Newsletter

Winter 2003

Book Review: Responsible Purchasing for Faith Communities

Written by Cassandra Carmichael; research by Paul Kaiser and Cassandra Carmichael; edited by Laura Hartman and Nicole Ardoin. Published by the Center for a New American Dream, 2002. $5.00.

We all know that our churches ought to be places that proclaim God as the creator of heaven and earth. We also know that our actions must match our words – our churches should make creation care part of their everyday operations and ministry. But we are often at a loss to know how to do this. This handy guide provides encouragement and information to help your congregation take the first, fairly painless steps toward this goal. The Center for an American Dream, an organization dedicated to changing American consumption habits, created the Responsible Purchasing Guide for Faith Communities to help congregations take the guesswork out of making environmentally and socially responsible purchasing decisions and document the positive impact of their actions.

The guide lists eight concrete actions that can have a significant environmental impact and help promote social justice. Included are ideas, tips and resources for purchasing earth-friendly lighting, coffee, office paper, paper towels, toilet paper, and cleaning products, as well as for reducing the amount of pesticides your church uses and the junk mail it receives. The final action is to publicize your efforts and inspire other faith communities to go and do likewise.

The eight information sheets help you make rough calculations of the benefits resulting from your church’s actions. They also suggest further steps you can take and list abundant references for businesses and websites that are sources of products and further information. The pages of the guide are designed to be put in a ring binder so that you can add new information and resources to the appropriate section.

The guide is available from the Au Sable Outreach Office, or from the Center for a New American Dream, 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 900, TakomaPark, MD 20912; (877) 68-DREAM; www.newdream.org/faith

With the help of this guide, people will not only hear about your congregation’s faith in the Creator – they will see it in action.