Susan Bodine - Environmental Protection Agency

Over 12,000 trees planted by Northern Michigan interfaith EarthKeepers during early May across 400 miles of northern Michigan and Minocqua, Wisconsin Raging forest fires underline importance of planting trees Earth Day 2009: First tree planted and blessed by northern Michigan bishops and faith leaders on Earth Day 2009 near shores of Lake Superior at Presque Isle in Marquette (Marquette, Michigan) – Northern Michigan residents planted more than 12,000 trees in early May across a 400-mile area of the Upper Peninsula and in northern Wisconsin during the 2009 interfaith EarthKeeper Tree Project. White Spruce and Red Pine seedlings measuring 12 to 16 inches tall were ... Read Full Story

EarthKeepers first high definition video: Earth Day 2009 along Lake Superior in Marquette, MI Bishops, faith leaders bless, plant 1st of 12,000 trees (Marquette, Michigan) - Despite a major snowstorm a day earlier, bishops and leaders from northern Michigan’s largest faith communities planted the first of 12,000 trees during an Earth Day ceremony on the shores of Lake Superior. Standing on a hillside surrounded by huge pine trees two bishops and several other faith leaders blessed a three-foot native species white spruce tree and took turns putting shovels full of dirt into the hole. With a cold wind blowing and icy waves of Lake ... Read Full Story

It’s Happening! And it’s colorful! Update as rainbow marks start of EarthKeeper Tree Project: Across northern Michigan 12,000 trees bagged, delivery for Sunday, May 3 record planting Rainbow appears over Grace Presbyterian Church in Sagola as volunteers across northern Michigan prepare 12,000 trees for planting by about 100 churches and temples during interfaith Upper Peninsula EarthKeeper Tree Project. (Sagola Photos provided by Jessica Schultz, EarthKeeper volunteer) Volunteers at the Central United Methodist Church in Escanaba bag and prepare seedlings. (Escanaba photos provided by Jill Martin, Presbyterian EarthKeeper Volunteer) (Upper Peninsula of Michigan) - Across northern Michigan, 12,000 trees are being delivered to about 100 ... Read Full Story

Upper Peninsula Earth Keeper Team announced plans for 2009 while accepting the prestigious White Pine Award from the Michigan Sierra Club The Michigan Sierra Club presented its "White Pine Award" to the Upper Peninsula Earth Keepers on Thursday, Nov. 13 at a ceremony in Marquette. Pictured in the rear, left to right, are David McCowen of Lake Superior Friends (Quakers); Rev. Jon Magnuson, Earth Keeper Initiative co-founder and executive director of the non-profit Cedar Tree Institute; Dr. Jon Rebers, chair of the Sierra Club Central U.P. Group; Dr. Rodney Clarken, leader of the Marquette Baha'i Community and one of the original signers of the ... Read Full Story

Northern Michigan University (NMU) Health & Nutrition Professor Mohey Mowafy (above left) of Marquette introduced Imam Hassan Qazwini (center) to an eager audience of mostly Christians for a living room chat. Rev. Warren Geier (right) of Bethany Lutheran Church in Ishpeming, MI was among several Lutheran pastors on hand. Imam Qazwini answered a wide range of questions including the murder of many of his family members in Iraq, the War in Iraq, hunting, interfaith environment projects and common perceptions and misconceptions between religions. (Photos by Greg Peterson) --- Imam Hassan Qazwini: Humans are selfish and don’t treat the environment with justice - it’s the ... Read Full Story