Right Works: Efforts that benefit the planet in your workplace and parish

God be in my head, and in my understanding; God be in mine eyes, and in my looking; God be in my mouth, and in my speaking: god be in mine heart, and in my thinking; God be at my end, and and my departing. - John Rutter

This is the fifth installment in the series the Eightfold Path of Environmental Action. This series offers helpful information and tips related to climate change and the environment. It is a companion to The Seed, a short film that will be launched at the end of the Season of Creation on October 4, 2020.

The word "vocation" is defined as an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained, or qualified. The word originated in Christianity, and it is central tenet of Christian belief that God has created each person with gifts and talents oriented toward specific purposes and a way of life. Anglicans seek to align their work with the five marks of mission.

To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
To teach, baptize and nurture new believers
To respond to human need by loving service
To seek to transform unjust structures of society
To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth

There are many jobs and volunteer opportunities that allow people to live out the marks of mission. No matter what you do or where you work you can help to make the places you frequent more just and more environmentally friendly. This includes churches and other places of worship. Here are ten things that you can do to minimize environmental impacts.

1. Start a green team composed of like-minded colleagues. Do an audit and put forward environmentally friendly ideas and agendas. Recruit eco-ambassadors who can help develop and implement sustainability initiatives. Then track and report your impact.

2. Introduce a zero single-use plastic policy. Some parishes have found that this is an effective way of reducing or eliminating their use of plastic.

3. Encourage recycling and reuse. Start by ensuring people have access to appropriate recycling facilities and educating your colleagues about the logistics and value of recycling.

4. Offset your carbon footprint. It is often difficult if not impossible to zero out emissions. Start by commissioning an audit of CO2 emissions, then think about how you can neutralize them. This can include everything from travel to energy consumption. Then counter those emissions by purchasing carbon credits or investing in carbon sequestration schemes.

5. Eat less meat during communal meals. Help people understand that animal agriculture is one of the planet’s most energy-intensive industries.

6. Make gifting eco-friendly. Set an ethical tone with your gifting by opting for fair-trade and eco-friendly products. Alternatively, consider gifting experiences or contributing to environmental programs, such as tree planting schemes.

7. Manage your energy use and sourcing of energy. Implement energy-saving mechanisms, running the gamut from turning off lights when not in use and setting all computer screens to turn off after 5 minutes of inactivity. More ambitious efforts involve assessing the viability and cost saving associated with installing renewable energy. For example the church of All Saints by the Lake in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal relies on geothermal energy.

8. Properly dispose of electronic waste. Things like ink cartridges, batteries and laptops, are packed full of precious metals which can be recycled but, if not properly disposed of, can cause serious environmental damage. Properly dispose of them yourself or seek out a company that will collect your e-waste and ensure it is correctly taken care of.

9. Get ecofriendly office supplies. This includes stationery, paper and cleaning products that are sustainably produced and have received a green certification.

10. Run environmental workshops. Maintain momentum around your environmental initiatives by hosting regular talks and workshops to spread the work. Lunch and learns offer a great opportunity to grab your colleagues’ attention and educate them on new topics. You can even invite local church leaders, NGOs, brands and entrepreneurs to share more about the work they are doing.

Throughout this process it is important to encourage and support the involvement of others. You can do this by gamifying the process including things like creating a leaderboard where teammates can earn points for the eco-friendly actions. You can also set up a donation jar to collect money for an environmental cause or organization.

Click here to see the SEC's short film The Seed.

Related
Introducing the SEC's Eightfold Path of Environmental Action
Right Understanding: Knowing the facts about climate change
Right Thought: How we think about the natural world
Right Speech: Effective environmental communications
Right Action: Making smaller footprints
Right Works: Efforts that benefit the planet
Right Effort: Choosing a cause
Right Concentration: Staying focused on creation
Right Mindfulness: Managing ecological stress