News from around the world is reporting one of the coldest and harshest winters in decades. Snowfall in Tabuk, the northern region of Saudi Arabia, last year and this year may have been the first in a century. The Weather Channel reported record low temperatures in more than 50 major cities in the US. Erratic climate change is causing colder winters and hotter summers and also life- threatening, violent storms. The tropical cyclone, Typhoon Haiyan, devastated the Philippines on November 8th in 2013, killing 6,190 people. According to the Asia News Network, as of January, 2014, bodies are still being found. Bizarre climatic change is a result of the effects of global warming. Human activity; namely, pollution and excessive consumption of energy increase carbon emissions in the air which cause global warming. A dynamic group of young Muslims in the UK and Europe have stepped up and galvanized an environmental movement to halt the downward spiraling of the health and balance of our planet. MADE (Muslim Agency for Development Education) has launched the Green Up! campaign to transform mosques into green mosques; reviving the Islamic belief that humans are stewards or caretakers of the Earth who are responsible for maintaining its balance. “The Green Up! campaign is a joint initiative of MADE in Europe and FEMYSO (Federation of Muslim Youth & Student Organizations). The Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are packed full of teachings extolling the wonders of nature as signs of God, urging us to live balanced and moderate lives, avoiding excessive use of natural resources and respecting animals,” said Sarah Javaid, co-founder of MADE in Europe. “The message of Islam taught people to rely on and respect the environment. Never have we been more in need of examining the way we live and re-thinking our relationship with the environment. The campaign is an initiative to ensure that Muslim communities are at the forefront of coming up with solutions to safeguard the future of the planet for generations to come,” said Javaid. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) admonished his companions for wasting water, even when performing ablution, the ritual cleansing. He taught us to treat animals kindly, be moderate, and avoid excess, both in our dealings with each other and in our interaction with the environment. What is an eco-friendly mosque? An eco-friendly mosque is a new concept for regenerating mosques to make them more environmentally and economically sustainable, reducing their impact on the environment while contributing to the wellbeing of communities. A great example is Al-Markaz Al-Najmi Mosque in Manchester, built in 2008, incorporating energy-saving measures and using environmentally friendly construction materials. The mosque was made with recycled wood and reclaimed stone, it features solar panels and energy-efficient under-floor heating, and a glass façade which lets in natural light. The vice-president of the mosque said, “A mosque is meant to be friendly in every aspect, which includes being friendly to the environment. We should set an example in environmental awareness. Making these changes was not necessarily more costly, and there is much to gain if the mosque can create its own energy.” Established in May 2012, Al-Mawaddah Mosque is Singapore's first eco-friendly mosque, with solar panels, a rooftop green garden, motion-sensor lights which automatically turn off when there is no movement, and water taps fitted with regulating devices to reduce water consumption. Qatar is currently in the process of developing guidelines which mandate that all new mosques in the country will be environmentally-friendly! The Green Up! campaign provides incentives for communities and awards mosques for adopting green practices. Creative ideas that can be easily implemented in almost any mosque are:
* Use touch sensitive taps in all sinks; they turn on when touched and automatically turn off after a few seconds, reducing water wastage. * Provide recycling bins in the mosque. This makes it easier for community members to recycle glass, cardboard and paper, plastics, and aluminum by separating and collecting recyclables in the home and dropping them off at the neighborhood mosque.
* Install solar panels that capture the sun's energy and convert sunlight into electrical energy.
* Put up colorful and informative posters that foster environmental awareness.
* Encourage the imam, or leader of the mosque, to dedicate a Friday sermon to the importance of preserving the environment.
* Provide bike racks in the parking space of the mosque to encourage worshipers to come to the mosque whenever possible by bike rather than car.
* Plant a community garden. Transporting food across the world can be very harmful for the environment and costly. The community can grow fresh, local produce which they can share among themselves or donate to families in need.
* Use environmentally friendly cleaning products and bio-degradable plates and cups during community events.
“Around the planet there are inspiring examples, from ancient times and from modern, cutting-edge mosque communities, of superb and environmentally sustainable practices, ranging from the choice of sustainable construction materials, to the incorporation of innovative recycling systems, plus technologies which not only save electricity, but actually help to generate it!” said Abdul Hakim Murad, Dean of Cambridge Muslim College. Muslims should be more involved in environmental activism to preserve Allah's beautiful and precious creation. “And what better place to start than in God's houses (mosques)?” questioned Murad.
