The push for ecological conversion: Jersey conference put environment in faith framework

National Catholic Reporter, August 15, 2003 by Patricia Lefevere

Christiansen and his staff revised the paper to better suit the bishops' advocacy needs. Meanwhile the Clinton White House heard about the document and asked to see it. The conference made clear that it was an unofficial working paper. Without the bishops' knowledge, the paper got passed to Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole who, Christiansen said, read it, was convinced and "takings" was withdrawn from consideration.

"We did no lobbying," the priest said. "Catholic social teaching ... did all the work." Christiansen shared the story because it illustrates that Catholic social teachings, while far from the ideology of free marketers, "have considerable weight in shaping wise environmental and social policy."

At its heart the Catholic theology of the environment is rooted in the biblical notion of the sovereignty of God and in the patristic idea of "the universal purpose of created things," he said. The sovereignty of God means humans have no absolute dominion over nature, but must use it in accord with the divine purpose. That is as true for business, industry and government as it is for individuals, social and religious groups, he added.

The Catholic concept of the common good is a major component of environmental justice, said Christiansen, a theologian and associate editor of America magazine. The common good is concerned with the distribution of burdens and benefits across a whole society. With an ever-smaller "global commons," that concern now extends to the whole world.

Catholic concern for the common good means that "economic development ought not take place to the detriment of the health of a community," Christiansen said.

--Patricia Lefevere

Businessman in coveralls dives into dumpster

Michael Buono calls himself a "dumpster diver." He dresses in a business suit and tie to address active and would-be environmentalists. Later he confesses that he also dresses up when he dives into a dumpster at a church or school.

"I slip coveralls over my suit. When they see me in a suit and tie, they pay attention," he told NCR after presenting a workshop at the New Jersey Catholic Coalition for Environmental Justice conference in Princeton, N.J., recently.

Buono is convinced that parishes, schools, hospitals and small businesses can reduce their waste and cut their costs through use of a waste audit. HIS New Jersey firm, Environmental Service Management Group, specializes in waste audits.

A waste audit is a procedure that guides an individual or team through a series of steps to provide data on how much and what kind of waste is generated, disposed and recycled, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, which has required audits for state agencies since 1991.

Buono judges a place by its garbage--churches included. The first rule of waste management is to know what you generate by volume and by weight, because "you're charged by volume, but haulers pay by weight when they get to the dump.... Churches dispose of paper and plastic but are charged as if they were restaurants," he said.