What you can do to care for creation
This section of the Eco Church web site gives some practical lifestyle tips and advice on what we can all do to care for God’s Earth.
- Reduce your waste
Waste refers to all the things we buy that we then throw away because we don’t need them. It may be food that we don’t eat, clothes that we never wear, plastic packaging, the list is endless. Waste is bad because we are using the natural resources of the planet to produce things that we don’t want. Earth’s resources are not limitless. Then disposing of our waste damages the environment. Where is does rot, it produces methane which increases global warming. Where it does not rot, it fills up landfill sites, where green fields use to be found.
Some practical tips
Two apples – if you eat two apples a week, then only buy two loose apples from the supermarket, don’t buy a bag of 6 apples. No plastic waste, no food waste and it is cheaper.
No new dress or new suit for that family occasion – do you really need to buy a new outfit for every party you go to? Nobody will notice that you have worn that dress or suit before and if they do, tell them that you are caring for God’s Earth.
If you cannot reduce your waste, please try to recycle it in the correct council supplied bin or compost your food at home.
- Reduce your energy use
We use energy in every aspect of our lives. In our houses and church building we use gas and electricity for heating, lighting and cooking; and we use petrol and diesel when we drive our cars. All this energy comes from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) which releases carbon dioxide into an ever warming atmosphere.
Some practical tips
Turn off lights – if a room is empty turn off the lights in that room.
Fit LED light bulbs – whenever you need to replace a light bulb, fit an LED bulb as it will save around 85% of the energy used.
Don’t leave your TV on standby - that uses energy and is a waste of money.
Reduce your car use – can you walk, cycle or use public transport when you go to meet your friend for a coffee, go to art club, come to church or go shopping?
- Use Fairtrade and other ethically sourced goods when you can
Amersham Free Church has been a supporter of Fairtrade goods for many years. We use Fairtrade products at Lunch Break and Tea at Three and our Fairtrade stall is open after our Sunday services for people to buy products from.
We would like to encourage everyone to buy Fairtrade and other ethically sourced goods, as they help producers in developing countries to achieve better trading conditions by securing the rights of marginalised producers and workers. At the same time Fairtrade products are produced to high environmental standards, so everyone wins when you buy Fairtrade products.