ECO CHURCH
Saving Creation-The Diocese of Leeds strategy to reach net zero by 2030.
Some of you will know that in February 2020, the Church of England adopted an ambitious target to reach net zero emissions by 2030.
The Diocese of Leeds are at the forefront of acting on this and it is a key part of the Diosesan Strategy strongly endorsed by Bishop Nick in the context of loving, living and learning.
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He sets out that reducing our carbon usage is an act of love . We share a “common home” on the earth and the resources are not limitless. Loving our neighbours as ourselves calls us to reduce our carbon usage as individuals and as a church.
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Facing up to the reality of climate change requires us to live differently; to ask difficult questions and consider our priorities. Achieving net zero by 2030 communicates to the world and to ourselves who it is we believe in.
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In aiming for net zero by 2030, we are seeking to be both bold and courageous. It will be a costly journey . Let us seek to support one another to learn, grow and discover more about God, his mission and the role of the church in the 21st Century.
The Diocesan website has lots of good information (click here) and all parishes and deanearies are being asked to work on their net zero strategy. The Church of England has decided to start by only counting its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for the commitment to be carbon net zero by 2030 . That means carbon dioxide produced from directly burning fossil fuels (gas/oil for heating and petrol/diesel used for church business travel) and carbon emitted from using fossil fuels to generate electricity.
So the 6 steps to net zero are set out as:
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Measure and monitor: use of the energy foot printing tool and report to the APCM
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Plan and prepare: checklist and template
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Essential energy actions: cut back on energy use and use a 100% renewable tariff
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Essential travel actions: move to electric cars, charged with renewable energy
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Carbon offsetting: such as tree planting for remaining emissions.
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Stepping out and up: celebrate what you are achieving.
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Responsible Investment
The Church Commissioners for England aim to be at the forefront of responsible investment, which has been core to our approach for decades. To read more about this, visit their website.
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Here at St John's
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In 2023, we gained our Silver Eco church award and are now building on that and encouraging more people to be involved.
How green is your money?
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If your money isn’t in a sock under your bed, it is very likely being used to fund climate breakdown. Thanks to these new websites, it is now really easy to check and to make your money work for good.
Eco Church Pledges
Concerned about the climate emergency and not sure what to do? How about pledging to take one action in the next two months that will make a difference? If you click this link: Pledge form there are ideas for what you can do and a chance to sign up. Please do join St John's in tackling the climate crisis.
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For further resources see: A Rocha UK's Wild Christian scheme - a community of families and individuals exploring the connections between our Christian faith, the natural environment, and how we live.
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If you would like to get involved, please contact the parish office.
Walking to Church?
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St John's works closely with Climate Action Menston (CAM), a group of Menston residents who first got together in May 2019 out of concern for the climate emergency. Their primary aim is to take practical actions in our local area to raise awareness, to enhance our local environment and to strive for carbon neutrality. A monthly write up of events and concerns from CAM can be found in our Parish Magazine.
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CAM wants to encourage walking in Menston. To aid in this, the group has produced the below map. Menston is a friendly community with great access to local facilities. The map shows that you can easily walk across the village (there are a few hills!) to get to local shops, the school and to support local businesses. There are loads of bus stops and we are lucky to have a railway station. CAM wants to encourage people to walk and shop locally; to create public space that is accessible for all and provide safe streets for walking and cycling. Maybe you could consider walking to church if you do not already and are able?
