A Green Christmas

I remember as a child Christmas being primarily about presents. I wondered what I would get. I tried to guess what a present was by the shape of the packaging. Sometimes I would get really sneaky and try to unwrap just a little of the gift and then put it back before being caught. But then in a flash, it was time to open presents - and there was a hurricane of paper everywhere, which typically went in two trash bags. So imagine roughly two trash bags full of paper for every household in America. That's a tremendous amount of waste. Not exactly an eco-friendly way to celebrate.

So how can we be greener this Christmas? I believe it takes thinking about all the ways you'll celebrate and considering forms with the least impact. If you are going to send cards, try to find recycled cards or even send e-cards. Use gift bags instead of boxes and wrapping paper, and don't be too shy to ask for the bag back - or suggest that the person use it again (I had a party the other night, and I'm going to reuse all the bags I got!).

Of course, decorating a Christmas tree with impressive ornaments is usually key for the season. Last year I was given an ornament from Aurora Glass. Their ornaments are 100% recycled glass and all the profits from their sales go to "assist homeless and low-income people through emergency services, housing, jobs, training, and other charitable endeavors" through the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County, Oregon. I highly recommend them and can say honestly that the ornament I was given is my favorite one on the tree. You can see for yourself at www.auroraglass.org

Merry Christmas!

A Simple Step

One of the simplest overall practices in caring for creation is what I'm calling "eco-stretching" (because I can't right now think of a better term that already exists). Basically this means getting the most out of what you have in order to keep from using more resources. Obviously we want to get as many miles per gallon as possible - so this means driving slower, keeping our tires properly inflated, and regularly maintaining our vehicles.

I think extending this practice to our paper use would make a big difference. I now try to use every millimeter of a piece of paper (BOTH SIDES!) before I recycle it. Rather than grab a blank sheet, I write notes on a piece that has already been somewhat (but not completely) used - or I make a shopping list or notes on an envelope junk mail came in.

It's pretty amazing to realize that if a person or company went from one-sided printing for all their documents to two-sided printing they would cut their paper use in half (as well as the money spent on paper).

I heard something as a child that has always stuck with me about the tribes of Native Americans that hunted buffalo using every part of the animal and not wasting anything. We would do well to treat all we have as they treated a buffalo; to do so with a piece of paper is so simple, but so important.

Movie Review: The 11th Hour

The 11th Hour is a documentary produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. At first I was suspicious about the guy from Titanic being a respected advocate regarding climate change. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this film.

First, it employs the expertise from a diverse panel of independent experts. Scientists sharing their research in the film include Stuart Pimm and Stephen Schneider (from Duke and Stanford respectively) and, most notably perhaps, Stephen Hawking. In addition to these experts are leaders in the fields of ecological architecture, product development, and planning. Even James Woolsey, former director of the CIA, contributes. For the purposes of this blog, the most impressive element of the film was its inclusion of religious perspectives. There is even a special section of the film devoted to several faith communities including Native American spirituality which is frequently identified with its deep connection to nature.

One of the fundamental messages of the film is the reminder that humans are not separate or distinct from nature. We are part of nature - as the story from Genesis puts it: we are part of God's Creation. So any talk of "the environment" or "nature" as being separate from humanity is inherently flawed. We are one with nature. We are one among millions of species sharing life on this planet.

Really the issue then, as the film presents it, is not whether humans will destroy the earth - because that isn't as much what is at stake. The earth has existed for billions of years, and it will likely continue to exist for billions more. The only real question is whether or not humans will render the earth unlivable - at least for our species. The earth provides the perfect conditions for life to exist in a way we have not found in any other place. But will we destroy this delicate balance so that human life (or other life) ceases to exist? The earth will go on, but will we?

The final thing I enjoyed about this film was its price and packaging. It was $5 which indicates to me these people were not trying to make a film to make money but rather increase awareness about this crucial issue. Also, it was packaged completely in recycled materials. Way to practice what you preach Leo!

I hope you will check it out and share it with others.

In the Garden

I've been meaning to write a post about Anathoth Community Garden for some time. I found out about this garden during my last year of seminary, and while I have never been there, I know many people who have and have been changed by it. I wanted to tell the story well, but such a marvelous story deserves great attention. Then, the other night in preparing to write about it, I stumbled onto this online article which wonderfully tells the full story of Anathoth.

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/312

The story about Anathoth displays so much I believe to be necessary for churches and individuals to practice habits of good environmental stewardship. Perhaps foremost is having the imagination of God and attempting to see things the way God does. The name Anathoth refers to a field Jeremiah was told to buy. This act no doubt represented lunacy to everyone around as Israel was being conquered by the Babylonians at the time, and exile was imminent. Sam Wells, dean of Duke Chapel, compared the senselessness of this act (to most at least) to buying property in New Orleans the day before Katrina was to hit. And yet this act was one of prophecy - to bear witness to God's faithfulness to Israel. The exile would not last forever and "houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land" (Jeremiah 32:15).

So I love the God-given imagination displayed by Scenobia Taylor and Rev. Grace Hackney to turn a fallow plot of land into a garden that shows the reconciling grace of God. Certainly this is a protest against "the way things are" and will be misunderstood by many. But I believe God smiles at the simple holiness of this community garden.

I've thought recently of trying to start a flower garden at one of my churches. The flowers could adorn the sanctuary during worship, but also be given to neighbors or people in assisted living homes. Many people in my churches know agriculture and farming, but I (having lived almost completely in cities) do not. So God could use this as a chance for us to share in the gift of life that happens when a seed is planted.

The Church Bus

Several posts ago I wrote about the obvious environmental impact of driving to church and suggested walking if at all possible, both as a spiritual discipline and a practice of environmental stewardship. Now I'd like to explore the issue of churches using vans or buses.

Oddly enough, it seems that I have often been at a church during a time when it was considering the purchase of a van/bus. Usually churches choose to acquire these vehicles so that different groups (youth, choir, etc.) can take trips. Some churches use buses to pick up members of the congregation that can/should no longer drive and bring them to services. Obviously both of these purposes are unimpeachable. I suppose the only question is whether or not the use of a van/bus actually pollutes less than using carpooling to achieve the same goals.

The virtue of a van/bus is that it holds more people than a car. So even though most of these vehicles get lousy gas mileage, they can conceivably do the work it would take twenty cars to do. It's obviously hard to compare emissions without knowing the condition of the cars, but generally speaking, the more cars taken off the road, the better.

I suppose the "X" factor might be the size and type of van/bus. Are we talking about a fifteen passenger van (which lately have been less popular due to safety concerns) or a much larger bus? The larger the bus, the more cars are off the road. However, most larger buses also run on diesel which, from the resources I have found, pollutes worse than regular gasoline (I welcome any information to the contrary; I simply could not find much comparison).

So, here are a few suggestions (mostly common sense) about vans/buses.

1. If one must be purchased, get one with very strict emission standards.
2. Keep it well maintained.
3. Regular gas seems better than diesel (I think).
4. Make sure the van/bus is always close to full of people - it's pretty wasteful if it's only for two or three people. Carpooling can be arranged for a small number of people.

Does your church have a van/bus? If so, do you think it's adequately used and kept green? How bout sharing between churches?

The (Natural) Light of the World

This past weekend I went to an awesome wedding in Houston (yay Seann and Elizabeth!). While I was there I saw several churches. One took my breath away. It had just been remodeled, and the windows were unbelievable. I don't even know what you'd call this type of design, but there were pieces of brightly colored glass in different shapes and sizes. They were usually arranged in images, but sometimes they were just collage-like. The glass pieces were put into a dark sand looking concrete. The contrast between the bright pieces and the dark setting was gorgeous. I was admittedly a little jealous because one of these windows probably cost more than the yearly budget of my three churches combined. But that's Texas!

Then it occurred to me how little natural light actually comes into that sanctuary. Of course, that's likely part of the plan considering they have HD screens which look best with minimal light. But it really reminded me how much I enjoy churches that barely need lights on Sunday morning. So I think churches that are considering a face-lift should definitely scrap the stained or colored glass in favor of natural light.

Obviously a church would want to capture the maximum light without overheating the sanctuary and maxing out the air conditioner. But using clear glass in strategic places would offer much more light while using much less energy. And if you've got a great seat, maybe you get to look at creation while you worship the Creator of it all.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?

I remember as a child watching this really awesome Earth Day special on television with Robin Williams and Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser, M.D.). Mother Earth (who I think was played by the mom on "Married with Children") was really sick - in the hospital actually. The show focused on all the things we can do to help Mother Earth recover. Well, that had to have been ten years ago, and sadly I haven't seen another special like that. What's worse is that the planet seems sicker than ever. So I really wonder if "reduce, reuse, recycle" is going to go down as just another doomed (though great) slogan.

Everyone can reduce and reuse things, but I wonder more and more about the availability of recycling opportunities. It seems like plenty of items are recyclable, but are people actually able to recycle them? I've lived several places in the past few years, and I have yet to find a recycling center that accepts everything that's recyclable. There was a good facility in Auburn, AL - but as plastics go it still only took #1 and #2. Why not the rest? I dropped some plastics off in Birmingham one time, but the facility still didn't accept many items. Even in large cities like New York and Chicago I've witnessed recycling discrimination - or even heard stories of recyclables ending up in the same place as trash. In many rural areas recycling is still almost an alien concept.

So what is a church that wants to be green to do if it exists in an area with few to no recycling opportunities? Should churches try and start their own programs? Should church members pressure local governments to put programs in place and offer the churches as places where people can learn more about recycling? I would love to hear input from anyone who has dealt with this issue as it relates to the church. I'm hoping there are some creative success stories that can teach us all.

Green Book Review

Recently I started reading a book that perfectly addresses the concerns of this blog. The book is A Moral Climate: The Ethics of Global Warming by Michael S. Northcott. In addition to being Professor of Ethics at the University of Edinburgh Northcott is a priest in the Scottish Episcopal Church. The book is impressive in so many areas as it's clearly the product of considerable research in both scientific and religious disciplines. Northcott frequently employs passages from Jeremiah to remind readers that care for the environment is inextricably bound with care for all created things, and injustice to the Earth affects all the Earth's inhabitants.

One of the most striking issues addressed is the considerable ethical violation that takes place when developed nations conduct business in ways that produce more pollution in developing nations who end up suffering for our (people who live in developed nations) luxury. Northcott offers this example:

Most products that are sold in Europe and the United States are no longer made there. Instead they are made thousands of miles away in often miserable working conditions in countries which are prepared to sacrifice air quality, forests, rivers, and oceans to toxic pollution in the quest for rapid economic growth. But ironically Western politicians often point to the increases in CO2 emissions which fuel the factories that now make the products on behalf of Western corporations in countries like China and Brazil as a reason for refusing to reduce their own CO2 emissions (35).

These and other lessons in the book have caused me to question the liberal tendencies I have, especially as they relate to the economy. Or perhaps I should say, reading this book has caused me to reassess ideas such as progress in the realm of economics and technology. Unbounded growth clearly has not brought a better life for all; when any suffer for the lifestyles of some, I find it hard to say we are progressing. So, again the Church must reclaim its prophetic role in a world that usually only asks "Can this be done?" and seldom asks "Should this be done?" I thank Michael Northcott for his work of teaching us some of the right questions to ask.

Greensleeves

T-shirts are pretty much a staple of things "churchy." Whether it's a mission trip, a summer camp, vacation Bible school, or anything to do with a youth group, most churches make and distribute tons of shirts. I even went to a t-ball game tonight to cheer on the team from one of my new churches and said after the game, "I've got to get one of these shirts."

One reason t-shirts are so ubiquitous is because they are fairly cheap. But, as with most cheap things, they have many hidden costs. Fast food is cheap but extraordinarily bad for you if eaten regularly. Plastic dinnerware and disposables are cheap, but they are made in toxic ways and take eons to decompose. We've discovered more and more about cheap clothing (and even some clothing that isn't so cheap) being made in sweatshops in developing countries. Most t-shirts also contain dyes and other chemicals that are quite harmful to the environment.

So, what if all churches and camps and youth groups and t-ball teams committed to having green tees only?! It might cost a few more bucks up front, but all the hidden costs would be eliminated. I received a great gift of a green tee in the mail the other day from my friend The Rev. Cody Schuler. Cody is a UM pastor in the Dakotas Annual Conference, and to raise awareness for environmental stewardship they distributed eco-friendly t-shirts. I've worn the shirt now about four times because it's so comfortable. The label (which looks like a nutrition facts label) guarantees no sweatshop labor, no pesticides, no plastic prints, and no harsh resins. The shirt is made from 100% certified organic cotton and was printed using water based inks. It truly is my new favorite shirt, and I think given the choice people would prefer more shirts like this. Cody's group used www.tsdesigns.com for their shirts. Check them out for your next batch.

Thanks Cody, and here's hoping green tees will catch on with church groups of all sizes!

The Church Bathroom

I have been in quite a few church bathrooms in my life. They have ranged from simple water closets to marbled rooms of luxury that put my last apartment to shame. However, most bathrooms function in the same way, and their primary footprint on the environment concerns water and paper usage.

First, let's look at the water usage from toilets and sinks. Last year there was a severe drought in the South. I doubt this year will be different. But the drought got so bad that at one point I heard about what seemed like an extreme measure to conserve water. At a college football game in Georgia, people were stationed in the bathroom who were responsible solely for judging when a flush was necessary! I remember a slogan from camp that likely came into play. Well, again this does seem extreme, but perhaps they were onto something. I suspect that this practice would be seen as too crude to implement in any way in churches. But I think our manners and daintiness often pose problems in the life of discipleship, and I tend to believe God would rather us be a little more messy if that led to more good.

During my time in seminary, my school opened a new addition and one of the main bathrooms contained "waterless" urinals. Soon after (or possibly even before) it became mandatory to use these in new buildings on campus. I thought they were great (once people learned how to clean and treat them), but likely way too expensive to implement in an average church. I did a quick check minutes ago and found that they are only about $100 more than typical urinals. Once you figure in the water savings, they are likely more economical (as most green products are).

Finally, washing and drying hands is at issue. Well, as much as I hate the "spring-loaded, pain in the ass, Alcatraz style faucets" (as Jerry Seinfeld calls them), I must confess they are probably the way to go when water conservation is key. Granted we would like to think people only turn the faucets on briefly, but we have all been there when people leave the water running for much longer than necessary. Sometimes you have to make good decisions for people by limiting their options. Likewise using small amounts of paper towels probably isn't that bad. But some people act like they are going to clean up the Exxon Valdez. I would say hand dryers are definitely the way to go. I have always been a fan. Even though they take longer, there's something about them I like - and my hands truly feel cleaner.

So we've solved it: waterless urinals, spring-loaded faucets, hand dryers, and guards to rule on flushing. If this isn't ministry, nothing is.

The Role of Technology in Greening

In the last post I discussed the impact of driving to our churches and possible alternatives we might consider. I am a United Methodist, and this week my annual conference is meeting. As the name suggests this happens every year. Clergy and lay delegates from every church in the conference gather for several days in the same location. It's a blessing in many ways. The fellowship and communion are generally a high point for many who may be in struggling churches. But again, I couldn't help but reflect on how many cars were in the parking lot of our meeting place, and how many miles were traveled by those in attendance.

This year the meeting is in Jackson, TN (my hometown!). It is a fairly central location in the conference. The border cities of the conference are Paducah, KY and Memphis, TN. I don't think any part of the conference is farther from Jackson than Paducah, which is roughly 120 miles away. So round trip plus a little in-town driving during conference equals about 300 miles. That's not a terrible distance, but it's easily a tank of gas. Now multiply that by 700-800 people, which I'm estimating by clergy and lay numbers is about the attendance, and you have quite an impact. Now I know this is only once a year, but I'm wondering if there are better ways of accomplishing our objectives without all the travel every year.

I won't get too technical, but one of the main reasons for meeting every year like this (other than it's in our rules) is that in United Methodism pastors are up for appointment (moving to a different church or moving to your first church) every year! Theoretically, everyone is up for a move annually. Now, we generally move less than in past years, but it still can be quite often. There is discussion about making appointments longer by conference action, so that it could be several years before a move was even considered - unless dire circumstances arose. But what about other solutions like using technology such as video conferencing?

This might not work for a gathering like annual conference, but I think lots of travel for church meetings could be eliminated by using conference calls or video. A good friend of mine recently introduced me to Skype, where with the addition of a small computer camera anyone with a decent internet connection can communicate via videophone with anyone else in the world! He and his wife demonstrated by talking with friends who currently live in the Dominican Republic.

Of course, technology is always a tricky friend. It seems that many people are relying on technology to "fix" issues of climate change rather than changing their wasteful habits. Trying to use cleaner fuels and better filters rather than driving less or using less air conditioning is one example of this. I also know that in ministry there is something to be said for a true human connection. God did not send a memo; God sent God's self in fully divine and human form. So there is something about the incarnation that changes the way we do things. I don't really approve of churches watching a sermon being simulcast from another church in their worship, and not only because it threatens my job! But I think this type of technology and others can be used, carefully, in beneficial ways.

Should We Walk to Church?

For most of us one of the largest contributors to climate change is our automobile. I have cut back tremendously on my driving both due to my commitment to environmental stewardship and the absurd price of gas. But the day I usually do the most driving is Sunday when I make the rounds to all three churches I serve. This got me thinking about the decision to attend churches that may cause us to drive more than necessary. Put bluntly, should we just go to the closest church?

The three churches I serve are relatively close by car. Sometimes it's silly to me that all three still exist separately. After all, we believe the same things and worship in virtually the same way. Once upon a time, the separation was necessary because people did walk and ride horses to church. But those days are over, and now people might commute for a while to go to church - likely passing many other churches (perhaps even churches of one's denominational preference). So does this decision (which is admittedly one of luxury) contradict our good stewardship of creation? I would say so, at least a little. Clearly we are putting our wants ahead of what is best for the planet when we drive further than necessary.

Now, I realize it's extremely important to most people that they attend a church that fits them perfectly. People more or less church shop until they find a great fit. Well, here's a modest proposal: start with the closest churches to your home, and then spiral out. You might also consider that a church is not really a place to meet all your "needs" but rather a place to form you as a disciple, which entails sacrifice. Thus, you could begin the way of discipleship by sacrificing a few things you'd prefer in a church for the health of God's creation.

What to do with Bulletins?

Lately I've pondered the amount of paper churches use with bulletins and the cost/rewards ratio. I serve three churches, and I make roughly eighty bulletins a Sunday. I encourage everyone to leave the bulletins behind to be recycled and most everyone does. Still, the bulletins are used for roughly an hour. So is it really worth the paper used? Keep in mind, I just use single sheets of paper folded. Some churches I know of use multiple sheets and make hundreds of bulletins a Sunday.

I simply think that the use we get out of bulletins is not worth the cost of paper and ink and even power to print them. I guess the problem lies in the fact that we are fairly tied to the structure and order bulletins provide (I speak mostly from my own experience and acknowledge this may also be something to work on).

Many churches are moving to some form of projection when it comes to ordering their worship. I generally think this is a good move. But some churches can't afford the equipment needed. So what is the answer?

I think a good solution for many churches might be establishing a basic order of worship to follow while making it generic enough to use multiple times and to allow for the movement of the Spirit. Imagine a laminated card that has "Scripture Lesson" and "Hymn" but no real specifics. I find that in most churches the pastor or music leader tells the people the scriptures and hymns anyway. Perhaps we could recover the use of boards with hymn numbers that older churches used (I think in many areas of greening returning to older habits will be helpful).

This is just one idea, but I think it deals well with both the issues of wasting paper and needing some (but perhaps not too much) structure. I would love to hear other ideas that might actually be in practice to deal with these or other issues from bulletin use. I hope to try my project soon and share the results.

Statement of Purpose

What is this blog all about? I'm going to try to keep it very simple. I believe in God, and I believe God somehow created everything that exists. These beliefs have, especially in the past few years, caused me to live a certain way. I try as much as possible to care for God's creation. I try to treat the earth and its resources as gifts. Gifts are to be treasured and received with great care. Few things hurt as much as giving a gift that is unappreciated or even abused. Simply, when we do not care for creation we mistreat both the gift and the Giver. So I hope this blog will serve as a reminder, particularly to others who believe creation is a gift from God (namely the Church), of the precious and delicate environment in which we live and a call to action regarding our treatment of it. Most of the content will involve immediate reflection on how churches can lead the way in the serious theological issues of sustainability and creation care. I welcome all positive contributions to this matter which affects us all.