Richard's Blog

Not Funny, But True..?

As we approach Climate Change Sunday (3rd June) [read about Tearfund's Don't be Derek campaign], thanks to T for his steer to this rather 'alternative' perspective on the whole thing, courtesy of f8d.org... you'll have to click the image to see the full-size version (so you can read the text):

I Count Rally - November 4th

Thanks to Katy, from our Soul Connections group, for this 'guest post':

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We voted a few weeks ago between three campaigns, trade, HIV and climate change. All Souls chose climate change. So, here's an opportunity to do something...

Saturday 4th November

12.30am - 1.15pm          Worship Service

St Martin-in-the-fields (just off Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ)

1.15pm - 3pm                 Rally

Join thousands of others at the main I Count event in Trafalgar Square to hear inspirational talks and live music.

3.30pm - 4.30pm            Refreshments and find out more Tearfund

Christian organisations will be hosting refreshments and the opportunity to browse more information about cimate change, just around the corner at St Paul's Church, Bedford Street, London WC2E 9ED

It is all on the eve of the international climate change talks in Nairobi and we will be sending a message to Tony Blair and other world leaders that we share God's passion for justice, and care about climate change.

We'll meet at St Margaret's station at 11am. You will need to bring something for lunch, or be prepared to get something on the way. And obviously, you'll need a train ticket.

If you'd like to come, and it'd be great to get as many of us along, email me on [email protected] to let me know you're coming.

For more information go to the Tearfund website.

Katy

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How much do you care..?

At the risk of overloading the blog on environment matters, I came across this article on a site I often look at when my geeky desire to read about more gadgets and bits of "kit" overtakes me... TrustedReviews.com

For a site devoted to the latest and greatest computers, graphics cards, mp3 players and the like, it was rather refreshing/surprising to read a two-page piece on the environment, energy useage and ways we can change our every-day practices to make a difference.

Worth a read for some very practical (albeit IT-dominated) suggestions. The piece finishes with this:

Many of the behaviour changes I’ve suggested are simple, easy and free to implement. Some will save you money.

Some might mean giving up something you like, putting in that bit of extra effort when you buy new equipment and get rid of old and maybe even not getting the device you really want because while its features are great you can’t go along with its eco characteristics.

So what? In the long run this seems like a small price to pay.

The short-term pain for long-term gain is something we are fabulously awful at in our culture and society (perhaps human beings have always been grotty at "delayed gratification"?) - but of all people, surely Christians should be able to lead the way with our eyes on a bigger prize?

Ok - on to "nutty Christianity" tomorrow!

More on the film...

As a quick follow up to my post earlier today (see below) about the film An Inconvenient Truth, Tearfund have put out a press release along the same lines (read the news report of it here):

As Christians, we can no longer ignore the implications of human-induced climate change. ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ is a powerful and challenging film which highlights the climate chaos that is increasingly undermining the livelihoods and security of the poor people Tearfund works with.

The damage that the West’s rabid consumerism is doing to the developing world is a justice issue that Christians must stand up and be counted on. Whether or not your political views are aligned with Al Gore’s, he presents the science in an engaging way that everyone can understand.

This is a vital issue that is going to affect us all. I would encourage everyone to watch the film, then join with Tearfund as we lobby the UK government and take action to cut down on our carbon emissions.
[Andy Atkins, Tearfund’s Advocacy Director]

An Inconvenient Truth

I rarely (ever?) recommend films here - tastes vary so widely it's a pretty risky business!

This time, though, I think I'm justified in saying that there's a film opening that every thinking adult ought to go and see - An Inconvenient Truth.

I've blogged about it before and it's finally arrived after a remarkably successful (for a documentary that is) season in the States. The reviews online are even more dazzling than back then (believe me, a score of 92% on that website is unheard of!), including this one from The Chicago Sunday Times:

In 39 years, I have never written these words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to.

The film's website, climatecrisis.net makes for sobering, but helpful reading - the real disappointment is just how few screens the film is opening in this weekend. The Odeon website, for example, lists just a handful nationwide, but that thankfully includes one not that far away from us at the Kensington Odeon from this Friday...

If anyone out there fancies taking on the project of seeing if we can hire a local screen for a showing in Richmond or Twickenham - let me know!

What's our footprint like?

The Bishop of London has issued a call for Christians to "walk more lightly upon the earth" and to make lifestyle decisions accordingly - and there is now a big push on for making sure that churches themselves don't duck the environmental impact of their own buildings a practices.

The Sunday Times carried a fairly full report of Bishop Richard's remarks in advance of the publication of a major Church of England report into care for the environment, Treasures on Earth - you can view the website for "Shrinking the Footprint" here:

THE Bishop of London has declared it sinful for people to contribute to climate change by flying on holiday, driving a “gas-guzzling” car or failing to use energy-saving measures in the home... Richard Chartres will encourage vicars to preach more green sermons and warn congregations that it is now a moral obligation for Christians to lead eco-friendly lifestyles.

Chartres, who chairs the bishops’ panel on the environment, said: “There is now an overriding imperative to walk more lightly upon the earth and we need to make our lifestyle decisions in that light.

“Making selfish choices such as flying on holiday or buying a large car are a symptom of sin. Sin is not just a restricted list of moral mistakes. It is living a life turned in on itself where people ignore the consequences of their actions.”

Chartres, the third most senior bishop in the Church of England, has declared his views as it prepares to publish Treasures on Earth, a booklet on environmental matters to be sent to every diocese for distribution.

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said: “We stand before God’s judgment on these matters. In life we have to make moral choices over our sex life and over our domestic and financial affairs. We make choices of moral significance and our relation to the environment is no exception.”

So, apart from our commitment to go on preaching on this and campaigning about climate change and environmental matters, what are we going to do practically as a church?

1. Relatively small matters, such as recycling paper (and CD's!), turning off heating where not needed and switching off computers overnight are becoming an increasingly natural part of our office and church environment.
2. We are looking very seriously at ways to drastically cut our gas useage for heating - our bill for the church alone is around £5000 per year at the moment: a fearsome amount for a short length of time each week and a clear sign that we could be much more efficient.
   • We're currently investigating the change to underfloor heating (with a cost of approx £13k plus a replacement floor cost of that again or more)...
   • We're even looking at "geothermal" heat pump technology which uses the difference between underground and surface temperatures to warm the heating water... It may prove beyond us financially or unfeasible technically, but we're taking the possibility seriously.
3. We're also going to look at the possibility of installation of domestic size "wind turbines" - newly developed technology that looks like it could, with suitable grants, pay for itself relatively quickly.

What else could/should we be doing? Any ideas?

Climate Chaos

During our All-Age Tearfund service, we voted on which of three issues to particularly focus on in terms of a "big issue" for us as a church. All three options are hugely important - climate change, fair trade and HIV/Aids - but it was climate change that won the day.

The idea is not that we ignore the other two (HIV/Aids, for example, will feature heavily in December, FairTrade continues to have a stall regularly... amongst other examples), but that we will take this is an indication of a desire to especially focus our campaigning efforts as a church on Stopping Climate Chaos.

A few links to get things going:

• Friends of the Earth have a good range of features and interesting stuff on their website.
• Tearfund, of course, have an excellent set of pages themselves.
• Ecotopia.co.uk is an online shop featuring environmentally friendly products and energy saving or generating devices - a fascinating place!
• The Laundry advertises a range of recycling options - did you know, for example, that if you return your sermon CD's to church we can send them off to be recycled rather than just end up as landfill?

...no doubt there'll be more to come.

Thank you, as well, for the generous gifts towards TearFund's campaign to stamp out TB - if you didn't get a chance to give, please do send in donations to the office (cheques to Tearfund please) or you can give direct via the TearFund site.