The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world and all who dwell therein. Psalm 24:1

Carbon neutral: Where an individual or company’s carbon emissions are effectively reduced to zero through a combination of reducing energy consumption, using renewable energy, and offsetting the remainder, for example by planting trees to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Carbon footprint:The amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (such as a person’s activities or a product’s manufacture and transport) during a given period.

Carbon offsets: An investment in a project that will lead to the prevention or removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (for example, planting trees or building renewable energy power stations to avoid the construction of coal ones).

Carbon tracker: A tool to understand your energy use and offer ways to reduce it.

Clean, Safe, and Renewable Energy: Clean energy is energy produced by methods that do not release greenhouse gases or other pollutants.

Climate champion: a person who goes above and beyond to address creation care

Climate change: The long-term changes in Earth’s climate, including, for example, variations in precipitation, sea levels, surface temperatures, etc.

Climate Crisis: Severe problems that arise as human activity increases the level of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, and the world’s average global temperature soars.

Climate emergency: A situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage.

Climate resilience: The ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate.

Creation care: Taking serious responsibility in our respect and love for God’s creation.

Creation Care Covenant: our agreement with The Episcopal Church to commit to caring for creation

Creation Care Task Force: The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego entity charged with addressing care for creation.

Creation care team: a congregation-based group charged with addressing the care for creation with that church.

Divestment from fossil fuels: Removing from an investment portfolio any stocks, bonds, or investment funds that support the fossil fuel industry.

Eco-Justice: The well-being of humankind on a thriving earth. The condition or principle of being just or equitable with respect to ecological sustainability and protection of the environment, as well as social and economic issues.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days: The annual gathering of Christian advocates and activists delving deeply into the pressing social justice issues of the day.

Environmental Justice: The universal right to collective environmental, political, economic self-determination.

Environmental Racism: Any policy, practice, or directive that differentially affects or disadvantages (whether intended or unintended) individuals, groups, or communities based on race or color (Robert Bullard).

Episcopal Public Policy Network: A grassroots network of Episcopalians across the country dedicated to carrying out the Baptismal Covenant call to “strive for justice and peace” through the active ministry of public policy advocacy.

Fair Treatment: No group should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences of industrial, governmental, commercial operations or polices.

Greening your home/church: Practices that reduce energy consumption and encourage living more simply.

Green services: Liturgies and other prayer opportunities that address our connection with God’s creation.

Intersectionality: The complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups.

Just Transition: 1. The principle that a healthy economy and a clean, safe environment can and should co-exist. 2. The process for achieving this vision should be fair and should not cost workers or community residents their health, environment, jobs, or economic assets; losses should be fairly compensated. 3. The practice whereby people who are most affected by pollution – the frontline workers and the fence-line communities – should be in the leadership of crafting policy solutions.

Mitigation: An action that will reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions

Net Carbon Neutrality: Achieving net zero carbon emissions either by balancing carbon emissions with carbon removal (often through carbon offsets) or by eliminating carbon emissions.

Province VIII: The Episcopal Church that includes the dioceses Hawaii, Alaska, Navajoland, Taiwan, Micronesia, Spokane, Olympia, Oregon, Eastern Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Northern California, El Camino Real, California, San Joaquin, Los Angeles, and San Diego

Renewable energy: derived directly or indirectly from the sun or from Earth’s natural movements and mechanisms, and it is appropriate in scale to work symbiotically with its ecological surroundings.

Rogation Days:  The three days preceding Ascension Day, especially devoted to asking for God’s blessing on agriculture and industry.

Safe energy: energy produced with minimal harm to the environment and/or human health (for example, it does not require the disposal of radioactive waste or coal ash).

Season of Creation: a time for people of faith to renew their relationship with God and all creation through celebration, prayer, and action. The Season’s roots rise from the Orthodox Christian tradition; the World Council of Churches was instrumental in making the special time a season, extending the celebration from September 1 until St. Francis Day, October 4.

Story Sharing: The practice of telling and receiving stories around things that matter most, including faith, race, difference, creation, and justice.

Triple Emergency/Triple Urgency: The intersection of climate change, poverty and inequality, and biodiversity loss.

Vulnerable communities: communities consisting of a disproportionate number of people at risk because of disparities in physical, economic, and social health status compared to the dominant population.