God saw all that he had made, and it was ‘very good’ (Genesis 1: 31).
What is Eco church?
Eco church is a practical framework run by charity A Rocha UK, a Christian charity working to equip Christians and churches to protect and restore the environment – for God, nature and all people. The Eco church framework helps churches to engage practically in caring for the earth and for this to be embedded into every aspect of church life.
It has different award levels to demonstrate progress in five different areas of caring for creation:
- Worship and teaching
- Buildings and energy
- Land and nature
- Community and global
- Lifestyle
At St Andrew’s Chesterton, a small group of individuals are currently meeting regularly to work towards the Bronze level.
What can I do as an individual to help the environment?
A great first step is to assess your household carbon footprint using a calculator eg https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/. This will show you where you as an individual are using more/less carbon than the UK average in different areas of your life, so providing pointers for areas to improve.
The next step might be to look at sustainability websites like https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ to assess your individual choices.
Top tips for high impact individual lifestyle changes
Energy: switching to a 100% renewable energy supplier, maximising insulation at home, consider solar panels – Cambridge gets a lot of sunshine! And did you know you can borrow a thermal imaging camera from Cambridge Carbon Footprint?
Travel: cycling and walking where possible, flying less, choose bus or train over car
Food: eating more plant-based foods, and less meat, reduce food waste
Consumption: think “do I really need it?” before buying every single thing! Bring your re-useable cup and water bottle with you wherever you go. Try to get things repaired before buying new. Check out Freecycle, or buy second hand, either online or browse Cambridge’s many charity shops. And don’t forget to pass on good quality items you no longer need too.
Money: consider moving your money to a more ethical bank (eg Triodos, Co-op) or Building Society (Nationwide).
Lots of Useful Local Links:
Sustainable food initiatives:
- https://cambridgesustainablefood.org/
- https://cambridgeorganic.co.uk/
- Join a food sharing app eg Olio, Too Good to Go to collect and use free local food
Repair cafes:
Clothes swaps:
Thermal imaging cameras:
Recycling- what you can and can’t recycle:
- https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/recycling-and-rubbish-a-to-z
- https://www.freecycle.org/town/CambridgeUK
General advice: