Greening our Church - with EcoGenesis

One God, one world, one responsibility

Eco-genesis – Diocesan policy

Last year the Diocese in Europe published its Environment policy. A copy of the policy is now posted on the Church noticeboard, and you can read it via this web link

The policy includes the theological basis for action and activities to be undertaken at Diocesan, chaplaincy and individual levels.

With your help the Eco-genesis group at St Peter and St Sigfrid's is implementing the policy.

EcoGenesis: Theological Reflection

The gospel of St John tells us about the logos, God’s self-sharing love, through which everything is created. This self-sharing love animates every aspect of life and every single life form within creation.

For Christianity ecology is therefore a matter of justice, for the human and the non- human world alike.

In modern times humanity has developed a way of life in which nature, God’s creation, has been oppressed and regarded as something to be consumed in the search for ever greater profits.

If we wish to live in communion with God’s self-giving love and with creation, then we cannot continue to live as consumers of what God has made. It is our sacred duty, our God-given responsibility, to find a way of relating justly with the rest of God’s creation.

EcoGenesis: the Issues

Climate Change, Global Warming, Carbon Footprinting and You

The climate of the Earth is always changing. In the past it has altered as a result of natural causes. Nowadays, however, the term climate change is generally used when referring to changes in our climate that have been identified since the early part of the 1900's. The changes we've seen over recent years and those which are predicted over the next 80 years are thought to be mainly as a result of human behaviour rather than due to natural changes in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases are gases that keep the Earth warm (global warming). It is the extra greenhouse gases which humans have released which are thought to pose the strongest threat.

The greenhouse gas currently of most concern is carbon dioxide (CO2). The increase in CO2 levels due to emissions from fossil fuel combustion, followed by aerosols (particulate matter in the atmosphere) and cement manufacture, other factors, including land use, ozone depletion, animal agriculture and deforestation, are thought to all affect climate.

Although there is great uncertainty about exactly how climate change will affect us, researchers have highlighted that sea levels will rise; crop production will change regionally; there will be higher incidence of certain diseases and ecosystems will change.

Essentially, our lifestyles are having a negative impact on the Earth.

In order for each of us to understand our individual impact on our surroundings, we can use carbon footprinting tools.

Your carbon footprint is a measure of how your domestic and social activities are affecting the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases you produce per year, measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide.

EcoGenesis: Outline Plan

At St Peter and St Sigfrid’s we will work towards environmental sustainability on two fronts.

1. Reducing the environmental impact of the activities of the church corporate (Sunday worship and other events)

2. Motivating and enabling individual members of the church to reduce the impact of their lives on the environment.

The reasons for doing the second of these, as well as the first are to make caring for creation part of the daily practice of our faith and to expand the opportunities for change

There will be five areas for attention:

1. Fuel/transport

2. Energy (especially heating)

3. Supplies (things that come into our lives)

4. Waste (things that go out of our lives)

5. Water

Living in a sustainable way is currently a long way off for all of us living in the western world. We want to take the church, and its members, through a process that will make a significant difference. It will take time to do this, and we propose that we set out together on a three year journey.

Before any change begins, we shall measure our environmental impact. This can be done, for both the church, and for individuals, using simple, free tools, available on the internet.

Measurement will take place between now and the summer holidays. The aim is to have 50 members of the electoral roll actively involved, and that the “carbon footprints” of these people will be measured in the next 2 months.

Through the three years (starting September 2008) we will progress from “easy wins” to self-perpetuating change.

The first year of our journey towards sustainability will be about making simple, easy changes. For instance, changing lightbulbs and recycling.
In the second year of our journey we’ll tackle systems that involve changes in behaviour – use of buildings and transport.
And the third year will be to consolidate and to introduce ways in which people can continue to reduce their impact in the future. Perhaps we’ll also encourage others to take action in this year – our landlords for instance.

Change aims:

5% reduction year on year of the average carbon footprints of individuals
10% reduction year on year of the carbon footprint of the church corporate.

The EcoGenesis Group is Claire Wigg, Guillermo Cavieses, Rene Abrahams and Jenny Timmins. If you would like to be part of it, then send us an email or contact one of them directly. They'll be very pleased to hear from you.

To catch up with the Archbishop of Canterbury on environmental issues see here: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/127

Find details of the Church of England initiative Shrinking the Footprint here: http://www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org/