EcoPalms for Palm Sunday

This Palm Sunday, April 14, 2019, you will receive a different type of palm. The church has invested in a product called “EcoPalm”. Unlike the strip palms you normally receive, this year’s palm will be a frond as shown in the picture. Purchasing this product provides several benefits

ecopalms.jpg

Promote Social Justice

  • Harvesting palms is an important source of income but gatherers receive a low price

  • Gatherers will receive a higher price for their “fair trade” palms improving their income.

Promote Environmental Stewardship

  • Palms protect valuable natural forests because they provide income to forest communities.

  • Palms will be “sustainably” harvested and managed protecting the palms and the forests they need for shade.

Why a "Fair Trade" Palm?

  • To improve income and living conditions for  the communities gathering the palm.

  • To protect the palms and  the important forests from which they are gathered through sustainable harvest programs.

Did You Know?

  • Approximately 308 million palm fronds were consumed in the United States in 1998.

  • Palm purchases for Palm Sunday may be worth up to 4.5 million dollars/year.

  • A congregation of 1,100 to 1,500 members will order approximately 700 palm fronds for Palm Sunday services.

  • Palm gathering actually protects valuable natural forests.

  • At least half of the farmers in the Central Peten of Guatemala earn additional income from harvesting fronds and, more than a quarter of household heads support themselves exclusively by collecting fronds.

  • Each palm plant produces 2 to 5 harvestable leaves over a 2 to 4 month period.

Join us on Palm Sunday and know that your palm frond has been sustainably harvested and provided important income to the farmers.