Lutherans purchase 'eco-palms' for upcoming Palm Sunday

More than 300 million palm fronds are harvested each year for consumption in the United States, mostly for Palm Sunday worship and floral displays for churchrelated events, according to Lutheran World Relief. But the overproduction of palms threatens forests and the livelihoods of families who harvest palms in Guatemala, Mexico and other areas, according to the organization.

Typically, palm harvesting is done by community members hired by local contractors who sell palms to large floral export firms. Payment is based on volume, so harvesters are motivated to gather a large number of palms, risking the rapid depletion of forests. As a result, up to 50 percent of the palms are later discarded because of poor quality. This process also secures less income for people who work the hardest at harvesting, LWR reports.

To ensure that palms are harvested in a more environmentally sustainable way whereby harvesters can earn a fair income for their labor, some Lutherans are purchasing "eco-palms" for Palm Sunday on March 16. LWR has partnered with Chamaedorea Palm Certification Project to build support for eco-palms in the United States.

"Purchasing the eco-palms benefits farmers, families and communities in cooperatives where they are grown. It's a way each of us can walk the walk with Jesus on Palm Sunday," said Patricia Zerega, director of ELCA Corporate Social Responsibility, Pittsburgh.

Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem was celebrated by using palm branches, according to the Gospel of John. Lutherans around the world recount this story of Jesus, reenacting the waving of palms on Palm Sunday.

This story was written by Melissa Ramirez Cooper and provided by Worldwide Faith News.