The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers. (Psalm 24:1-2)
God made mankind stewards of His creation. We are called to take care of the earth and to pass on a healthy planet to those who follow in our footsteps. This page suggests some ways that we can help fulfil God’s commands.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
We can live and work more sustainably by following the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.
- Buy only what you need!
- Try to reuse things rather than throwing them away. This could include donating things you no longer need to a charity shop.
- Recycling and repairing items often makes financial sense and reduces the amount of waste you send to landfill, which is better for the environment. The local council provide good information on their web site on how to make the best use of the four bins they provide. The council also provide a number of recycling centres where you can take items that shouldn’t be placed in domestic bins. You can recycle spent batteries by putting them in the container in the entrance to St Thomas’ church hall.
Food is a precious gift from God. Yet, approximately one third of all food produced is never eaten. In a world where so many go hungry, this is immoral. In addition food production fuels climate change, making life harder for people living in poverty. However, together we can follow Jesus:
When they had all had enough to eat, He said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”
St Thomas’ and St Luke’s run a Fur Clemt cafe alongside other churches in Ashton which is part of the Real Junk Food Project. It uses food, which would otherwise be thrown away, to create nutritional meals on a pay what you can afford basis. More information is available on our Fur Clempt page.
Cleaning up our Town
Members of our church and community meet together once a month to litter pick in and around Ashton. This is a positive way in which you can contribute to improving the appearance and the environment of our town. More information is available on our litter picking page.
A Christian Perspective
How am I Doing?
Everyone of us has an impact on the environment. The size of that impact is called your carbon footprint. There are a number of web sites which can help you determine your carbon footprint and suggest ways to reduce it. The World Wildlife Fund is a good place to start