Environment
Do you want to explore sustainable living as part of the outworking of the gospel? Do you want to do something to encourage wildlife in your Churchyard or on a scrubby patch of land around the Church? Do you want to build links by working on an environmental project with your local primary, secondary school or community group? Do you need access to information, support and sources of funding for environmental projects? Are you already doing something and want to encourage others? Have you done something and have good news to share? |
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This year there are a number of initiatives that you and your parish can take to make a difference to the environment:
- Become part of the Church of England's Shrinking the Footprint Campaign.
- Become a parish pump
- Join the Diocesan Environment Group
- Participate in the Living Churchyard project
Useful information
Diocesan Environment Policy
A Diocesan environment policy was unanimously adopted at the March 2007 Diocesan Synod. Download a copy here
Parishes are encouraged to set deadlines to allow compliance with environmental targets to be measured. more.....
Here are some simple measures that can significantly reduce the amount of energy we use in our buildings. more....
Shrinking the Footprint
The Church of England has asked all churches to complete a short audit of their energy consumption. The aim is to provide a national picture of the current energy use with a view to encouraging more sustainable use of energy in the future.
There are several forms that can be downloaded (all in PDF format):
- Note of explanation - from the Church of England.
- The questionnaire - to be completed and returned to the Diocesan Office.
- The Audit - for you to use to assess your energy use.
Forms were sent in the Bundle to clergy and PCC secretaries in June. Thank you to the many parishes who have given thought to environmental issues as part of this campaign and have returned the questionnaires about their energy usage to the Board for Church and Society office. If your parish has not yet sent its answers back there is still time for them to be included in the diocese's response by the end of October.
See the Links section below for details of the campaign's website.
Parish Pump
The Parish Pump programme is a free resource for individuals around the country with an interest in the environment and sustainable living. The Diocese is encouraging each parish to have someone registered as a parish pump on behalf of the parish. You can register as a parish pump simply by going to www.conservationfoundation.co.uk and filling in the online form. |
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Parish pumps are part of a national network organised and supported by The Conservation Foundation (sponsors of the Millenium Yew project) and the Mission and Public Affairs Division of the Church of England. Parish pumps receive:
- A regular newsletter chock-full of information on what is going on around the country and ideas for local initiatives;
- Access to occasional conferences centred on topical sustainable consumption and production issues: the St Albans ‘Kyoto Local: Concern in Action’ Conference is one of a series of these conferences (see above);
- Opportunities to apply for Parish Pump Priming Awards to turn ideas for environmental projects to benefit the local community into action;
- Information about other sources of funding.
The Diocesan Environment Group
If you have time and enthusiasm to help promote sustainable development throughout the Diocese why not join the Diocesan Environment Group? For more information e-mail: environment@stalbans.anglican.org
The Diocesan Environmental Officer is the Revd Martin King. Martin welcomes contact on environmental matters via email on martin.king@stalbans.anglican.org or by phone on 07963 196416.
The Living Churchyard Project
The objective of the Living Churchyard Project is to help churches manage their churchyards in a wildlife-friendly way, while being sensitive to the needs of all the users and in particular to its primary function as a resting place for the dead and a contemplative place for their friends and relatives.
Judith Evans is promoting the Project within the Diocese of St Albans and is able to provide sources of reference, guidance and advice. In some cases practical help will be available through partner organisations. You can email her at environment@stalbans.anglican.org.
New Grant Available in Bedfordshire – closing date 8th September 2008
GrantScape, the national environmental grant-making charity based in Bedfordshire,has announced the launch of a special grant programme to support nature conservation projects in Bedfordshire and Luton. The initiative is supported by Bedfordshire County Council and by “BedsLife - Biodiversity Forum for Bedfordshire and Luton. Churchyards are specifically included.
Further details at www.grantscape.org.uk .
Open Evening at St Lawrence Churchyard, Abbots Langley, Herts.
Guided walk round this Living Churchyard followed by refreshments and discussion on churchyard management on Tuesday15 th July 2008 at 8pm. All welcome, entry free.
Details from Judith Evans environment@stalbans.anglican.org.
Woodland Burial Trust
St Albans Woodland Burial Trust will hold its second Open Day on Saturday June 17 from 2.00pm until 5.00pm at the St Albans Woodland Bural Ground at Keysoe.
Further information from The Administrator: Mrs Linda Parry. St. Mark's Church Community Centre, Calder Rise, Bedford. MK41 7UY. Tel/Fax 01234 342613 Email: woodland@thisischurch.com Or www.thisischurch.com/woodland
An article about Woodland Burial can be read here
“Kyoto Local: Concern into Action” Conference
This conference co-hosted by the Diocese and the Conservation Foundation took place on 13 July.
A Conference Report has been written by the organiser, the Revd Ruth Lampard. The Report is a summary of the talks given by the speakers on 13 July 2006. Sources include the conference rapporteurs the presentations made available to the Diocese of St Albans by speakers. The 22 page report can be downloaded here in pdf format.
Also available to download are some of the presentations. Most of the following presentations are very large files in pdf format.
Morning Panel
- Malcolm Keay from The Oxford Insitute for Energy Studies (pdf) here
- Paul Jefferiss from the RSPB (pdf) here
- Richard Watts from Bedfordshire County Council presentation (pdf) here and text (pdf) here
Cleaning up our environment
- David Bookless from A Rocha (pdf 3mb) here
- John Turner from the Advisory Committee on Packaging (pdf) here
- Kully Birring from Luton Borough Council waste management (pdf) here
Eco-efficiency in buildings
- David Drewe from English Heritage - Presentation (pdf 1.6mb) here and text here (pdf)
- Jo Rathbone from Eco - Congregation (pdf) here
- Yasmin Shariff from Dennis Sharp Architects and the University of Westminster (pdf 2mb) here
Food production and consumption
- Anthony Davison from Big Barn (pdf) here
- Jeremy Boxall from LEF (pdf) here
- Steve Bumstead from LEAF (pdf) here
Useful links
Shrinking the Footprint: http://www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org/
World Environment Day: http://www.unep.org/wed/2006/english/
A Rocha UK: www.arocha.org
The Arthur Rank Centre: www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk
Christian Ecology Link: www.christian-ecology.org.uk
Conservation Foundation: www.conservationfoundation.co.uk
Eco-Congregation: www.ecocongregation.org
The John Ray Institute: www.jri.org.uk
Religious Education and Environment Project: www.reep.org.uk
Books
Sharing God’s Planet: a Christian Vision for a Sustainable Future. A Report Commissioned by the Church of England’s Mission and Public Affairs Council, ISBN 0 7151 4068 X
The Care of Creation, Focusing concern and action R J Berry, ed, Intervarsity Press, 2000
How to Rescue the Earth Without Worshipping Nature: A Christian’s Call to Save Creation T Campolo, Word, 1992
Wildlife in Church and Churchyard N Cooper, Church House Publishing, 2001
Choices at the Heart of Technology: A Christian Perspective R Conway, Trinity Press International, 1999
Earth Spirituality: Jesus at the Centre A James, 1999
Animal Theology A Linzay, SCM 1994
Why are we Deaf to the Cry of the Earth S McDonagh, Veritas, 2002
The Environment and Christian Ethics M Northcott, CUP, 1996
Making Creation Visible: God’s Earth in Christian Worship A Pearson, Grove Worship Series No 137, Grove Books, 1996
The Earth Under Threat G Prance, Wild Goose, 1996
