C O E's Shrinking the Footprint eNews is out now

The Church of England's national environment campaign:

This is the first issue of Shrink theFootprint News especially for members of clergy. We hope you find it of interest and that you can forward it to colleagues.

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Pre-Register for Preach-In on Global Warming

Pre-Register for Preach-In on Global Warming:

For the love of the earth and the shared purpose of a religious response concerning Climate Change. Sign up for the preach in over Valentine's weekend in February 2013.

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Why would our relationship with Creation be any different than any other relationship?

http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2012/10/9/ACNS5201

In a new series of reflections, Bishop Browning explores the roots and meaning of Sabbath and how a fresh understanding and practice of this biblical concept can reconnect economics to ethics, and shape human society in a manner that is consistent with the creation upon which it depends.

‘As Christians we have inherited a story that speaks Good News to all creation. I believe the Sabbath narrative, where we understand God not “ceasing the work” of creation, but rather “being present to” creation, has the capacity to change behaviour and life style. It is strong enough to replace our prevailing narrative predominated by economic success with one of human and environmental well-being.’

‘As humans, we know that our primary relationships are dependent upon trust – and trust is rooted in expectations of fidelity, while fidelity means the acceptance of limits’, he says. ‘Why would our relationship with creation be any different?’

Environment Canada offers Peter Kent tips to describe impact of climate change

Environment Canada offers Peter Kent tips to describe impact of climate change:

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Creation Matters Green Certification Project has 40 Participants in 2012

Creation Matters extends congratulations to participating Anglican Churches of the Green Certification Project. Resolution 180A of General Synod continues to be implemented Randal Goodfellow, chair of the Creation Matters Task Group, formerly Greening Anglican Spaces, stated in a letter to participating churches. Creation Matters guides eco-justice concerns at the national level of the Anglican Church of Canada. More churches will be asked to participate next year.

Randal Goodfellow chair of Creation Matters Extends Congratulations

Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup

The Lake Huron Centre For Coastal Conservation - Upcoming Events:

Goderich Waterfront on Lake Huron and Maitland River

Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup Community Event

September 22, 2012

Starts @ 10:00am
Goderich Main Beach

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Faith in the Season of Creation: An Opportunity to Choose Wisely

            Earlier this month, Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised an independent review of the environmental review of the Northern Gateway Pipeline. 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/08/07/pol-gateway-tuesday-harper-bc.html 

Several big issues are involved in the process
        Risk to the environment
        Free, Prior and Informed consent for Aboriginal Peoples
        Pace of oil sands development
        Climate change
 

Here is a link to the final version of the KAIROS Ethical Reflections Paper on the Northern Gateway Pipeline. -- http://www.kairoscanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SUS-RE-NorthernGatewayEthicalFramework.pdf

            As our Lutheran colleague Paul Gehrs wrote recently: “It’s a fine opportunity to consider, in the light of faith, the kind of world and community we are called to work for. Issues are not simple or easy, but they do offer the opportunity to choose wisely.”

Still on the subject of how faith illumines our care for the whole creation, please note that we are fast approaching the Season of Creation (September 1 to October 4). 

            Liturgical material and sermons for the Season of Creation can be found at:

http://dioceseofhuronenviroactioncommittee.blogspot.ca/

http://www.anglican.ca/relationships/programs/greening

http://www.ctbi.org.uk/604

http://www.operationnoah.org/creationtime

Summer Blessings,

Henriette

Henriette Thompson

Public Witness Coordinator for Social Justice

Office of the Primate

Anglican Church of Canada

PERI: Toxic 100 Air Polluters Index

PERI: Toxic 100 Air Polluters Index:

The internet is a buzz about the these major corporations.

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Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share

Home: EARTH CARE, PEOPLE CARE, FAIR SHARE

Parish of St. David and St. Paul observe how Mother Nature works, and imitate her. 


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Liturgy for the Season of Creation

Resource from Anglican Church of South Africa with Francis of Assisi on front cover.


Season of Creation 2

RAIN Demonstration Project Pitch

77th Convention moves to balance ‘environmental’ and ‘economic’ justice

Convention moves to balance ‘environmental’ and ‘economic’ justice:
Dean Kathleen Bascom of Des Moines appauds action that could help reduce flooding in Iowa at Episcopal Church convention.

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The Dave Walker Guide To… | Cartoons by Dave Walker.

Cartoons by Dave Walker: Panic Buying:

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Global Warming's Terrifying New Math | Rolling Stone

Global Warming's Terrifying New Math | Politics News | Rolling Stone: "we're losing the fight, badly and quickly – losing it because, most of all, we remain in denial about the peril that human civilization is in"

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‘Hug the Monster’ for Realistic Hope in Global Warming (or How to Transform Your Fearful Inner Climate)

‘Hug the Monster’ for Realistic Hope in Global Warming - ABC News: "Established scientists, community and government leaders and journalists, as they describe the disruptions, suffering and destruction that manmade global warming is already producing, with far worse in the offing if humanity doesn’t somehow control it, are starting to allow themselves publicly to use terms like “calamity,” “catastrophe”, and “risk to the collective civilization.”
Sooner or later, everyone who learns about the rapid advance of manmade global warming must deal with the question of fear."

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Is the Harper Government a Danger to Nature?

Dear friends across Canada (a letter from the AVAAZ (Voice) network),

The Harper government is forcing a massive “budget” bill through Parliament that secretly guts our environmental protection laws and threatens our forests, water and wildlife -- we only have days to help stop this outrageous bill before it passes.

This sneak attack would overhaul our social and environmental laws in one fell swoop, giving Harper’s Cabinet complete discretion to approve oil pipeline projects regardless of their impact on threatened species or water. But a member of Harper's own caucus has threatened to vote against it -- we can create an unprecedented outcry calling on Conservative MPs whose districts would be affected by these pipelines to reject the budget. If just one MP breaks ranks, others could follow.

This week, opposition parties are forcing votes on hundreds of amendments -- let’s support them and show Conservative MPs that the budget is too risky to pass unchanged. When 50,000 Canadians sign, we’ll deliver our voices to key Parliamentarians -- sign the petition and forward to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/sneak_attack_on_the_environment/?vl 

22,000 barrels of oil just leaked into Alberta’s wilderness when a pipeline ruptured, yet Harper’s so-called budget bill would systematically undo the environmental protection lawsdesigned to prevent these spills. If this bill became law, Harper and his cronies would have free reign to snake pipelines across threatened habitats, gut the Fisheries Act, and unleash massive amounts of climate-cooking gases into the world's atmosphere.

This bill would also prevent some seniors from receiving the Old Age Security benefit, make deep cuts to the CBC and toughen requirements for Employment Insurance, all while the government lays off thousands of employees. Harper gave MPs just four days to debate this 400-page bill, despite the massive legislative changes it contains.

The stakes could not be higher -- this bill would wreak havoc on Canada’s gorgeous natural environment, could have a devastating impact on a generation of seniors and the unemployed and makes a mockery of our parliamentary process. But with a huge public outcry we can show Conservative MPs that constituents across the country will fight Harper’s misguided budget. Click below to sign and forward to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/sneak_attack_on_the_environment/?vl 

Time and again we have raised our voices to triumph over bad policy and corrupt leadership, to promote fairness and vie for responsible government. Let’s show Harper that we won’t back down in this fight for the Canada we know and love!

With hope and determination,

Emma, Ari, Ricken, Laryn, Melanie, Stephanie and the entire Avaaz team

Sources 
 Andrew Coyne: Bill C-38 shows us how far Parliament has fallen (National Post)
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/04/30/andrew-coyne-bill-c-38-shows-us-how-far-parliament-has-fallen/
 Four former ministers protest 'taking the guts out' of Fisheries Act (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bc-politics/four-former-ministers-protest-taking-the-guts-out-of-fisheries-act/article2446031/
 ‘To allow C-38 to masquerade as a legitimate omnibus bill will bring our institutions into greater disrepute’ (Maclean's)
http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/04/point-of-order-2/
 It’s time to speak out for nature and democracy (Pembina Institute)
http://www.pembina.org/blog/626
 Opposition parties joining forces to delay passage of ‘Trojan Horse’ budget bill (National Post)
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/05/opposition-parties-joining-forces-to-delay-passage-of-trojan-horse-budget-bill/
 Harper's real agenda visible in budget bill (CBC)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/05/01/pol-vp-greg-weston-harper-anniversary.html
 Old Age Security affordable without changes, watchdog says (CBC)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/05/17/pol-old-age-security-parliamentary-budget-officer.html

Ecojustice gears up for legal battle over possible changes to Fisheries Act | Vancouver, Canada | Straight.com

Ecojustice gears up for legal battle over possible changes to Fisheries Act | Vancouver, Canada | Straight.com:

A legal battle would challenge changes in the Fisheries Act and prevent a second rate regulatory response to Enbridge Pipeline.
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Did you take your nature pill?

Did you take your nature pill? | Queen of Green | David Suzuki Foundation:

Spending time outdoors can improve your quality of life and your mental and physical health.

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Letter of Environment Canada Employee opposes the government's 'Vendetta'

Naomi wrote that "the Conservative government has been laying off thousands and thousands of full-fledged scientific employees that have been performing research for decades at Environment Canada, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Parks Canada (e.g. http://tinyurl.com/8xtkaro , http://tinyurl.com/7gvzc7r,http://tinyurl.com/clgn97u ), shutting down entire divisions and radically decimating environmental protection and stewardship in a matter of a couple years.

I am afraid for my country. Canada is the second largest land mass in the world – though our population is small, you can be sure that when a country that encompasses 7% of the world’s land mass, and has the largest coastline in the world says “screw it” to environmental protection, there will be massive global repercussions."

Read more here about 'Vendetta'

Resources for Reflection Intended for RIO-20

Bible studies and prayers prepared by Lambeth Palace, the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil and the Anglican Communion Environmental Network on the key issues of: Food and Environmental Justice, Climate Change and Eco Justice and Water. Intended for use in the run-up to Rio, and on Rio Sunday on June 3rd, the People’s Summit first global day of action on June 5th, and during the conference.

Resources for Anglican participation at RIO-20

LWF Virtual Conference – Green & Just | 12 May 2012 – Register now

How to speak to power for ecological justice?

``...both ordained and non-ordained members of your churches, can learn more about these issues, but also contribute to the creative thinking for new approaches to overcome the deadlocks in which the world finds itself``

LWF Virtual Conference – green&just | 12 May 2012 – Register now:

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Ta'Kaiya Blaney and Aileen De La Cruz 's Shallow Water`s video 'Protect our coast from oil spills'

Parish Bulletin Insert for Earth Day (a resource from the Enviro Action Committee)

Here is the link for the 2012 Earth Day insert:

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B8b2sXxGRd0rVEFrOHQ3M0NTT2Fpd3JaNkdrZFJwZw

John Montgomery

Communications co-ordinator for The Enviroaction Committee

The Diocese of Huron Enviroaction Committee

Diane Picard, The Diocese of Huron

dpicard@huron.anglican.ca

519-434-6893 xt 223

2

Anglican bishops in BC Stand behind 'Save the Fraser' Indigenous Declaration

Six Anglican bishops from across British Columbia and the Yukon came together on Good Friday calling for the environmental review hearings on Enbridge Inc.’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline to remain fair and free from political pressure.

"There’s some concern that the decision’s already been made and that the review process is just a rubber stamp," said Bishop Michael Ingham, of the Diocese of New Westminster. "I think what we’re trying to do is call upon the panel itself to resist pressure — political pressure, industry pressure — and to come to a fair, balanced and thorough set of recommendations."

Ingham signed the statement, which he said was prompted by bishops being inundated with concern for the process from members of their dioceses.

"Recent public statements by various officials of the federal government, including the announcement last week of the streamlining of environmental assessment reviews, have raised concerns that NEB (National Energy Board) hearings may become subject to improper time constrictions and industry influence," said the bishops’ statement.

The Statement of BC bishops can be found here. 

Provincial Eco-Justice Forum on Climate Change

Hello Everyone,

Please join us on Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 for our next Provincial
Networking meeting. Both Bishop Mark MacDonald and Dr. Mishka Lysak
will be joining us in our discussions and will offer important
perspectives having to do with Canada's environmental challenges. The
theme will be: how to develop better ways of encouraging Anglican
engagement with the climate crisis debate in Ontario and Canada. We
value the opportunity to hear their wisdom on ways to proceed in our
work.

See (http://fsw.ucalgary.ca/profiles/mishka-lysack)

See (http://www.anglican.ca/im/bishop-biography/)

We will meet at the ‘Chef of India’ restaurant, 1415 Yonge Street, at
the St Clair subway station at 6:30 pm in the private dining room.  I
am told that it serves good Indian fare at reasonable prices.

When you reply to this email could you make sure you send it to both
John Hill and myself so he can reserve for the appropriate numbers.

If you wish to attend please email John Montgomery and John Hill at:

montgomery. mje@gmail.com

john.w.b.hill@sympatico.ca

Thank you,

John Montgomery

Worship resources for Earth Day 2012

Kairos' Call to Worship

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10 Easy things you can do at home to protect endangered species

10 Easy things you can do at home to protect endangered species:

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Green Certification instructions

By David Patterson, Energy Coordinator -Greening Sacred Spaces

            
Greening Sacred Spaces and the ACC (through Greening Anglican Spaces GAS) have a formal partnership with GSS bringing their vast experience with assisting faith communities to ‘go green’. To this end, GSS and GAS are working together on a few separate projects in the “Green Arena”. One such project is the GSS Green Certification Program, where Faith Communities across Canada can complete Greening activities within their building and subsequently apply to GSS for a Light, Medium or Deep Green Status, depending on the number and type of actions they have completed. The GSS Certification Program is modeled after the Anglican Green Parish Designation Award Program created and run by the EnviroAction committee of the Anglican Diocese of Huron over the past 3 years. To this end, GSS is drawing upon the EnviroAction committee’s experience in managing their program.

Full Green Certification Instructions

Anglican Journal: Archbishop of Canterbury signs Ash Wednesday Declaration

Anglican Journal: Archbishop of Canterbury signs Ash Wednesday Declaration:

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"Climate Change and the Purposes of God: A Call to the Church," the declaration challenges the church to realize that concern about climate change is fundamental to the Christian gospel and central to the church’s mission

Three Views on the Tar Sands from Revd. Ken Gray

 First, Archbishop Desmond Tutu is once again front and centre in a movement to draw attention to the ecological affect of increased tar sands expansion. 

Eight Nobel laureates including Archbishop Desmond Tutu have written to the prime minister to argue that oil derived from Canadian tar sands "threatens the health of the planet" and that the UK should support European moves to classify the controversial energy source as highly polluting.

The full article from the Guardian is here.

Second, internationally respected climate scientist Dr. Andrew Weaver from my local University of Victoria has offered a surprising view on the effects of tar sands operations.

One of the world's top climate scientists has calculated that emissions from Alberta's oilsands are unlikely to make a big difference to global warming and that the real threat to the planet comes from burning coal. "I was surprised by the results of our analysis," said Andrew Weaver, a University of Victoria climate modeller, who has been a lead author on two reports from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Full article with video links is here.

Third, a senior level Canadian bureaucrat may or may not have informed the Canadian Prime Minister about significant concerns around environmental risk factors issuing from amongst other practices, fracking in the Alberta Tar Sands.  This matter connects with other discussions on this list about fracking and transitional energy production strategies.

 OTTAWA, Canada — Collateral damage from Canada's booming oilsands sector may be irreversible, posing a "significant environmental and financial risk to the province of Alberta," says a secret memorandum prepared for the federal government's top bureaucrat.

The memorandum, released by the Privy Council Office through access to information legislation, also raises doubts about recent industry and government claims that oilsands companies are reducing heat-trapping gases produced by each barrel of oil.

The industry has suggested that a shift in oilsands extraction to use steam to remove synthetic crude oil from natural bitumen deposits on site can reduce land disruption and provide for reductions in energy and emissions

The full piece is here.

Episcopal Church sponsors major topical forum: The Intersection of Poverty and the Environment | Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church sponsors major topical forum: The Intersection of Poverty and the Environment | Episcopal Church:

Why do the poor suffer most when it comes to Climate Change?

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Green Awards Continues with Greening Sacred Spaces Pilot Project

Greetings from your EnviroAction Committee in the Diocese of Huron.

Many of you have earned a Green Award in the Diocese of Huron during the past 3 years. This year, we are proud to inform you that our good work has been adopted by a group called Greening Sacred Spaces! Your EnviroAction Committee is partnering with Greening Sacred Spaces to do a pilot project to test this new Green Certification on-line process. 

We suggest that you print the attached article by GSS Energy Coordinator, David Patterson as it includes instructions to refer to while you apply for your Green Certification on-line. Your on-line application is due March 30th.

You will still receive recognition for your achievements at the Diocesan Synod in May!

We have been chosen to do this pilot project here in the Diocese of Huron because of our experience with the Green Awards. Your good work has been the foundation for this new process that will soon be shared with all Anglicans across Canada as well as other denominations and faith groups! We encourage all parishes in the Diocese of Huron to take part in this Green Certification pilot program with Greening Sacred Spaces!

Thank you for caring for creation.

Canon Linda Nixon and Nancy Harvey, Co-Chairs if the EnviroAction Committee in the Diocese of Huron

Green Certification 

Huron Church News Article Explaining the Greening Sacred Spaces Certification

New way to Apply for the Green Awards in the Dioceses of Huron for 2012

Greening Sacred Spaces recognizes the commitment that has been shown by the parishes of the Diocese of Huron and has chosen us to do a pilot study here. This year you will be able to apply for your Green “ACCREDITATION” Award on-line. With the Green Awards of the Dioceses of Huron as a basis Greening Sacred Spaces has developed their on-line version.

To cover some of the administration costs of this program, Greening Sacred Spaces is needing to charge a small administrative fee of $50 for the first year and $25 thereafter. During the pilot phase, Huron parishes will only need to pay $25.

Find the full document with this link

For further information and for an application go to the Greening Sacred Spaces website.


Greening Sacred Spaces