The intention of this research is to provide an understanding of how followers of a faith-based tradition perceive and act upon various environmental concerns. Asking simple questions regarding the implementation of particular strategies and investigating how engaged the group is with the wider community can provide a valuable starting point in identifying gaps in the publicized attitude and the actual behaviour of the groups with respect to the environment. In a broader sense, understanding of the position of a faith on a range of environmental issues will help in establishing a solid foundation in the sustainable development of a community and thereby facilitate a better integration of the needs of society for present and future generations.
Using a grounded theory framework and a method of data triangulation, the study is broadly based in Australia, with a review of working examples occurring in the United States, Europe and Asia and focuses on faith communities awareness and involvement across five environmental management themes:
1. Biodiversity such as habitat conservation, revegetation, species protection, and ameliorating pollution
2. Energy efficiency the use of energy efficient devices and the sourcing of renewable energy
3. Water conservation implementing water saving strategies
4. Waste management applying appropriate methods of disposal and recycling
5. Cultural property heritage in particular, building and site management with a view to 'adaptive re-use', and biodiversity conservation
In addressing the five themes mentioned above, the study is designed to investigate five methods of implementation, namely:
1. Education
How are faith groups informed?
How effective is the dissemination of information relating to issues of sustainability?
2. Advocacy
In what capacity do faiths advocate support in environmental issues (e.g. politically, corporately and/or locally)?
3. Facilitating action
How do faiths engage in actions?
4. Networking
What networks exist?
Where are the gaps?
5. Engaged ethics
Are there any effective campaigns derived from an environmental ethic?
The significance of this study will be manifold, viz:
Provide links for community engagement on environmental issues with an emphasis on spirituality. The faith community has a largely untapped network of members that can aid in the implementation of land and water management policies.
Portray another concept of community. Historically, community has been largely defined by geography and culture; however, with the advent of the Information Age defined largely by media, a new community of interests has evolved.
Facilitate collaboration among groups with seemingly opposed values and belief systems. All too often, through various media, there is a focus on the differences between faiths, which is considerably counter-productive in supporting community values and a civil society. Demonstrating processes that are inclusive of these differences and providing examples of how groups can work together on common issues may show that we can respect differences as well as live harmoniously and sustainably.
Enrich our understanding of our place in the natural environment. Considering the mass interest and research in our influence on climate change, there is still much to learn on how we position ourselves within nature. The spiritual community has a very long tradition of providing insights on where we fit but with a deeper understanding of ecological processes and a knowledge of depleting resources, we are required to reassess our current position. |
