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Trees of Life and $75K for Environmental Justice Upgrades

Few things are as lovely as a tree.

And yet, if you look around the streets of Lawrence, MA — or plug in one of its zip codes on a digital "tree equity map" — you'll quickly realize there aren't nearly enough, a stark indicator of the climate resilience of an entire community.

Environmental justice starts from a simple recognition: a changing climate affects everyone, but it doesn't affect everyone equally. The communities hit first and worst are often the ones that have contributed the least and have the fewest resources for resilience. Lawrence is one of those places — and it's where MassIPL is putting environmental justice work into practice.

Much of that has meant helping houses of worship get greener and save money — lowering their emissions by more than 165,000 lbs a year and saving thousands on utilities. This year, we're directing $75,000 towards capital projects for EJ houses of worship, covering everything from lighting to heat pumps.

But EJ work is about more than just buildings. It's about the health and future of entire neighborhoods — and about the people who live in them.

Trees of Life activities with the Merrimack Valley Interfaith Team (top); with educational sessions led by Pastor Javier Roche (bottom left) and Father Joel Almonó  (bottom right)

"Climate change especially impacts communities like ours," says Pastor Javier Roche, who also serves as MassIPL's technical coordinator. It's why Roche is helping to lead MassIPL's "Trees of Life" initiative, partnering with the Merrimack Valley Interfaith Team. Across Lawrence, congregations are hosting Creation Care services led by Father Joel Almonó — who preaches in churches and presents in other settings — followed by a shared meal and community discussion that MassIPL leads at each gathering. Four are already in the books, with another six scheduled through early summer, and more to come.

People leave with concrete asks: start recycling, make your house of worship greener, sign up to plant a tree in your yard or at your church. And it's all building toward this fall, when congregations from across the city will come together for a city-wide celebration and tree planting day with community partners and civic leaders.

"Creation Care is loving what God loves," says Roche. "And Creation is groaning, just like the Bible said it would. It impacts our neighborhoods… Lawrence is a heat island. We have summers that are 5–10° warmer than the surrounding suburbs."

Lawrence, MA compared to surrounding suburbs for heat (first map) and tree cover (second map). Sources: First Street and Tree Equity Score. Use the links to search your own address.

Roche knows too that trees are part of the solution. They clean the air, lower dangerously high temperatures, help prevent flash flooding, and support biodiversity. And, for anyone familiar with the Jewish and Christian scriptures, they are part of the divine story. The Hebrew Bible begins with the Tree of Life, and in the Christian New Testament, the final vision of paradise includes the tree of life, "whose leaves are for the healing of the nations."

In Lawrence, we're planting for that healing — one tree and one congregation at a time.

Help grow Environmental Justice work across MA

Trees of Life is happening because a wider circle of people believe faith communities can be a force for climate justice. Lawrence is the proof of concept — but it isn't the only environmental justice community in Massachusetts where this kind of work is needed, and where faith communities are ready to lead.

We're working to turn this — along with our youth climate ambassadors and our broader EJ work — into lasting programs that congregations can count on, in EJ communities across the state.

If you'd like to help us get there, you can make a gift to MassIPL today.