In September 2019, in the light of the climate and loss of biodiversity crises, Christ Church launched an “Eco -Group”, with the aim of examining our own responsibilities in this area. By working towards the A Rocha Eco-Church awards, we are looking at all aspects of church life, from the way we use our buildings and grounds to the worship and teaching and our individual lifestyles. Through regular input into Church meeting and items in our monthly magazine, Comment, these issues are kept in the foreground of our thinking. The most recent four articles in Comment can be found below.
JUNE 2023 - We have now been awarded the A Rocha Bronze Award - Certificate here
Item from July/August 2025
The warfare currently raging in the world is obviously a tragedy for all caught up in it in terms of the human suffering and physical destruction. And the fact that other nations, including our own, are feeling the need to increase their spending on defence – inevitably at the expense of other, more socially useful programmes – is desperately sad. In the midst of all of this, climate and environmental matters can seem to slip down our list of concerns.
The sad fact is that war and even peacetime military activity do serious environmental damage. Direct impacts include pollution, habitat destruction and disruption to ecosystems as well as significant greenhouse gas emissions. The building up and maintenance of military forces requires considerable energy long before war even begins, and it’s mostly derived from fossil fuels. The best estimate we have is that military activity is responsible for 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Armaments and the military do not appear in the Paris Climate Agreement, meaning that they are not obliged to report to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on their climate action and progress. Yet the global military sector is on the top of the list of the world’s climate polluters.
The former UN Secretary general Ban Ki-moon once said: “the environment has long been a silent casualty of war and armed conflict. From the contamination of land and the destruction of forests to the plunder of natural resources and the collapse of management systems, the environmental consequences of war are often widespread and devastating”.
The Rev'd Andy Braunston, the URC's Minister for Digital Worship, recently shared a reflection he entitled “Why do the nations rage so furiously together?”, which included this prayer:
“O Most High, the nations rage and fight, they prepare for war not peace, and we have no words.
Crucified God, again and again you die in your people, as the forces of imperial might love death not life, and hide in the dark instead of seeing the truth in the light, and we have no words.
Most Holy Spirit, as simple fools we hope for peace, we long for weapons to be beaten into ploughshares, for flourishing in Israel, Gaza, and Iran, and for our words and prayers for peace to be no longer needed.
Amen.”
Eco-tip for July: Summer is the time for picnics. Let’s resist the temptation to use disposable plates and cutlery.
Item from June 2025
At the Church Meeting on 4th May, Christ Church adopted the following Environmental Policy:
The context
Christ Church recognises the urgency of the climate and nature crises. We believe in our Christian responsibility to care for creation and will take the practical steps necessary to strive towards safeguarding the life of the Earth in our church life and as individuals.
As a member of the Baptist Union and the United Reformed Church, we acknowledge the commitment made by both denominations to achieve Net Zero in our church life, the URC by 2030 and the BU by 2035. In line with these commitments, we will work towards reducing our carbon footprint year on year.
We accept our responsibility to use resources wisely so that climate change is mitigated, biodiversity protected, finite resources conserved and waste and pollution minimised. We will work with the A Rocha Eco-Church programme to guide and develop our practical actions.
Worship and Teaching
Care for creation will be embedded in the life of Christ Church, in our worship, children’s work and study. We will communicate our understanding of our responsibility for all that is entrusted to us in creation, making the links between damage to the environment and social and global injustices.
Buildings and Energy
We recognise our most important environmental impact will be an ongoing reduction in our carbon emissions. We will seek to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, working towards meeting our energy needs from renewable sources and reaching net zero carbon by 2035 at the latest. We will endeavour to make environmentally positive choices in all aspects of our work, including using eco-friendly products, reducing waste, improving energy efficiency, and encouraging environmental awareness among all users of our buildings.
Land and Nature
We commit to an environmentally friendly approach to our church grounds, managing our land as far as is practicable to be kind to nature and encourage bio-diversity.
Community and Global Engagement
We will engage with organisations and with the political process, locally, nationally and globally, in addressing the climate crisis. Recognising the disproportionate impact the changing climate has on the poorest in the world, we will support charities and campaigns which address this injustice.
Lifestyle
We will actively encourage individual members of our congregation to examine their own lifestyle and to take actions in their personal lives, including assessing their own carbon footprint, reducing their use of fossil fuels, considering how they travel and the food choices they make. We will promote re-use, recycling and repair and the avoidance of waste.
Christ Church Eco-Group. May 2025
Eco-tip for June
Let’s ditch the disposable coffee cups. Take your reusable cup with you if you are going to want a take-away coffee.
Item from May 2025
It is the time of year when the weeds are growing fast and – depending on our individual level of tolerance to a “weedy” garden – we are wondering how to deal with them. The easy answer may seem to be a chemical weedkiller but these do have a serious environmental impact. Weedkillers have a large carbon footprint from their manufacture, packaging and transportation. Weedkiller runoff can pollute groundwater. Weedkillers can harm or kill garden wildlife, including invertebrates present on plants when they are treated, and those, like bees and other pollinators, that feed on treated plants. There are strong links to the decline in bee populations. The loss of vegetation, flower resources and habitat cover through the use of weedkiller can also impact negatively on wildlife. There are concerns that weedkillers pose a risk to human health and research is ongoing into the long-term effect of exposure to these chemicals.
So what are the alternatives? Beyond the obvious hoeing and pulling up by hand, smothering with mulch, or weakening deeper rooted weeds by repeatedly cutting back the growth above ground, there are other options to try. Recommendations include using boiling water or solutions based on vinegar or salt water. An electric hot air weedkiller is another option.
Here is just one recipe for a vinegar-based solution, particularly suitable for spraying onto the weeds that pop up in the gaps between paving stones.
You will need 1 litre of white vinegar, 3 large tablespoons of salt and 3 teaspoons of washing-up liquid. Add the salt to the vinegar and stir till dissolved, then add the washing up liquid. Use a spray bottle to spray onto the weeds. This method works best on a dry sunny day.
Please note though that, although these ingredients are non-toxic, salt and vinegar could be harmful to pets. The weeds will wither quickly so you might wish to then rinse the area with water before allowing pets to return.
Eco-Tip for May
After a record-breaking dry March, we think of using water carefully. Collect the water that runs off before the hot water arrives for the washing up – or the warmish water we let go before it is cold enough for a glass of water – and use for watering the plants.
Item from March 2025
A piece of research that caught my eye recently has looked at the relationship between Britain’s three largest religious communities and their attitudes towards environmental matters. It turns out that it is Hindus who are at the forefront of environmental activism, engaging in eco-friendly actions at higher rates than other faith groups.
The research was carried out by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life. Amanda Murjan, a research associate, writes “Hinduism’s emphasis on the interconnectedness of all existence fosters a deep-rooted environmental ethic, where nature is not merely a resource but a sacred entity. The belief that God is in everything connects humanity with all existence, reinforcing an intrinsic responsibility toward conservation.”
While 92% of Muslims believe their faith requires them to care for the earth, the figure for Christians is 82%. And it is Christians who apparently engage in the lowest levels of conservation action. The research also showed that 31% of Christians deny climate breakdown – the highest among these three faith groups. A Christian belief that God will ultimately restore the world maybe contributes to this attitude.
Though people of faith do in the main believe they are responsible for caring for the Earth, this report suggests that their actual environmental actions do not in fact differ significantly from those without faith.
Interesting.
Eco-tip of the month
As thoughts turn to our gardens, remember to use peat-free compost only.