Parish Picnic and Compostable Products

This year's Parish Picnic used compostable plates, cups and utensils:   (2013-09-08) (Written by Stephen Lavender)

The St. Francis Parish Picnic always offers great food and fun. This year's picnic celebrated creation and the spirit of community in a new way. The Picnic Committee selected compostable plates, cups and utensils over conventional paper and plastic products. Why is this important?

Single use items such as plates, cups and utensils bring their manufacturing history to our picnic. After mere moments of use they leave the party for an unseen afterlife. Let's consider both ends of their picnic appearance.

Conventional paper plates begin as leftovers from paper production. Managed forests grow for years to generate pulp products. Ingredients including cellulose, oil (think petroleum), resin and wood chemicals are assembled into plates. Plastic utensils and those nasty Styrofoam cups also have origins in petroleum and other chemicals. None of these items are compostable. Producing them increases the demand for petroleum and generates greenhouse gases. Their disposal initiates a VERY long, unproductive existence in a landfill.

Our compostable plates are formed from bagasse and wheatstraw fibers. Bagasse remains after removing juice from sugarcane while wheatstraw is the remnant after extracting wheat grain and chaff. Both fibers are annually renewable. Compostable plates have no petroleum products among their contents.

Compostable utensils and cold beverage cups each claim polylactide, a corn based material as their primary ingredient. Talc is added to polylactide for rigidity in creating utensils. Corn is another annually renewable crop and these products too are fully compostable.

The Picnic Committee considered these questions before making their selection: What's the impact of production and delivery on our environment? What's the length of this product's useful life? Can it be recycled or disposed of responsibly?

Congratulations to our Picnic Committee for playing an important role in protecting the gift of creation!
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Introductory Energy Evaluation - Rebuild Michigan Site Visit

Especially so that we all have access to the list ... Summary of Energy Saving Measures ...

I have posted the PDF Rebuild_Michigan_St_Francis_IEE_CEC_2013-08-28...

our St. Francis Parish Introductory Energy Evaluation ... Prepared by: Joel Baetens of Clean Energy Coalition & Michigan Energy Office, Michigan Economic Development Corporation...

at: http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability

Or, directly go to the link at:  

http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user39/Rebuild_Michigan_St_Francis_IEE_CEC_2013-08-28.pdf

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Summary of Energy Saving Measures 

Several energy saving measures were identified for the campus. This section provides an overview of the largest 

categories where major energy saving upgrades are possible.

Energy Conservation Measure Description

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No/Low-Cost Measures

Lighting De-lamp over lit areas. Use occupancy sensors to control lights in offices, restrooms, storage areas, break rooms, and hallways. Use photo sensors for exterior lighting. Replace Incandescent lamps with CFL or LED. 

Building Shell Annually inspect exterior door seals for failure and replace when needed. 

Lock windows. Seal retires exhaust stacks. Repair Sump pump. Clean roof drains.

HVAC Control heating registers with a thermostat. Add basement heating unit filters to maintenance list. Replace line-set insulation. Turn fan control to 'AUTO'. Use cogged belts on air handlers. Utilize passive cooling in the gymnasium. Utilize a temperature setback schedule. 

Hot Water Insulate supply pipes. Install low-flow fixtures. Add low-flow aerators to faucets. Repair leaks.

Plug Loads Use smart plug strips for office equipment. Turn off computer labs when not in use. 

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Moderate-Cost Measures

Lighting Install horizontal blinds. Replace exterior and interior HID lights with LED or induction. Replace T12 with T8 linear fluorescent lamps and ballasts. 

Building Shell Replace single pane windows with double pane units. 

HVAC Take building operator training course. Update new boiler controls. Insulate external ductwork. Update fans and controls in gymnasium. Have steam trap analysis performed. Update to enthalpy controlled economizer. 

Hot Water Consider demand water heaters. 

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High-Cost Measures

Building Shell Install roof insulation to R50 hr-ft2 -F°/Btu. 

HVAC Replace steam boiler systems with high efficiency hot water boiler system. 

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---------- Forwarded message ----------

Date: Wed, Aug 28, 2013 

To: Maria Kook       Hi Maria:      Thank you!! Now you can get started with the Kilowatt Crackdown & Portfolio Manager...  

------------------------------  ------------------------------

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Joel Baetens <joel@cec-mi.org>

Date: Wed, Aug 28, 2013 at 5:31 PM

Joel Baetens  | Project Manager

924 N. Main, Suite 2 | Ann Arbor, MI 48104

734.585.5720 x11 | 734.418.1681 f
Follow Clean Energy Coalition on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube

Prayers of the Faithful - Summer & Fall Petitions

Intercessory Prayers

From an Earth Day blog by Sr. Ann Marie Slavin of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia,

sent to us by Cybelle Shattuck, Jul 8, 2013.

• As Brother Sun brightens the day and dispels the darkness of night—shine on those lost in depression or in fear of violence. Let our Brother Sun nourish these plants and each person partaking of the bounty of the crops to come.
  
  
• As Brother Wind brings every kind of weather—may farmers and agricultural workers have what they need to produce abundant crops.
  
  
• As Sister Water is useful, humble, and pure—may seasonal rains nourish our fields and refresh our Earth.
  
  
• As Sister Mother Earth sustains us—may she be respected and cared for by all peoples; may we turn from our wasteful ways.

Additionally, here are some petitions for the Prayers of the Faithful at Masses.  
These are  for Justice, Care for the Earth and Sustainability.  (More prayers...)

• For all of us present here today, may we care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love, we pray to the Lord...

• For leaders of nations, may we secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations, we pray to the Lord...

• For us and our neighbors, may we protect and restore the integrity of Earth's ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life, we pray to the Lord...

• For teachers and school administrators, may we integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values and skills needed for a sustainable way of life, we pray to the Lord...

• For children who are born today, may our time on earth be remembered for a renewed reverence for life, a resolve to achieve environmental sustainability, and a commitment to social justice, we pray to the Lord...
  
  

And, here are additional petitions which may be helpful in the months ahead...

· That we become the voice of the poor to ensure that local, state and national policies designed to address climate change do not place additional burdens on the most vulnerable people at home and abroad. We pray to the Lord.

· That our public and private prayer may lead us to a deeper concern for the gift of God's creation and those impacted by our lifestyles. We pray to the Lord

· That we take the time to learn about Church teaching on the environment and climate change and the impacts of our lifestyles on the poor and vulnerable in our own country and around the world.We pray to the Lord.

· That we have the courage to honestly assess our own contributions to climate change as a community of faith, within our homes, and through our everyday lifestyle choices. We pray to the Lord.

· That we take the steps necessary to live more sustainably and more simply as a sign of solidarity with those who suffer the consequences of our lack of respect for God's gift of Creation. We pray to the Lord.

~

· That we as Christians may respond to the urgent call of our Pope to safeguard God's creation and be in solidarity with all human and non-human inhabitants of the earth. We pray to the Lord.

· For the Church, that we may be a witness to Christ's love by practicing a more ecologically sustainable lifestyles, and promoting justice and peace throughout the world. We pray to the Lord.

· That we may be inspired by the example of St. Francis of Assisi – the Patron Saint of ecology – and become instruments of God's healing for our imperiled planet and its inhabitants. We prayto the Lord.

· That through the example of St. Francis of Assisi, we may develop a stronger connection between our Christian faith and our role as caretakers of creation. We pray to the Lord.

Caththolic Climemate Covenat website: www.catholicclimatecovenant.org

· That the human family treats the non-human inhabitants of the earth with respect and empathy, and commits itself to their long-term survival. We pray to the Lord.

· That the human family experiences all of God's creation as deserving of consideration, respect, and rightful treatment. We pray to the Lord.

~ 

· That we may come to recognize that our own carbon footprint impacts the poorest people on earth and that they will suffer the worst consequences of climate change. We pray to the Lord.

· That we have the courage to alter our own behaviors that contribute to climate change and thereby lessen the impacts of climate change on poor people at home and abroad. We pray to the Lord.

· For the millions of environmental refugees all over the world that have been displaced from their homes because of rising sea levels, draughts, expanding deserts, atastrophic flooding, and other environmental disasters. We pray to the Lord.

~ 

· For our children and grandchildren whose future is threatened by the progressive destruction of the Earth's ecosystems, that we may find the courage to alter our consumption patterns and pass on to future generations an Earth that is restored and healed. We pray to the Lord

· That we may be attentive to discover and quick to embrace ways to live more sustainably, to influence the public policy of our nation, and to save our planet for the future generations. We pray to the Lord.

· For our children and grandchildren whose future and lives are being threatened by our

unsustainable daily habits, business practices and the lack of policies that protect our air, water, and land. May God empower us to change our ways and believe that each one of us can make a difference. We pray to the Lord.

· For our elected leaders and those who help shape public policy on climate change, that they and we may heed the urgent call of Benedict XVI: "Our earth is speaking to us, and we must listen if we want to survive." We pray to the Lord.

(More prayers...)

Fwd: Your Help is Needed!

Sustainability Team Members and Friends,   Subject: Your Help is Needed!  - From: Stephen Lavender.

 

St. Francis of Assisi Parish needs your help!

 

* Quite possibly over the last several months during Sunday Masses you've heard one or more petitions (Prayers of the Faithful) related to care for creation. The written supply of petitions is not limitless and clearly someone has to write them! That's where you come in. We've all heard many petitions so you know the format. They should be clear and concise, conveying the community's prayers for the earth's inhabitants, the earth itself and the need to protect and care for it. Capture your thoughts during an inspired moment and send them to me at your convenience. I'll collect your petitions and forward them to the parish.

 

* The date for this year's Parish Picnic has been announced as Sunday, September 8. Our Sustainability Team would like to support the picnic with recycling, maybe composting and perhaps even some educational opportunities masquerading as games to the casual observer. Your thoughts and ideas on shaping our participation are welcome! If you'd like additional information, you're interested in helping or perhaps even leading our Parish Picnic Sustainability team please contact me.

 

Thanks everyone. Enjoy your summer and I hope to hear from you soon!

 

Steve      

Aug 6, Tour Sustainable Living in Monroe

Tour Monroe Sustainability
On Tuesday, Aug 6, 2013, Tour Sustainable Living in Monroe.   Come see what they have done to the buildings and gardens at the Catholic IHM Sisters Monroe Motherhouse campus in an effort that promotes sustainable living.   RSVP required by Mon, July 29th, 2013. 

First Anniversary of our Sustainability Team

First Anniversary of our Sustainability Team
FORUM cover on June 16, 2013, (Written by Kelly Gauthier).

“God’s creation is one and it is good. The concerns for non-violence, sustainable development, justice and peace, and care for our environment are of vital importance for humanity.” 
- Pope Benedict XVI at World Youth Day, June 2008

At St. Francis, we take seriously the Church’s teaching to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. 

July marks the first anniversary of our Sustainability Team. 
We would like to take a moment to celebrate the tremendous work our parish has done to care for God’s creation. We piloted a Sustainability Framework for Faith Communities that was developed by Michigan Interfaith Power & Light (MI-IPL). The purpose of our Sustainability Project is to educate parishioners on the effects of warming trends globally that have the greatest impact on the poorest among us and on future generations so that we can:   

• Work together to build up the capacity of our parish and parishioners to be good environmental stewards 
• Make the needed changes in our parish and in our homes to improve our stewardship of God’s creation and reduce our carbon footprints 

If you are interested in joining the Sustainability Team, please contact Steve Lavender at slavende@att.net  or (734) 973-2564.


During this past year we accomplished: 

“Getting Started” Activities

• Gained commitment from parish leadership 
• Developed a coherent framework 
• Identified leaders 
• Created a Sustainability Team with over 30 members 
• Interviewed parish & school staff to gauge interest 
• Created a logo and tagline 
• Held a brainstorming session to generate ideas for sustainability activities 

Building the Faith Foundation
Care for Creation: Reinforced Church teachings by-

• Incorporating sustainability into Prayers of the Faithful 
• Publishing over 35 sustainability-related articles in the Forum 

Environmental Justice

• Lenten project raised over $12,000 for a Habitat for Humanity home built with sustainable practices & features 
• Holy Thursday collection raised over $2,300 for Water Missions International, (which provides clean water projects to remote locations such as in Haiti ) 
• Donated organic produce from the Parish Sustainable Garden to Perry Nursery School 

Communication / Education
Educated parishioners with:

• A Common Conference workshop on climate change 
• Presentation to Rel Ed. Confirmation students 
• RCIA presentation 

Shared our learning with the larger community:

• Presented at the annual MI-IPL conference 
• Made two presentations to regional pastors 
• Met with other local parishes for mutual learning/info sharing 

Buildings / Energy Savings 
Partnered with Better Buildings for Michigan:

• Audited the Rectory to identify residential energy savings 
• Gave parishioners discounted-cost home energy audits
• Began exploring the opportunity to obtain solar panels for the St. Francis campus 

Purchasing & Recycling: 
Diverted lots of garbage from the landfill by: 

• Using “real” dishes to feed hundreds of people at our Lenten Friday fish fries and Martin Luther King Jr. supper 
• Using recyclable/ compostable donation sacks during Lent 
• Nearly filling a Habitat for Humanity ReStore truck with donated re-usable items
• Using compostable dishes at the school’s 60th Anniversary party 
• Switching from Styrofoam to compostable cups for coffee and donuts—the church has purchased over 9,000 compostable cups since we made this change! (While not all cups are being composted, we stopped using petroleum-based cups and eliminated any health risks associated with the use of polystyrene.) 

Land & Water / Food

• Took a parish field trip to an organic farm 
• Improved the Sustainable Garden and created a new Michigan Native Plant Garden, with the goal of harvesting the seeds for future sales

Fwd: Potato Planting Project ... June 16, 2013, Forum Sustainability Corner

June 16, 2013, Forum Sustainability Corner:

(Written by Stephen Lavender)

Sustainable gardens require a sustainable supply of gardeners. Fostering a growing awareness of sustainability's importance, the St. Francis School community has embraced the parish's gardening program. The 5th grade students of Ms. Kim Verhines' class recently participated in the St. Francis Sustainable Garden's potato planting project. 

With background and instruction provided by Sustainable Garden coordinators Erich Jensen and Rose Sherry, the 5th graders spent an outdoor class session learning the basics of gardening and the specifics of planting potatoes. Working in groups of two, the students received sprouted potato sections and planted them in the garden's prepared soil.    

All gardeners know that planting is only one of many early steps in a long growing season. Individuals and families from the parish have volunteered to water and weed our sustainable gardens throughout the summer. In the fall a mature potato crop will be greeted by an equally mature group of gardeners. The 5th graders who planted in the spring will return as 6th graders this fall to experience and enjoy the harvesting of their sustainably grown produce. 

Erich captured the thoughts of our community when he commented that "sowing seeds in the garden hopefully means sowing seeds of sustainability in young minds for lifetime commitment." Wendy Lemke from St. Francis School and Patrick Sherry have also been instrumental in supporting and organizing the potato project. We thank them for their efforts and look forward to an abundant harvest this fall for distribution to Perry Nursery School families!

Rain Barrels - What a deal - Protect our Huron Watershed

Protect our Huron Watershed AND Save $$$ – Install a Rain Barrel!

What's a watershed? What's a rain barrel??

Watershed – land within which water flows down into a specified body of water. We live in the Huron River watershed.

Rain Barrel – a container used to collect and store rain water runoff from rooftops via gutters and downspouts.

Why install a rain barrel? The Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) explains that rain barrels "…save homeowners water, energy and money by reducing summer tap water needs. The stored water can be used by homeowners to irrigate gardens and lawns where the water will slowly infiltrate into the soil and plants. In addition, rain barrels also slow the rapid flow of water entering the stormwater system—storm drains, culverts, rivers and lakes—and help reduce soil erosion and flooding."

For a VERY limited time, the HRWC and other local entities "…are teaming up to host a public sale of discount rain barrels. Purchasers can go online now through May 13 to order their rain barrels in advance for pick up Saturday, May 18, 9am-2pm at the Washtenaw County Road Commission, 555 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor. Rain barrels are priced at $75 for a 65-gallon 85% recycled content model in charcoal or $85 for a classic edition barrel in granite. These prices are at least 20% off regular retail prices, and without shipping charges homeowners save even more. Go to www.hrwc.org/rainbarrels to get the promotional code and purchase a rain barrel."

As an added incentive, Ann Arbor residents qualify for a quarterly stormwater credit of $1.96 simply by installing at least one rain barrel on their property. Go to www.a2gov.org/storm and click Residential credits under Stormwater Rates and Credits for details.

Act quickly to support the Huron River watershed!

Ray Digby and Steve Lavender for the St. Francis Sustainability Team  

The Evils of Being Idle

The Evils of Being Idle
By Karen Digby, member of the St. Francis Sustainability Team
found on page 10 of Forum bulletin April 7th, 2013.

    The dictionary defines the word idle as something “not in use or operation”, “not working or active”. The book of Proverbs 18:9 states, “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.”  Together, both this definition and quotation perfectly describe the effects that the idling of a car has on the atmosphere.  Did you know that idling your car, even for a few minutes, is destructive to your environment, the­­ very air you breathe, and ultimately to your health?  Idling is a costly and wasteful habit too.  It has been determined that more gas is lost in the idling of a car (approximately two-tenths of a gallon per half hour) than in restarting its engine. Over 27 gallons of gas are lost annually, by idling a car, for as little as even ten minutes each day.  Additionally, the wear on the engine with each restart costs approximately $10 annually, while wear from an idling engine can cost hundreds of dollars each year, due to the damage it causes to exhaust systems, spark plugs, cylinders and other parts of the car’s engine.  Although a car can ultimately be replaced, your health and atmosphere cannot. 

     The engines of cars are created to work more effectively to combust fuel at high temperatures.  However, when idle, the car engine works at a low temperature.  This causes fuel entering the car’s catalytic converter to undergo incomplete combustion, thereby, permitting the emission of harmful complex chemical components such a nitrogen oxide, benzene, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide, to name a few, into the air.  When people breathe this toxic air, they suffer damaging effects to their bodies (cancer), particularly the lungs (asthma), heart and blood vessels (high blood pressure and decreased oxygen flow to heart and other tissue).  This is particularly troubling for children who breathe in more air per pound of their body weight, as compared to adults.

     So what can you do to prevent your car from being “idle”?  First and foremost, if your car will remain still (while the engine is on) for more than half a minute, turn off your engine.  Worried about a cold car when temperatures are colder?  No worries.  Cars with electronic engines are engineered to warm even more quickly when a car is being driven, compared to when it is standing still, especially if  increased speed and quick acceleration is avoided during the first three to five miles in which the car is first driven.  If waiting to pick up a passenger, use a blanket to stay warm or get out of the car and go indoors to wait.  Waiting in a running car can increase the risk of you yourself breathing in toxic fumes that can leak into your car’s interior.  As an added bonus, for every ten minutes the car engine is not idle, ten pounds of carbon dioxide will be prevented from polluting the air.

     Prevent being “slack in [your] work” to preserve your environment, fossil fuel resources, and money.  Do not let yourself become the “brother to him (fuel/carbon emissions) who destroys” the health of you and your children. You will reap what you sow both now and for generations to come.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idleness

http://www.openbible.info/topics/idleness

http://www.makealeap.org/idling_myth

http://www.greencalgary.org/take-action/campaigns/idle-free-campaign/learn-more-about-idling/health-effects-of-idling/

http://www.edf.org/transportation/reports/idling­­­­­

http://www.nutramed.com/environment/carschemicals.htm

Join your fellow parishioners as we build a Sustainability Project here at St. Francis.   

Contact Scott Wright (734-821-2121).

www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability

AnnArbor.com Story on St. Francis Parish Protecting the Environment

St. Francis News Story in AnnArbor.com
Faith Based Sustainability Program to Protect the Environment
http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arbor-church-creates-faith-based-program-to-protect-the-environment/

Getting off the bottle…

Getting off the bottle…

By Karen Digby, member of the St. Francis Sustainability Team for the Forum bulletin March 10th, 2013)

So you love to drink water.  Great!  This a healthy beverage for you.  Drinking bottled water though, not so healthy for your environment.  People often have the misgiving that bottled water is better for them, purer, without contaminants and better tasting.  This is not necessarily the case however, as determined by a four year study conducted by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).  According to the study, which examined 103 different types of bottled water from the United States, one third of those waters was found to be contaminated with carcinogenic and neurotoxic chemicals!  

Twenty five percent of bottled water was also determined to be sourced from a tap rather than solely from a pure spring or other clean source, according to industry and government estimations.  In fact, FDA water standard rules do not apply to up to 60 to 70 percent of American bottled water as they do to city water from the tap.  For example, tap water from the city must be examined for coliform bacteria at least 100 times monthly, whereas bottled water requires testing for the same, just once a week!  Bottled water usually must be tested for chemical contamination once per year, while city tap water must be tested at a minimum of every three months.

Financially this is not very healthy for the pocketbook either, as the bottled water habit can cost a drinker anywhere from 240 to over 10,000 more per gallon for water in a bottle, as compared  to that from a tap.  Additionally, empty bottles create 86 percent of the waste material found in landfills or incinerators, while 1.5 million barrels of oil are utilized, in the US, to manufacture new bottles (from polyethylene terephthalate).

Would you like to break this unhealthy habit?  Consider these solutions:

·               -purchase a ceramic filter or activated charcoal filter for your kitchen tap or a filtered water pitcher to make home made purified water (these will further filter the water and make the water taste better if you do not normally find the taste of tap water to be appealing)

·               -use a BPA free reusable bottle or mug to carry your home made water around with you to sip on during the day

-                refill these reusable bottles at local purified water re-filling stations or drinking fountains (the Meri Lou Murray Center in Ann Arbor, for instance has one of these stations, as do many buildings at the University of Michigan)

·               Water is supposed to be good for you.  Trying these solutions can help to keep it that way.   Salud!

·               Bottled water, what a waste.  http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-water.html

http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Join your fellow parishioners as we build a Sustainability Project here at St. Francis.   Contact Scott Wright (734-821-2121).

www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability

Don’t get drowned by water waste (Sustainability article)

Don't get drowned by water waste

By Karen Digby, member of St. Francis Sustainability Team for the FORUM on February 24, 2013, Page 16 at:   http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user28/130224.pdf

Water.  We rely on it every day, from bathing, to washing things, cooking, to drinking.  According to Sustainable Water, LLC, people in the USA utilize over four hundred gallons of water daily.  In fact, they further state that our water usage has exceeded from 127% over the past fifty years!  And, although it seems as though we have enough water all around us, reality is that only 2.5% of it is potable. However, much of this water is frozen in polar ice and glaciers, making only 1% that amount that can really be consumed.  This is a crucial factor given the reports over the last several years of drought, leading to famine, stealing food out of the mouths of people worldwide and driving up food prices.  For these reasons, water conservation is key.  There are many things that we can do at home and in our communities to begin saving water and even recycling what we use.  Here are just a few tips…
·         when using the washing machine, ensure a full load and wash on the cold cycle (washing and rinsing with cold water uses about 0.3kWh /load which at about $0.15 per kWh equals $0.05  cost of water each load vs. $0.68 using hot wash/warm rinse water at 4.5kWhs)
·         change out shower heads to the "low flow" style- this can save approximately 45 gallons of water per household per day (toilets and faucets can be converted to "low-flow" too)
·         fix a leaky faucet by replacing old washers and this can save up to twenty gallons of water daily
·         turn off the water when not using it directly to brush your teeth, shave, or wash your hands or face
·         use mulch around your trees and plants to soak up water and keep the soil around your them moister for longer
·         place a water cistern or barrel on your home's downspout to capture rain water which can then be used to water your yard (can be purchased at Walmart ready made or a DIY kit there sells for about $26 [called DIY Rain barrel diverter & parts kit])
·         re-use water in a vase of old flowers, left over bottled water, bath water, or even fish bowl water (when cleaning it out), to water your plants or garden
http://www.o-sw.com/solutions/commercial-solutions
http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/importanceofconservationofwater/
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Simple-Dollar/2012/0119/Here-s-exactly-how-much-you-ll-save-doing-laundry-in-cold-water
http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-water.html

Plastic Bottle Recycling

Plastic Bottle Recycling

By Karen Digby on behalf of the Sustainability Team at St. Francis... for the FORUM on February 3rd, 2013.

    Did you know that according to the Washington State Department of Ecology, people within the United States use four million plastic bottles per hour?  And, of every four bottles used, only one gets recycled! Why is this big deal?  Well for one thing when plastic bottles are thrown into the garbage, instead of being recycled, they end up in landfills where they can take anywhere from 100 to 400 years to decompose.  What a waste-literally!  Recycling plastic to make new plastic requires only two thirds of the amount of energy that would be needed if starting from scratch. Almost four barrels of oil can be saved by when one ton of plastic bottles are recycled. Recycled plastic can be used to create new products such as auto parts, carpeting, even clothing.  Recycling plastic can even create enough energy to light a sixty watt light bulb for six hours!  Does recycling sound like something you could do?  Great, then here are just three ideas to help you start.   Happy recycling! 

1.       Place plastic non-returnable (for cash) bottles into recycling bins.  Washtenaw County has a curbside recycling program… see:  http://www.recycleannarbor.org

2.       Storage.  Plastic bottles are a handy way to store small items such as paper clips, nails, etc.

3.       Creative (or not)? Save money on gifts this year by creating your own unique, hand-made items. Check out this web site with savvy ideas for the beginner to the advanced artist in you:   http://earth911.com/news/2010/07/26/6-ways-to-reuse-plastic-bottles/

http://earth911.com/news/2012/12/27/12-amazing-recycling-and-waste-statistics-from-2012/

http://schools.fwps.org/panther/files/2012/05/recycling-fast-facts-handout-2012.pdf

http://www.recycleannarbor.org/?module=Page&sID=resources-plastics-explained

http://www.recycleannarbor.org/?module=Page&sID=resources-a-to-z-recycling-guide

For more information or to join our Sustainability Team, call Scott (734-821-2121), or visit:  stfrancisa2.com/sustainability

Sustainability: creating new beginnings for the beginner

Sustainability: creating new beginnings for the beginner    By Karen Digby on behalf of the Sustainability Team at St. Francis... for the FORUM on January 27th, 2013.

           Over the past few months, you may have been noticing more and more information about sustainability in our parish bulletin.  What exactly is sustainability, you may ask, and what does it have to do with me?  Well, quite a lot actually.  In fact it is relevant to everyone living and breathing on this earth today, as it will be for generations to come.  The concept of sustainability was first developed in 1987, by the Brundtland Commission of the United Nations.  Basically the concept is defined as being able to meet people's needs for various resources, in the present time, in an efficient, effective, yet responsible manner, that will still allow them to meet the same needs of their children (our children) in the future.  This means reducing or even eliminating certain things such as water pollution and waste, food wastage, carbon emissions into our air, overuse of electricity and gas.  It also means learning to save, reuse and recycle things such as plastic, clothing, even things we consider to be garbage!  All of this so that future generations will be able to survive and live in harmony with the earth and their environment, as people have been used to doing in the past.

         You may think," I don't know how to start doing this."  "What difference can I make, if I do?" The Sustainability Team here at St. Francis, wants to help show you the way.  Our articles here in the parish bulletin will suggest different ideas for you to try out at home, at work, at school, anywhere during the week.  Learn more and you will want to join our Sustainability Team!  What better a way to become a steward of the resources God has given to you.  What better a way to make a difference in the lives your family, friends, community. 

               The future of our world and that of our children's is our responsibility to God and self.  As is written in Leviticus 25: 23-24, "The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land."

            For more information or to join our Sustainability Team, call Scott (734-821-2121), or visit:  stfrancisa2.com/sustainability

 

·    marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/greenwash-brigade/define-sustainability-please

·    christianteens.about.com/od/understandingyourbible/qt/ScriptureEnvironment.htm

Sustainability Planning Session Saturday, January 26 from 1:00pm - 5:00pm

We welcome you to our St. Francis Parish Sustainability Planning Session Sat, Jan 26th 1-5pm with a skilled facilitator in the School Music Room.

If on Saturday you suddenly find you're available to attend the afternoon session but have not yet registered, PLEASE ATTEND! You're welcome to support as much/as little of the session as your schedule permits.

We're all eager to share thoughts and ideas as together we continue to lay the groundwork for a more sustainable parish and world.   At the session we'll explore how Sustainability fits into our Catholic identity and consider practical ways to move forward during Lent, Easter and well beyond.  Sustainability covers many areas of life and specific segments of sustainability will resonate with some but not all individuals. It's an expansive subject, and we'd like to know how sustainability resonates with you.    The four hour session will be necessary, inspiring and time well spent. Hope to see you there!

We ask participants to be prepared to describe a future vision of St. Francis Parish, that builds on our identity as a Catholic community concerned about any number of the aspects of sustainability.

Several pre-reading items will be sent to you as soon as you RSVP.

Thanks to Steve Lavender &amp; Jane Vogel for preparing the agenda and Kelly Gauthier and Scott Wright for their thoughts and contributions to the preparation for Saturday's Planning Session.

If you have any questions or general comments

Please join us!  RSVP HERE, or to Scott (734-821-2121) (swright@stfrancisa2.org).
Are you aware of colleagues who may want to join us? Please forward this note to them.

Sun Come Up - a film on environmental refugees

Sun Come Up - a short film and discussion at St. Francis Parish Thursday, February 7th in the School Music Room, focuses on some of the world’s first environmental refugees, the people of the Carteret Islands in the south Pacific. 

The St. Francis Peace & Justice Committee is sponsoring this presentation.  The film will be introduced by a brief presentation on ocean levels around the world and followed by a discussion period. We will conclude by 8:30pm. Light refreshments will be served.   Please RSVP to Scott ( 734-821-2121) (swright@stfrancisa2.org). 

A2 climate action plan

Happy New Year!

This is a great site, The Ann Arbor climate action plan.  Check out the homeowner and renter sections!

http://www.a2energy.org/climate