Our Lenten journey has concluded, but our call to stewardship is just beginning. We continue to examine how our daily habits impact God’s creation and our neighbors downstream, guided by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s insight that "we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality."

In the arid West, this mutuality is found in our watersheds. What happens upstream impacts everyone below; we are tied together by every drop. 

Small shifts in our daily habits can lead to a sea change for our environment. This Earth Week, our congregation is launching a 2026 Waterwise Pledge to honor the precious resource that sustains us all. From the way we tend our gardens to the length of our morning showers, we have the power to conserve thousands of gallons of water in the months ahead. We invite you to look through the outdoor and indoor pledge options below and commit to the changes that best fit your household. Together, we can ensure our Beloved Community remains resilient and healthy for generations to come.

Outdoor Stewardship

[ ] Pledge to replace 100+ square feet of thirsty turf with a "Victory Garden" for a local food bank or a "Garden in a Box" of native pollinator plants. Alternatively, I will remove the Kentucky Bluegrass from the "hellstrip" area between the sidewalk and the street.

[ ] Pledge to reprogram my irrigation timer to run in three short 3-minute cycles instead of one long soak to prevent runoff (2 days a week spring/fall and 3 days a week hottest summer). I will also consider scheduling a free "Slow the Flow" consultation.

[ ] Pledge to never water between 10 am and 6 pm and prioritize watering trees over grass.

[ ] Pledge to use a broom not a hose to "sweep" sidewalks, driveways, or patios.

[ ] Pledge to use professional car washes or a positive shut-off nozzle at home when cleaning my car.

Indoor Stewardship

[ ] Pledge to fix any leaking toilets. A single leaking toilet flapper can waste up to 200 gallons per day; that’s more than some families use for all other indoor activities combined. Do the "Food Coloring Test." Put a few drops of dye in the tank; if color appears in the bowl after 15 minutes without flushing, you have a leak. 

[ ] Pledge to install a high-efficiency showerhead (1.5–1.8 GPM) and limit showers to 5 minutes. Showers are typically the third-largest indoor water drain. Reducing a 10-minute shower to 5 minutes saves about 10–15 gallons per person, per day.

[ ] Pledge to turn off the faucet while brushing teeth, shaving, or washing hands.

Every drop saved is a gift to the Beloved Community.