The World Development Committee - Whose Earth?

Whose Earth?

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Environmentally friendly ideas for churches

At this year's General Assembly, the World Development Committee brought the resolution: "That Christian persons, congregations, presbyteries, Church House, and General Assembly Boards and Committees identify means by which they can reduce their carbon emissions and implement them." Below are some ideas by which this resolution may be put into effect as part of this year's Whose Earth?-Cut the Carbon World Development Appeal.

Creative church ideas

Organise a viewing of the recent Holywood film, 'An Inconvenient Truth' which addresses the issue of climate change. The film can be legally shown in a church provided the church has paid for a CCL license with a video extension. Also, there is a recent version of the film which includes a 30 minute update at the end of the film.

Organise a giant 'Rubbish chutes and green ladders' game -- see below.

Join Tearfund's Carbon Fast and take one simple step every day for 40 days to reduce your carbon emissions. This idea is perfect for a small group or church to do as a 40 day programme or during Lent 2009. Click onto www.tearfund.org for more information.

Plant a tree/trees as part of this year's World Development Appeal, explaining why you are doing this and perhaps using suitable prayers/liturgy.

Encourage the use of the 'eco gifts' in both Christian Aid's and Tearfund's ethical gifts catalogues.

Hold a no electric lights Carol service.

Organise a Night of Non-Power as an activity for young people with the support of Christian Aid's Youth and Schools staff. More information: Dave Thomas in the Belfast office. dthomas@christian-aid.org.

Hold a walk to church/car share Sunday during Advent

Simple Steps

Use Tearfund's carbon calculator -- My Global Impact -- to work out how much carbon dioxide you emit, find ways to reduce it, then share what you have to protect poor people from the devastating impact of climate change. Click onto www.tearfund.org to do it online.

More advanced types of the same approach are the Irish government one: www.change.ie (it takes into account what RoI electrical suppliers you use for example) and campaigns.direct.gov.uk/actonco2 for UK-based churches and individuals.

Change your church light bulbs to energy efficient ones.

Get the young people involved and let them lead initiatives to discover practical ways for the congregation and its families to become active in saving, reusing and recycling. There is a wealth of ideas for youth leaders on an mpower resource called 'Feeling the Heat'. Available by order or online on learn.christianaid.org.uk/YouthLeaderResources/Feelingtheheat.aspx

Also, once practical steps have been implemented by individuals as well as churches, people can write to their MEP and MLAs to tell them about their steps to cut down CO2 emmissions and their interest in what the representatives are doing in this respect. Other campaigning and lobbying ideas can be found on the icount.org.uk site of the stop climate chaos coalition.

Switch your electricity supply to NIE's 'green' tarriff

More advanced

Organise a 'Green' church audit - you may like to use the Church of England 'Shrinking your footprint' audit www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org/measure_audit.php

Be accredited as an eco congregation; there are currently only two in Ireland. Click onto www.ecocongregation.org.uk for more information

Rubbish Chutes & Green Ladders (like snakes & ladders)

Draw a large (possibly giant sized) grid with 100 squares (10 x 10).

Work with the children to number each square consecutively from 1-100. Start in the bottom left hand corner and work along one row, up one column and back along the next row (like a snakes and ladders board).

Encourage the children to identify 10 good things to do with the environment. Examples might include: recycle bottles, put bird food in the garden, put used gum in the bin, compost waste vegetable matter, go shopping with a bag and refuse unnecessary wrapping, buy recycled paper, walk to church or use a car to pick up someone else, plant shrubs with berries for birds.

Encourage the children to identify 10 bad things to do with the environment. Examples might include: stick gum under chairs or pews, brush teeth with the tap full on, use a car to drive less than 1/2km, throw cans and glass bottles away, throw sweetie papers on the pavement, turn the heating up to maximum, leave lights on in rooms not being used.

Write the bad things on squares and draw a chute leading downwards.

Write the good things on squares and draw a green ladder leading upwards.

Colour the pictures and squares appropriately.

Write 'start' and 'green citizen award' on squares 1 & 100 respectively, then start the game by rolling the dice!