Green Initiative Articles

September 2009

Sept. 6 - CONSERVE WATER: WISE CHOICES

• Take speedy showers. Cut down your time by bathing time by 2 minutes and save 150 gallons a month

• Use car washes. Washing cars at home can take 500 gallons of water per time. Automatic washers use 32 gallons per wash.

• Conserve at the commode. Put an inch of sand or pebbles in two bottles, fill with water, place in the toilet tank and save 10 gallons of water per day.

Skip the sprinkler. Use a drip-irrigation system. Drip watering also cuts down on weed growth.

Reuse kitchen-floor scrub water by watering plants instead of dumping.

“Real Simple Magazine”, July 2009 & Green Team

Sept. 13 - EARTH: ROOM FOR EVERYONE

            In Pope Benedict's new encyclical, "Charity in Truth" he says: "On this earth there is room for everyone: here the entire human family must find the resources to live with dignity, through the help of nature itself — God's gift to his children — and through hard work and creativity. At the same time we must recognize our grave duty to hand the earth on to future generations in such a condition that they too can worthily inhabit it and continue to cultivate it. "

            The Environmental Stewardship Committee is using hard work and creativity for earth care, as promoted by the Pope. We invite interested parishioners to join us on Monday, Sept. 28, 7:30-8:45 at Panera Bread. Help us brainstorm green efforts and perhaps become a member of the Green Team.

Call Judy Giesen, 557-9299 or e-mail judyg@mchsi.com

Sept. 20 - COLORFUL "GREEN" DISPLAY at MARKET

Imagine this: a resplendent scene of pumpkins, Fincel's corn and tomatoes, sunflowers, organic carrots, squash, homemade bread, perennials, honey and pickles. A little music on the side. That's the glory waiting you at the Dubuque Farmers' Market each Saturday, 7:00-noon. Closer to Resurrection, buy heartily at the Fountain Park market on Thursday, 3:00-7:00. Market-shopping is a big green step since buying locally saves energy, according to Tom Thompson, chairman of the Dubuque Farmers' Market Committee. "Shopping from vendors who are growing produce locally, which in turn significantly reduces the miles traveled to market, is one energy saving practice many consumers are already doing."

Dubuque_Main_Street@mail.vresp.com