January 2026 Newsletter

Issue #107

14 million tons of plastic are entering the ocean --every year.

International Union for Conservation of Nature

Oceans with the most plastic waste:

North Pacific – 106,260 tons

Indian Ocean – 65,180 tons

North Atlantic – 62,250 tons

Mediterranean Sea - 25,520 tons

South Pacific – 23,170 tons

South Atlantic -- 14,090 tons

             PLOS One

By 2050, there will be more plastic (by weight) in our oceans than fish.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation

33% of sea turtles will ingest plastic in their lifetime, and more than 50% of the dolphin and whale populations already have. Even crustacean animals living in the deepest oceanic point, the Mariana Trench, have ingested plastic.

Greenpeace

274 marine animals die each day from plastic entanglement.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

73% of beach litter is plastic.

National Geographic

39% of ocean litter found in nearshore waters consists of snack wrappers.

Nature Sustainability

Around 30% of all plastic on the world’s ocean surfaces makes up the "Great Garbage Patch" in the Pacific Ocean.

PLOS One 

Of the plastic mass in the Pacific,

60-70% is 1-12 inches

20% is larger than 12 inches

10-15% is .2 -1 inches

8-10% is less than .2 inches

PLOS One 

A large source of plastic pollution are microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic less than 5mm in length, originate from larger plastic items breaking down and from synthetic clothing fibers that shed

during washing.

University of Leeds

There are 20 times more microplastic particles in our oceans than stars in our galaxy.

PLOS One

35% of microplastics entering the ocean comes from synthetic fibers.

                                        Nature Scientific Reports

The top 5 countries that produce the most plastic waste are:

1.     U.S. -- 46 million tons

2.     India -- 29 million tons

3.     China -- 24 million tons

4.     Brazil -- 12 million tons

5.     Indonesia -- 10 million tons

Science Advances

Industries that play a major role in the production and use of plastic:

Packaging – 157 million tons

Construction – 85 million tons

Transportation – 69 million tons

Consumer and Institutional Products – 51million tons

Textiles – 48 million tons

Electronics – 19 million tons

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

1,000 rivers are responsible for 80% of the plastic entering the ocean. Most of these rivers are in developing countries that lack sufficient waste management infrastructure.

Science Advances

Top 5 rivers where plastic waste enters the ocean, in pounds per year:

Pasig (Philippines) -- 138 million

Tullahan (Philippines) -- 30 million

Ulhas (India)  -- 29 million

Klang (Malaysia) -- 28 million

Meycauayan (Philippines) -- 27 million

Science Advances

A “biodegradable” plastic bag can still carry 4.9 pounds of groceries even after being under water for 3 years.

ACS Publications

Over 80% of Americans find the ocean's role in providing air, food, and sustaining marine life "extremely" or "very important".

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

For more on the Environment, click here.

A resource from SC Johnson that highlights the problems with plastics in the oceans -- with facts & figures, impact stories & ways to get involved.

Learn more.

For more on the Environment, click here.

Making Hope: Practices, Prayers, and Parables for a Changing Climate

By O'neil Van Horn. Explores how slow, still, and often quiet practices can cultivate hope for ourselves, each other, and our planetary home. Shows how the ordinary things we do―mending, seed-saving, composting, and birding―can become new parables that might help us make hope where it is least felt and most needed. Meditative, inviting, and prayerful, makes space and time for readers to experience the meaningful practice of hope. Read more.

For more on the Environment, click here.

The Spiritual Wisdom We Need

for a Planet in Crisis

A TED Talk, featuring Tariq Al-Olaimy, who draws on a decade of work with global faith coalitions, explores why spiritual traditions are uniquely equipped to navigate moments of collapse — and how aligning our inner values, economies and ecosystems may be essential to restoring life on a changing planet. Watch now.

For more on the Environment, click here.

God of the Oppressed

By James Cone. First published in 1975, this publication remains a landmark in the development of Black Theology―the first effort to present a systematic theology drawing fully on the resources of African-American religion and culture. Responding to the criticism that his previous books drew too heavily on Euro-American definitions of theology, the author went back to his experience of the Black church in Bearden, Arkansas, the tradition of the Spirituals and Black folklore, and the Black history of struggle and survival, to construct a new approach to the gospel.In reflections on God, Jesus, suffering, and liberation, relates the gospel message to the experience of the Black community. But a wider theme is the role that social and historical context plays in framing the questions we address to God, as well as the mode of the answers provided. Includes a foreword by Anthony Reddie, reflecting on the historical and global significance of this work and its message today. Read more.

For more on Racism, click here.

Reform or Die:

Seven Women Theologians Speak

By Laure Blanchon, Isabelle de la Garanderie, Veronique Margron, Anne-Marie Pelletier, Lucetta Scaraffia, Ann Soupa and Marie-Jo Thiel. Using an approach which is based on biblical, theological, and sociological and pastoral expertise, addresses some of the most urgent subjects the church today: the lessons of the abuse crisis, the place given to women, synodality, welcoming the poorest, and the challenges of inclusion in the contemporary world. Read more.

For more on Gender Equality, click here.

Without Consent: A Landmark Trial and the Decades-Long Struggle to Make Spousal Rape a Crime

By Sarah Weinman. The story about the first major spousal rape trial in America and the questions it raised about women’s rights that would reverberate for decades. Oregon v. Rideout directly inspired feminist activists, who fought state by state for marital rape laws, a battle that was not won in all fifty until 1993. Mixing archival research and new reporting on the activists battling in the courts, embodies vociferous debates about gender, sexuality, and power, while highlighting the damaging and inherent misogyny of American culture then and now. Read more.

For more on Domestic Abuse, click here.

Capitalism: A Global History

By Sven Beckert. Traces the story of capitalism during the past millennium across the world, arguing that it was a global phenomenon. Shows that emerging from trading communities across Asia, Africa, and Europe, capitalism’s radical recasting of economic life gradually rooted itself. Drawing on archives on six continents, the book locates important modes of agency, resistance, innovation, and ruthless coercion everywhere in the world, opening the aperture from heads of state to rural cultivators. Shows that despite the dependence on expansion, there always have been, and are still, areas of human life that the capitalist revolution has yet to reach. Read more.

For more on Economic Justice, click here.

Jubilee Economics: The Purpose, Practice and Possibilities for a Better Future

By Kelley Nikondeha. Holds that jubilee was not just an idealist concept, but an actual ancient practice and argues that it is not impractical for modern economic world. Uncovers recent scholarship that tells of Jubilee’s robust capabilities for resetting unjust economic systems. Read more.

For more on Economic Justice, click here.

Schools Urgently Need a Redesign.

Here's How.

A TED Talk, featuring education innovator Aylon Samouha, who introduces Transcend, a nonprofit engaging communities across the US to redesign their schools and connect learning to the world kids are growing into. Describes what school looks like when students are solving real-world problems and building things that matter, not just studying what's on the test. Watch now.

For more on the Educational System, click here.

How to Eat with Awareness and Purpose

A TED Talk from the series "How to Be a Better Human." Features Sioux chef Sean Sherman, who removes colonial ingredients such as dairy, wheat, flour, cane sugar, beef, pork and chicken from the meals he serves and discusses foraging, access to Indigenous ingredients and how food connects us to our ancestors. Watch now.

For more Simple Living resources, click here.

Pro Bono Net

A nonprofit organization that builds digital tools and partnerships that help people navigate the law, access justice, and live more secure lives. Uses three core strategies, from helping domestic violence survivors obtain protection to enabling low-wage workers to combat wage theft, their tools and partnerships make justice more attainable and equitable for millions. Learn more.

For more Justice resources, click here.

LawHelp.org

A program of Pro Bono Net, a national nonprofit dedicated to bringing the power of the law to all. It was created to help people without lawyers understand their rights, make informed decisions and connect to help in their community. Provides referrals to nonprofit legal aid organizations in every state and territory, free legal rights resources, court forms and self-advocacy tools. Includes a network of 20 statewide legal information portals developed using the LawHelp platform. Also links to other trusted sources of legal help. Their network helps people access vital information and support for life-affecting legal issues such as family safety, housing stability, unemployment, food insecurity, divorce and custody issues, and more. Their website also offers finding help by state and legal help guides.

Learn more.

For more Justice resources, click here.

The Librarians

A documentary that shows librarians emerging as first responders in the fight for democracy and First Amendment Rights. Focuses on Texas where the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQia+ stories – triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of extremism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work – the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale. Watch the trailer.

For more Justice resources, click here.

Immigration Law Help

A searchable online directory developed by the Immigration Advocates Network and Pro Bono Net with support from the Four Freedoms Fund. Lists over 1,000 free or low-cost nonprofit immigration legal services providers in all 50 states. Only nonprofits that are Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) recognized or have attorneys on staff are included in the directory. Users can search by state, zip code, or detention facility. Users can also refine their search by types and areas of legal assistance provided, populations served, languages spoken, other areas of legal assistance, and non-legal services provided. Learn more.

For more on Immigration, click here.

The Farmlink Project

A nonprofit organization that connects farms that have surplus to food banks to feed people in need, reduce carbon emissions and empower the next generation of changemakers. Acting as the “link” connecting the broken supply chains in the agricultural and food access industries, connects farmers to communities facing food insecurity, delivering millions of pounds of farm fresh produce that would otherwise be wasted to feed families in need. Learn more.

For more on Hunger, click here.

Catholic Poverty Awareness Month

Octave for Christian Unity

World Leprosy Day (Last Sunday of January)

January 1st: Catholic World Day of Peace & Emancipation Proclamation Day

January 11th: National Human Trafficking Awareness Day & Anniversary of the Bread & Roses Labor Strike

January 16th: National Religious Freedom Day

January 22nd: Anniversary of the Publication of Strangers No Longer

January 27th: International Holocaust Remembrance Day

January 28th: Anniversary of the Opening of the Puebla Conference

Maura Clarke MM

January 13th

Since 2017, there have been more than 500,000 visitors to our Social Justice Resource Center website. We provide a wide variety of facts and figures on specific social issues as well as thousands of free resources including films, publications, links to other organizations, prayers, quotes, principles of social justice, key dates throughout the year, action ideas, Diocesan office contact information and biographies of famous people who have worked for social justice.

To learn more, click here.

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