Green Initiative Articles

September 2008

Sept. 7 - AUTUMN PRAYER FOR EARTH CARE

“Creator God, breathing your own life into our being, you gave us the gift of life. You placed us on this earth with its flowers and fruits, minerals and waters, living creatures of grace and beauty. At harvest time, the earth reaches the peak of its fruitfulness. It depends on us to praise you by harvesting its goods in ways which ensure there will be harvests in the future. You gave us care of the earth. Today you ask us: ‘Where are you? What have you done?’”

Christian Ecology Link, p. 48, “Harvest for the World,” compiled by Geoffrey Duncan.

 

Sept. 14 - BRIGHT IDEA FOR TOTE BAGS

One Res parishioner is thinking green. After purchasing a gift  at Target for her daughter, she  proceeded to HyVee and purchased reusable tote bags, 5 for $4. The tote became the gift wrap. "My daughter  liked the bag better than the gift," she says. "So from now on, I am wrapping my gifts in reusable bags and decorating with a little ribbon . . . This reusable bag thing is really taking off. Most of the stores I have been in lately are selling them and just today I was asked if I needed a bag for some small item. A few years ago, this would have been unheard of. "What is your family doing to care for the earth?  Share your good green practice with other Res parishioners. E-mail jjgiesen@mchsi.com

 

Sept. 21 - GREEN STEPS AT THE FESTIVAL

Congratulations to the Parish Festival  Committee in cooperation with the Youth Leadership Team (YLT) for taking steps to make the August festival greener this year. “We tried to be better stewards of the earth,” said Youth Ministry Coordinator Laurie  Ready, who listed sustainable actions for this fun event.

 

 • Members of the Youth Mexico Mission Team sold reusable water bottle on the grounds, and provided water stations for bottle fill-ups. Proceeds of the sales will be given to Back2Back Ministries to help acquire needed items for children's homes they serve in Monterrey, Mexico. 

 

• Instead of pitching beverage cans and plastics, Laurie arranged to borrow the Solid Waste Agency’s “event recycling units” to capture plastic and glass containers, as a “Creation Care” action.  In all, approximately 840 cans and bottles were collected with proceeds helping the youth group budget.

 

• Festival leaders weren’t satisfied with cans errantly tossed into the garbage, but pulled out cans to add to the recycling receptacles. Laurie reports that the receptacles are delivered free festivals/parties/weddings.

 

 More info about how your future event can be “Zero Waste” in next week’s bulletin. 

Social Justice Committee Green Team

 

Sept. 29 - OCTOBERFEST GREENING

 Planning an Octoberfest, an anniversary party or a large celebration with a cast of hundreds?  Plan now to make your fall or spring event a greener one. Call Chuck Goddard, Solid Waste Agency Administrator at 589-4250, and arrange to have “event recycling units” and/or green compost containers delivered to your party at no charge. 

 

Then, place recycling and trash receptacles next to each other, encouraging guests to recycle cans and plastic bottles and glass outside the regular trash!  For more information, please call the Solid Waste Education Office at 588-7933.  Be a cleaner, greener party/event planner!

Social Justice Committee Green Team