Plastic Fast 2019

“the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas”. Psalm 8 v 8 Globally, more than 1billion single-use plastic straws are used and thrown out daily. They are lightweight and easily blown by the wind. They are not recyclable. Animals can mistake straws for food, which can lead to their deaths. And straws are wasteful.Plastic doesn’t break down, so it doesn’t become part of the natural cycle again. Plastic breaks up, into smaller and smaller pieces, which remain and then become part of the food chain.” Over one million birds are killed by plastic every year, many by straws. Paper straws were popular through the 1960s until plastic straws replaced them — and thus began the  fixation with plastic straws. In the present day, plastic straws make up 99% of the global drinking straw market, with paper, glass, and metal straws making up the other 1%. Why are plastic straws  not recyclable?. They  are made from polypropylene, which is a byproduct of petroleum, a fossil fuel that requires an incredible amount of energy and natural resources to extract and refine. Size is the biggest barrier to straw recycling. As plastic travels down conveyor belts while being sorted, small items like bottle caps and straws fall through the cracks and end up being sent to the landfill. What do to? First – just refuse it! Ask the waitron not bring you a straw Second – use an alternative. You can purchase a packet of paper straws to carry with you, or a re-usable straw made of bamboo, glass, or stainless steel . Third – ask the restaurant or shop to kindly stop using plastic straws. You can ask the waitron for the contact details of the manager and ask him or her. Fourth – share this video on social media. Believe me, you will NEVER use a straw again! #strawssuck #thelaststraw #beatplasticpollution #greenanglicans References https://livegreen.recyclebank.com/column/because-you-asked/what-s-so-bad-about-plastic-straws https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/aquarium-makes-a-strong-case-against-deadly-straws-12762824

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.  1 Cor 10:23 Styrofoam or Polystyrene is cheap, and light and has become  a very popular item for serving food and takeaways. Many churches use it for large functions. What is wrong with it? It is a known hazardous substance Styrofoam is made of puffed #6 plastic: “polystyrene” (PS), made ‘of many styrenes’. Styrene is classified a known hazardous substance and has many ties to cancer.  Styrofoam is also made up of other hazardous chemicals, such as benzene. It leaches(Seeps) into food and drink It is especially dangerous to heat a Styrofoam container in the microwave. When paired with liquid and heat , a Styrofoam container’s toxins (like benzene and styrene) seep into the contents. But even with cold or dry food, contact with Styrofoam is unhealthy. A huge portion of our food contains styrene contamination. its in the air and on your skin. The most common route of exposure to these harmful chemicals is simply inhalation. You also get exposure each time you touch it, since the chemicals can seep into your body through your skin. its toxic just to make it. Its industry ranks the  largest creators of toxic wastes . That includes liquid and solid wastes. Gross. Imagine the impact on the workers! it ends up at litter everywhere Because Styrofoam is so light and crumbles easily, it’s almost too easy for it to end up out in our woods, rivers, and prairies. Once it’s there, it’s there to stay. Styrofoam will break down into microscopic styrenes and other harmful chemicals, and they will linger in the soil and water for centuries to come. It’s an especially serious problem in our world’s oceans. it still depletes the ozone layer  You may remember the ruckus around banning CFCs in the 90’s? Well, Styrofoam now utilizes its chemical cousins instead – which still do harm to the ozone layer. Styrene has a way of evaporating its fumes into the air, which is bad for our lungs as well as the ozone layer that protects us from the sun’s cancer-causing rays. Even in landfill it is not safe According to the Environmental protection agency,  as styrene leaches from landfills into our drinking water, it causes liver, kidney, or circulatory system problems. People living in poverty are more likely to live near landfills and factories, and are disproportionately affected. #banfoam #stopplasticpollution #greenanglicans #lessplasticforlent Reference https://greendiningalliance.org/2015/10/8-reasons-to-ban-styro-foam/

Community Action :Recycle! “When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” John 6;12 This Lent, set up a recycling system at home and encourage your church and office or school  to do so. . Below are the reasons why we need to recycle more: It’s a global problem Accumulation of waste is not just a problem for a single nation; it’s a global problem. If waste is allowed to accumulate unabated, humans might run out of locations to bury synthetic waste, or the waste might bring devastating effects to the environment, Conserve natural resources Plants are considered limited resources. If a lot of pressure is exerted on these natural resources, they might be depleted fast. The only way to dramatically stop the pressure applied to these resources is recycling. Statistics according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency show that recycling one ton of paper saves up about 17 trees, and those trees take in carbon emissions. Saves energy Recycling has been proved to save up lots of energy. Companies that utilize recycled aluminum save up to 95% energy during production of aluminum products when compared to companies that source raw materials. Minimizes accumulation in landfills Landfill space for waste disposal can run out if a solution is not found. Cities situated near oceans have been polluting the water for many years due to landfill overflow. The oceans cannot entertain this habit anymore. The only way is recycling. As much as 60-75% of waste occurring in landfills can be recycled. Beefs up property value One of the most effective ways to beef up the value of your property is to embrace recycling. People who take up the practice of recycling reduce the amount of waste going into landfills. It’s a no-brainer that landfills significantly lower property value since nobody likes the idea of living near a smelly landfill. Leads to creation of jobs More recycling plants mean more jobs. Statistically, recycling creates 10 times more employment opportunities than landfill waste management. It can be a way that your church or school can earn some income. Accelerates technological advancements The modern day has seen increased social pressure to embrace more eco-friendly practices. This has forced companies to search for innovative technologies to incorporate recycled materials into their line of products. The new technologies are best for Mother Nature. Conserves wildlife Increased use of recycled products puts a break to the exploitation of natural resources like forests, rivers, lakes and wetlands, which are natural habitats for wildlife. Ensures a truly sustainable future Planet earth has only  limited amount of natural resources and restricted capacity to recycle waste. By recycling, we are doing two great things to our future: minimizing our immediate effect on planet earth and developing sustainable practices for future generations. Accumulation of waste causes deadly diseases Poor disposal and accumulation of waste in landfills leads to the emission of toxic and infectious gasses. If these gasses are inhaled over time, they may lead to wide range of respiratory diseases such as asthma. Also, if the toxic liquids draining from landfills find way into water sources, infectious diseases like diarrhea, typhoid, and dysentery could spread. Maintains ground water quality If landfills are allowed to accumulate, they can impact the quality of groundwater. Most landfill management companies do not make any effort to treat their landfills. They only throw the waste in a dug-up hole and bury it Rain water or runoff water coming from landfills snake through land to water bodies such as streams, rivers, and lakes. This  destroys the already fragile ecosystems and renders the once fresh and safe waters risky to drink. Clean cities and neighborhoods The plastics end up scattered in city streets and neighborhoods leaving these places looking unsightly. Recycling will ensure these plastics never occur in streets as people will be picking them up to sell to recycling companies. Keeps waste collection costs down The cost of collecting garbage from every neighborhood is relatively expensive. Large trucks have to be deployed to pick up and transport the waste to landfills. Recycling has significantly reduced the cost of collection as most garbage goes to recycling plants. #lessplasticforlent #beatplasticpollution #greenanglicans References https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/why_should_we_recycle.php  

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Cor 10:31  500 billion plastic cups are used every year. Most of them have lids which end up in landfill or the oceans and are one of the most commonly found plastics on the beach Most of them are from cooldrinks, sometimes the cup is paper and will break down – but often it contains plastic to stop leakages. . Coffee cups are the worst. 16 billion coffee cups are used each year. it’s not as easy to recycle your takeaway coffee cup as people may have thought. Here’s a depressing statistic – 99.75% of coffee cups are not recycled. It’s the mixture of paper and plastic in their inner lining – designed to make them both heat and leakproof – that causes difficulties. A growing number of retailers and offices are buying compostable cups However, compostable cups have to be disposed of in food waste bins rather than in a normal recycling bin and this is an issue for both homeowners and managers of cafes or workplace canteens. “Compostable sounds better, but it can actually make things worse if they are put in the wrong bin.” Because they are designed to break down, if they end up in with the plastic recycling they can contaminate it. The same is true if you put an ordinary takeaway coffee cup in the recycling. This costs councils money in sorting it and can even lead to the whole batch of recycled items being rejected. The other problem with compostables is that they are often made from maize or corn. This means that fertile agricultural land is being used to produce throw away cups rather than food. This leads to rising food prices. Some coffee shops are now offering a reduction in price if you use your own re-usable mug. Plastic lids are a symptom of our rushed life-style- you can do without them! – sit down, spend some time with other people, enjoy a couple of minutes of peace and enjoy that coffee or cool drink. So what can we do? At Church – let’s go back to using cups and saucers and washing them up! If you are on the road – bring your own re-usable mug. For large events such as conferences – if the signage is clear – use compostables and make sure they go onto the food waste. Refuse the plastic lid. References https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43739043

   Jesus answered , “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10 A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every MINUTE! This is about 20,000 plastic bottles per second. The numbers have doubled in the last decade. If placed end to end these plastic bottles would reach the sun. Although bottles can be recycled, less than half are recycled globally and only ten percent in Africa , so must end up in landfill or the ocean. Up to 13 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the oceans and is eaten by sea birds, fish and other creatures. By 2050 the Oceans will contain more plastic than fish. Some of that plastic is already finding its way into the human food chain, as tiny micro-plastic particles. Bottled water brands have poured millions into convincing us that their water is the healthiest, safest option. Yet research shows that bottled water is subject to far lest strict safety tests than tap water. We have been conned.  We are spending hard earned money on bottled water which can cost up to 1000 times more than the water we can use from a tap.   You can make a personal commitment today to never again buy bottled water when there is a safe tap water option. It takes a little forward planning to remember to carry your reusable water bottle every day, but like any habit, once it’s easy after a little practice. #lessplasticforlent #careforcreation #beatplasticpollution References https://theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/28/a-million-a-minute-worlds-plastic-bottle-binge-as-dangerous-as-climate-change General Enquiry

LESS PLASTIC FOR LENT “We have traditionally regarded sin as being merely what people do to other people. Yet, for human beings to destroy the biological diversity in God’s creation; for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by contributing to climate change, by stripping the earth of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; for human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, land and air – all of these are sins.” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Lent is a time when we prepare our hearts and lives before celebrating the wonder of Easter. It is a time to break free from bad habits that are hurting God, our neighbour and God’s Creation. On Ash Wednesday when we are signed with the cross, the priest will say “Turn away from sin and believe the good news” This Lent we are challenged to turn from the sin of damaging God’s planet and hurting our neighbours by our over use of single use (throwaway) plastic. By 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. Plastic is already entering into our drinking water. Plastic clogs our rivers, leaches into our soil and is one of the greatest challenges the planet faces. The good news is that there are alternatives. We can break our dependency on throwaway plastic. This Lent, begin a journey to explore other ways of living , to limit your damage to the Earth and to inspire others. The Calender with 40 days of actions can be found here in pdf format https://www.greenanglicans.org/…/…/2019/02/Final-Calender.pdf Share the “joy in Enough” prayer today   The Joy in Enough Confession Our climate is changing, and we are changing it. We confess our carbon footprints, our failure to consider the consequences of our actions, our slowness to react. We are sorry for all the times we knew the right thing to do, but chose convenience. Your earth is exploited, and we are complicit in its exploitation. Species are lost, soil erodes, fish stocks decline, resources dwindle. We confess that many of us have taken too much, and not considered the needs of future generations. We have become consumers. We have turned a blind eye to greed. We confess our hunger for more, and our failure to appreciate what we already have. We live in a time of unparalleled luxury, and we are sorry that we have not been more grateful. The poor are left behind, even in this age of plenty. Human rights are pushed aside for profit. Wealth accumulates for the rich while the poorest still do not have what they need. We confess our apathy to injustice, and our haste in judging others. This is not who you made us to be. We have not been good caretakers of your garden Earth. We have not loved our neighbours. Forgive us, creator God. Forgive us. Renew us. Inspire us. And in your strength, God, we declare: Enough climate change: help us to take responsibility. Give us the wisdom to live appropriately, the urgency to act, and the courage to make changes. Give us the voice to call for change from our leaders, and the perseverance to keep asking. Enough consumerism: give us what we need, God our provider. Then help us to find satisfaction and contentment. Help us to be grateful and generous. Enough inequality: nobody should be left behind. You care for the poor, and we want to follow your example. Make your church a living example of equity and inclusion, and a powerful advocate for justice and sharing. We thank you for your kindness and your mercy. We look to your promise of restoration, and we move forward. Give us the strength to speak and to act – not out of guilt or duty, for we are forgiven and we are loved. Instead, we speak and act out of joy: joy in the living hope of knowing you joy in serving each other joy in the beauty and diversity of creation, your gift to us joy in your provision and your care – joy in enough The Joy in Enough confession