16 May 2014 Uniting Green Updates are for those who strive to live sustainably and exercise responsible environmental care as a legitimate expression of their Christian mission.
Greetings,
Some people may have missed last week’s Update . There are so many people now receiving Uniting Green Update that the email system is experience problems with delivery. We are hoping to move to a new system in the very near future but meanwhile back copies are always available from the website .
Please note the NEEN Launch in the Diary section. This is a fantastic initiative and
I’d encourage you to be there if you can.
Also, the World Environment Day resources are now available.
Every blessing
Bruce Mullan
Uniting Green Liaison
The new multi-aged resource for Uniting Church congregations to use to celebrate
World Environment Day 2014 is now available . It’s a great resource you can download for free and contains resources for holding a worship service, conducting activities and encouraging people in your congregation to take action. World
Environment Day takes place on 5th June. The theme is "Raise your voice, not the sea level." focusing on the threat climate change presents to people and creatures who live in low lying land regions, especially small islands. The resource includes specific reflections for the lectionary readings on 8 June, being the closest Sunday.
This day is also the day we celebrate Pentecost. The resource can also be used at other times. Highly recommended so have a look and plan to use it.
The budget announcements on renewable energy were quite disappointing – the following is from Australian Conservatio n Foundation’s analysis :

$1.7 billion from the abolition of the clean energy measures, including the scrapping of Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)

$150.9 million cut from research programs, including CSIRO, the National
Environmental Research Program and the Australian Climate Change
Science Program

$2.55 billion to establish the Emissions Reduction Fund
– a net cost to
Government of at least $20 billion once lost carbon price revenue is included


$2.1 million to establish Solar Towns but no funding for the 1 million solar rooftops commitment
A solar power plant which is planned for South Australia would float on a wastewater treatment basin and expected to be at least 50 per cent more efficient than a landbased solar power system. It's very much like a traditional solar array with the exception that it's designed to float on the water. The mass of water has a cooling effect on the panels and we also include a cooling system utilising the water body itself to be able to keep the water panels ... at a constant temperature.
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has announced it will install more than 16,000 panels of rooftop solar PV systems across all of its Australian east coast stores and warehouses, a project that will result in the nation’s largest commercial solar development so far and will collectively span an area of 32,870m2 – the size of five soccer fields. The project will have an annual output of 5,495 million kilowatt hours
(MWh) of electricity; enough to power 778 family homes for a year.
And even the White House has gone solar with a 6.3-kilowatt solar PV installation.
The United Nations has proclaimed 22 May the International Day for Biological
Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
World Environment Day (WED) 5 June is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment.
NEEN (National Energy Efficiency Network) Queensland Launch Wednesday 18
June. Identifying cost-effective and practical ways to reduce energy consumption is becoming increasingly important for the community sector, as core programs and operational budgets are made to compete with rising energy bills for much-needed funds. NEEN is launching to Queensland faith-based and not-for-profit community organisations at a free event to be held at the Francis Rush Centre in Brisbane on
June 18th. A chance to connect, share information and collaborate around energy efficiency & the benefits it can bring to your organisation and the community within which you work. Book your free ticket here .
Imagine boarding a train at Brisbane’s Roma Street at 9am and getting off at
Sydney’s Central Station at noon or living on the Gold Coast and commuting to work in Brisbane’s CBD within 20 minutes. Both could be a reality in little more than a decade, according to a new report which says high speed rail is not only achievable and affordable, but essential to Australia’s future . Detailed research by Melbourne
University’s Energy Institute, think-tank Beyond Zero Emissions and the German
Aerospace Center, concludes that a 1799km network linking Brisbane and the Gold
Coast to Sydney and Melbourne could be operating by 2025. Read the full report .

BMW’s first plug-in models, the i3 and i8, will go on sale in Australia at least four months later than planned due to unexpected overseas demand . Originally due on sale here in July, the i3 hatchback will now become available in November. BMW says demand for the i8, which has been available to order in Europe since October, is “already exceeding the planned production volume during ramp-up”. BMW won’t reveal exactly how limited its initial Australian supplies of either model will be but has confirmed the first year's production of both the i3 and i8 are already sold out.
An animated 8.27 minute animation about energy efficiency for kids was exhibited at
Launceston's Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery as part of an Energy
Efficiency Animation Project Tasmania.
National Geographic video on green congregations are spreading the word of energy conservation
—starting with their own church. 3:20 minutes.
Screensavers don't use less energy. "Sleep mode" reduces a computer's energy consumption by 60 to 70%. At the end of the day, power it off completely.
Using cold water can save up to 80% of the energy required to wash clothes.
Have you heard about Food Connect which was set up to help people get their vegies with minimal travel miles and carbon footprint. Growers have engaged with locals, community organisations and businesses who open their space for deliveries of vegie box and then the purchaser makes trip to the local “city cousin” to pick up delicious fresh produce. David emailed me about a person who used to be one of the city-cousins and really enjoyed having neighbours pop round to collect their veges, and stop in for a cup of tea and a chat. He thinks it's one of those things a congregation (or even one person) could do to connect with the community
UK based ourvoices.net
is a multi-faith project to encourage people to hope and pray for world leaders to courageously reach a meaningful climate agreement. It is operated under the auspices of The Conservation Foundation .
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