Eco-Congregation Scotland E-News

Eco-Congregation Scotland  Annual Gathering
Have you registered yet for the ECS Annual Gathering yet? At the event, we will be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Eco-Congregation Scotland, and hold the charity’s first AGM. The Gathering will take place on 5th March 2011, 10am – 3.30pm, at Bridge of Allan Parish Church Halls, Keir Street, Bridge of Allan.

We are very pleased to welcome Kathy Galloway, Head of Christian Aid Scotland, to preach at the Celebration Service. The programme of the day will focus on ‘Our daily Bread’ and look at issues of sustainable living. As usual, a variety of interesting and challenging workshops will be part of the programme.
Register now to participate in the event, by contacting us at scotland@ecocongregation.org.uk or the address below before 16 February 2011.

At the AGM, a new Board of Directors will be elected by the charity members. If you are interested in becoming a director, please contact us.

While everyone is warmly invited to attend the AGM, only charity members of Eco-Congregation Scotland are able to vote. You can register as member of the charity by filling in the form attached to the invitation and sending it back to us.

Climate Challenge Fund
We would also like to remind you that the climate challenge fund has opened for new applications. Full information and application forms are available on the website. The application deadline is 14th February.

Carbon Fast: 9 March to 23 April 2011
The Carbon Fast, organised by Tearfund, provides simple carbon-cutting actions together with prayers and reflections daily during Lent (starting on 9 March). This can be a good way to introduce people to the issue of climate change and to give ideas how they can respond by taking action, praying and reducing their own emissions. All the information can be found online at the Tearfund website  Printed action guides can be ordered from  the following link.

National Spring Clean
Keep Scotland Beautiful is organising the National Spring Clean, Scotland's biggest clean up campaign.
Over 83,000 enthusiastic litter pickers united to give Scotland a timely spring clean last year, and hopefully this spring it will be even more. Group organisers can sign up online; all the information you need about the campaign is at the Keep Scotland Tidy website. Please note that due to popular demand the campaign dates for 2011 have been extended from one month to two: Monday 14 March – Monday 16 May: any centrally registered litter picks taking place on or between those dates will count towards the national campaign.

Camas Outdoor Activity Centre
Camas, our newest eco-congregation, is an outdoor centre on the Isle of Mull. With its own wind turbine, solar panels and composting toilets they try to minimise their impact on climate change. They invite you to visit them and to participate in a programme week there. A Gardening Week, full of community (organic!) gardening mixed with time for reflection and individual explorations, will take place between 2nd and 6th May. Between 24th and 30th September, the programme will focus on ‘Exploring Creation’, with Kathy Galloway leading this reflective and recreational programme week. Please visit the Iona Community website for more information.

Do you have news you want to tell eco-congregations about? Let me know for the next e-news!
Best wishes from Eco-Congregation Scotland!

Eaarth: making a life in a tough new planet

Bill McKibben has written a really interesting book entitled EAARTH: MAking a Life in a Touch new Planet  addressing climate change issues. His main premise is that we have altered the climate to such an extent that the earth is no longer as it once was and therefore we should call it by a new name. he suggests EAARTH. This change of name is in recognition of the impact that humans have had on the planet. Although this idea is not new since it was first proposed by Paul Crutzen, who suggested that our current geological epoch should be labelled "anthropocene" to "emphasize the central role of mankind in geology and ecology". 

McKibben's book is particularly interesting becuase he looks at the likely changes that might happen to the earth if we fail to stabilize concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at 450 parts per million or below. He was instrumental in the development of the "350.org" group which campaigns for the stabilisation of concetrations of carbon dioxide at 350 parts per million. Sadly, it is not possible anymore to do so since the current overall level is around 435 parts per million, but McKibben argues that if we "keep on as usual" the earth might reach significant rises in global temperature where for example, some areas of the world might become deserts, whilest others might be totally flooded. The redrawing of the map where people could live would cause major economic and social conflicts. The full review of mcKibben's book can be accessed at the New York Review of Books.

McKibbn's book has great ability to communicate the facts and although sometimes the approach is far too much directed to a US audience, it is very much worthwhile reading material if you are wondering why are we covered in snow, when there is supposed to be global warming.

Partnership between the Reformed Church in Hungary and the Kirk

The Church of Scotland recently hosted a delegation from the Reformed Church in Hungary. The Hungarians came to the UK under the sponsorship of  the ECEN Eco-Management group which propomotes the development of twinning partnerships between churches in Europe with an Eco-Management ethos. ECEN also promotes the twinning of churches who would like to develop an eco management approach to their activities. The Hungarian delegation visited different Councils within the Church of Scotland and an agreement has been signed between both organisations. The low-down of the agreement is a project for the development and promotion of eco-congregations in Hungary.


The main goal of the project is to adapt the“Eco-congregation” programme to Hungarian church life, and to sensitize Hungarian churches and church members to care for creation in a self-supporting way. The Reformed Church in Hungary committs itself to develop and promote eco-management programs in Hungarian congregations and other church institutions since up to now, isolated programs and projects have been accomplished in the church, but the increasing need for environmental provision has prompted  them to establish a wide-ranging initiative of church environmental activities in Hungary. The project has established the following outputs by 2012.

Exchange information on activities and facilities within both countries
Import and adapt ideas from “Eco-Congregation Scotland” project, 
Form an Advisory Council in Hungary to help congregations to make the link between environmental issues and Christian faith both in spiritual and practical life,
Organise conferences in Hungary on the Christian eco-management, 
Establish a Hungarian homepage and printing leaflets to disseminate eco-congregation facilities, 
Translate relevant materials from http://www.ecocongregation.org/, 
Establish an Eco-Congregation Award Scheme in Hungary.

Congratulations on the agreement. This opens up great prospects of cooperation between churches in Hungary and Scotland.

Sanctuary First Prayers for Creation: check it out!

I stumbled upon this website on prayers written collaboratively by Christians. the prayers are modern, written by ordinary people. The month of August is dedicated to Creation and the Environment. This is what they say about themselves.

Sancturay First is written for and by Christians who want to be passionate about daily worship but we know how easy it is to lose heart and fall by the wayside. We at Sanctuary First just want to be honest as we grow in our faith. We don’t want to be ‘over the top Christians’ who fall off the edge, instead we want to recognise that we won’t always get it right but if we journey as a group of companions with Jesus at the centre he will save us from ourselves.Some of the prayers are really thoughtprovoking. Have a look.

Responding to Climate Change: Congregational committment in Scotland

Involvement in the national and international debate

To support Eco-Congregations it is proposed that the Church of Scotland engages more fully in the national debate; particularly on the implementation of the Scottish Climate Change Bill and its implications for all aspects of life in Scotland. Ministers and MSPs have welcomed the growing role of the Church and we should not be shy to develop this.

The Church is a member of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition which also includes other faith groups and environmental NGOs. The Church brings another ethical perspective to the coalition that complements the environmental and scientific expertise of groups such as WWF Scotland or RSPB. Scientists and campaigners have welcomed the growing role of the Church and, in conjunction with the SRT project, there are great opportunities to engage further with both groups.

The Conference of European Churches and World Council of Churches have identified climate change as a priority. The Church of Scotland can make a significant contribution to this international debate. The practical steps underway in Scotland and the experience we are developing means we can offer practical help and support to others and support the growing role of churches worldwide.

The first year of the project Responding to Climate Change has demonstrated the commitment and the potential that exists in the Church. Among congregations there is a concern and commitment to tackle climate change. However this is only the beginning of the work that will be needed if the Church is to fulfil its mission. It now has the opportunity to reassert its national role in leading change; in challenging and supporting congregations and communities to respond to climate change.


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Do we need to purchase carbon credits?

What is the role of domestic consumption in cuttting down carbon emissions? Scotland can lead the world by ensuring that at least 80% of the effort to reach targets is achieved through reductions in domestic emissions rather than through the purchase of carbon credits.

It is important to really examine whether we are meeting our targets by reducing consumption, or merely through the purchase of carbon credits. Targets met through reduction of consumption means that people are really addressing issues of energy consumption in their lifestyle. If Scotland sets out a limit on the number of international credits that can be used to meet its emission reduction targets it would be the first industralised nation to do so by making evident its willingness to make deep cuts at home. A limit on the use of international credits would also help reduce the scepticism amongst developing nations that rich countries are unwilling to examine overconsumption issues prevalent in the lifestyle of their populations.

A reliance on international credits to cosmetically help us reach our emission targets merely shows our ability to buy ourselves out of a problem instead of collectively shouldering our resposibility with all other nations.


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Credits
The cartoon was done by Radu Stoita

Why are we doing all this? Some lovely videos

Sometimes it is easy to get so caught up in statistics, emission targets, lobbying groups, reading your meter and thinking about reducing your carbon footprint, that we might loose the plot. I found this beautiful video of nature in all its glory and I could not help but admire what we have, and renew the committment to work towards preserving our planet for the future.

The video was the opening statement at the Nature Conference in Barcelona.
Have a look at the video here.

The second video is about the connect2earth programme where young people submit environmentally orientated films for a film competition. Check out the connect2earth video here. Enjoy!


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International Aviation & shipping emissions

The second way that Scotland could lead the world is by including in its emission targets the emissions stemming from international aviation and shipping.
It is important for each country to account for all of its emissions. All emission sources should be included in each country's targets from the outset. In Scotland, aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of emissions. If aviation and shipping emissions get included in the Climate Change Bill, Scotland will demonstrate a willingness to take responsibility for all its emissions.

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Credits
The photo of the airplane traffic jam was taken by Fuzzy Gedes