Ecology

We educate for environmental justice by first clarifying and deepening our own comprehension of these insights: that every creature has the right to be; the right to its habitat; and the right to make its own contribution to all of life.  We believe that the world‑wide attack on ecology has become, in reality, an assault on the poor and a form of environmental racism.  We use the Earth Charter, the works of Orbis authors and other Maryknoll resources to educate for eco‑justice in its fullest meaning, and we promote the Earth Charter as a basis for advocacy.

We hope to pay closer attention to U.S. environmental policy in response to the World Summit on Sustainable Development and build on Maryknoll experience at a grassroots level. We support the Kyoto Protocol and other efforts to encourage rich countries to promote lifestyles that are just and sustainable. We advocate for U.S. military clean‑up of bases in Vieques, Panama, the Philippines, and South Korea.

We advocate for “food sovereignty,” and continue to participate in process of defining Christian framework and principles with which to determine the safety and use of genetically modified foods.

Learn more about our Faith-Economy-Ecology project here.

Our newsletter, Encounters, features the challenges posed by the current economic growth paradigm and shines light on the hopeful ways communities are responding to protect human dignity and God's beautiful creation.

See a list of resources here on peak oil and how a future economy can be shaped with fewer natural resources.