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#fast4earth Environmental Movie Night Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8) There are a great number of wonderful environmental movies to enjoy with your popcorn! Here are some suggestions by category DRAMA Dances With Wolves Deepwater Horizon Erin Brockovich Gorillas in the Mist The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind SCIENCE FICTION Avatar The Age of Stupid The Day After Tomorrow CHILDREN’S  MOVIESFern Gully: The Last Rainforest Bambi Free Willy Happy Feet Moana The Lion King The Lorax Whale Rider Wall-E DOCUMENTARIES Before the Flood  (Leonardo di Caprio) An Inconvenient Truth (Al Gore) A Life on Our Planet (David Attenborough) My Octopus Teacher Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret Who killed the electric car? The Best Environmental Films of All Time an En

FAITH LEADERS HOLD SILENT PROTEST TO SAY ‘STOP THE DRILLING IN KAVANGO’ #sacredpeoplesacredearth #faiths4climate Faith leaders from the Anglican, Lutheran and Unitarian Churches gathered on the steps of St George’s Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town to protest the drilling which has commenced in Namibia Inspired by the Bishop of Namibia, Rt Revd Luke Pato, who brought the concerns to the broader faith community, they protested the drilling by Canadian Company ReConAfrica in Northern Namibia. The following concerns were raised The potential impact on the rich cultural and natural heritage of the Okavango Delta which could be impacted by drilling operations in the kavango Basin. The region is a World Heritage and Ramsar Wetlands Site, and one of the seven natural wonders of Africa The rights of San indigenous people. Drilling in these areas will disrupt the culture and ancestral heritage protected under UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous People Namibia is the driest country south of the Sahara. There are serious concerns about Recon’s planned “unconventional drilling” Climate change. Namibia is one of the countries of the world most impacted by Climate Change. According to ReConAfrica the oil generated “could be billions of barrels”, the ‘biggest oil play of the decade”. With almost unrivalled solar energy potential, Namibia should be supported by the international community to develop solar energy Inadequate public participation process. The EIA submitted by ReconAfrica does not comply with strict Namibian Government regulations Moral and Spiritual concerns. Reconafrica calls drilling in the Kavango basin ‘pretty much a no-brainer” we call it a sin. To destroy eco-systems and trample the rights of indigenous people is wicked The protest formed part of a global day of climate action called #sacredpeoplesacredearth Speakers and prayers included Bishop Joshua Louw, Diocese of Cape Town, Rev Gordon Oliver, unitarian Church, Bishop Geoff Davies , patron SAFCEI, Kate Davies- SAFCEI, Margie Pretorius : Sustaining the Wild Coast, Rev Rachel Mash, Green Anglicans, Bino Makalanyane Green Anglicans , JP Roberts Green Anglicans, Pastor W. Schwär, Evangelical Lutheran Church and Celeste, Unitarian Church The protest was supported by other organisations such as SOUL and Extinction Rebellion. Please sign and share the petition https://secure.avaaz.org/community_petitions/en/faith_leaders_call_on_canadian_reconafrica_and_gov_stop_the_drilling_in_the_kavango_basin/    

#fast4earth Make games from recycled goods And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. (Zechariah 8:5) This Lent, have fun with your kids making games and toys from recycled goods. There is no such thing as waste – only undiscovered treasures! There are lots of games and toys that can be made from recycled goods Here are some board games you can make https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z9FDroY0MI Making crafts is so much fun and keeps them busy for ages! https://cleanriver.com/recycling-projects-kids-schools/ Things to make from plastic bottles 16 Ways to Recycle Plastic Bottles for Play!

#fast4earth Start a home garden or grow herbs on windowsill For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:11)   Starting your own little home garden or growing a few herbs on your windowsill is a great fun activity and also gets some healthy fresh veg into your diet. And if you fall in love with gardening … who knows where your garden might end up! Decide what you would like to grow and eat! Not much point growing vegetables or herbs that your family doesn’t like to eat! You will need some advice on what to grow in this season. Ask other successful gardeners in your area, or google to find best veggies to plant in your area in which season. If you don’t have much space – they don’t go for a giant pumpkin! Choose the right location Most fruits and vegetables need full sun, with a minimum of five hours of direct sunlight per day for fruiting. Greens, herbs and root veggies will grow in partial shade. Think about how you will access the garden for picking, watering and caring for your plants. Out of site often equals out of mind – and a neglected garden. Avoid high wind areas. Watch out for pet damage and children’s play areas. Plan your garden beds You can start with as small as a garden in a tyre, or make a garden bed out of old pallets. If you have space to plant a bed, then plant in blocks  no more than a meter wide (so that you can reach the centre from either side without trampling your seedlings).  You only add fertilizer and soil amendments to the planting area, which saves time and money. Work with companion plants (google to find which ones grow best together) to attract beneficial insects and improve yields. Start small, and make sure to give each plant enough room to grow. Getting your soil healthy The better your soil, the better your vegetables will be.  Start a compost heap, you can also ask neighbours to give you their organic waste. Start with some seeds and some seedlings If you can afford some seedlings, it is a good idea to start with a six pack or two of seedlings, as you will quickly see the fruit of your labours!  And then so long you can be planting seeds. (follow instructions on the packet)> Store the opened packet in a closed container. Plant seeds roughly 3 times as deep as the size of the seed. (unless the package says something else) Nurture your garden A rule of thumb for watering is that plants need around 2 cm  of water per week during the growing season. If rains fail, you’ll need to water your garden. Over watering is as bad as under watering, so always check the soil before turning on a tap or hitting the rain barrels. Soil that is too wet can cause seeds and roots to rot.     Enjoy your harvest   As crops mature, make sure to harvest promptly for best quality. Leafy greens like lettuce are  “cut and come again”, which means you can clip off the leaves and they will regrow for another harvest. Find out which crops do the best in your conditions and remember to rotate – plant something different in a different part of the garden, this heals the soil and avoids pests. Gardening is also good for your health. It can fight depression, reduce stress and improve your diet. Adapted from https://commonsensehome.com/start-a-garden/

  ANGLICAN BISHOPS CALL FOR HALT TO  DRILLING IN THE KAVANGO BASIN, NAMIBIA Bishop Luke Pato , the Bishop of Namibia alerted the Anglican Church that exploratory drilling for oil has commenced in the Kavango Basin, Namibia, by Canadian Company ReConAfrica he called for a petition to halt the drilling. “The process has not been an open one, with Namibians waking up to a mining venture that has already been signed and settled. There are many questions to be answered. “ Bishop of Namibia, Rt Rev Luke Pato Thirty four bishops and four Archbishops from around the world  have signed a petition calling on the immediate halt to the drilling. These include the Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Revd Dr Thabo Cecil Makgoba; The Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Most Revd Linda Nicholls;  Archbishop Julio Murray, chair, Anglican Communion Environmental Network;,  Archbishop Mark Macdonald, National Indigenous Archbishop , Anglican Church of Canada; and Bishop Kito Pikaahu Chair of Anglican Indigenous Network, and the  Bishop of Salisbury ,the Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam,  lead Bishop for the Environment, Church of England. Since the oil company is based in Canada, the petition was also signed by Lori Ransom, Interim Executive Director: Kairos: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives The petition was  handed over on the 8th of March to the Government of Namibia, the Namibian Consulate in Cape Town, Hon Sarafina Tshilunga by Bishop Raphael Hess and Bishop Margaret Vertue, representing the Synod of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It will be handed over to the  Headquarters of ReconAfrica in Vancouver, Canada by representative of Kairos, Canada and emailed to the  Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise.” Canadian oil company ReconAfrica has bought rights to drill for oil in more than 35 000 square kilometres of the Kavango Basin in Namibia. This environmentally sensitive, protected area supplies water to the Okavango Delta, is a World Heritage and Ramsar Wetland Site, a Key Biodiversity Area and one of the seven natural wonders of Africa. The region is home to the largest remaining population of African elephants, 400 species of birds and is a sanctuary for many other animals. It is protected under the protocol of the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission. The Bishops are protesting for the following reasons: INDIGENOUS RIGHTS This exploration violates San rights under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people. It affects three regional UNESCO heritage sites: The Okavango Delta, the Tsodilo Hills and the San Living Cultural Landscape.  ‘Unconventional oil and gas’ exploration and extraction will bring roads, heavy trucks, ribbon development and  pollution. WATER SCARCITY Water is a scarce and precious commodity in Namibia, the driest country south of the Sahara. Grave concerns about the potential damage that ReconAfrica’s planned ‘unconventional drilling’ will do to groundwater have been expressed by a specialist from the Geological Survey of Namibia and the general public.    IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE According to the ReconAfrica website, “oil generated in the basin could be billions of barrels” [i], and  be the “biggest oil play of the decade.” [ii]  Namibia is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. With almost unrivalled solar energy potential, extracting  ‘billions of barrels of oil,’ makes no sense.  Reducing carbon emissions is a global responsibility. INADEQUATE PUBLIC PARTIPACTION PROCESS Indications are that the deal between ReconAfrica and the Government of the Republic of Namibia were concluded behind closed doors. Initial meetings were only held in Northern Namibia. Only under duress was a further meeting organised in Windhoek, the capital city. Concerns raised by local activists have been belittled and The Namibian, the national newspaper which broke the story, is being threatened with legal action. [iii] [iv] INADEQUATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT The EIA submitted by ReconAfrica does not comply with strict Namibian Government standards.[v] MORAL AND SPIRITUAL CONCERNS ReconAfrica claims that  drilling the Kavango basin  is “pretty much a no-brainer…”[vi]  The Bishops  call it a sin. Drilling in the Kavango Basin will fracture its geological structure and destroy the water system that supports this unique ecosystem and wildlife sanctuary. In so doing, it will also disrupt to the livelihoods of the indigenous people.   Based on the principle of  restorative social and environmental justice, the Bishops call upon the international community to support Namibia and Botswana to  develop renewable energy systems and help safeguard the precious Kavango ecosystem. The list of signatories can be found here: Signed Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Revd Dr Thabo Cecil Makgoba Archbishop and Primate of Anglican Church of Canada, the Most Revd Linda Nicholls Archbishop and Primate of Central America  Julio Murray, chair, Anglican Communion Environmental Network Archbishop Mark Macdonald, National Indigenous Archbishop , Anglican Church of Canada Lori Ransom, Interim Executive Director: Kairos: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives The Dean of the Province of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa; The Bishop of Matlosane, the Rt Revd Stephen Molopi Diseko The Bishop of Namibia, the Rt Revd Luke Lungile Pato The Bishop of Angola, the Rt Revd André Soares The Bishop of California, Rt Revd  Marc Andrus, The Bishop of Te Tai Tokerau (Northland-Auckland), Kito Pikaahu Chair of Anglican Indigenous Network. The Bishop of Salisbury ,the Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam,  lead Bishop for the Environment, Church of England. The Bishop of Saldanha Bay, the Rt Revd Raphael Bernard Viburt Hess The Bishop of Mpumalanga, the Rt Revd Daniel Malesela Kgomosotho The Bishop of George, the Rt Revd Brian Melvin Marajh The Bishop of False Bay, the Rt Revd Margaret Vertue The Bishop of Free State, the Rt Revd Dintoe Stephen Letloenyane The Bishop of Johannesburg, the Rt Revd Dr Stephen Mosemanegape Moreo The Bishop of Lebombo, the Rt Revd Carlos Simao Matsinhe The Bishop of Highveld, the Rt Revd Mthetheleli Charles May The Bishop of Pretoria, the Rt Revd Allan Kannemeyer The Bishop of Christ the King, the Rt Revd William Joseph Mostert The Bishop of Niassa, the Rt Revd Vicente Msosa The Bishop of Mthatha, the Rt Revd Dr. Hummingfield

#Fast4earth SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE Today the challenge is to choose a good cause that is close to your heart with the money saved by not buying junk food. It might be a feeding scheme, education project, conservation project, there are so many Spend time as a family choosing which one and then note down how much money you save each time you pass on junk food this Lent. You will be amazed how much it adds up to by the end of the month!   Then look at other ways you can support the charity of your choice. Here are a few ways 1. Donate your time You might be able to go physically to the project, it is great to do this as a family project with the kids. 2. Donate your skills You might offer to help them with social media or photography skills, or accounting skills, or practical skills like painting, mending children’s clothes – there are so many skills that can be useful. 3 Organise a fundraiser This might be as simple as the kids baking goodies to sell. You can look at Backabuddy – which helps you fundraise for a cause www.backabuddy.co.za 4. Donate your stuff Do give away to a good cause, but make sure that it is items that the organisation really needs. Otherwise they end up sorting through piles of junk and trying to get rid of it. 5. Give while you buy Many companies will allow you to donate as you buy- for instance in SA , woolworths has “my school and Community” card – which raises funds for your charity. Pick and Pay allows to you give smart shopper points to a charity of your choice etc. some credit cards allow you to do the same. 6. Donate your tax refund If you get a tax refund, consider donating some or all of it. Some of your donations may even be tax deductible for next year! 7. Ask for gift donations If your friends and family ask you for birthday or holiday gift ideas, you can ask them to donate to your favorite charity instead.