on May 25, 7–8:30 pm. It’s time to Act. Register Here!
• Follow along on Instagram this week as we feature one goal per day.

Pope Francis says, “Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live.” (LS 139) Our treatment of the natural world is deeply tied to poverty and other social, and ethical issues. Laudato Si reminds us that in order to live our faith we must start to hear the cries of the poor and the earth as one cry. That is the holistic spirit of Laudato Si’.

 

What is a Ladauto Si’ action plan?

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has developed 7 themes/goals to provide focus areas for reflection and action. That which gets measured, gets done!  It’s time to hold ourselves  accountable to the cries of the poor and the cries of the earth. The entire parish is encouraged to participate in the network of solutions necessary to solve this complex, ecological crisis. 

The Laudato Si Action Platform provides tips and examples for families and parishes to create unique, bold plans to respond to the ecological crisis. Sample plans are available here.

 

Which focus area speaks to you? The St. Monica Green Team would like to hear from you!

 

Season of Creation 2022: Listen to the Voice of Creation

From September 1, the Day of Prayer for Creation, to October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, we celebrate the Season of Creation. During this time, we are called to reflect on the gift of God's Earth and the call to be His stewards. This year's theme is "Listen to the Voice of Creation”, which urges us to hear God in nature and others, especially those most vulnerable to climate change and environmental crises. To read more about the season and movement, click here. To join our mailing list, email !

 

 

David Hines Volunteer of the Year: Elizabeth Johnstone

 

Congratulations to our very own Elizabeth Johnstone, winner of the David Hines Volunteer of the Year award! Your commitment to the Green Team is truly incredible.

 

Upcoming Events

 

 

9/29 and 10/6, 6:30pm | Film Club & Green Team: “Don’t Look Up” Screening and Panel Discussion

Part 1: Join the “Screen Team” (Film Club & Green Team) on September 29 at 6:30pm for a screening of “Don’t Look Up”, a metaphor for the climate crisis we are currently facing. It is a love letter to scientists, changemakers, and solution seekers, and a rallying cry for global climate action. The film will be shown in the Grand Pavilion.

 

Part 2: Sometimes the reality of climate change can feel overwhelming but, unlike the characters in the film, we can choose how our story ends. If we choose to talk openly, listen to one another, and take action together, we can write a new ending to our story. On October 6 at 6:30pm, the Green Team will host a Zoom panel of climate experts and a discussion of the big themes of “Don’t Look Up”, including environmental justice, civic engagement, and hope for the future!

 

Click here to RSVP for the panel!

 

10/1, 8am | Season of Creation Morning Prayer

Join us for a Season of Creation morning prayer and reflection at the beach lot 7N (just south of the California Incline) on Saturday, October 1 at 8am. Bring a blanket or a chair, welcome the morning, and give thanks for creation with us.

 

Feast of St. Monica Beach Cleanup Success!

On August 27, the Green Team hosted a community beach cleanup to celebrate the feast of St. Monica. With over 30 parishioners in attendance and almost 30 pounds of trash collected, we can definitely call it a success! If you would like to be a part of our next cleanup in a few months, please send us an email at .

 

Congratulations Green Team for Winning a Creation Care Small Grant!

Green Team has been awared a grant to continue the work of their Youth Climate Summit!

Click Here to read the full article!

 

Green Team General Meeting

 

 

 

Click Here to View Presentation Slides

 

Food Waste-free Lent

Join us each week for tips, resources, and more on how to live a food waste-free Lent!

• Lent Week 1

  Prayer and Reflection

  As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."  Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

  "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.

  "Bring them here to me," he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 

  Matthew 14:15-20

  
  We may not be able to multiply loaves of bread and fish to feed the hungry  but can we reduce waste in our lives? Approximately 1/3 of the food produced globally is wasted each year and around 40% of this waste occurs in the U.S. (Yale Climate Connections). What can each of us do this Lent to reduce waste? As Pope Francis say about this waste, ‘whenever food is thrown out it is as if it were stolen from the table of the poor.’” Laudato Si’ 50

   

  Take Action

  1. During this first week, take notice and  record how much food you personally waste, whether it is by not finishing what is on your plate and throwing it away or by letting food sit too long  in the fridge.  Do you cook too much? Buy too much?   Look for trends – Do you really finish the whole box of spinach? Is anyone eating the leftovers? Reflect about why food is wasted?  Be mindful during food buying, preparation and eating – and ordering.
     
     Use this daily chart to track your waste this week. Reflect on what you learned.   Be honest in order to have the largest impact on yourself.
     
     
  2. Start Lent with a clean slate. Use all foods that are on the edge of spoiling in meals this week, and clean out any foods that have already spoiled. Try these food scrap recipes to help you use up food you have left in your fridge. Consider instituting a weekly leftover night for dinner. Create fun new meals out of our leftover food, and save yourself time on cooking. 

  Resources

  • Dowload the Ignatian Spirituality Network's Fact Sheet on Food Waste
  • Here is a great resource for Santa Monica residents make sure any leftover food scraps end up in the green organics bin, not the trash: CLICK HERE.
  • Residents of the City of Los Angeles can check out these resources: CLICK HERE. 

  Keep us Posted

  We would love to hear about your #LentenFoodWasteFast journey! Tag us on Instagram @stmonica90403!

   

• Lent Week 2

  Organize your fridge and store your food in a way that will prevent it from spoiling.

  Prayer & Reflection

  “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest.” –Leviticus 19:9

  
  The Bible encourages the idea of gleaning, a practice in which farmers left food that had fallen when harvesting so that people who were hungry could collect, or glean, what was left behind in order to be fed. In this spirit, we take to heart what Pope Francis said of wasted food: “Whenever food is thrown out it is as if it were stolen from the table of the poor.” 

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Take Action: Prevent Food Waste at Home

  1. Highlight what needs to be eaten first

     Label a spot in your fridge with an “eat this food first sign.” Place food that needs to be consumed soon in this area so that everyone will know where to look first for a snack or meal ingredients. Print one of our signs, or create your own!
     
     
  2. Make fresh berries last longer
     Berries can contain mold spores that cause them to spoil faster. Raspberries are unique so don’t wash them before storage, and follow these tips to extend their shelf-life.
     
     
  3. Preserve leafy greens
     Remove rubber bands or twist ties. Wash and dry them completely with a salad spinner. Put a paper towel in the bottom of a large plastic container to absorb moisture, then pour in greens, and seal with a lid.
     
     
  4. Separate fruits and vegetables
     Fruits emit ethylene gas that can ripen and spoil vegetables quickly if stored together. Use these tips to store fruits and veggies correctly.

  Resources

  • Check out the ultimate guide to organize your fridge for more tips and a diagram of the best places to store your food.
  • Redistribute your excess food. If you live in Santa Monica, you can drop off this food at   Community (Free)dge Ministry in Venice. (Free)dge is a sharing mechanism that aims to reduce food insecurity and food waste and thus build a stronger community. It promotes equal access to healthy food through the installation of community fridges (public refrigerators) that are used to share food and ideas at the neighborhood level. For more information, see https://www.veniceucc.org/freedge 
  • Start a food share table at work or school. Talk to an administrator about creating a food share space in the cafeteria or break room where people can leave what they don’t plan to eat for others to take.  At the end of the day, leftover food can be washed and reused the next day or donated to a local food hunger organization.
  • See FoodKeeper which offers storage tips for fresh and frozen foods and also has a feature that allows you to set reminders on your phone calendar to use food that will expire soon.

  Socials

  Food waste is responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. (U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization)

  Check out these daily reflections from Lent 2020 on food, faith, and climate inspired by the Lenten Food Waste Fast.

   

   

• Lent Week 3 

  Prayer and Reflection

  I recently read a story about a woman who liked to bake banana bread to share with her office. The recipe she used was one she found while watching a news show in which a mother baked the bread as she spoke about losing her child to opioid addiction. My friend prays for the woman's child each time she bakes the bread, turning  the act of cooking into a prayer.

  Tips and Tools:

  This week think about who you will be cooking for and what you will need.

  • Make a plan
    Build a step by step meal and shopping plan. There are several apps out there to help you. Check out these Green Team favorites= Meal Prep Mate, Cook Smarts, or Forks Over knives. Let us know what works for you! #LentenFoodWasteFast
  • Use a list
    Shop in your kitchen first to see what ingredients you already have. Use this printable meal planner and shopping list or kitchen inventory to help you plan your trip to the grocery store.
  • Buy only what you need
    Unless it is shelf stable, avoid buying extra food just because there is a sale. Shop your list!

  Resources

  • For more tips, check out the 6 Ways to Shop Smart and Waste Less infographic.
  • Select a recipe from Catholic Relief Services' Meatless Meals from Around the World, and pray for the people from the country your meal originates as you prepare the food. Or select a favorite family recipe and pray for a special intention in your own life as you cook. 

  • Keep us Posted: We would love to hear about your #LentenFoodWasteFast journey - Tag us @stmonica90403 and @ignatiansolidarity

     

• Lent Week 4

  Practice mindfulness and gratitude as you prepare and eat meals this week.

   

  Prayer and Reflection:

  The Chilean poet Pablo Neruda is well known for the many odes he wrote to different foods. Take time to read one of his poems and then compos a short ode to a type of food that you appreciate. Share it on social media using #LentenFoodWasteFast  and tag us on Instagram  @stmonica90403

   

  Tips and Tools:

  Tips this week are meant to increase connection with and gratitude for our food, reducing the likelihood that we will waste anything in the process. 

   

  • Eat mindfully: Eat one meal mindfully each day, taking time to notice and savor the texture, smell, taste, and color of the food. Ponder the rain and soil that sustained it as it grew and all of the people and resources that helped it to arrive on your plate. Related mindfulness reflection
    
    
  • Pray for someone as you prepare a meal this week: Select a recipe from Catholic Relief Services’ Meatless Meals from Around the World, and pray for the people from the country your meal originates as you prepare the food. Or select a favorite family recipe and pray for a special intention in your own life as you cook. Related cooking prayer reflection.
    
    
  • Share a meal: Be intentional about sharing a meal with members of your household this week. If you are unable to be together, consider having a phone or Skype date with someone as you both eat a meal.
    

   

  “We know that approximately a third of all food produced is discarded, and ‘whenever food is thrown out it is as if it were stolen from the table of the poor.’” Laudato Si’ 50

  Keep us Posted:

  We would love to hear about your #LentenFoodWasteFast journey! Tag us on Instagram  @stmonica90403 and @ignatiansolidarity

   

• Lent Week 5

  Food waste goes far beyond your kitchen. Take some time to learn more about the supply side of food waste.

   

  Prayer & Reflection:

  We till the earth,

  We tend the ground.

  Sowing hope and peace

  Where none is found.

  In selfless love

  God's life abounds

  We till the earth,

  We tend the ground.

   

  Take time to listen to a new hymn, Tend the Ground, inspired by "Laudato Si': on Care for Our Common Home." Notice how you feel as you listen to the song. Are there particular lyrics that speak to you?

   

  These daily reflections on food, faith, climate and our lives will provide spiritual sustenance for the Lenten journey. They are inspired by the Lenten Food Waste Fast at the Ignatian Solidarity Network.

   

  Tips and Tools:

  •  Consider where you shop. You may find this Grocery store food waste report card helpful in choosing a supermarket near you. 
  •  Got 10 minutes? Check out the food waste section on New York Time’s interactive site, Your questions about food and climate answered. The website features quizzes and interactive elements on a variety of climate+food issues, so it will give you plenty to chew on!
  • Looking for a way to address food disparity in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis?: If you are able, consider donating to the https://www.feedingamerica.org/about-us/press-room/feeding-america-establishes-covid-19-response-fund-help-food-banks-during&28371_donation=form1&s_src=W213REFER&s_referrer=https://ignatiansolidarity.net/&_ga=2.100835073.1259200886.1615563812-526708694.1615563812">Feeding America COVID-19 Response Fund.

   

  Resources:

  Got 90 minutes? Watch the inspiring documentary, Biggest Little Farm, available via most cable providers and/or for rent on Amazon Prime/iTunes. (Trailer) Film synopsis: “The Biggest Little Farm follows two dreamers and their beloved dog when they make a choice that takes them out of their tiny L.A. apartment and into the countryside to build one of the most diverse farms of its kind in complete coexistence with nature.”

   

  Socials:

  As a result of the 1.3 billion tons of food wasted every year worldwide, 45 trillion gallons of water are also wasted. This is 24 percent of all water used for agriculture. When we throw food in the trash, we’re throwing away all of the resources that went into growing, harvesting, packaging, and shipping the food such as water, gasoline, land, and pesticides. (NPR)

   

  Keep us Posted:

  We would love to hear about your #LentenFoodWasteFast journey! Tag us on Instagram  @stmonica90403 and @ignatiansolidarity

   

   

• Lent Week 6

  Why compost?

  Composting food scraps and other organic material is one additional way that we can prevent food waste. When food is thrown away and breaks down in the landfill, it produces methane which is a greenhouse gas 26-28 times more potent than CO2. Composting prevents the release of methane gas by keeping food out of the landfill. The composting process allows organic material to break down in a way that stores carbon in the soil that is produced. When the compost is ready, it can be used to enrich plants in your own garden, reducing the need for fertilizers or pesticides. 

   

  On January 1, 2022, every Californian is required, under SB 1383 and a new local ordinance, to recycle food scraps, along with our yard or green materials. Santa Monica now accepts all food scraps and organic waste like coffee filters, in the green bin.
  
  

  Prayer & Reflection:

  Then the angel said to the women in reply,

  "Do not be afraid!

  I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified.

  He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said."

   

  ...Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.

  Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,

  and there they will see me."

  Matthew 28: 5-6, 10

  "If a healthy soil is full of death, it is also full of life: worms, fungi, microorganisms of all kinds ...  Given only the health of the soil, nothing that dies is dead for very long."

  Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America, 1977

   

  Tips & Tools:

  • If you don’t have a green bin in your alley, email . 
  • If you don’t live in Santa Monica call your city’s sanitation department and ask how they are complying with SB 1383.
  • You can compost with worms or make your own indoor bin without worms. 
  • Many places sell compost bins or you can try building your own compost bin. 

   

  Resources:

  For more information regarding Santa Monica’s new mandatory organics recycling visit the  website.

  If you would prefer to compost at home, read the article “How to Compost at Home: A Beginners Guide to DIY Fertilizer."

  Socials:

  Food waste that decomposes in landfills releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is at least 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. (The Washington Post)

   

  Keep us Posted:

  We would love to hear about your @stmonica 90403 #LentenFoodWasteFast journey! Tag us on Instagram @ignatiansolidarity or use the hashtag. 
  
  
  
  
  
  

Intro to a Food Waste-Free Lent Featuring Neal Shapiro - Recording

Monday, Feb. 28 | 6:30 p.m. | Via Zoom

Launch into Lent by learning more about food waste! Watch our recorded panel with tips and information from Neal Shapiro about how to live food-waste free!

 

Click Here to Watch the Video!

 

Winter 2021

Intro to a Food Waste-Free Lent Featuring Neal Shapiro

Monday, Feb. 28 | 6:30 p.m. | Via Zoom

Launch into Lent by learning more about food waste! As we prepare for our physical and spiritual fast, join the Green Team as we dive into the City of Santa Monica's new ordinance on compost and how to reduce food waste. The panel will feature Neal Shapiro, Senior Sustainability Analyst and Zero Waste Team Supervisor at the Resource Recovery & Recycling Division for the City of Santa Monica. Our talk will kick off the Lenten Season and introduce you to our 6-week "Food Waste-Free Lent" program.

 

Recording Coming Soon!

Celebrate World Wetlands Day

Wednesday, Feb. 2

We celebrate World Wetlands Day to raise awareness about the Earth’s beautiful wetland ecosystems. Though wetlands are critical for biodiversity, climate mitigation, freshwater availability, world economies and more, we are losing them three times faster than forests due to overdevelopment and deforestation.

 

Read more about the importance of the wetlands, especially our Ballona Wetlands!

 

Click Here to Read: Celebrate World Wetlands Day by Elizabeth Johnstone.

 

Friends of Ballona Wetlands Clean Up and Tour

Friday, Feb. 4 | Restoration Clean Up Day

Saturday, Feb. 5 | Tour of Ballona Wetlands | 10:00 a.m.

 

Celebrate World Wetlands Day by participating in a Friends of Ballona Wetlands cleanup! Friends of Ballona regularly offers volunteer opportunities to participate in creek cleanups that remove debris that would otherwise end up in the wetlands.

 

Fall 2021

Youth Climate Summit 2021: Our Actions, Our Earth, Our Home - Oct. 2, 2021

We are proud to report the success of our first annual Youth Climate Summit: Our Actions, Our Earth, Our Home! On Saturday, October 2,  we cappedoff the Season of Creation by hosting 50 middle and high school students who were passionateabout environmental activism in their communities. We provided them with the resources to livemore sustainably and sparked meaningful conversations about what it means to be anenvironmental advocate. From the feedback wereceived, the students left the summit with plansof action and a greater understanding of theintersectionality of environmentalism and faith.

Click Here to Read More!

Click below to watch Chace Beech from Spectrum 1 News on the Youth Climate Summit!

Summer 2021

Celebrate: National Honeybee Day (Aug. 21)

Celebrate National Honeybee Day on it's twelfth anniversary. While the holiday has gained more popularity since its first recognition in 2009, the general consensus around the honeybee is still lukewarm despite the species’ dire endangerment in America. While it may be so easy to overlook these small insects, honeybees are one of the most important insects to our society. So take some time to give back to the bees this year and make a buzz about National Honeybee Day!

 

Read the full article, And He Saw that it Was Good, written by Elizabeth Johnstone, CLICK HERE!

Celebrate: The Santa Monica Mountains!

Over the past decade, the city of Santa Monica has led the way in sustainable tourism, boasting eco-friendly attractions such as Heal the Bay Aquarium, Tongva Park, and our local Farmers' Market.

 

One of our most heralded spots is the Santa Monica Mountains, which pioneer sustainable mountain tourism—a scarcity in today's nature-visiting scene. As COVID restrictions lift and outdoor plans increase, consider visiting this mountain range to picnic, hike, view wildflowers, and birdwatch, among many other activities. The National Park Service writes more about what you can do in the SaMo mountains - Click here!

Celebrate: National Clean Beaches Week from July 1-7!

Even if you don’t have time for a cleanup, you can still take much-needed action.

Learn how to care for our coastline in 3 easy ways in an article by Elizabeth Johnstone - Click Here!

 

Goals for a Greener St. Monica

St. Monica Catholic Community is certified as a Santa Monica Green Business and will renew its certification in the Summer of 2021. St. Monica is also working to reduce its carbon footprint through more sustainable purchasing and waste reduction in areas such as printing, hospitality, and energy. These steps are not only good for the planet, but they will also result in cost savings for our parish.

 

The Green Team is committed to work with and support St. Monica in these endeavors.

 

 

 

Spring 2021

Safe Beach Cleanup Success

On Saturday, Apr. 17, the Green Team hosted a successful decentralized cleanup. Members of the St. Monica community went out and cleaned our beaches, neighborhoods, and parks. Thank you to everyone who participated in our cleanup and beautified the city! 

 

 

 

 

Cel ebrating 51 Years of Earth Day

From a spark that created a movement, Earth Day continues to inspire! The St. Monica Green Team celebrated Earth Day on Apr. 17 by inviting parishioners to clean their local neighborhood or beach. It has never been more important to care for our common home.

 

Read a history of Earth Day written by Meredith McCarthy - Click Here!

 

What’s the deal with Laudato Si’?

Overcome by the beauty of God’s creation, St. Francis of Assisi once proclaimed, “Laudato si’, mi’ signore”, meaning “Praise be to you, my Lord”. Nowadays, we often don’t have moments like St. Francis. Wrapped up in the hustle of life, we forget that the Earth is truly a gift from God. In 2015, Pope Francis reminded the world of this in his second encyclical, Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, inspired by St. Francis’s canticle. In it, he describes the suffering our planet has undergone and how we can all take action to stop it. As the season of Easter and Earth Month begin, take a moment to pause and reflect on Pope Francis’s encyclical. Read the English translation - Click here.

Rethink Spring Cleaning

The weather is changing, and summer is on the horizon. What comes to mind? Tidying up? Cleaning out your closets and drawers? Shopping? The Green Team offers you three perspectives to consider first - Click Here! 

Rethink Mother's Day

What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than to honor our mothers and love our Mother Earth! Read some tips to keep your Mother’s Day environmentally friendly by Meredith McCarthy - Click Here!

 

Catholic Conversations: The Spirituality of Laudato Si’

On Thursday, May 20, the Green Team hosted Catholic Conversations with Fr. Emmet Farrell and Patricia Grace from the Archdiocese of San Diego. They gave a beautiful presentation on the spirituality of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’: on Care for Our Common Home.

 

For the last 4 years Fr. Emmet has been the director of Creation Care ministry for the Diocese of San Diego, leading a team of fellow volunteers to promote and educate about Pope Francis's 2016 encyclical. Patricia Grace is a lawyer, master’s level social worker, and secular Franciscan with a long personal and professional history of advocacy for the poor and marginalized, yet she holds that her credentials for presenting this workshop are the proverbial calluses on her knees.

 

Recording of Catholic Conversations: The Spirituality of Laudato Si’ - Click Here to Watch!

 

Winter 2021

Rethink Lent

Lent invites us to remember the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert as we reflect, repent, fast, and listen to God. In the spirit of Pope Francis’s invitation this Lent, let’s commit to overcome our indifference to the climate change crisis and its victims. Let’s pray and fast for a renewal of our relationship with all of God’s creation and with our brothers and sisters who live in poverty and are already suffering the impacts of climate change.

What can we do besides limiting meals and consumption? Pray. Here are various ways to pray for Creation:

• Start the day putting ourselves in God's presence and reflecting on the spirit of Lent with this prayer adapted from the Divine Office. “Lord, look upon us and hear our prayer. By the penance and good works you inspire, help us to discipline our appetites and to be renewed in spirit. So that we may be better stewards of creation, help us to live simply even when our desires are great. And help us to love greatly, even when we are not loved. Grant this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”
• Throughout the day, pray the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, or the Divine Office.
• Read Scripture, especially those passages referring to Creation Stewardship and Environmental Justice.
• Read thoughtfully about creation stewardship - Click here to get started.
• Add these intentions to your daily prayers:

For an urgent solution to the climate change crisis.

For the grace to grow in virtue, which helps us be better stewards of creation.

For easing the suffering of the poor and those affected by disease and severe weather.

For the Church, that it may use its prophetic voice to help solve the environmental problems we face.

 

Join Green Team

Join the St. Monica Green Team!
 

Learn about our call to protect the environment and how to put our faith into action right here at St. Monica. We are always looking for new members, and we can't wait to see you soon!

 

Check out the latest at our next meeting to get involved, or contact us at .

 

Register to Attend our Next Meeting!