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The Green Team
Many members of the church share a growing interest and concern in caring for creation. A group, the Green Team, has emerged to focus on ecological, environmental and green issues.
$5,000 of the 20th anniversary fund has been approved for the work of this team. The first task is to prioritize initiatives for the greening of EMUC. They will make recommendations about the care and maintenance of the building and the property. They will work to educate and support the congregation and the community in efforts to green their homes and neighbourhoods.
A. and D. Wilson are leaders of this team.
New members are always welcome!
Recent Activities
The team arranged the participation of EcoSource in the EMYOP/OASIS Summer Camp. EcoSource's 3R Rock Star Lunch program provided information and buttons for the campers, and encouraged campers to bring lunches and beverages in reusable containers in order to reduce garbage.
The team organized sorting of the garbage from the OASIS Community BBQ, on August 18. Signs on various bins guided people to separate waste for recycling (Styrofoam plates, cans and bottles) and for green compost (food waste including corn cobs and paper serviettes). As a result, only one small bag of actual garbage was collected!
A group of EMUC folk has sourced local fruits and vegetables to preserve by making jams and pickles. (Please contact L. Brignall if you are interested in participating).
The team is evaluating the interior sanctuary lighting. The eight main lights in the sanctuary need to be replaced and additional eco-friendly lighting is required for the choir and platform areas. One vendor has visited the church and will be supplying a proposal. Other vendors have been contacted. It is anticipated that a proposal and plan will be ready to present to the Leadership Circle this fall.
The collecting of pop tabs for wheel chairs is coordinated through the Canadian Legion Branch 582 at Hensall Circle in Mississauga. The tabs are sold to a recycling company and the proceeds are used to purchase wheelchairs. Please continue to leave pop tabs that you have collected on the table near the upstairs washroom.
The team has been researching industrial dishwashers for the kitchen so that we can dramatically reduce the use of disposable plates and cutlery.
The church is heated in winter mainly by an electric furnace, resulting in a large annual electricity bill. Research on alternate sources for heating and cooling the church building (such as a ground source geothermal heat pump) or an alternate source of electricity (such as an array of photovoltaic panels) is underway.
The EMUC building has some basic airflow and heating problems. An energy audit is under consideration to study the building's energy efficiency and to provide suggestions for correction and reduction of annual energy costs.
Green Reminders
Compact Florescent Light bulbs should be taken, at no cost, to any Mississauga Hazardous Waste depot or to any Rona store for proper disposal. CFL bulbs contain mercury, which will leak into the environment if the bulb is broken. Bulbs must be disposed of properly. (They are not a risk unless they are broken.)
Alkaline and lithium batteries should not be put in the garbage either. Save them up until you have a bunch and then take, at no cost, to Mississauga Hazardous Waste depot (along with unfinished paint). If you cannot get to a depot, bring your dead batteries to EMUC. We will take them to the depot for you.
Articles and information on the Green Team are updated and posted on a regular basis, so you are encouraged to check the board regularly.
The community gardens at the west end of EMUC's property are growing all kinds of produce. If you don't have space for a vegetable garden at home, maybe you'd like to have one of the plots next year?
Energy Saving Tips from Earth Hour
Click "Energy Saving" to read the list of suggestions from people who attended. Also included are links to some websites with further details and suggestions.
Environmental Info
Browse through the binder of information about farmer's markets, non-chemical household cleaning products, organic food, chemical-free lawn care, and other topics at the church. Add your own information to it, too!
You can also order and pick up Planet Bean fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate at the church. You must pay be cheque at the time you place your order, which will be ready for pickup in about two weeks.
For information about fair trade sugar, please contact L. Brignall.
Thatcher Farms
Thatcher Farms visits EMUC about once a month to sell meat and eggs. To ensure they have enough to meet demand, it is best to pre-order. Contact D. Wilson for more information.
Useful Links
www.350.org
Kyoto Plus
The David Suzuki Foundation
http://www.faith-commongood.net/index.asp
http://bridgetsgreenliving.blogspot.com/
http://www.eco.on.ca/eng/
Responsible Shopping
Farmers Markets In Ontario
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