26 October: It was wet

It was wet and so also were the fallen leaves. Perhaps that accounted for the collision between a passing, or turning, vehicle and the sign post. Bent across the pavement, blocking the way for walkers, the post came off worse but the car left behind a big lump of plastic, now in the recycling bin.

Two boys came by on the way to school, and started playing with the post, or so it seemed. They were certainly enjoying swinging on it, but they suddenly stopped and walked off. They had succeeded in swinging the post around so that pedestrians could get by without ducking or walking in the road.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged! Luke 6:37.

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31 May: How green are your blisters?

It’s another of those social sins where we are implicated willy-nilly; it’s as if someone sins on our behalf whether we like it or not. When we can avoid the willy-nillyness of life and be conscious of what we are doing, that’s what we should do.

Some years ago I was correctly told to stop trying to recycle the blister packs from medicine tablets and capsules as they could not be processed. Well, think again Mr Turnstone!

Since February 2021, TerraCycle, an international recycling company, has been working with Superdrug and other pharmacies to recycle these complicated little packages, earning a contribution to charity.

There are other schemes that benefit chosen charities directly; the churches of Saints Dunstan, Mildred and Peter in Canterbury are collecting them for Marie Curie Cancer Care, but Superdrug is in the city centre.

No excuses now for not recycling your blisters!

5 May: To all you dedicated followers …

I mean followers of fashion. Come to think of it, the last time I picked out the perfect outfit was the morning of my daughter’s wedding, and, let’s be fair, my outfit was chosen by the influencers in my life, that’s to say, the women in my life. Am I alone in this? Well, Natasha from Canterbury has found a research article that warns against fast fashion and explains why it’s bad for the planet. Click on the link, then the link at the top of the window that appears.

Fast Fashion

Who doesn’t love to keep up with the latest fashion trends? We love to express our personality, moods and ideals through the clothes we wear everyday. And why not? It’s rather fun picking out the perfect outfit every morning (I do it all the time!)But did you know that picking the right brands and materials is really important. Fast fashion clothes, that are inexpensive and mass produced to keep up with the trends, are actually one of the main contributors to greenhouse gases being released into the environment.Read more about the details of this in the article The Global Glut of Clothing Is an Environmental Crisis. Natasha Viegas

As the Kinks once sang:

 He flits from shop to shop just like a butterfly 
In matters of the cloth, he is as fickle as can be
 'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion

Let us pray not to be fickle, but considered, in our choices of clothing.

28 October, Laudato Si’ XVIII: The Story of Plastic: a review by Natasha Viegas.

Photo by tanvi sharma on Unsplash

Provided by NV.

We are sharing a column from Saint Thomas’ Canterbury Newsletter by their environment correspondent, Natasha Viegas.

We are at a point in time where we have to start making efforts to reduce the number of plastics we use. The plastic problem is so bad right now, that global warming is getting exponentially worse.Like with every problem we face in life, it is very important to look at the beginning, so that we can reflect upon our mistakes and take important steps towards a better future. 

The Story of Plastic is an excellent documentary that outlines the entire process of plastic production, plastic consumption, and plastic recycling. You can use the link provided, or watch it on the Discovery Channel.This documentary is very informative on every problem that arises from plastics, as well as providing suggestions on how we can reduce usage and help the environment. We need to start now to safeguard our futures and protect this beautiful home that God created for us.

Natasha Viegas

Last two tips, Happy Easter from Eco-church.

Bin liners are a constant plastic we use in our everyday lives, however if we all transitioned to plastic-free or compostable ones we would greatly reduce its impact on nature. 

Biodegradable Bin Bags – Pack of 25 – 50 Litre Bags

Number 40! Changing your dietary lifestyle can make a huge impact on how much plastic you use. Nut milks mostly come in recyclable cartons and you can purchase your beans and nuts loose from places like unboxed! 

https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/how-go-vegan

Two More Tips.

Just because you lost that hair tie doesn’t mean it is gone, it will likely end up in the ocean or a landfill where it would take hundreds of years to break down. Try switching to 100% cotton alternatives to show your support for the environmen

Plastic Free Organic Cotton Hair Ties

You can keep your foods fresh with plastic-free covers. There are a wide array of beautiful and stunning designs of cotton/linen covers for all shapes and sizes.

Daily Eco Tip XXXVI

Using reusable pads can make a big dent in reducing your overall plastic usage. Just throw them in the wash to clean them et voila.

https://www.peacewiththewild.co.uk/product-category/bathroom/feminine-hygiene/

https://www.bloomandnora.com/pages/reusable-sanitary-pads

Eco tips catch-up time: XXXIV, XXXV.

Socks can contain lots of plastic microfibers that shed and can end up in the oceans. There is a growing range of socks that contain no plastics, so why not try out a pair or gift it to someone today?

https://thegreenshopper.co.uk/2020/12/04/plastic-free-socks/

https://moralfibres.co.uk/affordable-and-ethical-tights-and-socks/

If you find yourself constantly buying new plastic Tupperware, instead try to purchase stainless steel or glass. They don’t stain and are a lot better for the environment as they last a lot longer.

https://www.friendlyturtle.com/food-storage/

LUNCHBOXES

DAILY ECO TIP XXXIII: Bamboo bonanza

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You can go through a lot of wipes cleaning up after your child and those wipes take almost 100 years to decompose. Bamboo alternatives are just as soft and are reusable.

https://www.cheekywipes.com/wipes-for-bums-hands-faces/bamboo-washable-baby-wipes.html

https://www.thenappylady.co.uk/washable-wipes.html

DAILY ECO TIP XXXII: Darling plastic free buds

The compost heap is going to be doing well from all this substitute plastic that it will be feeding on!

Bamboo cotton buds feel just like their plastic counterpart but they do the environment a huge favour as they can biodegrade. Same goes with bamboo floss; just as effective but reduces your plastic footprint.

https://www.friendlyturtle.com/eco-friendly-cotton-buds/

Natural Floss Refill – Charcoal 50 metre – 2 Pack