Upcoming events are listed below. If you’re looking for a calendar of past events, please click here.
Assalamu Alaikum/Greetings of Peace!
Ramadan is here, alhamdullilah! And we wanted to share our tools for greening your Ramadan and deepening your spiritual connection with our Creator (swt) through nature. Please check out our Ramadan calendar, toolkit, and Leftar guide for personal actions you can take this and every Ramadan, and have a look at this year’s Ramadan Creation Care Calendar, an annual Green Muslims-Interfaith Power & Light collab, for links to useful websites and green events occurring in the DMV during the holy month. And be sure to check in with our partner organization Green Ramadan for even more ideas.
Finally, this Ramadan you can help Green Muslims continue to grow by supporting our 2023 Green Our Deen fundraising campaign through LaunchGood. We depend on community support to be able to lead regular hikes, provide educational programming, and share a Muslim perspective in climate conversations. Make a one-time donation or, better yet, start giving monthly so we can broaden our outreach and impact. Check out our LaunchGood to learn more!
Just a reminder, Green Muslims Ramadan events include weekly Fajr hikes in Washington, DC, every Saturday of Ramadan. Be sure to sign up for them here.
And check out this new podcast, Islam & Earth! It will begin this Friday and continue every other Jumma. The first two guests will be our own Sevim and our partner Kori Majeed of Green Ramadan.
As Muslims, the earth is our amanah, let's dedicate a night where we strive to create a zero waste event and bring awareness to taking care of our home. This weekend, we are collaborating with MakeSpace to host an iftar. To help us in our cause for this night, please take care to note the following:
Bring your own reusable or recyclable plates, utensils, napkins, etc.
Bring your own water bottle, this night (and every night) we encourage you to bring your own reusable water bottles from home so we can minimize plastic waste and so we don't have to throw away leftover water in bottles left behind.
We hate to throw leftover food away! Please bring your own containers to take home leftovers.
This is a potluck event, please sign up to bring something to share here.
When: April 7th, at 7:10pm
Where: Royal Banquet Hall
Early November is the perfect time to look at the beautiful fall foliage.
Join us on Sunday morning for a 3.5 mile hike at Riverbend Park!
Click here to sign up!
Join us on Thursday, November 3rd at 7pmEST for a talk with Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake!
Register here
Register Here for an ISPU Webinar Talk on Causes of and Solutions to Climate Change
Celebrate the beauty of our planet and the environmental spirit of Islam at this Earth Day event organized in partnership with Next Wave Muslim Initiate (NWMI), a non-profit organization founded in 2009 with the goal of serving the American Muslim community of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
We will begin with an easy family hike and scavenger hunt on the beautiful grounds of Butler’s Orchard, followed by age-specific, interactive discussion circles on good stewardship of the Earth!
Help us make this a low-waste event by bringing your own plates and utensils. After prayer and iftar, we will enjoy s’mores over bonfires and a live recitation of Dua Joshan Kabir under the stars by Br. Mohsen Roomipoor.
We can’t wait to see you at our final Ramadan event!
Join us as Green Ramadan’s Kori Majeed discusses the product of her Greenfaith Fellowship Program: 40 Green Hadith, which was created along Saraah Latif, also a Green Faith Fellow.
Register here.
On Sunday, April 3rd, we will meet at MakeSpace to pray Fajr and head to the Lady Bird Johnson Park. There we will make our way onto the Mt. Vernon Trail to see some of the DC city skyline as we take in the sunrise in the background.
We will meet at MakeSpace at 6 am for Fajr prayer and then carpool or caravan to the park. Our hike intends to be a low-impact and restorative experience for all who join.
MakeSpace HQ: 6082 Franconia Rd. Suite C & D, Alexandria, VA
Meet at MakeSpace at 6:00am for Fajr, depart to park
Register here.
Green Muslims and Green Ramadan are bringing back Khalifa Conversations! The first one of 2022 will focus on how to have a sustainable Ramadan.
Register here.
On this hike we'll be on the search for spring ephemeral plants. Spring ephemeral plants are the first plants to pop up in spring and the first to flower. No plant identification experience needed! The hike will be guided at Riverbend Park in Great Falls VA. Due to the nature of the hike, only children over the age of 14 will be able to attend.
The hike is free to attend but donations are appreciated. Green Muslims is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with volunteer staff. Your donations help fund future activities. Bit.ly/donationGM (case sensitive)
On this hike we'll be trying a moderate to difficult trail and get close to the peak for a great view! Due to the terrain, the minimum age allowed is 12 years old and all registrants should be prepared for a moderate trail with some areas of steep incline.
The hike is free to attend but donations are appreciated. Green Muslims is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with volunteer staff. Your donations help fund future activities. Bit.ly/donationGM (case sensitive)
Please join us on a morning hike at Dora Kelley Nature Park in Alexandria, VA. We'll mainly be sticking to the nature trail but attendees are more than welcome to stay after our hike to try out the paved walking path. Only 15 tickets are available, please register bit.ly/feb20hike (case sensitive)
The hike is free to attend but donations are appreciated. Green Muslims is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with volunteer staff. Your donations help fund future activities. bit.ly/donationGM (case sensitive)
Please join Green Muslims at Fountainhead Regional Park for a winter hike/walk. We'll walk around 2-3 miles with discussion stops. This hike is not wheelchair/stroller accessible. We'll be practicing hiking etiquettes such as staying on open trails only and leaving no trace. Please make sure to bring water/snacks and a way to collect any trash you may create. Due to social distancing measures, we'll be limiting the hike to about 15 people.
The hike is free to attend but donations are appreciated. Green Muslims is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with volunteer staff. Your donations helps fund activities for the future. Bit.ly/donationGM (case sensitive)
This will be a 90 minute zoom webinar, where the first 60 minutes is focused on learning from panelists and the last 30 are focused on Q&A from the audience.
Program sponsored by the Better Food Foundation. Register here!
Green Muslims is searching for an intern position with an anticipated 5-10 hours of work per week. The position is volunteer but a small stipend will be offered. Typical duties include:
Monitor emails
Assist in social media posting
Assist in making graphics/content creation
Attend, promote, & assist with events
Other relevant duties as assigned
The position is hybrid/mostly remote. Applicants must be based in the DMV/NOVA area. A background or passion for environmental action/advocacy and/or sustainability required.
Please send resumes/questions to sofia@greenmuslims.org
Please join Green Muslims and and our partner Potomac Conservancy for a trash cleanup at Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve in Arlington, Virginia, on Saturday, June 5 from 10:30 to 11:30 am, and do your part to help protect the Potomac watershed!
Spaces are limited and registration is required. Sign up and find more info HERE.
Contact Sevim at sevim@greenmuslims.org if you have any questions.
Welcome to week 2 of Green Muslims’ Ramadan Challenge!
This week’s challenge is to reduce single use plastic by showing us where your reusable water bottle goes! To join the challenge, simply post a picture of your reusable water bottle at suhoor, iftar, post iftar walk, etc. and tag us on Facebook or Instagram by Saturday April 24th!
Now why should you care about reducing single use plastic? Here’s why:
Approximately 300 million tons of plastic each year is produced worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. That’s nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population.
91% percent of all plastic isn’t recycled at all. Instead it ends up in landfills or in the environment.
It takes up to seven bottles of water to produce the plastic needed for one, and almost 15 gallons of oil.
So show us where your water bottle goes as a commitment to reduce your carbon footprint, water pollution, and landfill trash.
As a small token of appreciation we’ll be sending 5 randomly selected participants a small gift (Continental US only).
For the first week of the Green Muslims’ Ramadan Challenge, we want to see the native flora in your area. Learn more about native plants and tag us in a picture of you taking care of one in nature or even plant one yourself. Be sure to tag us by April 17th for a chance to win a small token of appreciation (5 winners per week)
If you’re not sure what’s native in your area, the National Wildlife Federation can help! Simply click here and enter your zip code!
Wondering why we chose native flora? Here are some reasons:
Native plants require less water than lawns and help prevent erosion and results in less rain-water run off
Gardening with native plants means using less fertilizer and pesticides than non-native species
Native plants provide food and shelter for wildlife and some native species require certain native plants for survival
Biodiversity is closely linked to specific habitats and the living and non-living features of that habitat. To protect biodiversity means to keep native plants in and invasive species out.
Green Muslims will be collaborating with MakeSpace for an Adopt-a-Highway cleanup in Alexandria, Virginia. We will clean up and then have brunch together.
Where: 501 S Van Dorn St, Alexandria, VA 22304-4611
When: Saturday, April 10th; 10am-12pm
For questions and to sign up, please message the MakeSpace Facebook page or send them an email: community@imakespace.com
The Interreligious Eco-Justice Network, the Hartford Seminary, and CT Interfaith Power & Light are proud to bring you the second webinar in our collaborative series, Many Faiths, One Creation.
Religious Communities and the Planetary Crisis will examine the response of the faith communities to the climate crisis from the Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, and Christian perspectives. We are excited to have the following panelists join us:
Reverend Jim Antal, Special Advisor on Climate Justice to the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ
Sofia Gilani, Climate Change Advocate, Green Muslims
Rabbi Warren Stone, Founding Chair, Central Conference of American Rabbis' Committee on the Environment
Hari Venkatachalam, Board Member, Sidhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus
This webinar is free, but donations are gratefully accepted!
Register here!
We will be participating in the Summit of Greater Washington Imams, Rabbis and Leadership Colleagues. Join us as we will participate in breakout rooms addressing environmental issues. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqcuGqqDkuHtZCZfNUy7muWZhd8vwDA1kU?fbclid=IwAR0w2FWBs3CHTeM20HYzL-HLVzV2IAtyUVEW26FVIgkKJQ19iH2XKto1vU0
Join us, as we will be participating in the 2021 CCL Regional Mid-Atlantic Conference "Bridges to Coalition." The virtual conference will help to set the stage for effective climate legislation this year.
The theme of building bridges to coalition will be echoed throughout the conference with workshops and panel discussions and talks on how we can all be part of the solutions needed for climate solutions with agriculture & fisheries panel, businesses panel, civic organizations panel, and environmental organizations panel.
There will be workshops to help build bridges and an art contest (for ages 4 and up)
Reserve your calendar for January 30-31, starting at 1 p.m.
Register open to all: Bridges to Coalition, Registration here
For more information, please contact Sabrina Fu: sabrina.fu@citizensclimatelobby.org
Join Green Muslims and Green Ramadan this Sunday, December 27 at 5:30PM EST for the last of our 2020 Khalifa Conversations! Special guest speaker will be Mouhamadou Niang, founder of Muslims 4 the Environment @m4thee, who will share the inspiration behind and mission of his environmental non-profit. Mouhamadou will also discuss how environmental organizations can collaborate and cooperate to make a bigger impact.
Register at https://tiny.cc/KhalifaConvo
Join us Sunday, October 18, when Aamna Anwer will share the work she has done in her Enviro-Mentals group and the efforts she and her family have made to increase environmental literacy in the Muslim community of St. Louis. Aamna will also give pointers on how to engage your local mosque to incorporate sustainable practices.
Register at tiny.cc/KhalifaConvo
This October, take the Plastic Free Challenge! By some estimates, single-use plastic consumption has tripled or quadrupled since lockdowns were imposed in March. It’s time to reverse this trend by committing to reduce your use of single-use plastics, especially plastic bags, bottles, and straws from October 1 to 30. This year’s Challenge will also include easy, free weekly calls to action to urge our lawmakers and local entrepreneurs to join us in reducing plastic pollution locally, regionally, and nationwide.
Enroll today at bit.ly/PlasticFreeChallenge2020
On Sunday, September 13, Khalifa Conversations will be welcoming Arsheen Allam, the founder of two companies working to help people in ways that cause less harm to the earth: CNanoz, a nanotechnology-based company focused on developing water purification solutions, and GOLeafe, which is working to develop a potentially green alternative to lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries.
Arsheen, who was named to the 2019 Forbes List of 30 under 30 in Energy, will share the unique story of how she ended up in her particular line of work, including the challenges she faced and why she stuck with it.
Register at tiny.cc/KhalifaConvo
Join us for a virtual Eco-Org Palooza, a tabling event to strengthen our community through environmental networking, education, and action. This event is hosted by the Citizen’s Climate Lobby (MD), a non-profit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change. Multiple organizations will present from 4pm-5:30.
Click here to register for this free event!
Across our region, our Muslim and Jewish communities alike are concerned about the ways heat-trapping pollution is damaging our climate and are reflecting on how we are called to respond. In some ways, our traditions equip us to meet this moment; in other ways, our communities have too often failed to engage with one of the most urgent moral issues of our time.
Please join Joelle Novey from Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA), Sofia Gilani of Green Muslims, and Mirele Goldsmith of the Jewish Climate Action Network DMV, to hear how Muslims and Jews locally are responding to the climate crisis, and to think together in small groups about how each of us can carry forward action in their own communities.
The Zoom call will be held on Sunday, August 30th from 7 PM - 9 PM. In order to keep this virtual program secure from unwanted intruders, RSVP to herb.jids@gmail.com to obtain the information you’ll need. More information about JIDS is at www.JIDS.org .
Join us this Sunday, August 16, to get a glimpse into the life of Sis Tenille's homesteading family and how this journey allows her to fully experience aspects of her faith.
See you at 5 PM ET on Sunday, 16 August 2020, for Khalifa Conversations, discussions on practical ways to live the environmental spirit of Islam with Green Muslims and Green Ramadan.
Register at tiny.cc/KhalifaConvo to join the conversation.
The American Climate Leadership Summit is going virtual!
The next webcast is on Thursday, August 13th and starts at 2 PM. The five sessions will cover Health, Resilience & Faith, Youth, and more! Join Green Muslims’ Climate Action Advocate, Sofia Gilani, at 4:20 PM on Thursday August 13, 2020 at Session IX: Driving Change: Youth.
In consideration of the hardships of the pandemic and economic contraction, attendance at ACLS 2020 will now be on a pay-what-you-can basis. However, ecoAmerica still needs financial support to offset the costs of hosting the event, so we are asking attendees to voluntarily contribute at any of the following suggested levels:
Custom pay-what-you-can option
$0 – Our no-judgement, current-state-of-the-world option
$50 – Our student-rate
$125 – Covering 50% of the cost of your attendance
$250 – Fully covering your attendance
$1,000 – Covering the full cost of you +3 others to attend
For more information and to register please click here!
Tuesday, July 21st at 12PM
Go solar at home ... in good company! This summer, caring homeowners in Arlington and Fairfax Counties, Alexandria, Falls Church, and Vienna are coming together to go solar as a group, as a way of caring for our neighbors and our common home.
At 12PM on July 21st, join Solar United Neighbors, Interfaith Power & Light, the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, and area congregations for this interactive, multi-faith workshop about solar energy and its benefits for your home or small business. We will learn about solar technology, financing, and why it matters to people of faith.
This will be a live, interactive presentation, so bring your questions! Consider joining over 80 Northern Virginia neighbors in a solar panel and electric vehicle (EV) charger purchasing group: bit.ly/solarnova
Co-op members get:
• a free review of your roof to see if solar panels will work for you
• one-on-one support for all your questions about going solar or purchasing an EV charger
• an individualized proposal for solar and/or an electric vehicle (EV) charger at a bulk rate
In partnership with Rock Spring Congregational UCC and Green Muslims.
Any congregation which can help invite Northern Virginia homeowners to this workshop is welcome to become a partner by emailing solar@ipldmv.org.
RSVP: x
Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/301707240984069/
Join Green Muslims’ Executive Director, Sevim Kalyoncu; A Rocha UK’s Head of Conservation, Andy Lester; and The Bhumi Project’s Avnish Thakrar at an hour-long panelist discussion and Q&A to explore the role spiritual practices might have in our navigation of the climate crisis.
Climate change raises important moral questions about who we are in relation to the earth and in relation to others. Faith is a crucial lens through which many people seek to answer these questions. What can we learn from different faith traditions in how we approach the problem of climate change? What are faiths groups - which together account for the largest civil-society organisations globally - already doing?
This is part of a week-long webinar series with Green Muslims presenting on Monday, July 13th from 11am - 12pm. For more information and to register, please click here.
