environment – Page 32 – The Green Tau

Falling in Love 8

Something we will probably only ever see in a picture or on film, is an iceberg . Icebergs are huge lumps of fresh water ice that have broken away from an ice shelf or glacier. Icebergs float because frozen fresh water is less dense than sea water. Most of the iceberg will be submerged in a ratio of 1:7. Currently the largest iceberg is A-76 – which is in the Weddell Sea in Antarctica – is 170 km in length and 25 km wide!

Most icebergs are white but can be various shades of blue – or even black – depending on the amount of air and impurities in the ice.

The world around us is full of curious, beautiful and amazing things. As small children our curiosity and our amazement knew no bounds. Every day would produce novelties- things to see, things to chew or eat, things to grab and hold, things to poke and explore.

As we have grow older we have often lost that sense of wonder. Things that were new have become mundane. In the rush to be busy, small things flop below the radar. Decorum dictates that we shouldn’t prod or lick things and, unless we’re wine tasters, swirling stuff around our mouth and spitting are frowned upon. Stopping suddenly just to look is discouraged – it interrupts the flow of traffic. Daily routines take over.

And our love for the world wains and falters.

The season of creation-tide runs from 1st September till 4th October, the Feast of St Francis. Let’s fall in love again with creation.

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Action 46: Set up a bird feeding station in your garden. Use a selection of bird feeders that will hold different sorts of bird food – suet cakes, seeds, peanuts etc. These will need to be hung from a pole or the branches of a tree. You can include a bird table for those birds prefer to eat from a flat surface but you may find everything gets eaten by pigeons – try a table with a roof to lift access. Locate your bird feeders where they cannot readily be accessed by cats but can be accessed by you, as you will need both to keep them filled and to regularly take them down for a good clean. Mouldy food is not good for birds. The RSPB has instructions for DIY bird feeders: https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-kids/games-and-activities/activities/make-a-recycled-bird-feeder/

Also include a shallow bowl for water. Birds need fresh drinking water.

If …

Soil Plant Hands Growth Environment Nature Dirt

If we are called us to beat swords into plough shares,

we are also called to turn military jobs into green ones.

If we seek to establish peace,

we must generously offer both love and practical gifts.

If we shift from passive to active travel, from cars to cycles,

we shall need cycle paths and secure shelters.

If we replace petrol engines with electric motors,

we must also turn petrol stations into recharging points.

If we swop meats for a vegan diet,

we must also turn beef farms into arable farms,

sheep fells into woodlands,

dairies into nut fromageries.

If we switch to green electricity,

our pension funds must invest in renewable energy.

If we green our pensions,

surely we will green our banks too.

Creator God, help us to see the changes we must make,

Give us the wisdom to support them,

the energy to achieve them

and the joy to celebrate them.

Amen.

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Action 47: Green your pension: this article comes from The Guardian
There’s an estimated £2.6tn invested in UK pensions. You might not know it, but much of it funds environmentally harmful industries and activities such as fossil fuels or deforestation. Your pension may not seem like a powerful eco tool, but according to research by Make My Money Matter, Aviva and Route2, getting a green pension can be 21 times more effective in cutting your carbon footprint than giving up flying, going veggie, and switching to renewable energy combined. In fact, this research shows it’s the most powerful step an individual can take to reduce their carbon. And it’s not just a high-impact activity – it’s also popular. More than two-thirds of us want our money to support people and the planet. By pressuring your provider to invest more sustainably, or finding a more climate-friendly option, you’ll be able to sleep easier knowing your pension is now a force for good.

https://www.theguardian.com/green-your-pension/2021/jul/08/green-your-pension-and-four-other-unexpected-ways-to-lower-your-carbon-footprint

Falling in Love 7

Acorns are small but have a look of completeness. Their smooth skin and rounded shaped topped with its own little cap. That little cap is such a perfect fit! Once the acorn has fallen, its cap discarded, its skin broken, the journey of growth begins and over the years, that acorn will be transformed from seed to majestic oak. There are oak trees in Richmond Park that were acorns back in the days of Henry VIII.

And our love for the world wains and falters.

The season of creation-tide runs from 1st September till 4th October, the Feast of St Francis. Let’s fall in love again with creation.

Keeping Warm in Winter

Wear layers of clothes. Each layer will trap air that is warmed by your body. Every layer is another layer of insulation.
Wear thermal underwear or alternatively wear extra leggings and T-shirts which will save having to buy more clothes.
Outside wear a hat, gloves and scarf – and why not do the same inside? Historically people have often worn hats inside – neat bonnets, Tudor caps, Monmouth caps, smoking hats, head squares and scarves, beanies and berets.
Cosy socks and slippers are pluses too – make sure your winter shoes and boots are big enough to allow for warm/ thick socks. If you have thin socks, double up and wear two pairs.
Close curtains and pull down blinds at dusk, for once the sun sets temperatures will drop. Drawing your curtains will keep the warmth in the room. The more layers between you and the outside, the better the insulation. You might have blinds and curtains for example. Alternatively you can get extra thermal linings to hang behind your curtains.
If overnight your bedroom has remained warm, allow that warmth to permeate the rest of the house before opening the windows to air the room.
If windows are draughty, you can seal the gaps with a proprietary stick on strip.
If your doors are draughty or if they are not very thermally efficient (maybe with lots of glass) you can hang a curtain to pull across at night time. You can make a sausage shaped door stop to prevent draughts that come under a door, or if it is an external door you could fix on a draught excluder.
Take exercise – it will warm you up. If you get cold through sitting still, even running up and down the stairs a few times will help.
Wrap up well and have a brisk walk.
Have plenty of hot drinks and at least one hot meal a day.
Use a hot water bottle in bed – you can also use one if you are sitting down for a while, either under your feet or on your lap. Equally if you are sitting still for a while, have a blanket to put over your knees. Or if you are watching TV you might wrap yourself in a blanket.
Make a hand warmer – this could be a cotton bag filled with uncooked rice that you heat for a few seconds in a microwave. You will find plenty of DIY instructions on line. Or you could use a small heat resistant bottle or jar, fill it with hot water and wrap it in a sock.
Our own body heat will heat up a room. Plan your day so that you spend most of it in one room rather than heating up several spaces.
With all these measures, you should be able to turn your thermostat down so reducing your carbon footprint. Similarly use the controls on your heating to limit the number of hours you need the heating on. During the day, especially if the sun is shining, or if you are active, you will not need extra heating.

Falling in love 6

The oak tree is so embedded in our past that we associate it with the essence of Englishness: strong, resilient, with luxuriant growth. Yet the oak tree is native across the whole of Europe and the virtues of strength, resilience and abundant life are equally widespread.

And our love for the world wains and falters.

The season of creation-tide runs from 1st September till 4th October, the Feast of St Francis. Let’s fall in love again with creation.

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Action 46: Knit something warm for winter: wrist warmers and beanies are easiest if you are a beginner. You could try a beret, leg warmers, scarf or, if you have the time, a jumper. You might like to use yarn made from recycled cotton (t-shirts!) linen or silk, or wool that comes from one of Britain’s rare breeds of sheep.

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Action 45: Sign the ‘Time is Now’ petition. Join the UK’s largest climate action campaign group – a mix of individuals plus over 130 charities and climate change organisations. “Use your voice to tell politicians that you want a cleaner, greener, fairer future at the heart of plans to rebuild a strong economy.”

https://thetimeisnow.uk/

Falling in Love 5

The rainbow is always so fleeting but isn’t that part of its wonder? It’s clearly there in the sky, yet untouchable, visible as an arc but one with no fixed position: as we move it moves. Its beauty promises something that is more than reality.

And our love for the world wains and falters.

The season of creation-tide runs from 1st September till 4th October, the Feast of St Francis. Let’s fall in love again with creation.