tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71412082356854902822024-03-08T10:57:23.247-08:00St. Francis Parish, Ann Arbor, Sustainability ProjectThe purpose of this blog is to be an archiving place for articles and additional information on our Sustainability Project. ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ The purpose of the Sustainability Project at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ann Arbor, 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. ... our front page is at: www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainabilityScott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-70678706449339372992015-04-08T20:43:00.001-07:002015-04-08T20:43:44.978-07:00It's Earth Day April 22<div dir="ltr">Hello Kathleen Rogers of Earthday Network <a href="http://www.earthday.org/faith">http://www.earthday.org/faith</a><div><br></div><div>Thank you for sending us the letter / fax dated 2015/04/07 .</div><div><br></div><div>In observance of Earth Day we have planned the following several items.</div><div><br></div><div>Our pastor plans to mention Earth Day in his homily or sermon before April 22nd.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">Here are prayers for Masses April 18 and 19 the General Intercessions/Petitions especially before Earth Day April 22, 2015. <div><span><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">May the Earth be respected and cared for by all peoples; may we turn from our wasteful ways. We pray to you Lord.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">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.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">May seasonal rains nourish our fields and refresh our Earth. We pray to you Lord.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">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.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:15px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">For leaders of nations, may we secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations, we pray to the Lord.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">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.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:transparent">May farmers and agricultural workers have what they need to produce abundant crops. We pray to you Lord.</span></p></li></ul></span></div></div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~<br></div><b><div class="gmail_quote"><b><br></b></div>Plus, </b>thanks to our St. Francis Parish Sustainability - Peace & Justice Committee, member, Kelly Gauthier, <b>we are publishing the following article in our bulletin.</b></div></div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~<br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:maroon">SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT: Deepening the connection between faith & ecology, creation & climate</span></i></b><br></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:8pt;color:black"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">April 22<sup>nd</sup> is Earth Day! So what?</span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:black">Are you surprised to learn that Church leaders have taken a strong stance on climate change? Because climate change is caused by human activity and urgently needs to be addressed, Pope Francis has taken significant steps to reduce the Vatican's carbon footprint and to stress climate change's disproportionate impact on the poor. It makes a lot of sense when we consider:</span></p> <p class="" style="margin-left:9pt"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Symbol;color:black">·<span style="font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><b><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:black">The Church teaches that human life is sacred.</span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:black"> Human life is impossible without access to clean water and air, healthy land upon which to raise food, and an environment free of harmful chemicals and toxins.</span></p> <p class="" style="margin-left:9pt"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Symbol;color:black">·<span style="font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><b><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:black">The Church teaches us to give preference to the poor.</span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:black"> The poor around the world bear most of the pain of climate change. They are most affected by natural disasters, lack of access to water, rising food prices, pollution, and other aspects of environmental degradation.</span></p> <p class="" style="margin-left:9pt"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Symbol;color:black">·<span style="font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><b><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:black">The Church urges us to be less materialistic.</span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:black"> The earth's suffering is caused in large part by humans who value "stuff" more than life; who want the convenience of a "throw away" culture; who see no need to pay a little more for products that are created in sustainable and ethical ways and do not travel thousands of miles to reach us. Today, we take for granted things that our great-grandparents would have seen as incredible luxuries.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:black">So what? </span></b><span style="font-size:9pt;color:black">If you value clean air and water, what action will you take to ensure that it's available for all? If you do not want a coal-fired power plant or a landfill next door to your home, what action will you take to ensure that they are not built next to others' homes? If you don't want your child suffering neurological damage from exposure to toxins and harmful chemicals, what action will you take to ensure that other people's children don't have to suffer those effects?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:9pt;color:black"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:black">What will YOU do – today, tomorrow, and every day thereafter – to live your values?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:black"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:black">To learn more about the Church's environmental teachings and how to reduce your carbon footprint, visit: CatholicClimateCovenant.org.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:black"><br></span></p>~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><div class="gmail_quote">ALSO, this is a current related effort:</div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:10pt">Energy Efficiency at St. Francis Parish</span></b></p><p class=""><span style="font-size:10pt">Are you interested in <b>Energy Star</b> standards?</span></p><p class=""><span style="font-size:10pt">Would you like to volunteer to input data for St. Francis Parish? You need not be an architect or engineer. St. Fr</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt"> ancis Parish is utilizing Portfolio Manager for "benchmarking" our energy records.</span></p><p class=""><span style="font-size:10pt">With your help St. Francis Parish could enter next year's competition of the <b>Michigan Battle of the Buildings</b>. Contact: Scott Wright 734-821-2121 <a href="mailto:swright@stfrancisa2.org">swright@stfrancisa2.org</a> …</span></p><p class="" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10pt">See: <a href="http://stfrancisa2.com/sustainability">http://stfrancisa2.com/sustainability</a></span></p></div><div class="gmail_quote">~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="gmail_quote">Thank you,</div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">Scott Wright, BSW, M.Div., (734-821-2121)</div><div class="gmail_quote">Parish Social Ministry Director,</div><div class="gmail_quote">St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church,</div><div class="gmail_quote">2150 Frieze Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104.</div><div class="gmail_quote"><a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/">http://www.stfrancisa2.com/</a></div><div class="gmail_quote">------------------------------ ------------------------------</div></div></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-79838525236039932412014-07-30T08:02:00.000-07:002014-07-30T08:02:33.328-07:00e-waste recycling at St. Francis Parish<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;">St. Francis Recycles over 11,000 Pounds of Electronics!</span></b><br />
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Our parish had an opportunity in June to recycle old electronics, including unsold “leftovers” from the Rummage Sale. Our efforts were a huge success! St. Francis parishioners recycled a total of ... (<a href="http://service4justice.blogspot.com/2014/07/e-waste-recycling-at-st-francis-parish.html" target="_blank">Read more...</a>)</div>
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Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-30026621530435921392014-02-06T21:19:00.001-08:002014-02-06T21:19:07.436-08:00SUSTAINABILITY planning Monday, March 10th at 7pm in the School Teacher's Lounge.<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0HnDmHQdFr8/UvRsy_5DWqI/AAAAAAAAH44/27aben0d5BI/s1600/2012-10-05%2BStFrancisGardenHarvestA100512-747437.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0HnDmHQdFr8/UvRsy_5DWqI/AAAAAAAAH44/27aben0d5BI/s320/2012-10-05%2BStFrancisGardenHarvestA100512-747437.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5977522228827478690" /></a></p><div dir="ltr"><div><b><i>St. Francis of Assisi Parish SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT: </i></b><br><i>Deepening the connection between faith & ecology, creation & climate</i></div><div><br></div><div>Come plan with us <b>Monday, March 10th at 7pm </b>in the St. Francis School Teacher’s Lounge. Questions? Visit: <a href="http://stfrancisa2.com/sustainability">stfrancisa2.com/sustainability </a>Or, contact Scott 734-821-2121 <a href="mailto:swright@stfrancisa2.com">swright@stfrancisa2.com</a></div> <div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><br></div></div></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-9950940113460203762013-09-12T13:05:00.001-07:002013-09-12T13:05:12.197-07:00Parish Picnic and Compostable Products<div dir="ltr"><b>This year's Parish Picnic used compostable plates, cups and utensils: </b> (2013-09-08) (Written by Stephen Lavender)<div><br><div class="gmail_quote">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?<br> <br>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.<br> <br>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.<br> <br>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.<br> <br>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.<br> <br>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?<br> <br>Congratulations to our Picnic Committee for playing an important role in protecting the gift of creation!<br>--------------------------</div></div></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-27418863839343582892013-09-10T13:13:00.001-07:002013-09-10T13:13:59.717-07:00Introductory Energy Evaluation - Rebuild Michigan Site Visit<div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>Especially so that we all have access to the list ... Summary of Energy Saving Measures ...</div><div>I have posted the PDF Rebuild_Michigan_St_Francis_IEE_CEC_2013-08-28...</div><div><div> our St. Francis Parish <b>Introductory Energy Evaluation </b>... Prepared by: Joel Baetens of <b>Clean Energy Coalition </b>& Michigan Energy Office, Michigan Economic Development Corporation...</div><div><br></div><div> at: <a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability">http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Or, directly go to the link at: </div><div><a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user39/Rebuild_Michigan_St_Francis_IEE_CEC_2013-08-28.pdf">http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user39/Rebuild_Michigan_St_Francis_IEE_CEC_2013-08-28.pdf</a><br> </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>------------------------------------------------------------<br></div><div><b>Summary of Energy Saving Measures </b></div><div>Several energy saving measures were identified for the campus. This section provides an overview of the largest </div> <div>categories where major energy saving upgrades are possible.</div><div><b>Energy Conservation Measure Description</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>------------------------------------<b><br></b></div><div><b>No/Low-Cost Measures</b></div> <div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Lighting </b>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. </div> <div><b>Building Shell </b>Annually inspect exterior door seals for failure and replace when needed. </div><div><b>Lock windows. </b>Seal retires exhaust stacks. Repair Sump pump. Clean roof drains.</div><div><b>HVAC Control </b>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. </div> <div><b>Hot Water </b>Insulate supply pipes. Install low-flow fixtures. Add low-flow aerators to faucets. Repair leaks.</div><div><b>Plug Loads </b>Use smart plug strips for office equipment. Turn off computer labs when not in use. </div> <div><b><br></b></div><div>----------------------------------------<b><br></b></div><div><b>Moderate-Cost Measures</b></div><div><br></div><div><b>Lighting </b>Install horizontal blinds. Replace exterior and interior HID lights with LED or induction. Replace T12 with T8 linear fluorescent lamps and ballasts. </div> <div><b>Building Shell </b>Replace single pane windows with double pane units. </div><div><b>HVAC </b>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. </div> <div><b>Hot Water </b>Consider demand water heaters. </div><div><br></div><div>------------------------------</div><div><b>High-Cost Measures</b></div><div><br></div><div><b>Building Shell </b>Install roof insulation to R50 hr-ft2 -F°/Btu. </div> <div><b>HVAC </b>Replace steam boiler systems with high efficiency hot water boiler system. </div></div><div>------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------<br> </div><div>------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------<br></div><div>------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------<br> </div><div><br></div><div><span style="color:rgb(80,0,80)">---------- Forwarded message ----------</span><br></div><div><span style="color:rgb(80,0,80)">Date: Wed, Aug 28, 2013 </span><br></div><div>To: Maria Kook Hi Maria: Thank you!! Now you can <span style="font-size:12.727272033691406px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">get started with the Kilowatt Crackdown & </span>Portfolio Manager... </div> <div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div class="im"> <div>------------------------------ ------------------------------<br></div><div><br></div></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="im">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br> From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Joel Baetens</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:joel@cec-mi.org" target="_blank">joel@cec-mi.org</a>></span><br></div><div class="im"> Date: Wed, Aug 28, 2013 at 5:31 PM</div><div class="im"><div class="gmail_extra"><div> <div><p><img src="http://cec-mi.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Clean-Energy-Coalition-logosig.jpg" alt="Clean Energy Coalition" border="0"></p><span><font color="#888888"><span style="font-size:13.333333015441895px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"></span><p style="font-size:13.333333015441895px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"> </p><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:13px;font-family:Helvetica;word-wrap:break-word"><span style="border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"> <span style="border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0px"><div style="font-size:12px;margin-top:2px;color:rgb(0,176,216);font-family:Arial;line-height:16px;font-weight:bold">Joel Baetens | Project Manager</div><div style="min-height:10px"> <span style="color:rgb(128,127,131);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px">924 N. Main, Suite 2 | Ann Arbor, MI 48104</span></div><div style="font-size:medium"><span style="color:rgb(128,127,131);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px"><a value="+17345855720" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">734.585.5720 x11</a> | <a value="+17344181681" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">734.418.1681</a> f<br> </span><span style="color:rgb(128,127,131);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px">Follow Clean Energy Coalition on </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/CleanEnergyCoalition" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="color:rgb(128,127,131);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/CEC_MI" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="color:rgb(128,127,131);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px">, </span><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-energy-coalition" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a><span style="color:rgb(128,127,131);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px">, and </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/CleanEnergyCoalition?feature=mhee" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-family:Arial;font-size:10px" target="_blank">YouTube</a></div> <div style="font-size:medium"><br></div></span></div></span></span></span></div></font></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-16767503463008486972013-06-29T05:01:00.001-07:002013-07-08T07:57:22.072-07:00Prayers of the Faithful - Summer & Fall Petitions<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Intercessory Prayers</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From an Earth Day blog by Sr. Ann Marie Slavin of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sent to us by Cybelle Shattuck, Jul 8, 2013.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-16fa2a2a-bea9-7b81-b31d-4725f3302402"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">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.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Brother Wind brings every kind of weather—may farmers and agricultural workers have what they need to produce abundant crops.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Sister Water is useful, humble, and pure—may seasonal rains nourish our fields and refresh our Earth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Sister Mother Earth sustains us—may she be respected and cared for by all peoples; may we turn from our wasteful ways.</span></li>
</ul>
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<br />
<b>Additionally, here are some petitions for the <u>Prayers of the Faithful at Masses</u>. </b><br />
<b>These are for Justice, Care for the Earth and Sustainability. </b>(<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RSvhH-q7moGAlAk76-iOTPAdwd00oSWeFke_uOH0Q58/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">More prayers...</a>)</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">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...</span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Verdana; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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</ul>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For leaders of nations, may we secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations, we pray to the Lord...</span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: Verdana; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">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...</span></div>
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</ul>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">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</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">we pray to the Lord...</span></div>
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</ul>
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<li style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">For children who are born today, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">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</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">we pray to the Lord...</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>And, here are additional petitions which may be helpful in the months ahead...</b><br /> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;"><br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
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<span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; font-size: small;"><i>~</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 8pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 8pt;">Caththolic Climemate Covenat website: <a href="http://www.catholicclimatecovenant.org/" target="_blank">www.catholicclimatecovenant.org</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">That the human family experiences all of God's creation as deserving of consideration, respect, and rightful treatment. We pray to the Lord.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; font-size: 12pt;">~</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; font-size: small;"><b><i>~</i></b></span><i><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">For our children and grandchildren whose future and lives are being threatened by our</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">· </span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; font-size: 12pt;">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.</span></div>
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(<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RSvhH-q7moGAlAk76-iOTPAdwd00oSWeFke_uOH0Q58/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">More prayers...</a>)</div>
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Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-13004642224559442782013-06-17T12:21:00.001-07:002013-06-17T12:21:57.166-07:00Fwd: Your Help is Needed!<div dir="ltr"><b style="font-size:10pt;font-family:verdana,helvetica,sans-serif">Sustainability Team Members and Friends, </b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:verdana,helvetica,sans-serif"> </span>Subject: Your Help is Needed! - From: <span class="gmail_sendername">Stephen Lavender.</span><br> <div class="gmail_quote"><div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:verdana,helvetica,sans-serif"> <div> </div> <div><b>St. Francis of Assisi Parish needs your help!</b></div> <div> </div> <div>* Quite possibly over the last several months during Sunday Masses you've heard one or more <b>petitions (Prayers of the Faithful) related to care for creation.</b> 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.</div> <div> </div> <div>* The date for this year's <b>Parish Picnic</b> has been announced as Sunday, September 8. Our Sustainability Team <span><span>would<var></var></span></span> 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.</div> <div> </div> <div>Thanks <span><span>everyone</span></span>. Enjoy your summer and I hope to hear from you soon!</div> <div> </div> <div>Steve </div></div></div><br></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-33766119362419351032013-06-12T12:40:00.002-07:002013-06-12T12:43:03.012-07:00Aug 6, Tour Sustainable Living in Monroe<a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user39/favicon%20for%20blog%20under%20square%20image%20100%20-%20Sustainability%20logo%20LEAVES%20thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-cke-saved-src="/sites/all/files/users/user39/favicon%20for%20blog%20under%20square%20image%20100%20-%20Sustainability%20logo%20LEAVES%20thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user39/favicon%20for%20blog%20under%20square%20image%20100%20-%20Sustainability%20logo%20LEAVES%20thumbnail.jpg" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; height: 50px; width: 50px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://stfrancisa2.wufoo.com/forms/sustainability-tour-monroe/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Tour Monroe Sustainability</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">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. <a href="https://stfrancisa2.wufoo.com/forms/sustainability-tour-monroe/" target="_blank">RSVP required </a>by Mon, July 29th, 2013. </span>Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-62924233123853352852013-06-12T11:40:00.000-07:002013-06-14T06:10:23.099-07:00First Anniversary of our Sustainability Team<br />
<b style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">First Anniversary of our Sustainability Team</b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user28/130616.pdf" target="_blank">FORUM cover on June 16, 2013</a>, </b><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Written by Kelly Gauthier)</span><b>.</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<i>“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.” </i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">- Pope Benedict XVI at World Youth Day, June 2008</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">At St. Francis, we take seriously the Church’s teaching to protect </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">God’s creation. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">July marks the first anniversary of our Sustainability Team. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We would like to take a moment to celebrate the </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">tremendous work our parish has done to care for God’s creation. We piloted a Sustainability Framework for Faith </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Communities that was developed by Michigan Interfaith Power & Light (MI-IPL). The purpose of our Sustainability </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Project is to educate parishioners on the effects of warming trends globally that have the greatest impact on the poorest </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">among us and on future generations so that we can: </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Work together to build up the capacity of our parish and parishioners to be good environmental stewards </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Make the needed changes in our parish and in our homes to improve our stewardship of God’s creation </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">and reduce our carbon footprints </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are interested in joining the Sustainability Team, please contact Steve Lavender at slavende@att.net </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">or (734) 973-2564.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">During this past year we accomplished: </span></b><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>“Getting Started” Activities</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li>Gained commitment from parish leadership </li>
<li>Developed a coherent framework </li>
<li>Identified leaders </li>
<li>Created a Sustainability Team with over 30 members </li>
<li>Interviewed parish & school staff to gauge interest </li>
<li>Created a logo and tagline </li>
<li>Held a brainstorming session to generate ideas for sustainability activities </li>
</ul>
<b><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Building the Faith Foundation</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #660000;">Care for Creation:</span></b> Reinforced Church teachings by-<br />
<ul>
<li>Incorporating sustainability into Prayers of the Faithful </li>
<li>Publishing over 35 sustainability-related articles in the Forum </li>
</ul>
<b style="color: #660000;">Environmental Justice</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Lenten project raised over $12,000 for a Habitat for Humanity home built with sustainable practices & features </li>
<li>Holy Thursday collection raised over $2,300 for Water Missions International, (which provides clean water projects to remote locations such as in Haiti ) </li>
<li>Donated organic produce from the Parish Sustainable Garden to Perry Nursery School </li>
</ul>
<b style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Communication / Education</b><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Educated parishioners with:</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li>A Common Conference workshop on climate change </li>
<li>Presentation to Rel Ed. Confirmation students </li>
<li>RCIA presentation </li>
</ul>
<b><span style="color: #660000;">Shared our learning with the larger community:</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Presented at the annual MI-IPL conference </li>
<li>Made two presentations to regional pastors </li>
<li>Met with other local parishes for mutual learning/info sharing </li>
</ul>
<b><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Buildings / Energy Savings </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #660000;">Partnered with </span></b><b><span style="color: #660000;">Better Buildings for Michigan:</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Audited the Rectory to identify residential energy savings </li>
<li>Gave parishioners discounted-cost home energy audits</li>
<li>Began exploring the opportunity to obtain solar panels for the St. Francis campus </li>
</ul>
<b><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Purchasing & Recycling:</span> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #660000;">Diverted lots of </span></b><b><span style="color: #660000;">garbage from the landfill by: </span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Using “real” dishes to feed hundreds of people at our Lenten Friday fish fries and Martin Luther King Jr. supper </li>
<li>Using recyclable/ compostable donation sacks during Lent </li>
<li>Nearly filling a Habitat for Humanity ReStore truck with donated re-usable items</li>
<li>Using compostable dishes at the school’s 60th Anniversary party </li>
<li>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.) </li>
</ul>
<b><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Land & Water / Food</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Took a parish field trip to an organic farm </li>
<li>Improved the Sustainable Garden and created a new Michigan Native Plant Garden, with the goal of harvesting the seeds for future sales</li>
</ul>
Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-45777896125053456592013-06-12T08:28:00.001-07:002013-06-12T08:28:59.176-07:00Fwd: Potato Planting Project ... June 16, 2013, Forum Sustainability Corner<div dir="ltr"><b>June 16, 2013, Forum Sustainability Corner:</b><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div>(Written by Stephen Lavender)</div><div><b><br></b></div><div>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. </div> <div><br></div><div>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. </div> <div><br></div><div>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. </div> <div><br></div><div>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!</div> <div><br></div></div> </div><br></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-83904338535841661182013-04-25T14:59:00.001-07:002013-04-25T14:59:44.591-07:00Rain Barrels - What a deal - Protect our Huron Watershed<div dir="ltr"><p class="" align="center" style="text-align:center"><u><span style="font-size:14pt">Protect our Huron Watershed AND Save $$$ – Install a Rain Barrel!</span></u></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt">What's a watershed? What's a rain barrel??</span></p> <p class=""><u><span style="font-size:12pt">Watershed</span></u><span style="font-size:12pt"> – land within which water flows down into a specified body of water. We live in the Huron River watershed.</span></p> <p class=""><u><span style="font-size:12pt">Rain Barrel</span></u><span style="font-size:12pt"> – a container used to collect and store rain water runoff from rooftops via gutters and downspouts.</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt">Why install a rain barrel? The Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) explains that rain barrels "…</span><span style="font-size:12pt">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."</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt">For a </span><u><span style="font-size:12pt">VERY</span></u><span style="font-size:12pt"> limited time, the HRWC and other local entities "…</span><span style="font-size:12pt">are teaming up to host a public sale of discount rain barrels. Purchasers can go online now through <u>May 13</u> 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 </span><span style="font-size:12pt"><a href="http://www.hrwc.org/rainbarrels">www.hrwc.org/rainbarrels</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt"> to get the promotional code and purchase a rain barrel."</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt">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 </span><span style="font-size:12pt"><a href="http://www.a2gov.org/storm">www.a2gov.org/storm</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt"> and click </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:blue">Residential</span><span style="font-size:12pt"> credits under </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:blue">Stormwater Rates and Credits</span><span style="font-size:12pt"> for details.</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt">Act quickly to support the Huron River watershed!</span></p> <p class=""><i><span style="font-size:12pt">Ray Digby and Steve Lavender for the St. Francis Sustainability Team</span></i><span style="font-size:12pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt"></span></p></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-73940850559557072542013-04-03T12:54:00.003-07:002013-04-03T12:55:10.132-07:00The Evils of Being Idle<br />
<div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: center;">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><b>The Evils of Being Idle</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Karen Digby, member of the St. Francis Sustainability Team <br />found on page 10 of</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user28/130407.pdf" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Forum bulletin April 7th, 2013</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idleness">http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idleness</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><a href="http://www.openbible.info/topics/idleness">http://www.openbible.info/topics/idleness</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><a href="http://www.makealeap.org/idling_myth">http://www.makealeap.org/idling_myth</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><a href="http://www.greencalgary.org/take-action/campaigns/idle-free-campaign/learn-more-about-idling/health-effects-of-idling/">http://www.greencalgary.org/take-action/campaigns/idle-free-campaign/learn-more-about-idling/health-effects-of-idling/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><a href="http://www.edf.org/transportation/reports/idling">http://www.edf.org/transportation/reports/idling</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">http://www.nutramed.com/environment/carschemicals.htm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Join your fellow parishioners</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> as we build a Sustainability Project here at St.
Francis. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Contact Scott Wright
(734-821-2121).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability">www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability</a></span></div>
Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-90265370684759008612013-04-03T07:22:00.000-07:002013-04-03T13:25:31.679-07:00AnnArbor.com Story on St. Francis Parish Protecting the Environment<b>St. Francis News Story in AnnArbor.com</b><br />
<a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arbor-church-creates-faith-based-program-to-protect-the-environment/" target="_blank">Faith Based Sustainability Program to Protect the Environment</a><br />
<a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arbor-church-creates-faith-based-program-to-protect-the-environment/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arbor-church-creates-faith-based-program-to-protect-the-environment/</span></a>Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-48032045478919659442013-03-13T06:29:00.003-07:002013-03-13T06:29:41.462-07:00Getting off the bottle…<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Getting off the
bottle…</span><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">By Karen Digby, member of the
St. Francis Sustainability Team for the <a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user28/130310.pdf" target="_blank">Forum bulletin March 10th, 2013</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">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 <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>, one third of those
waters was found to be contaminated with carcinogenic and neurotoxic
chemicals! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">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 <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>, to manufacture new bottles
(from polyethylene terephthalate).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Would you like to break this unhealthy habit? Consider these solutions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 27.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">-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)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 27.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">-use a BPA free
reusable bottle or mug to carry your home made water around with you to sip on
during the day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 27.0pt 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">-<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">refill these
reusable bottles at local purified water re-filling stations or drinking
fountains (the <st1:placename w:st="on">Meri</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Lou</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Murray</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype> in <st1:city w:st="on">Ann Arbor</st1:city>,
for instance has one of these stations, as do many buildings at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Michigan</st1:placename></st1:place>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Water is supposed
to be good for you. Trying these
solutions can help to keep it that way. Salud!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 27.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Bottled water,
what a waste.
http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-water.html<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Join your fellow parishioners</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> as we build a Sustainability Project here at St.
Francis. Contact Scott Wright
(734-821-2121).</span></div>
<div class="MsoHeader">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"><a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability">www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-78398881314555122292013-02-27T10:56:00.001-08:002013-03-12T17:55:46.005-07:00Don’t get drowned by water waste (Sustainability article)<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail_extra">
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Don't get drowned by water waste</b></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
By Karen Digby, member of St. Francis Sustainability Team for the FORUM on February 24, 2013, Page 16 at: <a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user28/130224.pdf">http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sites/all/files/users/user28/130224.pdf</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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…<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>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)<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>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)<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>fix a leaky faucet by replacing old washers and this can save up to twenty gallons of water daily<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>turn off the water when not using it directly to brush your teeth, shave, or wash your hands or face<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>use mulch around your trees and plants to soak up water and keep the soil around your them moister for longer<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>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])<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>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<br />
<a href="http://www.o-sw.com/solutions/commercial-solutions" target="_blank">http://www.o-sw.com/solutions/commercial-solutions</a><br />
<a href="http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/importanceofconservationofwater/" target="_blank">http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/importanceofconservationofwater/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Simple-Dollar/2012/0119/Here-s-exactly-how-much-you-ll-save-doing-laundry-in-cold-water" target="_blank">http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Simple-Dollar/2012/0119/Here-s-exactly-how-much-you-ll-save-doing-laundry-in-cold-water</a><br />
<a href="http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-water.html" target="_blank">http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-water.html</a><br />
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Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-28425125712515590222013-01-31T14:04:00.001-08:002013-01-31T14:04:09.599-08:00Plastic Bottle Recycling<div dir="ltr"><p align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Plastic Bottle Recycling</span></b></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:10pt">By Karen Digby on behalf of the Sustainability Team at St. Francis... </span>for the FORUM on February 3rd, 2013.<br></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">Did you know that according to the Washington State Department of Ecology, people within the </span>United States<span style="font-size:10pt"> use four million plastic bottles per hour?</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">And, of every four bottles used, only one gets recycled! Why is this big deal?</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">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.</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">What a waste-literally!</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">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. </span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">Recycling plastic can even create enough energy to light a sixty watt light bulb for six hours!</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">Does recycling sound like something you could do?</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">Great, then here are just three ideas to help you start.</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">Happy recycling!</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt">1. Place plastic non-returnable (for cash) bottles into recycling bins. Washtenaw County has a curbside recycling program… see: </span><span style="font-size:9pt"><a href="http://www.recycleannarbor.org" target="_blank">http://www.recycleannarbor.org</a></span><br></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt">2.</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">Storage.</span><span style="font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt">Plastic bottles are a handy way to store small items such as paper clips, nails, etc.</span><br></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt">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: </span><span style="font-size:9pt"><a href="http://earth911.com/news/2010/07/26/6-ways-to-reuse-plastic-bottles/" target="_blank">http://earth911.com/news/2010/07/26/6-ways-to-reuse-plastic-bottles/</a></span><br> </p> <p><span style="font-size:9pt"><a href="http://earth911.com/news/2012/12/27/12-amazing-recycling-and-waste-statistics-from-2012/" target="_blank">http://earth911.com/news/2012/12/27/12-amazing-recycling-and-waste-statistics-from-2012/</a></span><br> </p> <p><span style="font-size:9pt"><a href="http://schools.fwps.org/panther/files/2012/05/recycling-fast-facts-handout-2012.pdf" target="_blank">http://schools.fwps.org/panther/files/2012/05/recycling-fast-facts-handout-2012.pdf</a></span><br> </p> <p><span style="font-size:9pt"><a href="http://www.recycleannarbor.org/?module=Page&sID=resources-plastics-explained" target="_blank">http://www.recycleannarbor.org/?module=Page&sID=resources-plastics-explained</a></span><br> </p> <p><span style="font-size:9pt"><a href="http://www.recycleannarbor.org/?module=Page&sID=resources-a-to-z-recycling-guide" target="_blank">http://www.recycleannarbor.org/?module=Page&sID=resources-a-to-z-recycling-guide</a></span><br> </p> <p><span style="font-size:9pt">For more information or to join our Sustainability Team, call Scott <a href="tel:%28734-821-2121" value="+17348212121" target="_blank">(734-821-2121</a>), or visit:</span><span style="font-size:9pt"> </span><a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability" style="font-size:9pt" target="_blank">stfrancisa2.com/sustainability</a><br> </p></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-88314734863445532142013-01-18T14:39:00.001-08:002013-01-18T14:39:24.562-08:00Sustainability: creating new beginnings for the beginner<div dir="ltr"><p class=""><b><u>Sustainability:</u></b><b><u><span style="font-size:11pt"> </span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-size:9.5pt">creating new beginnings for the beginner</span></u></b><span style="font-size:9.5pt"> </span><span style="font-size:9pt">By Karen Digby on behalf of the Sustainability Team at St. Francis... <b>for the </b></span><b style="font-size:12px">FORUM</b><b style="font-size:9pt"> on January 27th, 2013.</b></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:10.5pt"> 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.</span></p> <p class=""><b><span style="font-size:11pt"> You may think," I don't know how to start doing this." "What difference can I make, if I do?"</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt"> </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt">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. </span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:10.5pt"> 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."</span></p> <p class=""> <span style="font-size:9pt">For more information or to join our Sustainability Team, call Scott (734-821-2121), or visit: <a href="http://www.stfrancisa2.com/sustainability">stfrancisa2.com/sustainability</a></span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:3pt"> </span></p> <p class="" style="margin-left:0.25in"><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><span style="font-size:7pt"><a href="http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/greenwash-brigade/define-sustainability-please"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:initial">marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/greenwash-brigade/define-sustainability-please</span></a></span></p> <p class="" style="margin-left:0.25in"><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> </span></span><span style="font-size:7pt"><a href="http://christianteens.about.com/od/understandingyourbible/qt/ScriptureEnvironment.htm">christianteens.about.com/od/understandingyourbible/qt/ScriptureEnvironment.htm</a></span></p> </div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-27613123426240632532013-01-09T19:56:00.001-08:002013-01-25T07:00:28.239-08:00Sustainability Planning Session Saturday, January 26 from 1:00pm - 5:00pm<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">We welcome you to our St. Francis Parish <b>Sustainability Planning Session Sat, Jan 26th</b> 1-5pm with a skilled facilitator in the School Music Room.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">We're all eager to share thoughts and ideas as together we continue to lay the groundwork for a more sustainable parish and world. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">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</span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"> we'd like to know how sustainability resonates with you</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">. The four hour session will be necessary, inspiring and time well spent. Hope to see you there!</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">We ask participants to </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">be prepared to describe a future vision of St. Francis Parish</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">, that builds on our identity as a Catholic community concerned about any number of the aspects of sustainability.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Several pre-reading items will be sent to you as soon as you RSVP.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Thanks to </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Steve Lavender &amp; </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">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.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">If you have any questions or general comments</span><br />
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Please join us! <span style="font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://stfrancisa2.wufoo.com/forms/sustainability-project/" target="_blank"><b>RSVP HERE</b></a></span>, or to Scott <a href="tel:%28734-821-2121" target="_blank" value="+17348212121">(734-821-2121</a>) (<a href="mailto:swright@stfrancisa2.org" target="_blank">swright@stfrancisa2.org</a>).<br />
Are you aware of colleagues who may want to join us? Please forward this note to them.</div>
Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-59794818409215217392013-01-09T19:53:00.004-08:002013-01-09T19:53:55.317-08:00Sun Come Up - a film on environmental refugees<br />
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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. </div>
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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. <span style="font-size: x-small;">Please RSVP to Scott ( 734-821-2121) (swright@stfrancisa2.org). </span></div>
Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-57282001975804923792013-01-02T11:16:00.001-08:002013-01-02T11:16:50.797-08:00A2 climate action plan<div dir="ltr">Happy New Year!<br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="auto"><div><br></div><div>This is a great site, <span style="color:rgb(80,0,80)"><a href="http://www.a2energy.org/climate">The Ann Arbor climate action plan</a></span>. Check out the homeowner and renter sections!</div> <div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.a2energy.org/climate" target="_blank">http://www.a2energy.org/climate</a></div><div><div class="h5"><blockquote type="cite"><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u></p></blockquote></div></div> </div></div><br></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-76965149318722616692012-12-21T12:36:00.001-08:002012-12-21T12:36:04.958-08:00Seeking a Professional Facilitator<div dir="ltr"><p class=""><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Seeking a Professional Facilitator</span></b><br></p><p class=""><span style="font-size:10pt">The Sustainability initiatives at St. Francis are off to a strong start and Fr. Jim has asked the team to move it to the next level. We are preparing for a "2013 Sustainability planning session" in late January and are in need of a facilitator. If you can help please contact Scott Wright </span><span style="font-size:10pt"> (734-821-2121) </span><font><a href="mailto:swright@stfrancisa2.org">swright@stfrancisa2.org</a></font></p> <p></p></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-10640368818459747172012-12-21T12:32:00.001-08:002012-12-21T12:32:27.115-08:00Better Buildings for Michigan Program Extended!<div dir="ltr"><p class=""><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Better Buildings for Michigan Program Extended!</span></b><br></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:10pt">Are you considering improvements to make your home warm, comfortable, healthy and energy efficient this winter? Clean Energy Coalition and St. Francis have identified four local energy specialists that have met the high performance requirements of the Better Buildings program. The specialists are: Chelsea Lumber, Ms. Green Construction, Meadowlark Energy and Pro Energy. They are offering $50 <i>assessments to show you ways you can make your home more energy efficient</i>. Enrollment in the Better Buildings has been extended to March 31, 2013 or until funds run out.</span></p></div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-89702507660317020532012-12-12T21:30:00.000-08:002013-02-01T21:30:24.121-08:00Sustainability Team Accomplishments List<br />
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<b>Sustainability Team Accomplishments List</b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">written by </span><b class="gmail_sendername" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Kelly Gauthier</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">, Dec 12, 2012.</span><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Our accomplishments in the past six months...</span><div>
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<li>Established a core team, and then added new members from the Time & Talent survey (I)</li>
<li>Created a logo and tagline for Sustainability Project (I)</li>
<li>Held individual meetings with some key parish and school staff to explain the project and see how their dept/area fits in (I)</li>
<li>Announced the Sustainability Project to the parish in the July 8th Forum, including a highlight of the theological foundations (II)</li>
<li>Added sustainability petitions to the mass, beginning in December (II)</li>
<li>Produced 14 Forum articles between July and December (III)</li>
<li>Learned about organic farming with a parish "field trip" to an organic farm (III)</li>
<li>Scheduled a workshop at the parish Common Conference in January (II, III)</li>
<li>"Greened" coffee and donuts by replacing Styrofoam and plastic with compostables -- and composting them (IV)</li>
<li>"Greened" the school's 60th anniversary party by replacing Styrofoam and plastic with compostables (IV)</li>
<li>Began "greening" the PAC kitchen (IV)</li>
<li>Provided educational resources to the school, which are currently being reviewed (II, III)</li>
<li>Scheduled a teachers' Professional Development day in March that will be dedicated to the topic of integrating sustainability into the curriculum (II, III)</li>
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Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-77949670327122959712012-12-06T09:12:00.001-08:002012-12-06T09:12:39.886-08:00Shopping Made Sustainable<div><b>Shopping Made Sustainable</b></div><div><br></div><div>We are called to be good and faithful stewards over all creation. The</div><div>connection to preserving air and water seems obvious. Stewardship over all creation however really does mean All Creation! Even those items shaped and produced by human hands through our God given talents are on the list. Take shopping for example. Its connection to sustainability is relevant all year long but particularly applicable right now.</div> <div><br></div><div>There are only 9 days until Christmas. Many of us are still browsing, knowing we need that perfect gift for Uncle Pete or Aunt Rose. Does sustainability factor into our shopping decisions? In short, yes, it should be a consideration.</div> <div><br></div><div>Ron Kramer from our Sustainability Team has compiled a wonderful list of questions for consideration by shoppers. They apply on Christmas Eve in the shop around the corner or on any other day of the year. Ron's list comes from the book Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic.</div> <div><br></div><div><b>Before you buy, commit to reviewing this checklist:</b></div><div><ul><li>Do I (or does my gift recipient) really need it?<br></li><li>Can I really afford it?<br></li><li>Will it enrich the quality of my life or of others?<br> </li><li>Is it worth the time and money to store, clean, and otherwise maintain?<br></li><li>Could I borrow it from a friend, neighbor, or family member?<br></li><li>Is there anything I already own, which I could possibly use instead?<br> </li><li>Are the resources that went into making it renewable?<br></li><li>Is the product socially and environmentally friendly? (Not made with<br></li><li>sweatshop or child labor? or from virgin timber?)<br></li><li>Can I recycle it? Or, will it clog a landfill?<br> </li></ul></div><div><br></div><div>As an alternative, buy used items or ask that gifts given to you be donations to your favorite charity.</div> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7141208235685490282.post-71499446460555255182012-11-12T20:22:00.001-08:002012-11-12T20:22:09.502-08:00compostable and recyclable products - Canticle News<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8GFfWVkylIM/UKHK82f-iwI/AAAAAAAAFEY/tt1yH8ZP3pk/s1600/100_2267-729502.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8GFfWVkylIM/UKHK82f-iwI/AAAAAAAAFEY/tt1yH8ZP3pk/s320/100_2267-729502.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5810148141055249154" /></a></p><p class=""><span style="font-size:11pt">The St. Francis of Assisi community has made a major change toward sustainable practices. Sunday morning Coffee and Donuts launched the program by eliminating all Styrofoam coffee cups and replacing them with compostable cups. Additionally, juice cups that were previously disposed of as trash are now being recycled. Adding emphasis to the effort, the 60<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Committee's celebration for St. Francis School featured compostable coffee, beverage and wine cups along with compostable plates. The most challenging part of this change was becoming accustomed to the new receptacles and knowing where to place the empty cups. All St. Francis ministries are pursuing the change to compostable and recyclable products wherever possible. Congratulations to everyone at St. Francis for joining in the effort to care for God's creation through the use of compostable and recyclable products! </span></p> Scott Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433136770159722298noreply@blogger.com0