This is the theme for our current church project - how can we make a difference to... global warming, excessive use of energy and water, creating waste, and don't forget the problems of those affected by global changes (environmental and economic). Below your will find suggestions from our away day (Autumn 2007). Would you like to make a difference?
Use of Energy
Sources of energy: Hydropower, Hydrocarbons, Solar, Wind.
We use it for: TVs, Heaters, Lighting, At work, In our free time.
What can you do? Turn off lights. Turn off heaters. Lower temperature in the bedroom. Walk or use the bike. Keep water in a thermo flask. Use home-grown produce. Switch off TV when speaking to people!
What can the church do? Raise self awareness. Create a committee on environment. Pray. Recycle service sheets every week.
What can our community do? Individual energy control. Increase energy efficiency. Incentives to reduce energy consumption. Tree planting.
Use of Transport
What can the Church do? Encourage people to use car less and bicycles more. Have a "non-car" competition. Encourage environmental UN. Video meetings for leaders. Pray for new solutions.
What can our community do? Heat pavements so people can bicycle in winter. Buy home grown produce. Buy Fair-trade if local not available. Use quotas for meat & petrol. Develop new energy friendly technology. Develop transportation that collects CO2 and disposes of it. Take local vacations. Use telephone/video meetings.
Use of Water
Some Facts: 7/10 of earth is water; our body is 80% water. Human activities are polluting water by discarding of chemicals, etc. 1 billion humans lack clean water. Increasing water level threatens low laying countries.
What can you do? Control domestic water use. Take colder/shorter showers. Install modern toilets. Educate on the economical use of water. Install rain collecting tanks where appropriate. Reduce use of produce that induces deforestation. Use right type of vegetation. Do not buy bottled water when tap water is fine.
What can the Church do? Pray for rain or no rain. Church leaders should inform congregation about water management. Church leaders should make political statements.
What can our community do? Conservation projects for conserving water. Recycling water from melting snow. Encourage education people on correct use of wetlands etc. Organize the community members to clean the environments.
Waste Production
Some thoughts: The richer you are the more rubbish you produce. There is nowhere called "away" - so you can't throw anything away! Reduce what you can and recycle what you cannot.
What can you do? Be aware of package waste. Buy reusable things. use ecological recycled paper products. Are things you use (e.g. nappies)biodegradable?
What can the Church do? Not use disposable plates etc. Reduce amount of paper used in church and when using paper use recycled paper. Have an environmental policy.
What can our community do? Promote awareness and action on entire recycling process (e.g. demand for a product). Promote reduction in packaging. Exploit rubbish (use methane for energy, burn ruibbish for heat). Take responsibility for the produce cycle (computers, phone, collect/recycle).
Biodiversity
Some thoughts: Love nature (the group collected different types of ants, plants, mushrooms, fungi, leaves). Huamns take space and that can harm the environment and decrease number of other species.
What can you do? Optimize our daily life. Use less energy. Be aware of how to dispose the waste. Have community pickup of waste. Decrease consumption.
What can the Church do? Increase awareness in the congregation and community. Support projects that conserve the environment.
What can our community do? Environmental impact assessments should be considered when doing big projects. Incineration of waste is positive.
Are you just thinking about it - or doing something about it?
