9
LAND, FOOD AND MATERIALS
Food and
Community
The Holy
Communion service began with Jesus sharing a meal with his
disciples. Eating together was and is an important part of the
Jewish way of life though for Christians the Eucharist is now
usually a symbolic meal. Nevertheless we still often eat
together in shared lunches, harvest suppers, Alpha courses,
meetings, awaydays and conferences.
The food on
our tables is often a tangible link with people in many parts of
the world. Even a celebration of local food is likely to include
some ingredients from elsewhere. And, in our society, offering a
drink and something to eat is still a sign of welcome whether it
is a cup of tea and a biscuit or buying someone a drink in a
pub.
Food is at the
heart of our worship and our culture, and is essential for our
survival. It needs to be taken seriously.
Food and
Celebration
A life of
simplicity is characterised by celebration and hospitality. We
need to consider whether these are characteristics of our church
worship and social life, and what part food can play in that.
Common Worship: Times and Seasons includes materials for the
Agricultural Year. It would be a shame if this was seen as
simply applicable to rural areas. In some ways it is even more
important that people who have little direct experience of food
production are made aware of and celebrate the gift of food and
the work that is involved in producing it.
Land, Life
and Prayer
The creation
can be a means for our healing. In a culture where many people
are for much of the time out of touch with the land, the
weather, the seasons of the year and the life of plants and
animals, it is important that the churches help people renew
this essential contact. This can be done through meditative
walks, gardening,, visits to farms and environmental centres,
painting, watching or working with animals and birds, flower
arranging, cooking, woodwork or nature rambles. There many ways
that people can be encouraged to engage their senses creatively
or reflectively with the world they are part of.
Many people do
this anyway, and they think of it as a hobby. The church can
help people realise that this is not something in contrast or
conflict with their spiritual life but a part of it. And local
churches can provide means or opportunities for people to share
their experience and help others take part.
Food
Production
In their
meetings and their communications churches can encourage and
help people find out the extent to which the food they can buy
is:
Local
Environmentally
friendly
Animal
friendly
Fairly
traded
This can be
done in food fairs, website links and magazine articles, in
local forums with farmers and others sharing their experience
and debating the issues, in talks in services and a number of
other ways. There are many interconnected issues here and living
responsibly involves being aware of what is involved. Simplicity
is not the same as gullibility or naivety, but it involves being
willing to question, learn and act wisely.
Trade
Justice
In many parts
of the world food producers not only have to contend with a
changing climate but also with a trading system which favours
the strong. The campaign for trade justice is about rectifying
the balance. Fair trade systems are about providing
opportunities for producers to receive a good return for the
produce.
There are many
ways we can engage with these campaigns: buying fair-trade
goods, lobbying with others for changes in international trade,
finding out about trade practices, choosing where we buy and
informing others of what is going on.
We are
bombarded by powerful propaganda. Simplicity involves being able
to criticise this. If advertisers suggest we need something we
can ask why they are telling us this and whether it is actually
the case. If a supermarket is beating down prices at whose cost
is it doing this? Probably not theirs.
As they have
in many parts of the world, churches here can play a key part in
the process of conscientisation: enabling people to be aware of
what is being done to them so that they can be free to do things
differently.
Land and
Biodiversity
Extensive
monocultures, which are encouraged by demands for cheap food and
for bio-fuels, are bad for biodiversity. But the biodiversity of
land can be increased by organic cultivation and other measures.
The Environmental Stewardship scheme, launched by Defra in 2005,
gives financial inducements to farmers to work in ways that
encourage wildlife. There is Entry Level and Higher Level
Stewardship.
The diocese
can encourage increased biodiversity on glebe land. Church land
could also be used for woodland or energy generation.
Churchyards and gardens can be maintained for the benefit of
wildlife. Many schools already have an environmental study area
and wildlife garden.
Water
Grey water
systems involve re-using water. Rainwater collection, treatment
and use is also possible. Plumbing alterations and installations
are needed. This is not a high priority for vicarages and not
necessary in churches. Water consumption can be cut down by
simply reducing cistern size (with a brick) and repairing
dripping taps.
Buying
recycled materials
Recycled paper
and card are readily available. Because of the fluctuations in
the market there are occasional news reports of paper being
transported large distances for processing, thereby reducing or
removing any environmental benefit. This kind of cost needs to
be offset against the fact that paper made from new wood also
has to be transported. On the whole recycled materials are more
environmentally friendly. But those responsible for purchasing
materials for the diocesan office and parish offices need to be
kept informed of what are the best materials to use.
Re-using
and Recycling
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Many used
materials can be re-used. Many of those that cannot be
re-used can be recycled. The alternative is incineration
or burial in a landfill site. Local authorities have
targets for recycling and churches should recycle what
they can. Authorities are limited in the range of
materials they can collect but more can be deposited at
recycling centres. |
It is good for local churches
and offices to
-
re-use as
much as possible
-
purchase
long life and repairable products
-
recycle
what cannot be re-used
-
encourage
people to recycle
-
act as
deposit points for small items which the local authority
will not collect, with one person taking a load to the
recycling centre when it is ready
-
reduce
travel by having members carry to the recycling centre
materials from a number of people
Phone and
e-mail
A considerable
amount of paper can be saved by using the phone and e-mails.
Printing off e-mails is often superfluous and it is possible to
develop ways of working which almost eliminate this.
Bulk Buying
Schemes such
as the Churches Purchasing Scheme give the benefit of lower
prices through bulk buying. There are schemes which specialise
in environmentally friendly products and such schemes can often
be of benefit to the producer and the buyer. The diocese could
disseminate information on these. It could also arrange bulk
purchases of some items such as low energy lightbulbs and PV
cells and thus encourage local churches to reduce their
environmental impact.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend
that:
-
churches
should develop ways of helping parishioners find out about
and discuss issues of land use, food production and food
distribution practices, and to act in ways that are just and
environmentally responsible.
-
Housing
and Glebe Committee should work towards ensuring that glebe
land is either (a) cultivated in an environmentally friendly
way (b) used for local food production e.g. as allotments,
(c) used for wood production, (d) used for energy
generation, or (e) used in some other way that is good
overall for the environment.
-
a diocesan
officer should be given the time and resources to provide
regular up to date information and advice to churches and
officers on food, trade justice, recycling, purchasing, land
use and other activities which impact on our environment.
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