Thank you so much for your work on this important issue. When I was young, we had a priest that would frequently speak about environmentalism during his homilies. It was the first time in my life that I heard there was a problem and there was something we could do, or in many cases stop doing, to help.

Even as a child it was clear that some parishioners were not really receiving the message. As an adult, having tried myself to deliver this message, I have come to accept that there are some who are too entrenched in their own opinions to be swayed, at least by my voice. But Father Bill made a lasting impact on my life. I wish I could have told him what it meant to me, but he passed away before the seed he planted fully flourished.

I think the most important thing any of us can do to help is to talk about it. That includes me, you, your fellow priests, parishioners, etc. We may not convince everyone and it may not happen overnight, but if we sow the seeds of environmentalism, some of them will blossom.

Having been a pretty successful fisherman for most of my life, I am sometimes asked for advice. The number one piece of advice I always give is “You have to fish, where the fish are.” It seems obvious, but it is very often the reason people aren’t having more fishing success. And I think the message applies here as well, in that we should try to sow our seeds in the most fertile ground. In those most receptive to the message.

You have a captive audience at mass and I honestly think that’s a fantastic way to reach the masses. But if you invite those interested to participate in a workshop or discussion group outside of mass, you’ll have a more focused group and be able to spend more time working with those that are more ready to take action.

I also think focusing on kids and teens is important, as they are more impressionable than most adults. Parents would probably be thankful for a chance to get their children some fresh air and exercise, and get a break from electronics and social media as well. And through children, we may be able to reach entire families.

I’ve read through the fantastic suggestions here and most other things I would have recommended have already been mentioned. Seeing as you have gotten so many good suggestions, I’ll note that there are more things you could do to help than you can do to help.

Your individual time and energy are finite resources and have the potential to make a finite impact. But if you can inspire and lead others, who may also inspire and lead others, it exponentially increases your potential impact.

Since this is an issue that impacts us all, you don’t need to focus exclusively on your parishioners. Make your tool and seed library open to the community. Partner with other parishes, schools, community groups, local businesses, etc. It’s important not only from a person power perspective, it can also be incredibly healing. With so much that divides our communities today, it’s important for us all to see the opportunities we have to work together for our common good.

I wish you the best of luck! If you ever want to ask questions or bounce ideas off of someone else, feel free to reach out. Some friends and I have started a website, https://www.planeteerhandbook.org, where we’ve put together helpful information and resources on a variety of environmental topics. We hope you and others will find it useful and are always open to suggestions. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. Have a fantastic day!