Tlou Mpai

March 10 – Say NO to Styrofoam

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‘I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.” ~ Jeremiah 2 :7 Styrofoam is one of the most used packaging methods in the food industry. It is convenient, cheap, and provides excellent conditions for storage of food and beverages. Styrofoam is a disposable product made of polystyrene, which is a petroleum-based plastic. Styrofoam has more harmful effects as compared to its convenience. There is a need to inform people about the environmental and health impacts it poses on people and the planet. The harms from plastic Styrofoam mainly are: Environmental Impacts Polystyrene is non-biodegradable. A Styrofoam cup can take as long as 500 years to decompose completely. Recycling Styrofoam is very expensive, it is usually disposed of, taking up a lot of space in landfills, even more than paper, and may eventually re-enter the environment when landfills are breached. Styrofoam is harmful for the environment because it is made with petroleum, a non-renewable resource which contributes to air pollution and climate change. When not disposed in a proper manner, Styrofoam can contribute to flooding by clogging drains. When Styrofoam enters our waterways, it can be ingested by aquatic animals, thus harming or killing them. Health Impacts Polystyrene, the main material in Styrofoam, contains the substances Styrene and Benzene, which are both considered carcinogens (cancer causing) and neurotoxins that are extremely hazardous to human health. Hot foods or liquids, alcohols, oils and acidic foods start a partial breakdown of Styrofoam, causing some toxins to be released into our foods, which, when eaten, are absorbed into our bloodstream. According to studies, women exposed to styrene vapours have demonstrated menstrual disorders, and suffered from metabolic disturbances occurring during pregnancy. Other health impacts include: Irritation of the skin; irritation of the eyes; irritation of the upper respiratory tract; Gastrointestinal problems; and affects kidney function

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March 9 – Spring Cleaning your Cupboards

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John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” ~ Luke 3:11 Spring cleaning is meant to declutter, organize, and sanitize your homes. Spring cleaning is always a great way to clear out all the cluster in your home and you can do it in an eco-friendly way and be green. So this lent take the initiative to clear out your closet and do it in a eco-friendly way. Most times people create a lot of waste when they spring clean. Here are ways which you can spring clean the green way: Reduce: The first step to fighting messes and keeping your home clean is getting rid of all that stuff you never use Go room-by-room, drawer-by-drawer, closet-by-closet and group the items that you haven’t used in a while. If you cannot remember that last time you used it, or you forgot that you had it, it is a good sign that it is time to let it go. Reuse: Once you have separated the items from your closet, avoid the “throw it away” mentality and think about how the item can get re-used. Donate: Once you have noted down what you can use, separate out items that someone else might need. There are probably plenty of items that you don’t need or want anymore, but someone else would appreciate. Garage sale: If you do not want to donate your clothes, you can host a garage sale in your community Photo by mentatdgt from Pexels

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March 8 – Paperless Sunday

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“ And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations”.  ~ Rev 22:2 Trees are mentioned in the Bible more than any living thing other than God and people. There’s a tree on the first page of Genesis, the first Psalm, the first page of the New Testament, and the last page of Revelation. Jesus said he is the true vine and that his Father is the dresser of the garden (John 15:1). The Bible refers to itself as a Tree of Life (Proverbs 3:18). We are told to be like trees planted by streams of water that yield their fruit in season (Psalm 1:3). Trees are the oldest living things on earth. There are trees alive today that were already ancient in the time of Christ. In fact, God gives trees a ring to mark every birthday! But what about Jesus? He grew up in a carpenter’s home. He talked about seeds of faith and said that the kingdom of heaven was like a tree. He called disciples from under trees, and sinners from their branches. His favorite place to pray was an olive grove. Trees give, and they keep giving. They give life and beauty. They give shade and rest. They clean the air. They hold back erosion. They offer shelter, food, and protection. So it is important that we plant trees. But it is also important that we save paper in order to show our care and appreciation of trees. Let us go paperless this Sunday! Send the pew leaflets out on social media or by email (you can maybe have a few copies for those who don’t use those media) Put songs and notices up on the screen If you usually use disposable cups for coffee, ask people to bring mugs to church and wash them up Make this Sunday Tree Appreciation Sunday and go paperless https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/what-is-the-significance-of-trees-in-the-bible-why-did-jesus-die-on-a-tree.html Photo by Alex Litvin on Unsplash

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March 7 – Considering your CATERING PRACTICES at church

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“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31  Consider the catering practices at your church Green catering Catering is a big part in our churches especially for fund raising and during conferences. Catering is one of the things that affect the environment negatively. Going green is not just a trend, it should be a life style. Green/ eco-friendly catering should be the new norm. There are different ways in catering practices where we can make a difference, specifically with catering practices in church. Things to do: Offer more vegetarian/vegan dishes–  vegetable farming is a more sustainable practice than animal farming. Producing meat involves more land and water use than producing vegetables. Additionally animal farming produces large amounts of greenhouse gases. Incorporate a Seasonal Menu– this will encourage cooking the  freshest and tastiest produce available which will in essence cut down negative environment impact. This will also reduce the amount of resources needed to transport food and result in less greenhouse emissions Reduce Food Waste– Reducing food waste is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Here are a few ways to reduce food waste in your catering: Get creative and repurpose ingredients to make new dishes Donate leftovers from your event Take advantage of overripe fruits and vegetables by making sauces, stocks, breads, and desserts Create a compost pile for food that’s past the point of serving Create a Beverage Station– Instead of offering guests individual cans of soda or bottles of water, try setting up a beverage station instead. Take advantage of reusable beverage dispensers to limit your use of disposable plastics. Use reusable serving dishes and cutlery. Ask some of the team to bring plates and cutlery from home. Separate recyclable material from waste created– you can do this by clearly mark your recycling containers and all-purpose trash cans. With big conferences, consider the event as an educational one, so raise the visibility of the re-cycling team, put up posters, flash messages on the screens at lunch breaks. Make sure everybody knows this is a green conference and they will learn some new ideas Photo by Karine Monteiro from Pexels

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March 6 – Say NO to junk food

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“Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food”  ~ Isaiah 55:2 Have a junk-food free Lent Junk food is any food that is highly processed, high in calories and low in nutrients. Junk food is also usually high in added sugars, salt and saturated or trans fats. Some research points to junk foods as being as addictive as alcohol and drugs.. Junk food is found just about everywhere. It is sold at supermarkets, workplaces, schools and vending machines. It is easily available which makes it convenient and in essence makes it difficult to limit or avoid. However junk food poses more health risks and more negative impacts as compared to the “delicious benefits” they have. Junk food has harmful after effects- Eating a poor quality diet high in junk food is linked to a higher risk of obesity, depression, digestive issues, heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and early death. Foods you can substitute junk food with: Fruits: apples, bananas, oranges, and berries Vegetables: leafy greens, peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower Whole grains and starches: oats, brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes Seeds and nuts: almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds Legumes: beans, peas, and lentils Healthy protein sources: fish, shellfish, tofu, steak, and poultry Dairy: Greek yogurt, cheese, and fermented dairy products like kefir Healthy fats: olive oil, nut butters, avocados, and coconut Healthy beverages: water, sparkling water, green tea, and herbal teas Junk food also creates mountains of waste, plastic, Styrofoam and plastic coated cardboard. Choose the healthier option for your body, your wallet and the planet. Say NO to junk. #ThrowOutThejunk Image by 41330 from Pixabay

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March 5 – Starting A Veggie Patch

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God said, “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food. … the fruit of the tree whose seed shall be food for you.” ~ Genesis 1.29    Start your own veggie patch Buying food that is locally grown is a great way to minimise your environmental impact, but growing your OWN food takes it to the next level. You can grow your own food by starting a veggie patch in your home. It requires a small amount of space, so you can grow it on your backyard, balcony or even some space on a window ledge. How to get started: Most vegetables need lots on sunlight for growth, so make sure you choose a sunny area for your veggie patch It is important to have healthy soil to grow healthy vegetables. Prepare your soil by adding 4 spadefuls of compost to every square metre of soil. Compost helps to improve drainage of the soil and it is a vital for the growth of healthy vegetables. Decide on what to plant. Plant what you really like and what you will use on a daily or weekly basis. Plant veggies that mature quickly and that you can re-use throughout the season Sow smaller amounts of each vegetable at two week intervals, this will result in a steady supply of veggies throughout the growing season. Practice crop rotation. This will help keep your soil healthy by preventing the loss of any nutrients in the soil. You can apply this by not planting the same veggie in the same spot, two years in a row. Benefits of growing a veggie patch: Reduce carbon emissions and waste: When you grow your own food, you help reduce the high amounts of burning fuels that emit carbon dioxide and fill our environment as a direct result of importing food from commercial farms. You will also reduce waste from packaging materials from the vegetables from grocery stores. Avoid toxic pesticides and fertilizers. By growing your own veggies, you decide what goes on your plants and soil. Grow veggies organic veggies by using safe and natural fertilizers and pesticides removal products. Improve your health.  Consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. When you pick vegetables right from your garden, the vitamin content will be at its highest. Get outdoor exercise. Gardening is a physical activity and pulling weeds, planting, and digging can burn up to 400 calories per hour. Gardening is also a good mental exercise and helps keep your mind sharp. Gardening is a natural stress reliever. Being outside in the fresh air and sunshine can improve mood and make you feel rejuvenated and overall happy https://www.burke.org/blog/2016/4/the-benefits-of-growing-a-vegetable-garden/83 https://www.stodels.com/start-your-own-veggie-patch/

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