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Eating The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15 Before God gave the human race the ten commandments, before God told us to go and make disciples, he gave us a simple commandment “Take care of my Earth” We have not done a good job of caring for God’s Earth. According the Living Planet Index, Biodiversity has declined by more than a quarter in the last 35 years. That’s not good news. Globally, we now require the equivalent of 1.4 planets to support our lifestyles. This is humanity’s current Ecological Footprint – the demand people place upon the natural world. We are polluting our rivers and seas, creating piles of waste and toxic chemicals. It is time for us to change. Today the challenge is this – how can I help my Church to be an Earthkeeping community? This week we are looking at food. How does my church cater? Where do we buy our food, is it local or shipped in from far away. Do we use free range chicken or factory farmed? What happens to left over food? Do we use Styrofoam or do we wash up? Styrofoam (polystyrene) Non-Biodegradable Styrofoam appears to last forever, as it is resistant to photolysis, or the breaking down of materials by photons originating from a light source. This, combined with the fact that Styrofoam is lightweight and therefore floats, means that over time a great deal of polystyrene has accumulated along coasts and waterways around the world. It is now considered the main component of marine debris. Food Contamination When Styrofoam containers are used for food, chemicals can leach into the food, affecting human health and the reproductive systems. This is accentuated if people reheat the food while still in the container. Let us be Earthkeepers, starting  in our Church Kitchen!   Ref :WWF SA

Meat Free Monday:  Boycott unsustainable products, do not buy products from endangered animals. Know the best and worst products  In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.” [Job 12:10]  All living beings are all precious to God – not just humans.  “ . . . even the hairs of your head are all counted.”  And, likewise, not even a single sparrow “is forgotten in God’s sight.” [Luke 9:6-7]   “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.” [Psalm 36:6] Given God’s great love for all creatures, we need to reflect on our practice of eating meat farmed in factory farms. Conditions in these operations unlike organic farms are unhealthy and cruel. Animals who are intended by nature to forage for food are fed corn and soybeans instead of grass. To prevent the inevitable spread of disease from stress, overcrowding and lack of vitamin D, animals are fed a steady diet of antibiotics.  Animals often develop antibiotic-resistant bacteria in their guts, which contaminates the food chain and poses a threat to human health. Pigs: Sows spend each pregnancy confined to a sow stall only slightly larger than her body, making it impossible for her to lie down comfortably. The slatted flooring of a sow stall causes foot injuries. Sow stalls have been banned in Europe. Shortly before piglets are born, sows are moved to ‘farrowing crates’ where the piglets will be nursed. The crates are so small that the mother pig cannot turn around to see her piglets. At three weeks, the piglets are taken from their mothers and undergo castration and tail docking without any sort of pain relief. They spend the next 6 months of their lives confined to pens until they reach ‘market weight’; when they are trucked to slaughter. Chickens: in factory farms most of the egg-laying hens  spend their lives in an area less than the size of an A4 piece of paper; routinely de-beaked and de-clawed, without anaesthetic.  In nature, a hen can live for up to 8 years, but egg-laying hens are considered ‘spent’ at less than 2 years of age.  They are then sent to slaughter, or sold to informal traders. Male chicks, considered wasteful by-products by the poultry industry, are normally ground up alive -. Chicken raised for meat (broilers) are crammed into indoor sheds – over-crowding results in filth and disease, and causes aggressive behaviour, weakened immune systems, and ammonia burn.  Genetically bred to reach slaughter weight in 6 weeks; unnaturally large, they often cannot support their own weight – many crippled chickens on factory farms die when they can no longer reach the water nozzles. Cows: On factory farms cows are regularly impregnated in order to produce milk, but are prevented from expressing their mothering instincts: calves are removed before they are weaned – often within 24 hours – causing  psychological distress..  Once a cow’s milking days are over – normally when she is about 4 years of age – she is sent to slaughter.  Can we eat meat from animals who have treated like this? Switch to free range. It is more expensive but rather buy less…