Green Thoughts Around Harvest Festival

(taken from Andrew's section in the October 2009 magazine)

Returning to consideration of Harvest Thanksgiving, we are bound to concern ourselves with the major issue of Climate Change caused by Global Warming. Apart from our concerns for ourselves and our grandchildren, we must be concerned because the poor are hit first, and hardest. 20 million people in southern Bangladesh are vulnerable because the sea level is rising with the thawing of the ice-caps.  This is dispiriting because in recent years the government and people of Bangladesh have worked hard and successfully to build storm shelters and raise the height of roads against the regular cyclones.

The Bible tells us that love does no harm to neighbours and yet the way we live now harms our neighbours in poor countries. Tearfund, with others, is campaigning to convince world leaders to take drastic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help poor countries adapt to the devasting effects of climate change.

Below Tearfund have listed just a few of the ways you can reduce your personal greenhouse gas emissions...

 . * Use energy-saving lightbulbs - they use 80 per cent less electricity and last 12 times longer than ordinary bulbs.

 * Turn off your lights when you leave a room and turn off electrical appliances at the mains. Standby can use between 30 and 70 per cent of the energy used when an appliance is on.

* Turn down your central heating thermostat lowering the temperature by just a degree can cut 10 per cent off energy bills. But be sure to keep your room temperature at a safe level.

* When replacing electrical appliances make sure that you buy the most energy-efficient model.

* Insulate your wall cavities and fit aluminium foil behind your radiators.

* Only boil the water that you need for your cup of tea. If everyone boiled just the water they needed, the energy saved could power more than three-quarters of the streetlights.

* Recycle landfills are the second largest source of methane emission in the UK. Most local councils provide facilities for you to recycle your paper, cardboard, bottles, cans and plastic.

*When travelling, try to walk, cycle or use public transport instead of driving whenever you can. If you have to travel by car then consider car-sharing.

* If you replace your car, buy a 'green' car or downsize to a smaller, more fuel-efficient model.

* Try to reduce the amount that you travel by air. If you do fly, then consider 'offsetting' your carbon emissions. You can donate money to organisations such as Climate Stewards. Climate Stewards was set up by Christian conservation charity ‘A Rocha’ and their strategy is to invest in tree-planting and conservation projects in developing countries. They also plan to implement renewable energy projects in the developing world. Their address is: Climate Stewards, A Rocha, 13 Avenue Road, Southall, Middlesex, UB1 3BL.

*Switching to a green electricity provider. You can cut your home carbon dioxide emissions. Tearfund has joined forces with Good Energy, a UK company which generates electricity directly from nature: wind farms, solar panels and small hydroelectric power schemes. Good Energy will give £20 to Tearfund for every supporter that switches.