Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

From now on, if you are attending an event organized by the Archdiocese of Louisville’s Office of Hispanic Ministry, be sure to bring your own water bottle. The office, which hosts dozens of gatherings each year, is curtailing its use of plastic water bottles and other non-biodegradable materials. Plates, coffee cups, and utensils provided at events will be made of eco-friendly materials.

“It’s time” to make that change, said Eva Gonzalez, the director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry. She noted that Pope Francis’ document on care for creation, “Laudato Si’,” will be a decade old next May.

“It’s going to be the 10th anniversary, and look at what we have done in 10 years,” she said, remarking on a lack of progress. “We need to be more conscious of taking care of our planet. We have all done damage to it."

“The little that you can do, do your part,” she said. “Another person can do his or her part. It needs to start with everyone.”

The shift in the Hispanic ministry office began in April, Gonzalez said when she was teaching a class about care for creation.

“As part of the ‘Leading Like Jesus’ program, one of the topics we looked at was ‘Laudato Si’.’ A lot of people received this formation. And I said, we need to model; we need to do what we are teaching,” she explained. “People have been more conscious about it, the people who received the class."

“Some people mentioned to me, ‘I used to go to Walmart and get all these plastic bags. Now I took the class and I use half as many.’”

The ministry office also gave a reusable bag to each student, Gonzalez noted.

“It won’t hold everything but it can start the consciousness in people,” she said. “Why do we continue buying the plastic that is not reusable — the plastic water bottles? If people don’t buy those products anymore you are pushing these companies to do what is good for the common good.”