Earth Day 2009: First of 12,000 trees blessed by northern Michigan Bishops, faith leaders,
Earth Day 2009: First of 12,000 trees blessed by northern Michigan Bishops, faith leaders,
- published: 28 Apr 2009
- views: 218
High definition - the EarthKeepers have gone to high definition video, it took almost an hour and a half to upload this video. It's OK but youtube is still working on its high def. abilities. We are hoping to improve our video quality over the next few months. I've been shooting high def. video for EarthKeepers for three years but we recently got our first high def. editor. Marquette, MI - The bishops and leaders from northern Michigan's largest faith communities planted the first of 12,000 trees during an Earth Day ceremony on the shores of Lake Superior. Standing on a hillside surrounded by huge pine trees two bishops and several other faith leaders blessed a three-foot native species white spruce tree and took turns putting shovels full of dirt into the hole. The Earth Day 2009 blessing of the trees ceremony was held on Presque Isle in Marquette. Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette Bishop Alexander Sample said all humans "are called to be steward's of God's creation and no matter what faith tradition we come from that responsibility lies with us." The EarthKeeper movement is "focused on how the faith communities can work together to preserve this great gift that we have here in the Upper Peninsula and its lakes, streams and forests, said Northern Great Lakes Synod Lutheran Bishop Thomas A. Skrenes. UMC Marquette District Supt. Grant R. Lobb said "planting a tree is a gift for the next generation and the generation beyond that." The EarthKeeper team includes ten faith traditions (Jewish, Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist Church (UMC), Unitarian Universalist (UU), Baha'i, Zen Buddist, Quakers) with over 150 participating churches/temples, the nonprofit Superior Watershed Partnership (SWP), the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute (CTI), and the NMU EK Student Team. Throughout the Great Lakes states, people and groups "are replicating the work that the EarthKeepers have done here," said Carl Lindquist, SWP executive director. "This is very much a marvelous moment in the life of our work together as faith communities," said Rev. Jon Magnuson, CTI executive director and EarthKeepers co-founder. The next day April 23, several faith leaders spoke about the project and protecting the environment to students at Northern Michigan University in the final of numerous "Sacred Planet" events on campus sponsored by the NMU EarthKeeper (NMU EK) Student Team. On May 3, the 12,000 12-to-16-inch White Spruce and Red pine seedlings will be planted in all corners of the U.P. including at 100 churches and temples. The trees were purchased or donated by the U.P. EarthKeeper team, SWP, Holli Forest Products, the Forestland Group, Plum Creek Timber Company and Meister's Greenhouses, said Carl Lindquist, SWP executive director. Some groups and individuals have donated money to help the tree project including Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Western U.P. Chapter 30918 in Ironwood, Michigan. From 2005-2007, over 15,000 U.P. residents turned in more than 360 tons of household hazardous waste at U.P. collection sites. Some of the items were properly disposed but most was recycled including computers, cell phones, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, oil-based paint and vehicle batteries. Last year the EarthKeepers provided a household energy conservation checklist that resulted in over 3 million pounds of carbon being reduced.
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