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As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day—and its 2010 theme, “Take action!”—our ecumenical mission arm Church World Service continues its long tradition of taking action in partnership around the world, assisting communities in managing their environmental resources to better provide for their families now and into the future. 

Looking back to the mid-1960s, before the first Earth Day, in the aftermath of the Algerian War of Independence several thousand local workers terraced hillsides and planted upwards of 27,000,000 olive, fruit and other trees–with support from Church World Service.  Their efforts yielded not only food, but also curbed erosion and helped to manage surface water.  And, many of those who were trained in the program became key personnel in the national forestry.

Shift forward–today in Honduras, some 1,410 families in the Rio Chiquila micro-basin are participating in a CWS-supported project to grow a variety of vegetables in their gardens, while protecting water, soil and forest resources.  With training and technical assistance, the farm families are growing food sustainably and promoting forest regeneration. They are also learning to work with local municipalities to establish a culture of valuing and protecting the environment and to monitor and respond to the effects of climate change.

With CWS support in southeast Pakistan, 4,500 families are growing more food by using water conserved in irrigation ponds.  They are also cutting down on chemical fertilizers by learning how to use compost.

In the Kitui diocese, Mwingi district, Kenya, some 12,500 people are benefitting from the construction of six sand dams and six shallow wells that are providing water for both families and livestock.  Communities have established vegetable gardens and fruit tree nurseries near each sand dam. Through the CWS-supported program, they are also learning about health, hygiene and environmental conservation issues.

Church World Service puts environmental concern into action around the globe every day of the year.  And your support—whether through individual or congregational giving, CROP Hunger Walks, the Blankets+ Program, or alternative giving—makes that work possible.