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Ec0-bricks are easily made from 2litre coke bottles, which you fill with non recylcable plastic. Push it down until the bottle is jammed hard. They are then used in construction of creches, homes etc. Here are the instructions. https://ecobrickexchange.org/views/home.php Find out where you can drop off your filled Eco=bricks Green pop Nursery, Woodstock Cobute, Table View Hangar 18, Milnerton Faithful to Nature, Muizenburg Salt, Kalk Bay The health connection, Fish hoek The daily Grinder, Glencairne The Hub, Scarborough Long Beach mall, Noordhoek MFM radio, Stellenbosch For others cities check out https://ecobrickexchange.org/views/home.php

South Africans use  approximately 8 BILLION plastic shopping bags per year. Less than 1 percent are recycled and many  end up in landfills or blow out of bins — blocking stormwater drains, getting stuck in trees or littering rivers and beaches . In nature, plastic breaks into smaller pieces, but never fully disappears – it breaks up into microplastics  not down into organic matter, contaminating land,  food and water. Scientists say that by the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. Rwanda and Kenya have already the banned the Plastic bag in 2008 and 2016 respectively. As Christians and people of faith we believe we are called to care for Creation and so we invite you to join us in the BRING YOUR OWN BAG Campaign BRING YOUR OWN BAG. Make a pledge to stop using single use plastic shopping bags. You can sign the pledge here and encourage others to do so too: https://www.aquarium.co.za/content/page/rethink-the-bag-make-a-pledge MAKE YOUR OWN BAGS. Here is a great opportunity to encourage unemployed people in your church and community to make alternative bags. Get creative, get colourful, brand the bags with the name of your church, the sky is the limit! PUT PRESSURE ON YOUR LOCAL SHOP. Mobilise local churches, schools etc and community members to put pressure on your local supermarkets and businesses to stop using one use plastic bags. Here are some examples; the SPAR in Kloof (KZN)  gives out only paper bags, the SPAR in Kleinmond gave out a free re-usable bag to everyone who handed in ten plastic bags. MOBILISE WITH OTHERS TO BAN PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS IN SOUTH AFRICA. Kenya did it, Rwanda did it. Yes we can!!! Please sign a petition to the Minister for the Environment here: https://www.causes.com/actions/1755124-ban-plastic-shopping-bags-in-south-africa Join our facebook group to share ideas on https://www.facebook.com/groups/190793368196276/?ref=br_rs

We are encouraging Sunday Schools and Youth Groups to grow and plant Avocadoes. Here is how to grow an avo from the pit Avocados How to grow them from a pit

“GREEN BISHOP” IS GRANTED ARCHBISHOP’S PEACE WITH JUSTICE AWARD The Archbishop of Capetown’s Peace with Justice Award was established four years ago to “recognise distinguished service and ministry to Humanity, Creation or the Church.” It was with great joy that the award was granted to Bishop Geoff Davies and his wife Kate for their ministry at the annual renewal of priestly vows of the Diocese of Cape Town. Archbishop Emeritus Tutu was also in attendance The citation reads as follows: “ Bishop Geoff Davies, supported by his wife, Kate, has been a pioneer in the church’s environmental ministry. Bishop Geoff’s commitment, passion and love for God’s creation led him to raise awareness about environmental degradation and climate change at a time when few were listening. He established the Anglican Church of Southern Africa’s Environment Network and represented Africa at the inception of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network. He also encouraged people of other denominations and faiths to be earth-keepers, playing an instrumental role in the foundation of the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI), a multi-faith environmental organisation. SAFCEI have been involved in important advocacy campaigns including anti-fracking, the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road and the anti-nuclear campaign. For his role in mobilising Anglicans and others to act for ecological justice, selflessly dedicating himself to the people of God and all God’s creation, we honour Geoff Davies for his extraordinary contribution to the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and to the broader Christian and interfaith world. #greenanglicans Safcei Photos: Edwin Joshua

Diocese of Natal hosted their one day conference at St Agnes (Kloof) to tackle issues faced up by locals especially after experiencing heavy storms in October last year which claimed lives and damaged property some of it is yet to be fixed to date. The group met to discuss issues of climate change, advocacy, water, climate change and the church, mobilising children and young people, mobilising churches. These topics were break away session after the main speaker Dave Bookless (UK) spoke about old testament and God’s creation. A panel made up of Shanice Firmin and Bongani Mthembu from SDCEA,Thoko Makhanya (on women and the environment), Desmond D’sa first briefed the conference of the kind of work they do then answered questions from the floor. Young people and those young at heart and some clergy split to attend hte session by Ncumisa Magadla and Mandisa Gumada on how to mobilise children and young people  also how to use Ryan the Rhino for Children’s ministry. The day went well, resources were shared, some sold. In all a network of people involved in creation care in the Diocese of Natal was created. -Mandisa Gumada (Diocesan Youth Coordinator-AYSA Natal)

The diocese of Mzimvubu hosted their annual youth conference in  Kokstad on the 1st to the 3rd of December 2017.  Carefully located in the rural areas the conference had a very natural and environmental feel, which made it perfect to teach the young people who attended about the practicalities of being environmentally active.   With little input to environmental degradation the conversation was rather turned into   how to stop neighbouring towns and cities from burning and throwing things down the streams which they use for household essentials, be it drinking or washing up.  The participants were very disappointed at the amount of plastic they find in their grazing land which was dumped by the local municipality. The young people agreed to work in archdeaconries to respond to some of the immediate solutions to pollution and misuse of water in their communities.  The clergy also availed themselves to help take the word to other clergy meetings and will look into using season of creation as a resource in their services.