Archived Earthcare Committee

NOTE:

The Committee was laid down at YM 2021

A new Climate Emergency and Species Extinction Working Group was established at the same YM.

Unfortunately, the Earthcare Committee's original web pages were not retained. Set out below is some of the information from them, although not all the links still work.

It's purpose was:

AYM Earthcare Committee meets regularly to listen and respond to our local natural world, as well as tending to national considerations. We are aware that so many are doing so much to learn and teach about the earth's troubles, that everyone is responding with care for our earth's concerns, and we seek ways to bring about healing, and support earthcare initiatives.

Main Content of the page:

Quaker Earthcare 

The produce of the Earth is a gift from our gracious Creator to the inhabitants, and to impoverish the Earth now to support outward greatness appears to be an injury to the succeeding age. - John Woolman (1720-1772)

Earthcare Newsletters

• Read the Earthcare Invitation Newsletters to learn more about how to care for the Earth and walk mindfully on our land.

The 2019 Quaker Earthcare Climate Emergency Epistle 

• Read the 2019 Quaker Earthcare Climate Emergency and Species Extinction Epistle, adopted at Yearly Meeting 2019 in Hobart, Tamania. 

The 2008 Quaker Earthcare Statement

We find delight in the grace of creation, and are humbled by the richness of its gifts. Our very existence depends upon sustaining our intimate relationships within nature. Yet much has been harmed or lost forever through our lack of reverence, our ignorance, denial, waste and ill-considered action. We have set ourselves against the Spirit.

We have ignored our interconnectedness with all other living things, weakened our own well-being, and we have diminished the opportunity for fair livelihood.
 
Once our lack of care caused limited damage. Now our thoughtlessness endangers whole ecosystems, and even the entire biosphere, through global warming, pollution, destruction of habitats, and accelerated extinction of species. We also acknowledge that wars, poverty and overconsumption are part of this spiral of destruction.
 
We seek to transform this culture of domination and exploitation, of false witness and idolatry, and instead develop a culture of caring for the planet, preparing for future generations of living things and honouring God’s gifts. Each of us must now strive to live a just life which values the air, the waters, the soil, living things and the processes sustaining all life.
 
Given the extent of the crisis and the need for transformative change, despair and fear are likely to arise in us all at some stage. We can be set free in the Spirit to live our lives in radically different ways.
We are called to consider the world as an enspirited whole, to accept no boundary to repairing and sustaining the Earth for the future, and to appreciate more deeply the creative energy in all living things and life processes. We seek to mend what has been hurt, and to strengthen our courage to discern and bear witness to this spiritual care for the Earth.
 
Friends are not alone on this journey. We must listen to the call of creation, recognise and respect the profound knowledge and wisdom of Indigenous peoples and learn from scientific understanding. We will work with those many others already deeply engaged, who make the links between religious belief, lifestyle, social justice and peace.
 
We commit to the demanding, costly implications of radically changed ways of living. Let us do so out of joy, celebration, reverence and a deep love of life.

Adopted at Yearly Meeting 2008, Melbourne, Australia