1. Keep before you the reasons why you are doing these things: love for God's creation; a responsibility as God's people to care for creation; a concern for the deteriorating ecological state of the world; a means to create community around mission for creation. Identify from your own tradition the images, ideas and resources that foster care for the earth.
2. Keep an open process. Inform people of what is happening. Be prepared to compromise where appropriate. Respect differing perspectives. Remember the complexity and uncertainty of the issues.
3. Seek to gain the broadest support possible. Be sure to include and involve all ages in your various plans and projects.
4. A few people planning, getting information, and proposing can make an enormous difference. One, two or three people are enough to make things happen for everyone.
5. Plan changes in which everyone can participate on their level of commitment. For example, some will be on a committee to plan recycling, others will approve, and a larger circle will participate in the recycling.
6. Get a comprehensive vision for your parish and keep filling in the pieces. There is much to be done. Enter the process at any point and over any issue and then keep it going.
7. Make use of the assets of the members who have commitments or experiences or expertise. Correlate the assets with the environmental circumstances of greatest need or opportunity.
8. Work on projects that have the greatest chance of success, but also tackle some important projects that may be controversial.
9. Do some projects that give the effort visibility. Do some projects that have the greatest impact on the environment.
10. Celebrate what does get done and don't grieve what does not get done. Do not let those who don't participate keep those who do participate from their delight in caring for creation.
11. Show by example, education and opportunity. Don't become environmental police or a new form of political correctness.
12. Keep the serious nature of your endeavor before you. Keep in mind the issues of human justice that are always intertwined with the environmental problems.
13. At the same time, have fun and be renewed by your efforts. Build human community as you restore creation.
14. Measure the difference your project has made in the larger environmental picture, and tell people about your success.
15. Learn from people who are community organizers. Find the most positive approaches to carry out what you seek to accomplish. Faith-based communities represent the largest grassroots organization in the country. Draw up its strengths and possibilities.
16. Make your experiences and knowledge available to other religious communities.
17. Look for partners among other faith-based communities and agencies. Learn from others. To face the problems we face, we need to work together.
18. Have an overall plan. It is helpful to work out of a larger model of the whole parish. Don't get discouraged, but see the possibilities at work in so many different areas.

Please read the Principles of Environmental Justice:

"In North America a special effort has been made to involve people beyond the traditional groups and organizations in the environmental movement. This has been done especially by the United Church of Christ in helping to facilitate the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit.

This gathering of people who have traditionally been struggling with the social and economic injustices of our times was a significant movement in the evolution of the environmental movement. Those present at the Summit drafted a list of environmental justice principles that challenge all those interested in the environmental movement to take into account these real issues of sustainability and equity for the planet and all peoples."

continue by clicking this link: Principles of Environmental Justice