Justice for People and Planet
It really doesn't matter where you fall in the seemingly endless discussion on climate change. The truth is that the planet suffers as much from injustice as do many of its people. And sometimes FAIR gets to address the needs of both planet and people at the same time, with some fascinating results.
Here's an example.
Several years ago Tania Cardona, daughter of Fellowship International missionaries, Diego and Claudia Cardona, co-founded a project, supported by FAIR, called Menosbasura (less waste) in Medellin, Colombia. In 2012, Katelyn Jones, daughter of Fellowship President, Steve Jones, had the opportunity to observe Tania's project while she was working on a research paper for university.
The first project for Menosbasura was replacing a cardboard shanty for Marta, a pioneer member of the Barrio Pacifico community, one of the poorest of Medellin's neighbourhoods, and one in which a church was being planted. But rather than simply building a house using traditional means, Menosbasura recycled waste to produce "eco-bricks" that were used to replace traditional bricks normally used in construction. Plastic bottles were stuffed with non-perishable waste until they were nearly as solid as regular bricks.
Katelyn wrote: "The environmental benefits of the project are obvious: bottles that would otherwise end up in landfills serve a purpose. CO2 emissions are reduced in the condensed release of emissions in the processing of bricks; and because eco-bricks as insulation are bio-climatic, power consumption in the new structure is reduced. The social benefits are also evident in that it is addressing the community's need for improved waste management in a unique way, while also directly aiding a member of the community."
FAIR partners with our Fellowship International family of missionaries (and their children) to make a difference not only for people in need, and for a growing church, but for the planet of which we are guardians.
“Only in South America,” you say? No, in Canada too! Check it out here.
Justice is for all — one person, one planet.