"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it"
Psalm 24 v 1
Our mission is to proclaim this truth and to enable our church fellowship, corporately and individually, to become good stewards of God's creation.
Psalm 24 v 1
Our mission is to proclaim this truth and to enable our church fellowship, corporately and individually, to become good stewards of God's creation.
The aims of the SBC Green Team are:
To deepen our understanding of the biblical perspective on caring for creation as well as each other
To raise awareness within the church that the responsible stewardship of creation is an important part of Christian discipleship.
To find practical ways in which we can live more sustainably, as a congregation,and as individual Christians in the world
To join with others in campaigning and working to safeguard all of God’s creation.
Join us – contact Malcolm Smith [email protected]
To deepen our understanding of the biblical perspective on caring for creation as well as each other
To raise awareness within the church that the responsible stewardship of creation is an important part of Christian discipleship.
To find practical ways in which we can live more sustainably, as a congregation,and as individual Christians in the world
To join with others in campaigning and working to safeguard all of God’s creation.
Join us – contact Malcolm Smith [email protected]
Eco Tips
March
7 March
Single use plastic causes many environmental problems. A group is asking for help to gauge the amount of plastic used in the UK. You can help by taking part 11-17 March.
See link for all the details, and to sign up: https://thebigplasticcount.com/
14 March
Gather soft plastics (from fruit punnets, ready meals, chocolate, sweet and biscuit wrappers, plastic crisp packets etc) and place as many as possible in a plastic bread wrapper. When full drop off the bag at a supermarket collection point.
21 March
Earth Hour is a global annual event. Please join in by doing something positive for our planet from 8.30 pm local time to 9.30pm on the 23rd March 2024. Earth Hour started in 2007 with 2.2 million Australians in Sydney turning off their lights for one hour. By the 2020s people in over 190 countries were taking part and the action has moved beyond simply turning off lights - see Earth Hour for ideas.
31st March
Get politically engaged on environmental issues. Email your MP or person you are considering voting for, in the run up to elections and ask about their commitments on climate change and the environment. Be clear to the people who can change things, that this matters to you.
Single use plastic causes many environmental problems. A group is asking for help to gauge the amount of plastic used in the UK. You can help by taking part 11-17 March.
See link for all the details, and to sign up: https://thebigplasticcount.com/
14 March
Gather soft plastics (from fruit punnets, ready meals, chocolate, sweet and biscuit wrappers, plastic crisp packets etc) and place as many as possible in a plastic bread wrapper. When full drop off the bag at a supermarket collection point.
21 March
Earth Hour is a global annual event. Please join in by doing something positive for our planet from 8.30 pm local time to 9.30pm on the 23rd March 2024. Earth Hour started in 2007 with 2.2 million Australians in Sydney turning off their lights for one hour. By the 2020s people in over 190 countries were taking part and the action has moved beyond simply turning off lights - see Earth Hour for ideas.
31st March
Get politically engaged on environmental issues. Email your MP or person you are considering voting for, in the run up to elections and ask about their commitments on climate change and the environment. Be clear to the people who can change things, that this matters to you.
April
4 April
Resist temptation to spend needlessly by minimising window shopping and browsing of online shopping websites. Don’t watch tv ads and delete emails which aim to get you to browse and buy. All are activities which increase dissatisfaction with what you already own and encourage impulse buying.
11 April
Aim to limit clothes buying by replacing garments rather than adding extra to your wardrobe. If you are replacing clothes, donate or sell surplus instead of binning clothes.
18 April
Washing clothes at lower temperatures works! Instead of washing at higher temperatures, try 20 or 30 degree washes instead. Do the occasional hot wash (eg towels) to keep your washing machine clean and fresh.
25 April
Only buy peat free compost. Peat bogs are a hugely important wildlife habitat and also hold a lot of carbon in the ground. This is released when peat is extracted and the bogs are drained. Make your own compost for an even more sustainable option!
Resist temptation to spend needlessly by minimising window shopping and browsing of online shopping websites. Don’t watch tv ads and delete emails which aim to get you to browse and buy. All are activities which increase dissatisfaction with what you already own and encourage impulse buying.
11 April
Aim to limit clothes buying by replacing garments rather than adding extra to your wardrobe. If you are replacing clothes, donate or sell surplus instead of binning clothes.
18 April
Washing clothes at lower temperatures works! Instead of washing at higher temperatures, try 20 or 30 degree washes instead. Do the occasional hot wash (eg towels) to keep your washing machine clean and fresh.
25 April
Only buy peat free compost. Peat bogs are a hugely important wildlife habitat and also hold a lot of carbon in the ground. This is released when peat is extracted and the bogs are drained. Make your own compost for an even more sustainable option!
May
2 May
No mow May. Put your mower away until June so that flowers can grow in your grass. Flowers (daisies, dandelions and clover) are an important early nectar source for pollinators. Nesting birds also like to forage for insects and worms in the longer grass, as their young need this food source to survive (seeds and nuts aren’t enough.) Take a break from mowing and help nature.
9 May
Instead of using plastic toothbrushes, swap to bamboo brushes. You can buy them in Poundstretchers When you are ready for a new one, snap off the brush and use the handle as a plant label.
16 May
Return empty aerosol inhalers to your pharmacy for safe disposal. Even when empty they contain residual propellent which when in landfill, leaches into the environment contributing to Global Warming.
23 May
Return unwanted medicines to your community pharmacy for safe disposal. Medicines can get into waterways causing harm to freshwater life.
30 May
Don’t over-order medicines. More than 10% of prescription medicines are wasted. Although unwanted medicines should be returned to the pharmacy for disposal, community pharmacists can’t yet reuse any unused, returned medication even if unopened and in date. Order what you will actually use.
No mow May. Put your mower away until June so that flowers can grow in your grass. Flowers (daisies, dandelions and clover) are an important early nectar source for pollinators. Nesting birds also like to forage for insects and worms in the longer grass, as their young need this food source to survive (seeds and nuts aren’t enough.) Take a break from mowing and help nature.
9 May
Instead of using plastic toothbrushes, swap to bamboo brushes. You can buy them in Poundstretchers When you are ready for a new one, snap off the brush and use the handle as a plant label.
16 May
Return empty aerosol inhalers to your pharmacy for safe disposal. Even when empty they contain residual propellent which when in landfill, leaches into the environment contributing to Global Warming.
23 May
Return unwanted medicines to your community pharmacy for safe disposal. Medicines can get into waterways causing harm to freshwater life.
30 May
Don’t over-order medicines. More than 10% of prescription medicines are wasted. Although unwanted medicines should be returned to the pharmacy for disposal, community pharmacists can’t yet reuse any unused, returned medication even if unopened and in date. Order what you will actually use.
June
6 June
Reduce your carbon footprint by holidaying in the UK or by reducing the number of flights you take each year.
13 June
Leave your car at home! Try to identify one regular car journey which you can eliminate by walking, or by taking the bus or train. Make it your new routine and allow yourself the time to do this. You may even get some exercise!
20 June
Join a campaigning organisation or charity which aligns with your values and is doing positive work to care for Creation. Support them financially or make a regular donation of your time because working together is more effective. Consider Tearfund, Christian Aid, Fareshare, Christian Climate Action, Operation Noah, A Rocha or Oxfam.
27 June
Reduce food waste by designating one shelf in the fridge for items needing to be eaten soon. This works well in busy households where more than one person is cooking and where it can be easy to lose track of what is in the fridge.
Reduce your carbon footprint by holidaying in the UK or by reducing the number of flights you take each year.
13 June
Leave your car at home! Try to identify one regular car journey which you can eliminate by walking, or by taking the bus or train. Make it your new routine and allow yourself the time to do this. You may even get some exercise!
20 June
Join a campaigning organisation or charity which aligns with your values and is doing positive work to care for Creation. Support them financially or make a regular donation of your time because working together is more effective. Consider Tearfund, Christian Aid, Fareshare, Christian Climate Action, Operation Noah, A Rocha or Oxfam.
27 June
Reduce food waste by designating one shelf in the fridge for items needing to be eaten soon. This works well in busy households where more than one person is cooking and where it can be easy to lose track of what is in the fridge.