Caring for Creation

Sisters and friends at the Ontario Beach Park cleanup on June 21

By: Holly Rockwell, SSJ Justice and Care for Creation Coordinator

On Saturday, June 21, a group of Sisters and friends “adopted” Ontario Beach Park through the Alliance for the Great Lakes Adopt-a-Beach program.

Moved by Pope Francis’ words in Laudato Si, our group was looking for a concrete way to care for creation in our own community. Every year, Adopt-a-Beach volunteers remove tens of thousands of pounds of litter from their local beaches. A match made in heaven!

Lake Ontario is a beautiful gift to this community enjoyed by many—including our Adopt-a-Beach crew. Spending the morning on the beach while also doing good made for a nice Saturday.

While cleaning the beach, our group also collected data on the types of litter we were finding. For over twenty years, volunteers have collected cleanup data for the Alliance; about 85% of it is plastic. Scientists use this data to identify the sources of plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Having good data helps decision makers make the case for policies that protect the lakes.

This activity was the first step in building a relationship between the Justice and Care for Creation Office and the Alliance. Some of the Sisters and associates will be participating in the Lake Ontario Ambassador program. And we are planning another cleanup in fall. All are welcome to join us. Date and time to come.