ABOUT US > EXAMPLES OF RELIGIOUS PARTNERSHIP
MEMBER ACTIVITIES

Note: These are suggested activities. Partnership staff are willing to collaborate on other environmentally-oriented options that fit the specific interests of partner congregations.

HANDS-ON CLEAN UP ACTIVITIES:

Trash pick up events: Trash accumulates along the banks of the Anacostia at an alarming rate. Efforts to remove it help beautify the area and promote human interaction with the river and reduce the impact of the trash on wildlife. Volunteers from partner congregations participate in picking up trash along the banks of the Anacostia River and its surrounding communities. Bags, gloves and any tools necessary are provided.

Tree plantings: Restoring the tree canopy in the Anacostia watershed is an important step in reducing the pollution that pours into the river, particularly during heavy rainfalls. The PARTNERSHIP obtains the trees and tools for the plantings, negotiates for planting sites and provides the necessary training during the event. Volunteers from partner congregations plant small saplings in areas throughout the watershed.

Invasive plant removal: Exotic or non-native invasive plant species from other ecological regions or countries grow so quickly that they overwhelm and replace native plants, grasses and trees. This expansion can permanently alter an ecosystem affecting native wildlife that are dependent on native plants for food and shelter. Volunteers from partner congregations weed out the non-native plants and may participate in replacing native plants in the area. All supplies and training, as needed, are provided for the volunteers.

Sponsor neighborhood clean up projects: Trash on neighborhood streets and empty lots flows directly into the river when carried by rain into the sewer system. The presence of trash also impacts the residents' attitude toward their environment. Volunteers participate in picking up trash and debris along neighborhood streets and empty lots. Partner congregations provide volunteers plus garbage bags, gloves and any tools necessary.

OTHER:

Greening activities for congregation buildings and grounds: Religious communities can directly impact the Anacostia watershed and/or the environment through making improvements to their congregations' buildings and grounds. Examples of activities include instituting a recycling program, conducting energy audits on buildings, using energy efficient light bulbs, planting trees, repositioning rain spouts to drain into the ground rather than the sewer and more. The PARTNERSHIP staff will work with the congregations to help them gain the necessary information and training to implement the greening activities of their choice.

Incorporate ecological stewardship in worship services: Each faith tradition calls human beings to be responsible stewards of the earth and its inhabitants. The call to individual and collective action can be highlighted by incorporating environmental stewardship into worship services through special readings, topics for sermons, choice of music and prayers. The Partnership is collecting, and will make available, resources that will aid congregations in incorporating material into services throughout the year.

Mentors: The PARTNERSHIP provides two opportunities to mentor young people. The first will be with students participating in The Saturday Environmental Academy. The Academy will provide an entirely secular environmental education using classroom and field experiences on the Anacostia River. The Academy, scheduled to open in the fall of 2005, will target 7th and 8th graders living in the communities near the river. Mentors will help the students gain a greater understanding of the program's content, explore opportunities to apply their learning in their school studies and everyday worlds, and consider potential career paths.

The second option is to mentor members of the Earth Conservation Corps (ECC), one of the PARTNERSHIP'S founding organizations. The members are young people in their late teens and early twenties who work with the ECC learning about environmental science, the Anacostia River Watershed and its problems, and developing life and work skills that enable them to establish successful careers. Mentors help the ECC members with activities such as personal goal definition, job searches, networking, resume writing, interviewing and public speaking.

The mentoring program is currently under development. Further details, including time commitments, will be available in early 2005.

Partner relationships: One of the main goals of the PARTNERSHIP is community building between the many faith communities within the Anacostia watershed. To facilitate this, we intend to involve volunteers from at least two congregations in each activity and include an opportunity to socialize once the work is finished. PARTNERSHIP staff will facilitate the initial pairing of communities and help coordinate the planning of a social event following each workday. The volunteers from partner congregations will help with the planning and provide whatever supplies are needed for the social event, e.g., potluck food and beverages, etc.

River Awareness Youth Activities: Children and youth can become more educated about, and involved in, the environment and cleaning up the Anacostia by including them in as many events as possible. The hands-on activities previously detailed are excellent opportunities to focus on youth involvement. Other possibilities include arranging to take them on the Anacostia River by chartering a Chesapeake Bay Foundation boat or using kayaks and canoes. Speakers make presentations on the history, ecology, and development issues of the River. PARTNERSHIP staff is available to work with congregations wishing to develop youth-oriented activities.

Sponsor a public forum: Partner congregations can hold events open to the public where speakers engage the audience on environmental topics, with particular emphasis on issues related to clean up activities for the Anacostia River and the surrounding communities. PARTNERSHIP staff will provide contact information for potential speakers and will be available to advise the volunteers on any aspect of the event. The partner volunteers will make arrangements for the speaker, provide the space for the meeting, provide any refreshments, and advertise.