EarthCare
Online
Update
AUGUST 2004
"CARING FOR GOD'S CREATION"
www.earthcareonline.org
"The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof..." (Psalm 24:1, KJV)
About EarthCare
Online Update
Please click this link for newsletter subscription
information.
CONTENTS of this issue:
Creation Care
At Home
Energy conservation and comfort in the summer heat / Easy whole food recipe
At Church
Energy-saving computer tip
In Our Community and World
Purchasing green power / Parliament of World Religions meeting (Barcelona,
July 7-13, 2004)
For Kids
Learning about sun protection
Review Book: For the Beauty of the Earth, by Steven Bouma-Prediger
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." (Revelation 4:11, NIV)
EarthCare's Email Newsletter
EarthCare's Online Updates are back! This month once again EarthCare begins publishing it's email newsletter. The newsletter
offers news on creation care
events, inspiration, tips, and reviews. If you would like to subscribe,
please send your name and email address to
.
Also, please pass along the word to any of your friends who might be
interested in the EarthCare Online Update.
Current and back
issues will be posted EarthCare's website
www.earthcareonline.org.
Fall Semester,
Beginning Sept 2 - Thurs
Course: Gardening with Native Plants
Thursdays 5:30-7:10pm.
Chattanooga State Technical Community College
Information: Admissions & Registration
(423) 697-4401
www.chattanoogastate.edu
http://www.chattanoogastate.edu/classes/esc/clements/esc_2650.htm
Sept 11 - Sat
/ rain date: Sept 18 - Sat
EarthCare
Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup
9am. Meet at Central High School.
Contact: Patrick Spiesser to sign up to assist with cleanup (423) 855-7488
Sept 11 - Sat
Chattanooga, Tn. Household Hazardous Waste Collection
2nd Saturday of each month. 8am-noon.
Household Hazardous Waste
Facility, 3925 North Hawthorne St.
Information: (423)
698-9531
http://www.chattanooga.gov/pubworks/citywide/sanitation/household.htm
Sept 11 - Sat
Crabtree Farms Fall Plant Sale
9am-1pm.
Crabtree Farms. 1000 E. 30th St., Chattanooga
Kids: Design Your Habitat. workshop 10am-noon.
Children will design their own beneficial habitat for their yard, suitable
for all ages. Fee for habitat house.
Information:
www.crabtreefarms.org
Sept 14 - Tues
EarthCare
Monthly Planning Meeting
2nd Tuesday of each month.
6:30pm.
Chattanooga State (follow the signs or contact us for
info.)
Information:
Sept
21 - Sat
Dalton, Ga. Household Hazardous Waste Collection
3rd Saturday of each month. 7am-2pm.
Household Hazardous Waste
Facility, Old Dixie Landfill
Information:
http://landfill.citydalton.net/hhw.html
Sept
27 - Oct 1, 2004 Mon-Fri
Conference -
Sacred Time, Holy Ground: Rooting Christian
Worship in Earth’s Ecology
Holden Village, Chelan, Washington
Information:
www.holdenvillage.org
Our small actions make a big difference! Be encouraged, be creative, be persistent--new habits take practice. We suggest that this month you consider experimenting with one of the creation care ideas in this newsletter. If it doesn't work for you, modify it or try something else. Don't give up! Life is a learning experience, and we learn and grow by taking one small step at a time.
"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." (Psalm 25:4-5, NIV)
Energy Conservation and Comfort in the Summer Heat
Here are a few ideas that can help you save money, conserve energy, and increase the comfort of your home during the hot days of summer:
1. Block the Sun.
Use shutters, drapes, or shades on your windows during the day.
Shade your house on the south and west sides by planting deciduous trees,
using awnings, or installing trellises with vines.
Install double-paned or Low-E windows.
When you redo your roof, choose a lighter color.
2. Reduce the humidity in your house.
Limit fabrics in the your house by taking up rugs and textile wall
hangings and storing them until fall.
Consider replacing carpets with
solid flooring.
Take quick, cooler showers instead of baths.
Prepare meals that do not create a lot of heat or steam during preparation.
Use exhaust fans when showering or cooking.
Run only full loads in the dishwasher or washing machine.
3. Turn off lights when not needed.
4. Use ceiling fans to make rooms feel up to 8 degrees cooler.
5. Wear light, natural fiber clothing.
6. Check out the EPA's "The Home Energy Saver" website http://homeenergysaver.lbl.gov for more tips. Enter the specifications for your home, and receive customized recommendations online.
Easy Whole Food Recipe
For a nutritious, cool, breakfast drink try this simple smoothie.
Cool Fruit Smoothie
Using a blender or a food processor, blend together:
- Some of your favorite fruits or fruit juices
- Chilled soy milk or organic cow's milk and/or soy yogurt or organic dairy yogurt
- Filtered water if a more liquid consistency is desired
You also might want to try bananas and
peanut butter or carrot juice and citrus fruits or tofu. Have fun and
experiment with whatever you have on hand!
Energy-Saving Computer Tip
To save energy, money, and reduce the amount of heat in the church office, turn off computers when not in use. Turning off computers not only reduces energy consumption, but also reduces the amount of dust buildup inside the computers making them last longer. Modern computers are not harmed by turning them on an off. For more energy-saving recommendations, see Putting Energy into Stewardship: Energy Star for Congregations Guide (US EPA 480-B-00-003, October 2000).
Purchasing Green Power
Where does your power come from?
In Tennessee, you can choose to receive your power from greener
sources (wind, solar, and methane gas). Green power is sold in
150-kilowatt-hour blocks (about 12% of a typical household's monthly use).
You may purchase 1 or as many blocks as you like, and for each block $4
will be added to your monthly bill. To sign up online for green power, go
to
http://www.tva.gov/greenpowerswitch/green_resid.htm.
Parliament of World Religions
Meeting
(Barcelona, July 7-13, 2004)
In its meeting this year, the Parliament of World Religions addressed the world's growing water crisis. One of their goals was for participants to "commit to bringing a vision of simple and profound acts that can have a lasting impact on global crisis back to their communities." The Parliament discussions emphasized that most people are located in and draw their values from a religious community. If religious communities will offer them hope and address their suffering, individuals and families will be more likely to commit to creating change in their environment. To read more about the water issues discussed, see the Parliament's brochure at http://www.cpwr.org/2004Parliament/assets/Water_EngWeb.pdf.
Learning About Sun Protection
Sun-Wise Kids
http://epa.gov/sunwise/kids.html
Children can go to this EPA website to read and play games, learning how
to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the sun. The website
discusses topics, such as the best times to be outdoors, how to dress for
sun protection, information about ozone layer depletion, and how to
understand the UV index. The UV index may be accessed directly at
http://epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html.
Bouma-Prediger, Steven. For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.
In his book For the Beauty of the Earth,
author Steven Bouma-Prediger, Associate Professor, Hope College offers
an evangelical discussion of the relationship between Christianity and the
natural world. Bouma-Prediger explores the earth's current crisis and the
hope that we have for the earth through Jesus Christ. The questions he
addresses include: Where are we? What's wrong with the world?
Is Christianity to blame? Is there a connection between scripture
and ecology? How should we think of the earth? What kind of
people ought we be? Why worry about spotted owls and the Pacific
yew? and Wherein lies hope? In exploring these questions, Bouma-Prediger
calls the Christian church to embrace God's hope and share it with the
world.
Bibliography included.
|
The LORD bless you and keep
you; |
EarthCare Online Update is a free email newsletter published by EarthCare, Inc. Published approximately monthly, the newsletter focuses on Christians' call to care for the earth, news of EarthCare activities, and resources to assist with daily aspects of creation care.
Please note that the views expressed in resources listed in the Update are not necessarily those of EarthCare. In the Update we attempt to include a variety of books, websites, etc. in order to facilitate readers' education and exploration of ideas regarding the care of God's creation. It is our hope and prayer that before embracing new beliefs or practices, readers will examine them in context of the teachings of the Bible and God's personal call in their lives.
Subscribe/Unsubscribe: To subscribe or unsubscribe to EarthCare Online Update, or change your email address, please email us at . The Update is sent only to those who have registered for our email list. We do not rent, loan, or sell our list to anyone. Current and back issues of the Update are available on EarthCare's website www.earthcareonline.org.
About EarthCare
EarthCare, Inc. is a non-profit Christian organization that exists to promote
creation stewardship within the Christian community. For more information about
EarthCare, caring for God's creation, and links to other creation care
resources, please see our website
www.earthcareonline.org.
EarthCare Stewards
"EarthCare Stewards" are what we call the generous individuals and churches
who contribute to the ministries of EarthCare. We invite you to become an
EarthCare Steward and join with us in
supporting creation care in the Christian community. The ministries of EarthCare
are funded entirely by gifts from folks like you who want to make a difference.
Most gifts we receive are small, but because we're all volunteers any amount
that you give will have a big impact! Your gift will go directly to support
EarthCare ministries (projects, conferences, website, email list, mailing
services, and other EarthCare activities). All gifts are tax deductible.
You may contribute by mailing a check or money order to the address below. Thank you!
EarthCare, Inc.
EarthCare Stewards
PO Box 23291
Chattanooga, TN 37422
______________________________________________________________________________________