Eco.Group Meeting 7 June 2021

		Eco.Group Meeting 7 June 2021 St Ursula's Church Berne, Switzerland A Church of the Anglican Communion, welcoming all who seek the Lord Jesus Christ
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St Ursula's Eco-Group – Heading towards Gold

Notes from Monday 7 June 2021

...but as we were reminded, passing through Silver first!

Present: Helen Marshall, Hector Davie, Sue Higson, Johannes Hewel, Rosalind Richards, Maxine Wildhaber
Other input from: Dominic Roser

Dominic reminded us before the meeting that with limited resources, it was important to concentrate on the more effective measures first – e.g. the local public electricity supply was so clean that investment in photovoltaic cells was scarcely justified, A Rocha's case was hard to make for making a priority of local and animal-friendly food sources. He recommended we develop ideas of spreading information, that we giving to a specific overseas environmental project. In the area of finance, he noted that ethical giving was more effective (and perhaps easier to encourage) than ethical investment.

We began with two prayers based on the House of Bishops' thoughts for World Environment Day (https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/topical-prayers/prayers-world-environment-day). We agreed to concentrate our brainstorming on our congregation's lifestyle, which was the only one of A Rocha's main categories where we only scored bronze.

We discussed transport to church. How did we know how many came in their own private car, what was an acceptable number and how may used their cars wastefully in other areas besides church? We should sensibillize people to the distances involved by displaying a map and then encouraging car-sharing. How many use public transport (do we know?). Why? People stressed the comfort of car sharing (assuming drivers took driving in turn). How do we show people the benefits?

Johannes will put up a list to for lift sharers to sign up.

Arrange talks for our young people, e.g. about leaving on lights. (It was noted that as a different approach, one could change light switches!) We can encourage people but how do we know what they do at home. (In general, we should encourage youth to come along to talks, and try to wean them off a throw-away-and-replace ethos.)

TCom could run a repair workshop to encourage people to recycle more items. We had held jumble sales in the past, but these had not worked. A different format was needed. Mumkids used to have children's toy and equipment sales.

We should encourage the bulk buying of seasonal and locally-produced food and goods. Sue will look into ecologically-based cooperatives.

We should aim at suggesting lifestyle examples, for example by serving meat-free meals at church events and saying why, and by making recipes available.

We should provide people with extra information to look at when shopping (for example, where things have come from).

We should provide people with lists of food in season (and also encourage them to buy seasonal food in restaurants.

It was noted there were environmental gains from drinking less coffee (what about Fair Trade?) and drinking tea. (A similar point was made in relation to eggs, even free-range ones, but we didn't know why...)

We should ask people to bring their own containers (not foil!!) to take away food. We can get containers from the Recircle scheme (www,recircle.ch

We should tell people about shops that sell e.g. washing-up liquid, mineral water, in bulk. (see www.migros.ch/de/genossenschaften/migros-aare/angebot/supermarkt/unverpackt-waschmittel.html Coop also had a pilot project in Basle.)

We can encourage printer supply recycling. Sue will order boxes for members of the congregation to bring their toner/ink cartridges (to benefit the Red Cross).

We should arrange eco-walks (or join ones arranged by other people) – especially in the Berne area.

We should invite Dominic Roser to talk on possibilities for investment

We could invite people to give eco-testimonies in the magazine. (Rosalind and Johannes offered)... Or give a talk, or part of an everyday faith talk, in church.

We needed to make ourselves known as espousing green issues. Perhaps we could hold talks in conjunction with our sister churches. (We should in any case make contact with other English-speaking churches – e.g. Vineyard, New Life and Bruder Klaus.)

Taking part in a toilet-twinning project would help raise awareness. (See https://www.fivelittlestars.com/our-tips/2016/11/28/toilet-twinning-a-great-cause-and-an-inspired-gift-idea). Hector would contact Tear Fund to determine the details. (Can be done as individuals or as a group).

We should produce frequent summaries to keep people aware of climate change. Something short in the magazine? Helen to ask Sarah French? It is important not to overwhelm people with ideas – simple ideas, and clear depiction of the problem and possible solutions. (We should involve Caroline to provide something short and punchy.) And provide a list of vegetables in season.

Sue undertook to share her conclusions about ethical banking – ABS, BEKB, WIR, Raiffeisen, inter alia.

We agreed to make the next meeting on 23 June at 1900 open to all

Notes by
Hector Davie 16 June 2021