Our mission: To be good stewards of our God-given Earth through education and action,
To bring new people into the church, To help the church wisely invest its resources.
June 3, 2015
1) Prayer and Introductions (7:00)
2) Coordinator
3) Educator
4) Project Updates
a) Sustainable bags
b) Reflections on the Potluck
c) Electronics Drive
d) Green Facebook tips (see page 2)
5) Subgroups (25 minutes)
a) Survey
b) Plant-A-Tree
c) Prayer Labyrinth/Garden
d) Fall Class
6) Subgroups present discussions and proposals (10 minutes)
7) Group comes to decision on any proposals (5 minutes)
8) Coordinator reviews meeting accomplishments
9) Next meeting – Wednesday, July 1 at 7:00
10)
Groups adjourns
Our mission: To be good stewards of our God-given Earth through education and action,
To bring new people into the church, To help the church wisely invest its resources.
Earth Stewardship Tip of the Week
Eco-Footprint Quiz
Check out this fun online quiz to see how many Earths we would need to sustain humanity if everyone
lived like you. Are you doing your part to be a good steward of our God-given Earth?
http://www.earthday.org/footprint-calculator
Reduce
Reducing your energy and resource intake is one of the simplest ways to live out stewardship. Do you
leave the TV on when you leave the room? Do you unplug cords when not in use? (Remember, if there’s
a light on, then it’s still drawing electricity.) Do you order “for here” at fast food restaurants to reduce
unnecessary packaging? What ideas do you have?
Reuse
Reusing is actually preferable to recycling. This is where you can let your creativity shine! Before
throwing something away, think if there is any way to resurrect it again. Old clothes make great rags,
egg cartons are great for holding small plants, and even dryer lint can be reused as stuffing for toys!
What are you reusing?
Our mission: To be good stewards of our God-given Earth through education and action,
To bring new people into the church, To help the church wisely invest its resources.
Recycle
We’ve talked about some of the different things you can recycle before, but have you ever wondered if
there is a place to recycle a particular, odd item? Check out this link, which lets you search by zip code or
item to discover where it can be recycled.
http://1800recycling.com
Pay Bills Online
Why not pay your bills online? By some estimates, if all households in the U.S. paid their bills online and
received electronic statements instead of paper, we’d save 18.5 million trees each year, 2.2 billion tons
of greenhouse gases, and 1.7 billion pounds of solid waste. You can even give to the church online by
signing up on our website! How are you saving paper?
Home Insulation
You can make the most of your heating and air conditioning by trapping the air inside rather than letting
it escape through the cracks. Even tiny cracks under doors and between windows make a big difference.
These can be sealed with inexpensive caulk. Properly sealing your home costs little but can have a huge
energy and financial return. How do you make your home more efficient?
Composting
What should you do with all the fruits and vegetables that you can’t eat? Try composting! Composting is
nature’s process of recycling decomposed organic materials into fresh, nutrient-rich soil (perfect for
your garden). You can either purchase a compost bin, or even make your own! Check out the link for
more information on how to start composting. What type of composting has worked for you?
http://www.planetnatural.com/composting-101/
Rechargeable Batteries
Have you ever tried rechargeable batteries? Each year, 15 billion batteries are produced and sold. Only a
few of those are recycled or reused, and most end up in landfills. Buy a charger and some sets of
rechargeable batteries, and you’ll never have to rush to the store on Christmas morning again! Have you
found any way to recycle old batteries?
Save Gas While Driving
Our mission: To be good stewards of our God-given Earth through education and action,
To bring new people into the church, To help the church wisely invest its resources.
Who likes to shell out their money at the pump? Saving gas not only saves money, but it also preserves
fossil fuels. By accelerating slowly, driving at a moderate speed, and avoiding the need for hard
breaking, you can make it dramatically farther with a single tank. Making sure your tires are properly
inflated also improves fuel efficiency. How do you reduce your gas bill?
Spread the Word
Through our series of Facebook posts and what you already know, spread the word of the importance of
Earth Stewardship! Stand up for God’s magnificent creation. Witness to others how you are making a
difference, and how they can to. Let’s keep the conversation going!