United Nations Environment Programme
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Online event
Faiths have the Solution to #BeatPlasticPollution this World Environment Day
5 June 2023
Côte d’Ivoire
- Overview
- 3 actions for faith actors
- Inspired to #BeatPlasticPollution
- Be engaged
Actions for Faith Actors this World Environment Day #BeatPlasticPollution
This year, we celebrate the 50th World Environment Day. Our goal is simple:
- Increase public awareness of the effective action pathways to reduce and overcome plastic pollution.
- Encourage transformative action on plastic pollution by governments, cities and towns, business, faith actors, and finance because they can effect change at scale.
- Build and nurture effective coalitions for future global environmental campaigns.
Join us under the theme ‘solutions to plastic pollution’ to #BeatPlasticPollution.
Everything you need to know about plastic pollution | Planning an event? Register it here!
1. Educate, activate, and inspire your faith community
- Join the movement to #BeatPlasticPollution
- Discover your scripture/teachings on stewardship and care for the earth
- Participate in an ecotheology online course on plastic waste. Part one and Part two
- Describe how plastic pollution is affecting you, your environment, and ecosystems
- Recite a speech, sermon, liturgy, religious teachings, story at your local mosque/temple/church/synagogue/etc.
- Share this Practical Guide with your community
- Commit to celebrate a plastic-free ceremony, festival or event. Have a look at Passover, Plastic-Free Ramadan and Plastic-Free Lent
- Support initiatives in the community and co-create a plan of action to tackle plastic pollution in your town or city
- Join an online course or webinar to learn more about plastic pollution.
- Enhance their capacity to mobilise congregations towards sustainable practices and reducing single-use plastic. You can start here.
2. Work with faith leadership and the community
- Speak with your religious leader about the pollution and waste crises
- Involve the youth, women, and persons with disabilities in critical conversations, and in implementing solutions
- Support initiatives coming from your congregation by sharing them throughout the community and providing needed financial support.
- Collaborate and partner with CSOs, FBOs, NGOs, and local businesses to promote local and traditional sustainable practices, including reducing plastic waste.
- Partner with local and global initiatives such as the Plastic Bank’s Faith Program.
- Get in touch with the UNEP’s Faith for Earth Coalition and subscribe to its newsletter to collaborate with other faith groups and stay updated on how to contribute to the protection of our common home.
3. Advocate for the responsible use of resources, and care for our planet
- Advocate for ambitious changes within companies’ policies to reduce plastic pollution
- Write letters as a group or individually to companies polluting your rivers, streams, and oceans.
- Write a letter to your city or local authority informing them of an illegal dumpsite or the accumulation of waste in your neighbourhood, area, city
Video messages from Sister Jayanti, Sadhguru, Arch. Prof. Thomas Schirrmacher, Rev. Fr. Joseph Mutie, Prof. Azza Karam, and H.E. Card. Michael Czerny on behalf of the Holy Father Pope Francis in support of Solutions to Beat Plastic Pollution:
Want to contribute to the work on Faith, Pollution & Waste?
Here are 3 ways:
1. Learn more about the Multifaith Action Group on Pollution
2. Contact the Faith for Earth Coalition on our Green Faith Festivals project.
3. Share your project or initiative on the Faith Action on the UN Sutainable Development Goals
