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Prayer guide
for the care
of creation
February 2011
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come
down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the
eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to
me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the
thing for which I sent it.”
(Isaiah 55.9-11)
“We can say today that man is far too clever to be able to survive without
wisdom . . . Now that we have become very successful (in science and
technology) the problem of spiritual and moral truth moves into the central
position.”
(E.F. Schumacher)
.
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Tuesday 1st February microgeneration such as solar PV,
BP and the Russian state-owned solar thermal and heat pumps. The
company Rosneft have signed a far- £280,000 GETC project is a
reaching partnership to develop oil partnership between renewable
resources in the Arctic, ignoring energy manufacturer Stiebel Eltron,
scientific evidence of the potential for training provider Scientiam and the
disaster in such a challenging Skills Funding Agency. Stiebel
environment. Big oil has decided to managing director Mark McManus
drive forward our oil consumption said: “By 2016 all new homes must be
despite the obvious risks to the global carbon neutral, so there is massive
climate and to the environment. If that pressure on the construction industry
means supporting the motor industry to ramp up its expertise in green
in procrastinating over the introduction energy. But there is carrot as well as
of more efficient vehicles, so be it. If it stick. Green energy provides a real
means pressing governments for fossil commercial opportunity for properly-
fuel subsidies, they will do it. If it trained installers.”
means expanding airports and
keeping aviation fuel tax-free, they will Thursday 3rd February
make sure it happens. However, Household Energy Services in
recent figures show that more Shropshire has a team of 50 trained
graduates are choosing jobs in volunteers who provide an
renewables than in a declining oil independent free home energy survey
industry. As the chorus for a green for homeowners across the Welsh
future gets louder, the oil majors Marches considering renewable
redouble their efforts to chase the oil energy options. As winners of the Big
deposits in ever riskier places – in Green Challenge 2010 HES also
deep water, tar sands and now the advises farmers on ways of reducing
Arctic. their carbon footprint. www.h-e-s.org
Wednesday 2nd February Friday 4th February
The Green Energy Training Centre In a report commissioned by the All
(GETC) in Wirral opened last Party Parliamentary Group on Peak
November and has begun training Oil, the Lean Economy Connection
courses for installers of paints a bleak picture of fuel and
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energy shortages and advocates a
rationing system called Tradable Sunday 6th February
Energy Quotas (TEQs) which gives Lord, you know the obstacles your
every citizen a set number of vouchers people face in adapting lifestyles to
which they give up whenever they buy the new imperative of sustainable
fuel or energy. In addition, people can living. Support the trailblazers, we
buy extra vouchers and sell any which pray – those who are committed to
they do not need. Caroline Lucas MP change, and can lead us towards a
said: “The TEQs scheme would better way of living. Help us all to set
guarantee that the UK’s targeted our sights on zero-carbon living by
carbon reductions are actually 2030 and to work together to achieve
achieved, while ensuring fair shares of that goal.
available energy.”
John Hemming MP added: “What is Monday 7th February
needed is an intelligent response both Carbon offsets have been compared
to climate change and to fuel to the sale of indulgences in the
depletion. The model set out in this Middle Ages – buying our way out of
report addresses both sides of the carbon reductions without necessarily
problem. It is the first coherent making any reductions ourselves.
proposal to do this and it merits close Jonathon Porritt asks: “When you’ve
attention.” done all you can to reduce your own
carbon footprint, what are you going to
Saturday 5th February do about the rest? Ignore it, or deal
“Green Doctors” offers home visits and with it by finding the best carbon offset
advice in target areas around the scheme on the market?” Three
country on how to make homes more essentials apply to such schemes:
environmentally friendly and cheaper 1. Additionality: If the project to be
to run. They aim to reduce fuel poverty funded would have happened
in the most vulnerable households. anyway, it cannot be said to offset
Their workshops are available for carbon emissions.
groups of tenants and residents. Their 2. Leakage: If the project leads to
teams undertake large-scale contracts higher emissions elsewhere (e.g
with housing associations and groups shifting the pollution somewhere
of homes. (www.groundwork.org.uk)
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else) it is not offsetting any carbon
emissions. Wednesday 9th February
3. Permanence: If a forest is likely to Ed Gillespie of Futerra Sustainability
be felled or destroyed within a few recalls a 45-day round the world trip
years, it cannot be a valid travelling only by cargo ships. The
investment to offset carbon carbon footprint of a passenger on a
emissions. container ship can be about 1/300ths
Schemes with a sound track record of someone taking a comparable
include A Rocha’s Climate Stewards flight. But shipping companies are
(http://www.arocha.org/gb-en), Climate reluctant to include passengers on
Care and the Carbon Neutral cargo ships because of heightened
Company. port security, complicated bureaucracy
and the wish to minimise hassle. Ed
Tuesday 8th February pins his hopes on a revival of the
The carbon footprint of the shipping commercial airship, which should be
industry is larger than Germany’s and 90% more carbon efficient than
much larger than that of aviation. 1 in conventional aircraft, making an
30 tonnes of CO2 generated by human Atlantic crossing in 48 hours – slower
activity comes from ships, and the than by aircraft but faster than a ship –
growth in shipping looks set to without the risk of deep-vein
continue as global population and thrombosis or seasickness.
living standards continue to rise. The
Carbon War Room has established a Thursday 10th February
database for the fuel efficiency of Transition Streets, a project of
ships and the results are available for Transition Town Totnes, is a street-by-
charterers, ship insurers and port street approach to energy efficiency,
authorities. Most ship owners don’t community building and domestic
pay the fuel costs, so have little micro-generation, supported by a
interest in fuel efficiency. The Carbon £625,000 grant from the Government’s
War Room is working with investors to Low Carbon Communities Challenge.
provide the $3 million cost of air So far 35 solar PV systems have been
lubrication systems, in return for a installed, generating 9634 kWh and
share of the fuel savings that would earning their owners £4,682 under the
result. government’s Feed-In Tariff.
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www.transitionstreets.org.uk www.redcliffe.org/environmentconfere
Friday 11th February nce2011
Collecting firewood in rural Africa Sunday 13th February
becomes ever more difficult as forests "Dear Lord, our heavenly Father,
are destroyed. Peter Irungu Mwathi, In a world of darkness, give us your
an agricultural economist in Kenya, light;
has invented a simple solar In lands of war and prejudice, grant
concentrator using mirrors which us your peace;
reflect the sun’s heat onto a container, In a world of despair, give us hope;
so heating the contents. This can be In a world of sadness and tears,
used to heat water, sterilise the soil for show us your joy;
seed-sowing or to roast nuts or coffee In a world of hatred, show us your
beans. Global Village Energy love;
Partnerships supports small In a world of arrogance, give us
enterprises in the energy sector. Many humility;
small wind turbines are springing up in In a world of disbelief, give us faith.
rural Kenya thanks to help from GVEP Give us the courage to face the
with the initial investment. challenges of feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked, housing the
Saturday 12th February homeless and healing the sick.
The John Ray Initiative has arranged Give us the power to make a
today’s Environment Day at Redcliffe difference in your world, and to
College, Gloucester, on “Energising protect your creation, through Jesus
the Future”. Speakers include Andy Christ, our Lord."
Brown of Progressive Energy asking (Anna Crompton aged 14)
“Can Coal be Clean?”, John Twidell on
“Renewable Energy – practical and Monday 14th February
moral outcomes”, Ian Hore-Lacy on A report from the Institute of
Nuclear Energy and Brendan Bowles, Mechanical Engineers called
director of Climate Stewards, asking “Population: one planet, too many
“Can developing countries model low- people?” says that the projected extra
carbon prosperity?” Booking forms are 2.5 billion people by 2200 will ‘crush
available at: the earth’s resources’. Energy, food,
water, urbanisation and finance will be
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significantly affected, while climate benefits to more people at less cost
change could displace up to 1 billion than any other technology.”
people, putting further pressure on
urban areas. Among the engineering Wednesday 16th February
solutions suggested are: Funding for the London Development
Using existing sustainable energy Agency’s work in tackling climate
technologies rather than waiting change is likely to dry up with the
for new ones to be developed imminent abolition of the LDA. The
Replenishing groundwater London Assembly has called for
resources transitional funding from the
Improving the storage of excess government so that existing initiatives
water can be preserved and projects
Increasing the energy efficiency transferred to the Greater London
of desalination. Authority. Members urged the Mayor
The report calls for the Government to to make it clear in his budget that
set up a knowledge ‘swap-shop’ of tackling climate change remains his
engineering skills with other countries. top priority.
Tuesday 15th February Thursday 17th February
At the Cancun conference, Optimum Caroline Spelman, the Environment
Population Trust called on delegates Secretary, has said: “The global cost
to make family planning and family of one year’s worth of deforestation is
self-restraint an explicit part of their estimated at £1-3 trillion, and in the
strategy for combating climate long term our natural capital is just as
change. Research has repeatedly important as our human and financial
shown that investing in education and capital.”
empowerment and in family planning Nick Reeves, CIWEM director,
services to enable couples to avoid comments: “Extinction is as natural a
unintended births is a cost-effective process as evolution, but we are
complement to conventional unthinkingly obliterating the planet’s
approaches to tackling climate species at least 1,000 times faster
change. As a UNICEF report has said: than normal – unthinking because
“Family planning could bring more obliteration is accompanied by
massive ignorance, even denial. This
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calls for serious science, serious the business £300,000 a year. Details
action and serious money. But the of the carbon footprint of the new
word from Whitehall is that scientific shopping centre have not been
research which is not commercially revealed.
useful is at risk. It will require huge
political will to put in place the Sunday 20th February
structures to ensure that biodiversity is Look mercifully, dear Lord, upon your
recognised to be more valuable alive world and forgive us for the harm we
than extinct. And it will require a new have done to your creation. Save the
economic model based on nature, nations from the lust for money and
nurture and replenishment.” power, from hatred and jealousy, and
from the worship of material things.
Friday 18th February Grant that justice may triumph over
This weekend A Rocha UK celebrates oppression and that people
its 10th anniversary at the King’s Park everywhere may learn to serve you in
Conference Centre, Nottingham NN3 the peace and freedom of your
6LL. Dave Bookless and Peter Harris Kingdom. Amen.
will lead the celebration and CEO
Steve Hughes will guide discussions Monday 21st February
about the future. There will be a The National Energy Foundation
chance to visit local nature reserves. (NEF) is an independent body that
Cost: £120 including full board. For offers:
details email: Technical expertise for business
margaret.young@arocha.org Community programmes that
or ring 020 8574 5935. change the way people source
and use energy
Saturday 19th February Sustainable energy training
Europe’s largest ground-source heat courses
pump has been opened at the One Helping government and local
New Change shopping centre near St. authorities to deliver a low carbon
Paul’s Cathedral. The owners, Land economy
Securities, claim that 15-20% of the Information about renewable
centre’s energy needs can be energy and saving energy with
delivered by the heat pump, so saving
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tools to help people move to a low homes through having my home open,
carbon lifestyle. something I would never have done
Website: www.nef.org.uk without SEA. The great thing is that
Tuesday 22nd February they help to organise the publicity and
NEF Communities Fund offers make sure people turn up on the day
financial packages to help you have the house open.”
communities save energy and
implement large-scale sustainable Thursday 24th February
energy projects. By joining in large “Local United” is an NEF project set
projects, people can achieve greater up, with support from NESTA, to help
savings than by acting alone. NEF can community activists set up social
pay for technical experts to prepare enterprises to address the challenges
feasibility studies, planning of peak oil and climate change. It aims
applications and business plans as to speed up the rate at which good
well as raising funding for the capital ideas are adopted by community
equipment. The village of Hook Norton groups motivated to build low carbon
in Oxfordshire is an example of what economies. For further information,
can be achieved. email:
Website: www.hn-lc.org.uk communities@nef.org.uk
Wednesday 23rd February Friday 25th February
NEF is partnering the Sustainable A report from the GMB union, the
Energy Academy (SEA) in delivering public services union, surveys 357
its Old Home SuperHome project local councils and ranks them
which aims to transform the energy according to their rate of re-use,
efficiency of our existing housing recycling or composting. Top of the
stock, so reducing UK carbon league comes Staffordshire Moorlands
emissions by 60%. The project won a with 61.8% of household waste being
prestigious 2009 Ashden Award. re-used, recycled or composted. The
Sarah Harrison, owner of a Landfill Tax, currently £48 per tonne,
SuperHome in Camden, London, said: will rise to £80 per tonne by 2014. £1
“I’ve made 82% carbon savings to my billion a year is now charged to
Victorian house, and now I’ve helped households through the council tax,
hundreds of people renovate their rising to £1.7 billion by 2014. “Unless
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councils make a concerted effort to sustainable development nor to
improve recycling rates, the landfill tax facilitate strategic planning for wider
is set to rise to about £670 million a environmental objectives. The UK
year, taking the total cost of landfill to Sustainable Development Strategy is
over £3 billion a year.” “to enable all people to satisfy their
basic needs and enjoy a better quality
Saturday 25th February of life without compromising the
Aberdeenshire currently produces quality of life of future generations”
150,000 tonnes of waste a year, of (editor’s italics).
which 50,000 is sent for recycling. There is nothing in the Localism Bill to
SITA UK is planning a £60 million suggest that future generations need
waste treatment plant to include a to be considered at all. Some overall
biological treatment facility, in-vessel guidance is needed to ensure that
composting and a gasification plant. local communities do not ignore the
The project will create 35 permanent needs of future generations.
jobs and reduce the amount of waste
going to landfill by 70%. SITA plans to Future event:
consult the community to address “Ending the Age of Thorns: Surviving
possible concerns about pollution. Consumerism” is the title of a CEL
gathering at St. John’s Church
Sunday 27th February opposite Waterloo Station, London, on
Give us, loving Father, the wisdom so Saturday March 5th from 11 to 5.
to deal with the things we possess that Peter Owen Jones, presenter of the
they may never possess us. Deliver us BBC’s “How to live a simple life” and
from faithlessness and fear, and guide “Extreme Pilgrim” will open the day
our thoughts and actions into the ways with Tim Cooper, Professor of
of justice and peace, for the sake of Sustainable Design and Consumption
your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. at Nottingham Trent University. There
will be workshops on Green
Monday 28th February Economics, Shopping as if the planet
The new Localism Bill will establish mattered, and Greening the Church in
Neighbourhood Plans, so giving extra daily life. Cost £20 (£15 for CEL
powers to local communities, but members). To book a place, ring 0845
contains nothing to support 459 8460 or email:
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bookings@christian-ecology.org.uk
Sources: If you would like to receive the prayer
Green Futures diary each month by email (free),
CIWEM Business Briefing please email prayer-guide@christian-
www.edie.net ecology.org.uk
Additional Prayers For further information and requests
for prayer, please write or email:
Philip Clarkson Webb,
15 Valley View,
Southborough,
Tunbridge Wells TN4 0SY
Email:
pcw@christian-ecology.org.uk
Website:
www.christian-ecology.org.uk
Picture on front cover: Camelia in bud
by Poppy Pickard
Christian Ecology Link Ltd is a
company registered in England and
Wales. Administrative Office:
10, Beech Hall Road,
Highams Park, London, E4 9NX
Company Registration No. 2445198
Registered Charity No. 328744.
tel: +44 (0) 845 4598460
info@christian-ecology.org.uk
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