Revival in Motion: Black History Month and Environmental Stewardship

February 12, 2026
By: Dr. Rev Ambrose Caroll Sr.

Black History Month is a time of reflection, and each year I think about the legacy we carry. It’s a legacy deeply tied to the land. Long before “environmentalism” was a common word, our communities knew how to live with the Earth. We learned to care for it, respect it, and depend on it. That connection is part of our ancestry, our culture, and our faith.

For generations, Black and Indigenous peoples have seen the land not as something to exploit, but as something to take care of and sustain. From farming and gardening to resourcefulness and reuse, caring for the Earth has always been part of our way of life. That wisdom is still with us today – in our churches, our families, and our communities.

Environmental Stewardship as Revival. In the Black church, we often talk about revival. A revival is a rebirth, a renewal, a return to what is life-giving and true. At its core, environmental stewardship is a revival of its own. It is about restoring balance, healing what’s been neglected, and recommitting our responsibility as caretakers of creation.

This belief led me to found Green The Church in 2010. Our mission is to empower faith communities to see environmental care as a matter of justice, health, and spiritual responsibility. Today, we work with hundreds of congregations nationwide, helping churches rethink how their buildings, programs, and practices can better serve both their members and the broader community.

We support churches in making small but meaningful changes like:

Retrofitting buildings
Creating gardens
Conserving resources
Educating congregations about sustainable practices because we know that pollution, waste, and climate impacts disproportionately a5ect Black communities. This work isn’t just about protecting the planet; it’s about protecting our people.

There are everyday actions that we can take that make a difference:

Recycle bottles and cans through California’s CRV program
Compost food scraps to reduce landfill methane pollution and return nutrients to the soil

When we recycle, we keep valuable materials out of landfills and reinvest resources back into our communities. When we compost, we turn waste into renewal.

Partnering with organizations like CalRecycle helps us share this message more broadly and reminds people that environmental stewardship is not new to us — it’s part of our inheritance.

Revival in Motions we commemorate Black History Month and reect on a century of this observance honoring our history, let us remember legacy is not just what we celebrate, but what we sustain.

Caring for the Earth is an act of faith, an act of justice, and an act of love. Through simple everyday actions like recycling and composting, we can renew our responsibility as stewards and ensure that the legacy we pass forward is one of care, faith, and sustainability.

Learn more about how you can make a difference at GreenTheChurch.com and RecyclingReimaginedCA.com.