Eco Church
RECYCLING INK JET & TONER Cartridges
Sr Liz has registered with Circular Planet – a printing industry initiative which streamlines the collection of ink and toner recycling in bulk. Sr Liz now has a box to collect ORIGINAL MANUFACTURERS ink Cartridges and toners only.
If you have an original empty cartridge from any of the following manufacturers, please feel free to bring them to church so Sr Liz can take them home and add them to the box ready to be collected and recycled.
Toshiba; Brother; HP; CANON; Ricoh; Konica Minolta; Kyocera; Lexmark; Sharp; Essity; Xerox; Conibi
Congratulations to St Peter' s Church Leire for being award the bronce eco award from A Rocha and for Richard Garner our eco ambassador for making that happen. He is what Richard has done:
The journey to Carbon Neutrality and good eco credentials for St Peter's church Leire started with the restoration of the clock, moving onto restoration of the bells and then the natural progression to eco ambassador at the request of Sister Liz. The preservation of the church's assets and doing so in an environmentally responsible manner has been a very rewarding experience.
The church only has an electricity supply with no gas or oil so emphasis was on the tight control of the electricity used. To be able to do this we installed an Advanced Electricity meter that gives us information for every half hour of every day. We can measure our energy so we can manage it. We can set alarms for unusual electricity use when something may have been left switched on. We can see how best to control the heating and lighting.
With this meter we can competitively purchase electricity in the wholesale market to take advantage of 'dips' in wholesale prices. We not only buy electricity competitively but we also buy carbon free renewable electricity so the church is now Carbon Neutral.
We have adjusted time clocks and controls to reduce our consumption as a result of the data gathered and improved the lighting where possible and installed LED's and low energy lighting .
As part of improving our eco credentials we have created a wildflower meadow in the cemetery thus creating a different environment to that of simple mown grass. The flowers that have grown have brought in many insects and birds to improve the eco diversity that is very evident to see. We also introduced 'No Mow May' to help with wildlife insect and flower growth
This journey has been rewarding and it is really the first step to be able to demonstrate to the wider community what can be done and that we all have a responsibility and can all do our own little bit to preserve the wildlife and environment of our planet.
Pictures below:
Slide 1 - The corner of the cemetery created as a wildflower meadow. Mowing of the grass stopped.
Slide 2, 3, 4 - Just some of the flowers that grew in place of the mown grass that attracted wildlife and insects.
Slide 4 - The eco sign explaining our intentions in the cemetery as sometimes the meadow can look unkempt.
Slide 5 - One of our community partners that helped us on our journey with advice and seeds
Slide 6 - Picture of Richard Garner and the church Advanced Electricity meter
Slide 7 - Replacing the old lighting for new LED and energy efficient lighting in the church
Slide 8 - Weekly report on electricity use in the church
Reflect biblically. Act boldly. Connect with nature in a new way.
Welcome to Wild Christian.
'Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time
we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.'
(Galatians 6:9)
What action will you take for nature this month?
Enjoy
- Admire autumn. With its golden leaves and fresh scents, let creation disrupt your destination this season. On your next walk or cycle to church, work or the shops, leave an extra 15* minutes earlier to discover how invigorating and uplifting creation is at this time of year - it really does wonders for your well being! *15 minutes or even longer!
- Prepare now and give a bird a home in 2024. It might seem to be a strange time to be thinking about bird boxes, but this is the season in which many of our resident birds slowly begin the process of looking for nest sites for next year. Therefore, it is a really good idea to get as many new boxes up as you can, before the end of the autumn season, as it will make it more likely for boxes to be used next spring. See here for more nest box tips.
Nurture
- Check the health of your local river. The Big River Watch is an invitation for communities in the UK and Ireland to love their local river and to be part of a movement demanding better for our rivers. To take part, spend a little time watching your local watercourse and answer the simple survey in the River Trust’s free app. Help build a picture and data on the health of our rivers and be part of the conversation demanding better for our rivers here.
- Clue up on the Nature 2030 campaign. The Nature 2030 campaign calls on all political parties to reverse the decline of nature by 2030 - but what ambitious actions are actually needed for this to happen? Watch our recent Wild Christian Campaign Takeaway webinar with Richard Benwell from Wildlife & Countryside Link to learn more here.
Defend
- Tell MPs that #NatureCantWait. The recent State of Nature report shows that UK wildlife is under threat like never before. A Rocha UK has joined with a coalition of nature charities to call on MPs to put nature protection and restoration at the heart of their policies. Speak up for creation and send a message to your politicians via our dedicated State of Nature webpage here.
- Monitor your MP’s consistency of ‘word and deed’. Many MPs say they are concerned about green issues but their actions aren’t always consistent. MP Watch is an online resource for those wanting to constructively engage with their MPs on climate issues. The site allows you to view your MP’s voting patterns, financial connections and record on honesty. There are already several MP Watch local groups around the country. Learn more and see whether there’s a group near you here.
Prayer Walk
Easy Eco Tips
Go Green(er) for Lent
How can we become better at caring for creation and improving our lives and the lives of others through healthy, eco-friendly and sustainable living?
The Lenten 40-day period before Easter gives us the opportunity to reflect on the practice of fasting and commit to giving up something that brings a real benefit to nature and helps address climate change. Below are some changes you could make that will help the environment. Take time to pray, reflect and consider these options – pick one or two or however many you’d like (you never know the changes might just stick!)
Go plastic free. Even if you can’t become totally plastic-free, make it your goal to at least reduce your use of plastic. Read Tom’s month without plastic blog here.
Switch off from digital. Explore technology-free times or areas of the house, switching to ‘airplane mode’ for the first hour in the morning and the last hour at night, ‘switch off Sundays’, reaching for your Bible over your device(s) and writing a list of outdoor things that you enjoy.
Boycott fast fashion. Emily reflects on how our clothes can bring us closer to our neighbour and have a lesser impact on nature. Read her blog here.
Buy less or second hand. Read here how mum of 2, Nic started with small changes: using Facebook marketplace and ebay more to invest in second hand clothing and toys.
Buy local or in bulk. Hannah shares how learning more about our food system has impacted what her and her family choose to consume. Read her blog here.
Become zero waste. Slowly try to reduce your waste a bit every week. Consider giving a home-made gift instead of buying a present, upcycling items or looking at your food shop and seeing what items you could buy differently, spending a bit more on loose fruit and veg for example.
Spend more time in nature. With weekly themes, these ‘Get Outside in Lent’ outdoor resources profiled in our Eco Church resources will help you connect with God as Creator and celebrate his creation in different ways over the Lenten period.
Invite wildlife into your garden or church green space (with permission!). Read John’s tips on greening our gardens for nature’s benefit here. Where possible, invite and encourage others in your church community to be part of the journey, for example, planting seeds as part of the children’s ministry or getting your church youth group to help build and stock up a hedgehog home.
Try a plant-based recipe or diet. Start by cooking yourself vegan or plant-based meals once a week and take it from there. As time goes on, cook more vegan/vegetarian meals and try to eliminate as many animal products from your diet as you can. Explore tasty recipes with Meat Free Monday or read about Kayleigh’s veganuary experience here.
Grow your own. Whether you have a garden or sunny windowsill, find out what you can sow and grow on a month-to-month basis here. Read how Vishadhi is using her home-grown food to bless her local community and food bank here.
Change your method of transport. How about walking or cycling for repeated errands, choosing one day a week to walk, cycle or take public transport to work where you are able to. Read about how Paul and his wife, Tara are changing the way they travel (and more!) here.
Take a step to save energy in your home. From draught-proofing windows and doors to swapping your bath for a shower, here’s a list of quick tips. You might be surprised at how many of these changes you’ve already made!
Move your money. Could you divest from fossil fuels and support a bank which invests in renewables? ‘Good with Money’ recommends some ethical choices here or for pension investments that help achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN in 2015 there’s ‘Make my Money Matter’.
Join the movement for fossil free Churches. Start the conversation in your local church to make a commitment to divest. Speak with your church minister or treasurer, and ask if the issue could be discussed at your next church council or PCC meeting. See the Bright Now campaign website for further information and guidance.
Join the Eco Church community. Make a commitment to long term action on the environment in your local community through Eco Church or other greening schemes. If you’re already part of an Eco Church, find out how you can help your church achieve the next award level.
Where do I start?
We are all different: what matters is that you take the first step. So choose a change to make – be gentle on yourself and realistic – but challenge yourself too!
One first action could be to calculate your carbon footprint. Use Climate Stewards’ carbon footprint calculator and consider one (or two) of the tips on how you can reduce your footprint.
And finally, we say… enjoy creation! We’ve made a list of ways to enjoy nature here.
Share your green lent journey by tagging us on social media.
Sign up to our free Wild Christian regular email for practical ways to enjoy, nurture and defend nature here.
A Greener Christmas - A Rocha
Our twelve tips for a greener Christmas
How can we be better at caring for creation and each other through healthy, eco-friendly and sustainable choices at Christmas? The ideas below could make a world of difference, and a difference to the world. Take time to pray, reflect, and consider acting on one or two, or however many you like! You may find the change is for life and not just for Christmas.
1) Start with your advent calendar. Support overseas farmers by ensuring that your advent calendar, and any Christmas chocolate, is Fairtrade. You’ll be helping those farmers to make a decent living, and encouraging them to farm in a more ecologically sustainable way with every bite.
2) Rent a tree. Did you know that, in the UK, 6-8 million real Christmas trees go to landfill every year? With a Christmas tree rental scheme you can enjoy a real tree knowing that it will be replanted later. Alternatively, dress up a living tree in your garden – add lots of bird feeders and fat balls, and some outdoor fairy lights to make a feast for your eyes and the birds. Or, visit the British Christmas Tree Growers Association to find out about buying an organic, FSC-certified, or locally grown Christmas tree.
3) Go for a natural wreath and decorations. Holly sprigs, ivy trails, pinecones, rose hips… Take a bag, go for a walk, and see what you can find! Make sure that you have permission from the land-owner before you start snipping. Don’t take too much and do leave some berries for the birds. Source as much as you can from what’s already dropped. Then get creative and make a beautiful wreath and Christmas decorations from natural materials.
4) Re-use cards and wrapping. Help reduce the huge amount of trees that go into making Christmas tags by re-using old Christmas cards. Recycle the section that carries the greeting, cut out the picture and use that as a tag. You could use fabric remnants and ribbons to make simple, drawstring gift bags in various sizes. Use these for your family and close friends and they could be reused for years to come. Recycled brown paper has a much lower ecological footprint than Christmas wrapping paper. Young children might enjoy decorating it and that might buy you five minutes to get all those other Christmas jobs done!
5) Create homemade gifts. Baked goods for example, or buy gifts from a charity shop – you’ll be amazed at what can be found. You could buy an attractive glass or vase and fill it with chocolates or flowers. Kilner jars, and other glass jars, filled with small items also make attractive gifts.
6) Make sure your gifts don’t cost the earth. Many beauty products contain palm oil. Its production causes mass deforestation, air pollution and human rights abuses. Read labels carefully. Avoid products with unsustainable palm oil. This palm oil free list can help you choose products and retail outlets that are less destructive to the natural world.
7) Give the gift of time. Too many unwanted gifts end up in landfill. Here’s an idea. What about a gift of cooking for someone once a month for a year, taking them for a coffee, babysitting, house cleaning… or whatever. Just make a ‘gift of time gift voucher’ and put it in a card for them.
8) Dim the lights but not the joy! LED Christmas lights help to save energy and money. You could make your table festive with some candles, scented ones perhaps. Use eco-friendly candles made from beeswax, soy or other vegetable alternatives – avoid paraffin-based candles. And empty jars with some ribbon make beautiful DIY candle-holders.
9) Remember the reason for the season. Practising generosity and hospitality is a great way to show Christ’s love at Christmas. Invite someone who’d otherwise be on their own, to join you on Christmas Day. It’s also a way of reducing energy consumption as they’ll share your heating and cooking!
10) Try a meat-free Christmas meal. A high-meat diet causes environmental problems, be it overgrazing of land, pollution, or the intensive use of water or fossil fuels. Have a conversation about this with the people you’ll be eating with. Would they consider a meat-free Christmas? Would they be willing to try a tasty new vegetarian recipe? If you do eat meat, make sure it’s free-range or organic, and buy it from a local farmer or independent retailer.
11) Recycle right. More waste ends up in landfill over Christmas than during the rest of the year, so it’s a great time to review your recycling set up. Different local authorities offer different recycling provisions, so find out exactly what you can recycle at home by entering your postcode here. For information on how to recycle anything you’re not sure about see here. Don’t forget – most wrapping paper is not recyclable. You can test it by doing the ‘scrunch’ test. If it springs back, it isn’t recyclable. And always remove the sellotape before recycling.
12) Carry on caring for God’s earth throughout the year. Nature needs us more than ever. By giving regularly to A Rocha UK, you’ll be helping nature flourish here in the UK. You can make a one-off donation or give regularly here.
Choose a change to make this Christmas. Be gentle on yourself and be realistic, but challenge yourself too. To help you make changes beyond Christmas, sign up to Wild Christian for more ways to enjoy, nurture and defend nature. To take action as part of your church community, explore our Eco Church resources here.
Four of our Benefice Churches (Ashby Parva; Claybrooke Parva, Dunton Bassett and Leire) have embarked on the process of becoming an Eco Church and are working our way towards the first Bronze award. We have appointed Eco Ambassadors in these four parishes to champion the changes we need to make and to encourage us all to make those lifestyle changes too.
As we approach the beginning of September and the beginning of the season of creationtide and all our harvest festival services - here are some 3 second prayers to remind us of our need to care for creation.
Campaigning on the climate and cost of living on Thursday 29 September, 7:30 - 8:30pm. The UK is in the middle of a serious cost of living crisis, with energy bills set to skyrocket this winter forcing many to choose between eating and heating their homes. In response to this, it is vital that we don’t go backwards with fossil fuel expansion which will only make things worse, but find solutions which tackle the climate and cost of living crises together. That’s the goal of the new campaign, Warm this Winter, from a coalition of organisations across the UK environmental and anti-poverty charities. Join us and special guest, Green Alliance, to hear what we can do to support this campaign.
Click the link below to register for this event:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/campaigning-on-the-climate-and-cost-of-living-tickets-407956287237
The FINAL REPORT is in - THE BIG PLASTIC COUNT
The shocking results suggest that the UK’s homes produce 96.6 billion pieces of plastic packaging waste a year, with only 12% being recycled in the UK. The rest is exported to other countries to deal with (17%), buried in landfill (25%) or burnt in incinerators (45%).
The results send a clear and urgent message: recycling is not enough – we are producing far too much plastic packaging waste to deal with – so we must turn off the plastic tap. The only solution to plastic pollution is stopping our reliance on plastic.
The government must set legally binding targets to almost entirely eliminate single-use plastic, starting with a target of a 50% cut in single-use plastic by 2025. It must also ban plastic waste exports, set a moratorium on new incinerators and finally implement a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles and new Extended Producer Responsibility requirements.
Read the report in full:
Caring for God's Acre
St Peter's Church Claybrooke Parva recently took part in the 2022 Count on Nature during the annual summer fete. A number of children and families took part, hunting around the grounds to identify plants and insects. These results will be uploaded to the CFGA website and to the national database.
on the 3rd July this was what was identified - I suspect the birs were frightened away by the number of people at the fete!!
Insects & Wildlife
Common House Spider, Black Lace Weaver Spider, Ant, Green Shield Bug, Woodlouse, Violet Ground Beetle, Small Black Beetle, Snail, Money Spider
Plantlife
Zigzag Clover, Buttercup, Snowberry, Tufted Vetch, Bramble, 3-leafed Clover, Bugle, Dog Rose, Ivy, Lawn Daisy, Alkanet, Hawkweed, Wood Woundwort
Trees
Holly, Yew, Horse Chestnut, Sweet Chestnut, Beech, Ash, Hawthorne, Cherry, Sycamore
Birds
Male blackbird, Pigeon
The Big Plastic Count - RESULTS
Our recycling system is broken
The Big Plastic Count has revealed that UK households throw away almost 100 billion pieces of plastic every year and only 12% of this is recycled in the UK. Instead our government ships more of our waste overseas where it's often dumped or burned.
Watch and share this video now to help pile pressure on the UK government to fix the plastic waste crisis.
WATCH THE VIDEO: LINK BELOW (takes you to the Greenpeace website where the video is sited)
Green Christian
This is a community of ordinary Christians from all backgrounds and traditions. Inspired by our faith, we work to care for Creation through prayer, living simply, public witness, campaigning and mutual encouragement. For more information or to sign up for webinars visit their website: https://greenchristian.org.uk/
Examples of upcoming webinars:
Wednesday 22 June 7pm - 8.15pm
Desire for the new: Responsibility in a throwaway culture
7-8th October 2022
Building back greener? Christian perspectives on the future of our economy, money and work
Monday 27 June 2022 7pm – 8pm
How Green is your allotment?
Living with less plastic
Having recently completed the big plastic count, I was still horrified at the amount of plastic I used, most of which was outside my control. I used 0% plastic in household goods and toiletries as I use refillable containers adn have already made the change to soap shampoo bars, but food packaging was still not good. 33% was soft plastic which is not recycled by many councils.
Currently, too much single plastic is being produced without reusable alternatives that suit everyone's needs. We need governments, supermarkets and companies to take action to reduce the amount of plastic that’s being produced in the first place.
In the meantime, if you want more information on how we as individuals can reduce our own plastic use, take a look at the link below for a handbook that you can download with tips on how you can reduce, reuse and refill!
https://thebigplasticcount.com/media/Living-with-less-plastic-handbook.pdf
Congratulations to St Peter's Church Ashby Parva for receiving their Bronze Eco Church award. Many thanks to our eco ambassador Alex Stone who along with others enabled this to be achieved. Well done to all.
Congratulations to All Saints Church Dunton Bassett for being awarded the Bronze Eco Church award, the first of the churches in the Benefice.
Well done and many thanks for all the hard work involved in achieving this.
5th June- World Environment Day
As well as being the Platinum Jubilee Weekend and the Feast of Pentecot Sunday 5th of June is also World Environment Day (WED).
Often we scratch our heads and think we as individuals are powerless to make the dramatic changes that are needed, but every little helps. Here is an extract from the WED document about how we as individuals chan help to bring about change.
Individuals
As citizens, workers, students, consumers or in any number of other roles, our individual decisions shape how our societies impact the environment. As well as making our personal lives more sustainable, as individuals we can press for and support faster and more far-reaching environmental change from larger entities like governments and businesses.
Raise your voice
Speak up for the big changes that really transform our relationship with the planet. Here are some ways to make yourself heard:
• ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE – Support leaders with clear commitments and/or a track record of action on environmental emergencies including climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Encourage your government to join the net-zero coalition, live up to or increase their ecosystem restoration commitments and get in line with the Paris Agreement.
• START THE DISCUSSION – Start a petition, organize a debate or call a demonstration to encourage your government – national or local, including at city-level – as well as big businesses to join the net-zero coalition, transform transportation, restore and protect nature and clean up our air and water.
• ASK FOR ACTION – Ask your town council, employer, school or university to set ambitious sustainability targets, join the Race to Zero, support the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and take part in efforts to make and monitor progress. Encourage, put pressure on and support your national and local governments and businesses in taking measures to improve air quality by addressing sources of air pollution.
• CAMPAIGN – For sustainable urban planning, including the restoration of disused or contaminated sites, the inclusion of green spaces in new housing developments, and strong public transport networks.
• SPREAD KNOWLEDGE – Take a deep dive into the science around an issue that concerns you and
spread your knowledge with friends, family and your wider community, and in public discussions, including on social media.
• GET INVOLVED – Join a local organization that advances sustainability and restores nature including by campaigning for systemic change.
For more examples of the transformative changes that you can call on governments and other actors to accelerate, read through the other sections in this guide.
Links
https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/climate-action/act-now
https://natureforall.global/home
Environment and Climate Justice
Step 1
At home in Creation
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
and crowned them with glory and honour.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:1-9
Reflection
Creation is a gift, it reveals something of God to us – intricacy and complexity, beauty, power, abundance, majesty. If we don’t experience creation – see, smell, touch, hear, taste – we will miss this. It’s also been shown that spending time in nature improves our health and wellbeing. The world that God has created is our home, and home to all the other creatures that God has put into our care. Perhaps starting at home is the best place to begin our journey towards care for the environment and climate justice being core to our Christian faith.
We can begin to do this by looking at our own carbon footprint. Whatever the size or shape of the place we live, it has one! Taking stock of the energy we use isn’t only about managing our household bills. This can be a very spiritual practice if it is done with the understanding that our whole lives are committed to God, and this is one angle or lens of looking at the whole of life and seeing how it stands up. As people who are called to bring hope, to be kingdom builders, and to love God and neighbour, any action to reduce our carbon footprint is an expression of our Christian discipleship.
Author: Jo Chamberlain
Response
Take a prayerful audit of your carbon footprint – as an individual or household, using one of the carbon calculators you can find online.
This one from WWF https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/#/ is fairly simple and you can also download the app which gives you more suggestions for what to do next.
Carbon Stewards https://www.climatestewards.org/offset/ probes deeper and will give you a more detailed breakdown of what your carbon footprint is. This website encourages you to offset your carbon by giving you an amount to donate, which will be invested in projects to reduce carbon emissions and at the same time support low-income communities overseas.
Next Steps:
Find out more about the Church of England Environment Programme here.
Once you have calculated your carbon footprint, the next step is to make a pledge to reduce it. We’ll explore more in the coming steps.
Environment and Climate Justice
Step 2
Energy
And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
Genesis 1:14-19
Reflection
Pretty much all the energy we use today comes from the sun. Even wind and rain stems from solar energy. Some of the earth’s solar energy was locked up millions of years ago by green plants which died and decayed and eventually turned into coal, or by plankton which died and fell to the bottom of the sea, eventually turning to oil or gas.[1]
Genesis 1:16 tells us that God set the sun to govern the day. Each day, the sun gives us more energy than we can possibly need. The trouble is we are using up our ancient, fossilised sunlight and using it up much, much faster than it was laid down. But we are not making the most of the energy that is renewed daily by the rising of the sun.
When we crack open the earth to release its stored energy, we also release its stored carbon. We now know this blankets the earth with its greenhouse effect, causing rising global temperatures and all the associated global climate chaos which leads to so much misery and suffering.
[1] https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-04-26/there-are-just-two-sources-of-energy/
Author: Jo Chamberlain
Response
In our homes, we use energy for heating, lighting, cooking, and all the devices we plug in. How can we make the most of God’s daily good gift of sunlight, and rely less on the stored-up energy of fossil fuels?
The first and easiest step is to make sure the energy you use is renewable. Switch to a renewable energy tariff for your gas and your electricity.
The second step is to reduce the amount of energy you use in the first place. This is still important even if you’ve switched to renewables, because we need to reduce the total energy demand so that everyone can be supplied by renewable energy. Here are some suggestions about where to start:
· Switch off lights, and other devices when you are not using them. Don’t leave things on standby!
· Make sure your heating only comes on when you need it. As long as health conditions allow, turn the thermostat down 1 degree and wear an extra layer of clothing.
· Use your kitchen devices efficiently – only run the dishwasher washing machine when they’re full (but not over-full). This even applies to the oven - can you cook two things at once so you only need to turn it on once? This requires a degree of planning! Leave clothes to dry rather than using the tumble drier wherever possible.
If you share your home with other people, these ideas need good co-operation. So it’s really important to talk and decide things together.
Next Steps:
For further details on energy saving tips to reduce your household energy use, visit the Centre for Sustainable Energy website.
Environment and Climate Justice
Step 3
Travel and Transport
With what shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:6-8
The Bible is full of exhortations for God’s people to seek justice, especially for the poor and vulnerable in any community. To do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly are the acts of worship required by God.
We know that climate change throws into sharp relief injustice that already exists. The poorest countries, with the tiniest carbon footprints, are suffering first and worst the impacts of the climate crisis. That’s why this series is called Environment and Climate Justice, not just Environment and Climate Change.
The next part of our carbon footprint we are going to consider comes from travel and transport. There’s a double injustice going on here, because the emissions from the vehicles on our roads are also very significant when it comes to air pollution. World over, air pollution affects the poorest the most.
The coronavirus pandemic has been devastating, as has the time spent in lockdown for many. But we also experienced how much cleaner our air was when there was almost no traffic on the road. Whatever you do to reduce the carbon impact of your travel and transport will also have a positive impact on local air pollution – that’s a double win!
Author: Jo Chamberlain
Response
Prayerfully consider the journeys that you make. Which ones could you change to reduce your emissions?
There’s a hierarchy of sustainable options for travel:
Firstly, is the journey even necessary? Which connections can be made by phone or video call, and which need that personal interaction of a face-to-face encounter? The pandemic seems to have changed our view of the answer to this question.
For those journeys we will continue to make – can they be made on foot, or by bicycle? If not, is public transport an option?
And of course, there will be times when a car is your only option, but there are still ways to reduce your impact. You could car share, or use a car club, and if you own a car, make your next one electric.
And finally, flying has the biggest impact of all.
Make a commitment to drive less, walk and cycle more. Pick a regular journey from your week and leave the car behind. And once that has become a regular habit, pick another one!wind be always at your back.
Next Steps:
More carbon cutting steps can be found on the Count Us In website, a global campaign to get people to join together and take practical action on climate change.
Environment and Climate Justice
Step 4
Food
When you make your neighbour a loan of any kind, you shall not go into the house to take the pledge. You shall wait outside, while the person to whom you are making the loan brings the pledge out to you. If the person is poor, you shall not sleep in the garment given you as the pledge. You shall give the pledge back by sunset, so that your neighbour may sleep in the cloak and bless you; and it will be to your credit before the Lord your God.
You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy labourers, whether other Israelites or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt.
You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow’s garment in pledge. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.
When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings. When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.
When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this.
Deuteronomy 24:10-15, 17-22
Reflection
I love blossom season – trees covered in a great showy display of pink blooms. The flowers are so abundant and look beautiful. And yet they are so fleeting. They last just a few days and then are gone. God seems to put so much effort into such a magnificent display for such a short time. His generosity with these flowers is extravagant but so worth it. Blossom, for me, is a symbol of God’s wild abundance - an abundance to be enjoyed and shared by everyone.
The verses from Deuteronomy are part of a set of instructions for God’s people about how they should live together. These verses in particular talk about how to treat the more vulnerable members of their society, making sure the poor are always treated with justice and fairness. And within these verses, we find a principle for our relationship with the earth as well.
Like the blossom which inspires me, the resources of the earth have been given for the benefit of everyone and everything which shares our common home. These resources are not to be hoarded and kept for the few, but available for the many. In the final four verses, provision is made for access to food for those who would not otherwise have it. Whatever rights he or she may have, the owner of the land is not to exploit it and wring out every last drop of what it might produce. Some of the harvest is to be left, made available to those in need.
We would do well to follow that same principle today. Squeezing out the maximum yield from every scrap of land in our modern farming methods, has devastated nature and biodiversity. Our economy is built on the increase of profit at the cost of the people at the bottom of the heap.
A different approach would allow other things to be given value, such as equality, nature, health and wellbeing, rather than just maximum gain. The earth is not ours to exploit for every last drop, but a place for everyone to have a share.
Author: Jo Chamberlain
Response
Shockingly, one third of food that is produced is thrown away and never eaten. That means all the effort, energy and carbon emissions that went into producing it are completely wasted.
Producing certain food produces a lot more carbon emissions and takes up a lot more land and water resources than others. Meat and dairy are the most energy and resource hungry, especially beef, followed by lamb.
Changing our eating and food shopping habits can reduce our personal and household carbon footprint, and also influence the way food is produced in the long term.
The best way to reduce the amount of food you waste is to plan. Plan what you will eat for a week, and make a list when you go shopping.
The best way to reduce the carbon emissions from the food you eat is to eat more plants. Start by going meat free one meal/day a week, and then two and so on, or cut out red meat. If you’ve already done that, go vegan one meal/day a week and so on.
Eat local and seasonal – this cuts food miles, and the extra energy needed to heat greenhouses just so we can eat tomatoes and strawberries all year round. If food comes from far away, choose food that comes on a ship, not delicate, perishable food which is flown in.
Next Steps:
Could you grow some of your own food? Even a space as small as a windowsill can accommodate herbs or salad leaves.
Environment and Climate Justice
Step 5
Stuff
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-20
Reflection
These verses form part of 3 chapters known as the Sermon on the Mount. You could think of them as Jesus’s manifesto, and they are really worth reading all in one go. They get to the heart of what it means to follow Jesus – and they reveal that it is what goes on in the heart that really matters. It is not the outward appearance that really matters, but the motivations inside us that lead to those actions and appearances.
Jesus gives many warnings about accumulating too much stuff. Think about the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:13-21) or the shocking statement that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven (Luke 18:25).
These verses give us a clue about why we need warnings about stuff. It becomes a distraction, and the focus of our attention. We worry about keeping hold of our stuff. We worry about what our neighbours or friends will think about our clothes or the state of our homes. We forget to fix our eyes on God, we forget that God sees what goes on in our hearts, that God knows what we need, and that God loves us.
Every day, we are bombarded by messages from advertisers designed to make us unhappy with our lot, an unhappiness that can only be fixed by buying their product. But it is not stuff which will make us happy or content. Our first priority is the kingdom of God, and our security lies in storing up treasures in heaven.
Author: Jo Chamberlain
Response
When it comes to the environment, what we buy really matters. Every new thing – whether that’s a mobile phone, new clothes, a takeaway coffee, or something much bigger – takes energy to make, as well as other precious resources. Did you know it takes 7,600 litres of water to make a pair of jeans? When you throw it away, those resources are gone. So, the key here is to make things last as long as you can.
Buying good quality in the first place helps things to last. How good depends on what you can afford, but often, if you can invest up front it will save you money in the long run.
Fixing things means you don’t need to throw them away and buy something new. This is where YouTube is your friend, from sewing on buttons to replacing the element in your oven. More and more places have a local Repair Café https://www.repaircafe.org/en/about/ for things you can’t do yourself.
Shop second-hand and seek out your local charity shops. You could resolve not to buy new clothes for a month or even a year. Instead, you can check out charity shops or have a clothes-swapping party with your friends or church community. Set your own rules – you will probably want to make an exception for underwear, for example!
Cut down on plastic waste wherever you can. Some suggestions are: take a re-usable water bottle out with you, use a re-useable cup for take away hot drinks, take a packed lunch instead of buying prepacked sandwiches, chose products with a minimum of or no plastic packaging. Sometimes you don’t have a choice. If businesses aren’t making it easy, write to them and ask them to change. It does work. Eventually!
Next Steps:
As well as buying stuff, money is used for savings, pensions and investments. Check out ECCR for steps to ‘green your money’.
Environment and Climate Justice
Step 6
Talk about it
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1 & 2
Reflection
In the previous chapter, the writer of Hebrews summarises the stories of some of the greats of the Hebrew faith, in order to encourage Christians to persevere in their own faith. And at the start of this chapter, the writer sets up an image of an athletics track filled with other believers, cheering us on to keep going, even when the going gets tough.
Stories of the faithful inspire and motivate us. Not just the big stories, but all the little encouragements we share with our friends and in church are all important to keep us going. This is the same when we apply our faith to the environmental crisis we see all around us. It helps us to hear stories of what other people have done, and to keep us hopeful that we are making a difference.
So, to turn it round a little, each of us, as we tell our own story, is an encouragement to someone else in their journey of faith. We’re running the race, but we are also one of the great cloud of witnesses, encouraging our fellow runners.
Author: Jo Chamberlain
Response
It turns out that peer pressure is a real catalyst for change when it comes to environmental actions. When one person puts solar panels on their house, others in the same street will often quickly follow. It works so well with solar panels because they are visible to everyone in the street. So to the get same effect with actions you can’t see, people need to talk about them.
By now, there are probably lots steps you’ve taken to reduce your carbon footprint. But how many other people know you’ve taken those steps? Commit to telling your family, or neighbours, or people in church about the changes you’ve made and why. If they are interested, can you make the next step together?
I think it also quickly becomes apparent on this faith journey into environmental issues, that our individual actions are important and necessary, but they aren’t enough. We can reduce our own carbon footprint, and we must. But in order to reduce carbon emissions enough to stop global temperatures rising, all parts of society need to act. That includes our neighbours and the church. And it also includes businesses and governments.
Choosing the bus instead of the car is much easier if there is good public transport where you live. Changing public transport depends on local councils, but as an individual, you can raise your concerns with your local councillor. Similarly, things like investing in more renewable energy and how we heat our homes all depend on government policy rather than individual action. Our part comes in telling the government that we would support policies that tackle carbon emissions.
Next Steps:
If you would like to encourage more households in your church to take steps to cut carbon, the Creation Care scheme will help you.
Making contact with your MP can be daunting at first so check out Hope for the Future for some great advice.