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Less Plastic for Lent April 13th Take Action! Individual actions are important, but the most important is to join the dots and to push businesses to reduce single use plastics, and to get politicians to ban them It is going to take small and large commitments to tackle the enormous plastic crisis and every action sends a message to the industry that they must change. We cannot allow products that we use for seconds to pollute the earth for centuries. Here are some actions you can take 1. Show a film about plastic. Eg A plastic tide: https://news.sky.com/video/special-report-plastic-pollution-in-our-oceans-10742377 Smog of the sea https://www.thesmogofthesea.com/ From the waste up : https://vimeo.com/ondemand/plasticfree Blue Planet https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7579782/?ref_=ttep_ep7 2. Write to the newspaper: Placing a letter to the editor in your local newspaper can be an effective way to share knowledge with other people in your region or to call a particular notable aspect of an issue to people’s attention. Here are some tips! • Start with the local press. You are more likely to see your letter published in the local press than national so identifying a popular local or regional paper would be a good place to start. Consult the website for the requirements on submitting a letter before you proceed. 3. Put pressure on your local supermarket You could send the manager or CEO an email, hand deliver a letter to the store manager or the company’s headquarters, set up a meeting with the manager or a company executive, send them a message through social media by tagging them, or if they are not receptive to your request, you could increase the pressure on them by starting a petition or visiting a store to take direct action. What do we want supermarkets to do? . Phase out single-use plastic packaging (eg. plastic bags, products like plastic bottles, sachets, etc) For lots of other idea of actions look at Green Peace’s Million acts of Blue Call for a Plastic-Free Future

The Earth is the Lord’s – a food basket on our doorstep under threat As part of exploring the theme of “The earth is the Lord’s” this Lent a group from St John’s Parish Wynberg visited the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA). The PHA is unique and irreplaceable. Numerous studies over the decades, including those by the City and Province, all agree that the PHA is the best agricultural land to provide the city with affordable and local food now and in the future. Small scale farmers are fighting to protect the PHA from being developed and allowing this prime agricultural area that is also vital in recharging the Cape Flats Aquifer, to be “paved over”. Preserving and protecting this area is also vital in addressing climate change. Destroy it and we will be shipping in fresh vegetables from George and even as far as far afield as China and New Zealand. Imagine the food miles added to our daily food and how that will add to our carbon foot print. Not only can the PHA farmers provide healthy organic food they also create employment and food for people who cannot afford to shop at Woolies, PnP, Spar and Shoprite. A third of the PHA (1,000 ha) has already been lost. Irreplaceable farmland has gone for ever. Our Lenten journey, using the 2019 Lenten material, has awakened us afresh to our calling as disciples of Jesus to protect and honour God’s gift to us in creation. God so loved the world (the earth, literally the cosmos, not just the people on it) that he sent his Son so that we (and the earth with us) might have life in all its fullness. As a Parish we stand with the PHA Farming Campaign in working for the preservation of this food basket on our doorstep that provides over 80% of Cape Town’s fresh vegetables. We are behind this campaign supporting the court battle and creating awareness of what is happening under our noses. We also want to share the exciting vision of what could happen in the PHA. Can you see it: small scale farmers producing wholesome food, reducing carbon emissions, creating employment and using this God given gift to enhance the lives of all who call Cape Town home? Rev Duncan McLea Rector, St John’s Parish Wynberg For more information watch this video 4 min video and share it with others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrASogCQ0gY Photo credit Louise Feiter

RENEWING ELSIES KRAAL RIVER Many of the rivers in Cape Town have been canalized, turning them from living eco- systems into dead canals that exist only to rush storm water out to sea. Last year on World Water Day March 22nd, St Stephens Church in Pinelands held a service on the theme of Water. The Scripture was “the river of the water of life” Rev 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. After the service during tea a group discussed the possibility of restoring the Elsies Kraal river which runs through the suburb. A community group was set up, the concept was taken to the Rate payers association, and got buy in from the ward Councillor. A face book page was set up and renew the Elsies Kraal was born. Twice monthly clean ups are held, aliens are removed, succulents are planted. On 6th of April – an #Adoptatree festival took place. Members of the community adopted a tree, committing to water and look after it. A festival was organised with snacks, facepainting and a lot of hard work planting the trees. Our neighbour river Community group @friends of the Liesbeek came to dig holes. Young and old came together to plant trees 100 beautifully tall trees were planted, bringing the community together in a beautiful day of caring for our part of Creation. The most moving part was that many of the trees were adopted in memory of a loved one. Truly the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations Photos – Renew Elsies Kraal members