The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints works to be good stewards of the earth — believing that caring for the earth is closely tied to caring for those in need.
In his October 2022 general conference address, Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé said: “As God’s children, we have received the charge to be stewards, caretakers and guardians of His divine creations. The Lord said that He made ‘every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings, which I have made and prepared for my creatures’ (Doctrine and Covenants 104:13).”
Humanitarian projects are carefully selected to ensure that sustainable solutions are implemented, using local materials and resources when possible.
Church members plant trees, clean up their communities and take part in hundreds of other environmental projects each year.
The Church uses sustainable land management practices at its farms, orchards and ranches. More buildings are now built using sustainable building practices, reduced emissions and increased solar initiatives.
The amount of material recycled at Church facilities is increasing — reaching 4,000 tons in 2022, not including the 73 million pounds recycled through Deseret Industries.
Members are encouraged to follow President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to “care for the earth, be wise stewards over it, preserve it for future generations, and to love and care for one another” (“The Creation,” Ensign, May 2000).
Among the Church’s environmental stewardship efforts:
- 500-plus meetinghouses currently with solar initiatives.
- 4,000 tons of paper, metal, cardboard and plastic recycled by Church facilities
- 73 million pounds of recycled goods processed by Deseret Industries.
- 38 million-gallon reduction in yearly water consumption since 2018 at Church headquarters. The new grounds around the Church Office Building plaza features more perennials, less grass and 30% more trees.
- Earlier this year, the Church donated 6.5 billion gallons of annual irrigation water to the Great Salt Lake. The donation could be the largest permanent donation of water to benefit the Great Salt Lake ever received by the state. “We are committed to be a part of the solution to help the Great Salt Lake,” said Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.
