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The Anglican Women’s Fellowship (AWF) takes up the challenge in the  Diocese with a difference!In Mthatha Diocese—the “Diocese with  a difference”, they are already taking up the environmental challenge Thuletu Ngudle was invited to conduct a workshop with the AWF. She works at Wessa (the Wildlife  and Environment Society of South Africa : www.wessa.org.za) and  her theme was “ Care for the Environment—towards poverty eradication”. She covered themes such as organic gardening and worm farms, climate change and food security, and how to reach out to our communities. She also looked at waste management, for instance how you can create work from recycling. Let us watch the AWF take this programme forward in the Province! “I am not a garden person, but I will get home and plant my plot of vegetables!” Pumla Titus, Provincial Chair, Anglican Women’s Fellowship

What is a carbon fast for Lent? For Anglicans, Lent is the time when we remember the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, facing challenge and temptation. It is a time when we reflect on God’s purpose for our life. Many Anglicans take this opportunity to fast from coffee, alcohol or chocolates. But this year our challenge is deeper, to take a carbon fast – to reduce the use of carbon based fuels on which we all depend. We will take small steps for a more sustainable world, and by doing so rediscover a different relationship with God, with Creation and with one another. Because I can change the world a little in 40 days, but I can change myself a lot! How do I take a carbon fast? From Ash Wednesday, 5 March, to 12 April is a time of reflection and action. Each week has a theme with a prayer, a resource to read or watch, actions to take as an individual, some suggestions of community actions you can take and something you can consider doing to change the system. Download your 40 day guide THEMES for each of the five weeks:

Energy and Water Audit at the Cathedral in Maseru, Lesotho  The Anglican Cathedral of Maseru has joined hands in order to create change environmentally. Having an understanding of energy and water scarcity, the youth took it as their responsibility to take action towards sustaining these resources. Based in Maseru, the Capital of Lesotho, the Cathedral is centrally situated, making it one of the key places to initiate a project towards energy efficiency, sustainable and renewable energy. On the 18th of December 2013 an energy and water audit was conducted with the support of Tsepho Hlasoa from SAFCEI. This involved a site walk about. Results of the audit were used to gauge the Cathedral’s water and energy footprint. The Maseru Anglican Cathedral has more than one surrounding building including an accommodation centre, which was built to also generate income for the church. The accommodation centre was therefore included in the audit as it uses water and electricity frequently. In the report of the audit, electricity consumption was divided into categories, and hot water cylinders (Geysers) came out to be using about 70% of the electricity and each of other appliances including the refrigerator, lights, equipment etc. sharing the remaining 30%. Water usage which included the church and the accommodation centre were almost divided equally between sewage and catering. Sewage uses up to 50% water inclusive of bathrooms, toilets and water from the laundry. Catering uses up to 36% accumulated through daily preparations of meals for the accommodation centre. Cleaning and gardening share the remaining 14% of water however cleaning uses most of it. The Cathedral in response to environmental issues and climate change, has installed water tanks to reduce tap water and they make use of solar powered water heaters to cut down level of energy use. The following recommendations were made: A brick or 2 litre container of water is placed in each toilet. This reduces water consumption by 2 litres at each flush Geyser blankets be purchased and timers put on the geysers All staff be encouraged to switch off lights and reduce water usage. The Diocese of Lesotho will be having an Environmental Conference on the 31st May 2014  Anglican Environmental Network Photos: Tshepho Hlasoa