Ecology

Ecology is very much at the forefront of the Justice and Peace Commission’s work. Care and protection of the environment is integral to Justice and Peace spirituality. All third and developing world issues, such as Make Poverty History, Fair Trade and Debt, are inextricably linked with the environment and sustainability. We cannot begin to tackle these problems with taking the environment into account – that means not just looking after our own local environment but also looking to the environment world-wide.

The Commission encourages church congregations to become eco-congregations by asking them to be proactive in the reduction of the energy they use and how much they recycle. Our quarterly newsletter often contains articles on environmental issues.

The Commission also works with schools and youth groups and each year organises a tree planting day on the land surrounding Myddelton Youth Retreat Centre in Ilkley.

An Appeal

We would like to invite those concerned about Climate Change to join a working party to explore ways of raising awareness of the issues concerned and to offer practical solutions in parishes and communities across the diocese.

If you care about God’s creation and recognise the theological and moral implications then contact the Justice and Peace Office.

 

Ten Steps Towards a Carbon Neutral Church

(You don't have to do them in this order!) Last revised, 24th October 2005

1 . Get your Church Council to agree:

  1. That Christians should be concerned about climate change.
  2. That the church has a 'duty of care' to think globally and act locally on this issue.
  3. To nominate a particular person to promote these Ten Steps within the church.

2. Measure your church's 'carbon footprint' (see below).

3. Call the Energy Savings Trust on (0800) 512012, to ask for their advice on ways in which your church's energy consumption (and its energy bills!) could be reduced.

4. Install low-energy light bulbs. Put a sign beside light switches, asking people to turn them off when not in use.

5. Turn the heating thermostat down by 1°C. Reduce the amount of time that the heating is on each Sunday by 15 minutes.

6. Encourage people to share transport. Work out who travels from where, and put people in touch with each other.

7. Encourage individual church members to measure and reduce their own 'carbon footprint' (PTO). Get them to sign up for Christian Ecology Link's 'Operation Noah' campaign. For more information call (01949) 861516 or visit www.christian-ecology.org.uk/noah.

8. Get the PCC to switch its electricity supplier to a source of green electricity. Visit or phone one of the following:

9. Get your Church Council to agree to off-set the environmental cost of the church's remaining carbon emissions by making a donation through the Carbon Neutral Campaign. Contact Charlie Henderson of the Carbon Neutral Campaign on Charlie@carbonneutrahtewcastle.com or at (0191) 277 7149, or visit www. carbonneutralnewcastle.com.

10. Review these Ten Steps (especially No. 2) in a year's time.

A Simple Carbon Calculator
For use by the Church.

From the four quarterly bills for each of the following types of energy use, calculate the annual consumption in kWh.
Use the multipliers to calculate the associated Carbon Dioxide emissions.

  • Electricity multiply by 0.43
  • Gas multiply by 0.19
  • Oil multiply by 0.26

For a 'typical' Sunday (of course there's no such thing, so you'll have to use both imagination and common sense) determine the total number of miles travelled to and from church by members of the congregation. Use the multipliers to calculate the associated CO2 emissions.

  • Travel by Car (petrol), multiply by 0.33
  • Travel by Car (diesel), multiply by 0.20
  • Travel by Train, multiply by 0.10
  • Travel by Bus, multiply by 0.05

Don't count people who travel as passengers in a car,

Multiply the figures obtained by 52.12 or as appropriate to determine the annual figure.

  • The gathering of information at this stage can be seen as a problem. It is better seen as an opportunity for raising awareness within the local church of the significance of climate change.
  • You could work with the young people in your church to do a survey.
  • You could hand slips to people as they arrive at church, and collect them back as they leave.
  • You should do the same for church groups which meet on a weekly, monthly or other regular basis.

Add the amounts for each category to obtain a figure for your church's 'carbon footprint' in terms of CO2 emissions (kg/year).

For use by individuals

  • Do your own calculations for the energy categories above.
  • Divide each total by the number of people in your household.
  • Do your own calculations for travel as above, for Air travel multiply by 0.20.

Add the amounts for each category to obtain a figure for your 'carbon footprint' in terms of CO 2 emissions (kg/year).

Compare your figure with the average 'domestic' figure of about 5,500kg/yr.

The total figure for the UK, including industry etc, is 11,000kg/yr per head of population. In order to restrict atmospheric CO 2 concentrations to about one-and-a-half times those of the pre- Industrial Age, we need to reduce our emissions by 80% by 2050. Thus, we should be working towards an average 'domestic figure' of 100kg/yr.

For more information see: