Detroit Earth Day events highlight faith communities going green
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
St. Suzanne-Cody Rouge Community Resource Center supporters work on developing a rain garden. | Steve Wasko
Ahead of Earth Day, which is celebrated Monday, two Detroit faith communities lifted up strategies to provide for a cleaner environment and “climate justice.”
Lord of Lords Ministries, which is located on the city’s east side, and St. Suzanne-Cody Rouge Community Resource Center, which is located on the city’s west side, carried out community events on Saturday.
At St. Suzanne, the National Wildlife Federation members hosted tours and carried out educational demonstrations at the center’s eight rain gardens.
“We’ve built eight rain gardens so far,” Steve Wasko, director of the St. Suzanne-Cody Rouge Community Resource Center, told the Advance. “They are pretty extensive on our five-acre campus. Each one that we have done has been surrounded by a semester-long high school student program with students from the Cody-Rouge area as well as an adult workforce development certification program.”
The St. Suzanne Community Center is located near Detroit’s Cody High School and the Rouge River.
At the Lord of Lords event, participants heard from the Michigan Interfaith Power & Light and Solar Faithful. The Rev. Calvin Glass and his congregation members talked with participants about how they transitioned from paying DTE “to burn coal and gas for electricity and transitioned to clean solar power owned by the church,” Glass said.
The history of Earth Day, which is designed to recognize and embrace various environment protection efforts, dates back to 1969 and was first celebrated nationally in 1970. The idea was powered by then U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Democrat.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed Monday as Earth Day in Michigan.
A portion of the Whitmer proclamation read, “Earth Day has been celebrated annually across the globe to confront our most pressing environmental issues, unite around a shared mission of protecting the environment we live in, and provide future generations with cleaner air and water, a healthier environment, and a safe and sustainable future.
“Earth Day is a valuable opportunity to renew our commitment to preserving and protecting our Earth through community service, responsible stewardship, and daily practices.”
The post Detroit Earth Day events highlight faith communities going green appeared first on Michigan Advance.
