TREES ~ Theological Roundtable on Ecological Ethics and Spirituality

About TREES
In a time when we are faced with mass ecological destruction, social injustice, environmental racism, and mass economic inequity, we as human beings cannot continue to promote systems, institutions, and ways of life that further these global ills. Thus, TREES promotes ecological and relational understandings of reality that are more in tune with findings in sciences like ecology, cosmology, evolution, and genetics. Likewise we promote understandings of reality that are informed by the ecological insights found in many of the world's religions.

We understand that we humans are a part of creation, not its master. For too long we have denied our deep kinship with the rest of our planetary home. We must realize again that the sacred is present in the living earth, and we must recommit ourselves to living in harmony with that sacred presence.

For a detailed history of TREES, please click here.

The Three Levels of our Mission
We fulfill our mission by focusing on three different interrelated levels of human existence: the Educational/Philosophical, Institutional/Physical-Structural, and Communal/Bioregional.

The Educational/Philosophical component of our mission includes forums sponsored by TREES on pertinent environmental issues, coordination of relevant courses within the GTU curricula, planning for a large conference on the "greening" of higher education, literature in the form of a newsletter, paper, and journal, and our web site. This component is the "consciousness raising" effort of our group.

The Institutional/Physical-Structural component of our mission involves efforts to get participating GTU schools to perform environmental audits and then to move toward more sustainable methods of consumption and waste management, including using renewable sources of energy. This component focuses on connecting our ecological ways of thinking with ecological ways of living.

Finally, the Communal/Bioregional component of our mission involves providing outreach and educational materials to specific communities to suggest ways in which they, as a religious community, might respond positively to the environmental crisis. Our goal is to provide information to local religious communities that will include religion-specific, denomination-specific, and bioregion-specific information for religious leaders and communities that want to help mend the creation of which we are a part.

Ongoing Activities

To serve as a source of environmental education within the GTU community. To support members of the GTU community in their personal and social actions toward a way of life that promotes ecological sustainability and socioeconomic justice.
To distribute materials to faith communities for study, religious education, and worship, that explore the connection between spirituality and ecology.
To aid GTU schools in the "physical greening" of their buildings by helping them move toward using renewable resources of energy and energy efficiency, and by helping them move toward sustainable waste-management practices.

Current Activities

Hosting an open house for the community once a semester, to foster dialogue, network with other GTU centers and affiliates, and share interpersonal resources with others.
Sponsoring one-hour forums on ecological issues at the GTU in conjunction with 3.0 credit courses on a special ecological topic each semester for the next 3 years.
Developing the web site to offer more featured issues, links and resources.
Developing an ongoing relationship with SAFE, a United Religious Initiative cooperation circle.

Future Plans

Perform environmental audits on GTU schools and help them move towards energy efficiency (specifically with regards to the installation of solar cell panels on the rooftop of the GTU student apartment building) and sustainable waste and food consumption practice.
Hold a conference on the "Greening of Curriculum in Higher Education."
Start and maintain an ecological resource library, both online and in the office for seminary students, pastors, and religious communities. The focus of the library will be on religion-specific and denomination-specific doctrines, liturgies, studies, and actions that promote the well-being of all life on the planet.
Publish and distribute materials in the field of Eco-Theology.

TREES at the GTU
2400 Ridge Road / Berkeley CA 94709
Phone: 510-848-0528, ext. 1316
Fax:510-845-8948
Email: trees@gtu.edu

This website sponsored in part by the Strong Foundation