Environment: what's happening

This page is maintained by Gareth Greenwood

Environment: what's happening

Gold Award

Congratulations to Glossop

read their story on the front page click here

If you are not yet registered as a parish, why not check out the new user guide and tutorial from A Rocha along with the Diocesan bitesize course.

Good news from Hadfield

The Wild Peak Programme: St Andrews Junior School | Derbyshire Wildlife Trust

Latest training / events from internal and external networks

DEO+

The Church of England Environment Team actively support Diocesan Environment Officers (DEO). They are a brilliant team to connect with.

They are offering wider invite virtual events twice a year. If you are reading this as a volunteer from a parish in Diocese of Derby you are invited.

Tuesday September 12th 2-3:30 Register in advance for this meeting.

This is free and if you can't attend on the day you will get updated information through signing up.

As part of the new action packs on Net Zero there are some new resources click here.

The full Net Zero series can be caught up, book to get the links sent to you first. See Net Zero Carbon - YouTube for most recent uploads.

Young Christian Climate Network, are an action-focused community of young Christians in the UK aged 18-30, website https://www.yccn.uk/

Their campaign Take the Veg Pledge, includes a recorded launch event,

What Would Jesus Eat?, exploring connections of food, Christianity & climate change.

Biodiversity

>> Latest statement on Biodiversity from the CofE National Investing Bodies

Climate intercessors monthly Zoom prayer meet is on the second Tuesday of the month at 1pm or 8pm.

It is a well managed international prayer gathering with items of focus - both well researched and with continuity.

Recommended by DEO as a useful space to listen, thank God and interceed on these issues it is highly recommended. It is also a valued antidote to being overwhelmed or grieving the impact of humans on the planet. there is also a monthly update to direct your prayers see Prayer Resources & Guides — Climate Intercessors.

click here to find out more Climate Intercessors

Local News: Eco Church newsletter

If you are from a parish in Diocese of Derby and want to obtain the newsletter then email. It is offered approximately three times a year. Last publication date was Feb 2023.

Subscribe to the CofE Environment bulletin for the latest offer nationally including virtual training courses.

It includes training opportunities and is recommended for Eco Churches and parishes working to net zero.

Citizen Science: Churches Count on Nature June 2023

Catch up on the Webinars on Land and Nature for Churches Count on Nature

see the new Guide to Ancient and Veteran Trees

Whether you are the custodian of an ancient tree or just an interested observer, Caring for God's Acre's comprehensive guide to ancient yews and other trees is an interesting read. It includes history, folklore, management and some tips on how to enthuse other people about these majestic trees.

Take a look at the webpage or download the guide directly.

Operation Noah:

Operation Noah: News Expanding the Bright Now Campaign.

Church Land and the Climate Crisis report 2022: says we should 1) get our own house in order, 2) use our assets- land and investments- wisely, 3) use our voice.

Environmental Fundraising - webinar recordings can be viewed here.

See Funding - Parish ResourcesParish Resources and/or Diocesan advice.

Recommended publications

“There is no Planet B” and “How bad are bananas?” by Mike Berners Lee
“Wilding” by Isabella Tree – about nature and rewilding in general and the Knepp Estate (West Sussex) in particular
“Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World” by Katharine Hayhoe 
“A Christian Guide to Environmental Issues” by Martin J Hodson and Margot R Hodson

Grove Booklets

Grace Thomas, DEO for Manchester, “Climate Action as Mission: How to Link the Gospel with Safeguarding Creation”
Rachel Mash, Green Anglicans, “Renewing the Life of the Earth: Christian Discipleship and Environmental Action”
Policy interest Watch the Climate Assembly UK documentary on BBC iPlayer | involve.org.uk

IPCC report Feb 2022 shows climate change is hitting wildlife hard.

IPCC report published (Aug 2021) shows

It is unequivocal that human behaviour is changing the climate
The impacts of climate change are already being felt in every region across the globe (temperate regions are not safe)
The impacts of climate change will continue to get worse until we stop burning fossil fuel
The longer we leave it to make change, the worse the impacts will be

Summary for Policymakers and comment from Bishop Graham.

Eco Church case studies and webinars from the CofE.

Eco Church

To contact a local church engaging or find volunteering opportunities contact or go to find a church or see the up to date list on Eco Church: Turn your church green

There is a bitesize introductory course on Becoming an Eco church (community section) and a resource sheet for parishes.

The Eco Church website has a resources page - everything from measuring your carbon footprint, or being wildlife friendly to different types of recyclable cup available.

Please contact us when you register your parish so we can keep in touch with your news and share training and new resources. If you have been on the journey for sometime, please give the best email contact for your parish or benefice.

Buildings advice

Historic England guidance and webinar programme

SPAB - Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings

Advice in this Diocese is from DAC

Carbon footprint

CofE churches - Energy Footprint Tool
Any church - 360Carbon - includes energy, transport, food, procurement, and more
National report on the findings of the Energy Footprint Tool

Transport

Useful carbon footprint transport calculator from Climate Stewards - it allows you to compare journeys.

The Environment Working Group are looking car charging points currently so advice will be forthcoming.

OZEV - grants for EV car charging posts.

EV charging posts Zap Map.
(note - church webinar programme above includes a webinar on EV car charging). 

Simply car share journeys, use of public transport and active travel are ways to act more sustainably too.

Sustainable preaching and Service resources

ARocha UK produced prayers including videos for Great Big Green week Pray with us this Great Big Green Week - A Rocha UK.

A new resource combining the benefits of previous resources with preaching notes and ideas for every Sunday in the lectionary.

https://preachingforgodsworld.org/

If you decide to hold an outdoor service see the Church of England advice and related resources.
Ask your Pioneer minister about Forest Church or Muddy Church.

Resources

Churches could do more on climate change.
Tearfund report with young Christians: only 1:10 young people say churches are acting as they should.
Two thirds of young people had never heard a Sunday sermon on the issue.
>> Tearfund campaigns information.

Worship and music

Outdoor worship guidance page  

Creation-themed liturgy A Time for Creation

Liturgy for the Agricultural Year

Doxecology by Resound worship

Bishop Olivia of Reading’s theological reflections (+Olivia chairs the Oxford net zero taskforce)

A Rocha International - YouTube channel - search for Dave Bookless New Wine talks NL 2020 

Land and nature

Land and nature webinar programme - A great place to start, with lots of videos offering practical advice on a wide range of topics from bats to biodiversity, trees to Forest Church, and managing your grass. (You can also find them as a single YouTube playlist here.)

CofE Biodiversity page and Trees page

Botanical Companion  which has a list of the species most often found in churchyards:

Caring for God’s Acre free resources

Grass cutting advice sheet 

Minifilms 

information sheet on the Five Steps for good churchard management

Bats in Churches project .

Study resources

Saying Yes to Life Ruth Valerio, written as a lent course - useful stand alone chapters for novice and engaged Christian. Highly readable. Available as a book and as a e-read.

Tenants of the King, a 4 part study updated for 2022 looking at what the Bible has to say about climate change, from Operation Noah. Worth looking at purely for answers to common questions pages 22-25. Paper copies were offered at clergy Conference 2018 so ask around and it was recommended by those who used it.

Dave Bookless Planetwise and God doesn't do waste. The study series for planetwise. Dave was a founder of A Rocha Uk which gave rise to Eco church.

Mission and Creation Care for disciples , John Ray Institute.

Faith in a Changing Climate USPG downloadable study resource with case studies from across the Anglican Communion. It includes a very helpful page on Climate Change FAQs

Bible study based on Cherishing the Earth (2008) Margot and Martin Hodson- six week course. A blend of science and theology.

Let there be stuff...? Course of 6 sessions aimed at teenagers/ young adults.

7 weeks detox from consumerism. Based on Consumer Detox by Mark Powley, St Georges, Leeds.

Christian Aid Theology of Climate Change.

Church Mission Society study resource 'The Possible world'.

Plenty from Joy in Enough (Green Christian) offer a study and a challenge to rethink our economy, acknowledge our complicity in consumerism and climate change.

Range of resources from A Rocha including one based on Jesus and the earth, James Jones (2003).

Caring for Creation and Living in Hope York Courses.

Nature Connection

All age service from Sarah Brown sign up for her newsletter email.

Resources from Christian Climate Action

Derbyshire Churches Environment Network service outline aimed at use in small social distanced groups in the outdoors.

Climate is highly political, some global multinationals have alot to loose. So Climate Denial hasn't gone away – here's how to spot arguments for delaying climate action. New research exposes the common tropes of bad faith arguments about climate change. Read more in The Conversation UK

Frameworks for individual / household action

Creation Care, a framework for households which congregations can follow together
Count us in - 16 high impact steps which individuals can take to cut carbon
WWF Footprint Calculator - simple footprint tool, and an informative process

Frameworks for schools and youth

For schools: resources from Let’s Go Zero, Eco Schools, Christian Aid, and PECT
For youth engagement: resources from Tearfund, Christian Aid, and ACEN
The CofE net zero carbon schools webinars
Letters for Creation, and joint project with Christian Aid. Resources include an assembly, lesson plans, and resources to help produce creative letters and art.

Funding

Watch the recordings of CofE webinars on environmental fundraising for environmental projects 
CofE grants funding guide from Parish Resources
And a suite for “how to” guides from Parish Resources.
Community Energy England funding opportunities
For local grants, find out whether you have a local CVS (Council for Voluntary Services).  If so, they generally have a free searchable grants directory. Also contact the sustainability or community engagement officer at your local authority  or in the DM+M team and at webpage.

News archive

Green Christian magazine is freely available online.

List of councils who have declared a Climate Emergency.

Other resources

Repair Cafe helps reduce waste through mending items that might otherwise be discarded. Please note there are conditions to using the name and logo.
There may be one nearby you can access - in New Mills, Eyam, Chesterfield.

Refil app. If your church has a publicly available tap which people could use to refil drinking bottles (and reduce waste) you can add it to this scheme.

LiftShare UK.

For the keen cyclist - the cathedral cycle route challenge

Plant Lock bike rack - as one example of what is possible where there is no local scheme available.

B-Lines - Buglife

Misc Training