Perhaps you’ve seen our billboards on Highway 100 and Blue Mound Road or our name on some of the recycling units throughout the Milwaukee County Zoo? Catholic Herald Parenting is a proud sponsor of the “Green Initiative Program” at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
The Green Initiative is an educational project at the zoo, promoting recycling, reusing and renewing. When coordinators of the initiative approached us about participating, it was an easy decision. Helping to promote earth-friendly practices of conserving and preserving our natural resources through recycling and reusing is compatible with our Christian teachings that promote good stewardship of the earth’s resources.
Environmental awareness complements Catholic theology, according to Fr. Ed Eschweiler, a senior priest of the Milwaukee Archdiocese in a Catholic Herald Parenting story on the environment from 2006. “A Christian environmental sense should be a ‘natural’ for Catholics, because it is so sacramental: ‘The heavens proclaim the glory of God…’” according to Fr. Eschweiler. “A Christian environmental consciousness recognizes that all of creation, and all of life especially, is sacred.”
This coming month, when we celebrate Earth Day (Sunday, April 22) and demonstrate a special concern for our environment, is a good time to tell you about our partnership with the Green Initiative, and also to let you know about a special event being planned at the zoo.
“Party for the Planet,” May 19 and 20, are two days of special “green activities: at the zoo. Some of the events include a recycle drive, native plant sale and cell phone recycle drive. It will also include outreach booths and exhibits highlighting the importance of animals and conservation and learning how to care and preserve the planet for years to come.
It sounds like a fun time to learn more about going green, while spending quality family time together at the zoo. Watch for more details in our May edition. You can learn more about the Green Initiative at www.recyclereuserenew.com.
The Green Initiative is only one of several exciting things happening at Catholic Herald Parenting. Without giving away too much, I will tell you that come fall, when we begin our next season of publishing, we’ll be a new publication with a new name. Don’t worry, the features and columnists you’ve come to expect will still be there, but our name will more aptly fit the demographic we reach.
To that end, we’re still asking readers to send us photos to use on our covers, but ask that the photos reflect Catholic family life – not only children.
As an incentive to submit your photos early, if you send them to us by Friday, May 11, we’ll put your name in a drawing to win the chance to take a College for Kids class at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee this summer.
College for Kids offers programming for kids in grades kindergarten through 12. One- and two-week sessions are offered on topics including science, photography, art, math and more.
Photos can be sent to Catholic Herald Parenting, P.O. Box 070913, Milwaukee, WI, 53207-0913 or emailed (please send high resolution photos), chnonline@archmil.org.
For more details, see Page 11 or visit our website, chnonline.org.
