From Data to Dignity: St. Petersburg Thriving Earth Project Charts a Path Forward

When Creation Justice Ministries first joined the Thriving Earth Exchange (TEX) initiative, we envisioned local church communities becoming catalysts for environmental resilience—places where data, faith, and justice would meet. That vision has taken a powerful step forward with the completion of our first project in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Thriving Earth Exchange is a national program of the American Geophysical Union that connects communities with volunteer scientists to tackle local climate, pollution, and environmental justice challenges. In partnership with Creation Justice Ministries, the program helps congregations and faith-rooted organizations translate environmental concerns into actionable, community-driven science projects.

Together, we identify priority issues—such as flooding, heat risk, air quality, or historical land injustices—and match congregations with technical experts who can provide mapping, data modeling, and scientific analysis at no cost to the community. Each project is shaped by local wisdom and guided by the values of justice, restoration, and love for neighbor.

Located in a region facing rising heat, severe storms, and aging infrastructure, St. Pete is no stranger to climate-related challenges. And like many communities across the country, these environmental hazards don’t impact everyone equally. The legacy of redlining and economic exclusion has left many historically Black and Brown neighborhoods with fewer protections and greater risk.

The Thriving Earth Exchange project in St. Pete set out to address just that. By identifying “areas of persistent poverty and social vulnerability,” this project used data modeling to map environmental injustice across the city. What it revealed was no surprise to residents who have long lived with the consequences—but what was once anecdotal is now evidenced in detailed maps and reports. This means more than just information; it’s a tool for action.

The completion of this project gives local leaders, congregations, and advocates a foundation they can build on—whether they’re applying for grants, organizing around policy, or simply having honest conversations about what equity really looks like in climate resilience.

This work echoes the biblical call to “seek the welfare of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7)—not only through prayer, but through preparation and persistence.

This is only the beginning. As more Thriving Earth Exchange projects reach completion, we hope to continue uplifting these local stories—where community knowledge, scientific tools, and faithful resolve come together to confront climate injustice head-on.

To learn more about the St. Pete project, visit the official project page here.
Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing more photos and updates from the project site in the coming weeks.