Renew the Waters of the Earth Many small brooks and streams and ponds surround St. Mary’s Church in central New Jersey, and local residents are proud of their environment. But they are also concerned about the quality of their waters. Fifteen members of the parish have made stewardship of these waters a priority in their ministry; they have joined with other local groups to monitor the quality of the water in local streams and ponds. One Saturday a month, volunteers from St. Mary’s visit twelve different locations to collect water samples. They return to the parish hall where they scientifically test the samples, using a variety of chemicals. As part of its work, the group tests for dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrates, acidity, and phosphates; these are indicators of healthy or unhealthy water. The results are noted on field data sheets, which are then sent to the county’s water quality-testing program. Monmouth County could not afford to run this program without volunteer help. St. Mary’s volunteers have committed to stay with the testing program for five years, the amount of time the county needs to collect sufficient data to identify the sources of the pollution. They received a grant from the Environmental Justice Program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). (Click here for information about the Environmental Justice Program, including its educational materials and its regional environmental grants program.) They also received support from parish funds and from Clean Communities, a government-sponsored project. By working as volunteers for that effort, they pick up roadside litter along several streets in their community, and in exchange they receive chemicals that they need for testing the waters. In addition to their monthly testing sessions, the group, which includes a few engineers and an environmentalist, is committed to educating the parish and the local community about the pollution of the local drinking water supply. They also want to encourage parishioners to monitor and alter their behavior to prevent water pollution. With some of the USCCB grant money they received, they distributed more than 2,000 copies of a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection brochure explaining nonpoint source pollution. Nonpoint source pollution—or “people pollution”—is the contamination of our waters resulting from our everyday activities. The brochure suggests a variety of ways ordinary citizens can make a difference. Click here for Environmental Protection ideas. Testing the Waters is a project of St. Mary’s Environmental Committee. Their mission, as described in the parish handbook, is “to be an informed channel through which all persons come to recognize that they are called by God to heal and preserve all life on earth as they make choices and take actions to benefit creation now and in the future.” Other projects sponsored by this ministry include planting and maintaining a butterfly garden, beach cleanups, recycling collections, and an environmental expo and liturgy. Click here for seven steps to starting an Environmental Ministry in your parish. Return to Great Ideas Home Page