Camp Friedenswald staff Amy Huser, Naomi Graber-Leary, and Jenna Leichty-Martin spoke with us about a new sustainability and resiliency plan that the camp recently implemented.

Camp Friendenswald has several fens on their grounds–a fen is a unique type of wetland, home to a wide variety of plant and animal life. The camp has preserved these ecosystems and uses them as part of their educational programs.

This panorama was taken on one of the many hiking trails that weaves through camp.

Camp Friedenswald is located on Shavehead Lake in Cassopolis Michigan. Much of the outdoor education at camp takes place around this lake.

“…any discussion about climate change should have three empty chairs in the room: One for future generations, one for all other species, all non-human life, and one for the poor and marginalized in our world today. A moral framework for climate change must be consistently accountable to those three subjects.” – Karenna Gore

Faith in Place, where Veronica Kyle works, is an interfaith organization based in Illinois. Their mission is to create both healthier communities and a healthier Earth through relationship building, education, and advocacy. Much of their work centers around bringing people into conversations on environmental health who are often excluded.

Veronica Kyle is the Chicago Outreach Director for Faith in Place. She spoke with us about the importance of collaboration in climate action, and shared with us some of her experiences bringing new churches and individuals into conversations about climate change.

Mark Dixon is a filmmaker, photographer, and public speaker. Mark spoke with us about the importance of setting one’s moral compass before jumping into climate action. He also shared with us his thoughts on biomimicry and the “genius of the natural world.”

Part of Friedenswald’s sustainability plan is to educate campers about waste. Campers learn to compost and recycle during meals times, and take turns emptying the bins into the outdoor compost pile throughout the week.