Water – The Green Tau

Counting on … day 102

12th October 2026

Droughts and river transport

Many countries – including the USA, European countries bordering the Rhine and those bordering rivers that flow into the Black Sea – rely on river transport for the movement of goods, as well as for tourism via cruises. When river levels are low, transport is disrupted. Ships may have to operate within a narrow central channel causing traffic jams, or goods may have to be transferred to shallower vessels. Locks which regulate the flow may be opened and closed less frequently delaying shipping. (1) Even the Panama Canal has been affected by low water levels disrupting international shipping.

The UK has a network of small canals which are equally adversely affected by drought. But they also play an important role in maintaining water levels in rivers, including transferring water between river basins. About 40% of Bristol’s drinking water comes via the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.

( 3) https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/our-cause/threats-to-our-waterways/climate-change/nine-ways-canals-can-fight-climate-change/water-transfers

Counting on … day 101

8th October 2026

Droughts and energy supplies

The German language has a lovely word to describe those days when there is neither sunshine nor wind to power renewable energy – Dunkelflaute. We are probably less aware of the impact that drought can have on energy supplies.

Hydro power clearly is dependent on a sufficient fall or flow of water to drive the turbines. During periods of low river flow, less energy can be produced. (Tidal power is not affected but would I imagine be affected by storms which might overwhelm the system.)

Nuclear power relies on water for cooling. In the UK nuclear power stations are located by the coast and use sea water for cooling, but many nuclear power stations in Europe use river water for cooling. During droughts they are therefore adversely effected with low river levels, but equally when the river volume is low, it is not possible to return the cooling water to the river because the heat of this water cannot be sufficiently dissipated by the river water to ensure the wellbeing of river wildlife.

Gas and coal power stations steam water to drive the turbines – if there are several water shortages, this will impact their ability to produce electricity.

As consumers we can

support a range of renewable energy sources through utilising a green electricity tariff (a mix of solar, hydro and wind seems to be the ideal especially if combined with battery storage).
Aim to minimise the amount of energy we need to use, and by limiting our consumption of consumer goods – joy in enough (1) – to help curtail industrial demand for both water and energy.

Counting on … day 100

7th October 2026

Water use and fashion

Across Europe each persons buys on average 19kg of clothes a year – and throws away 12kg. Given that little if that is recycled is of its self a concern, but alongside that consider the environmental footprint of each person’s new clothes: 323 square meters of farmland, 523 kg of raw materials (including various chemicals used to make dyes, elastic, coatings, zips etc), and 12000 litres of water. (1)

Droughts are clearly a problem for farmers growing cotton (less so for those growing hemp or flax which are less thirsty crops). They can also be a problem for manufacturers if the cost of water and of raw material goes up – manufacturing and dying cloth is highly water intensive. Such costs are more likely to affect those manufacturing cheap clothes – and it is likely that one area of cost saving might be in reducing labour costs which is not good for vulnerable workers.

We as consumers clearly have a role to play – we can choose to buy fewer clothes (and repair, reuse or redesign what we have) and we can choose to buy second hand clothes – and donate what we don’t need. We can, if it is within our budget, choose to buy good quality clothes that will last.

We can also campaign against fast fashion, supporting groups such as Oxfam, Friends of the Earth, Transform Trade etc.

(1) https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20201208STO93327/fast-fashion-eu-laws-for-sustainable-textile-consumption

Further information:-

https://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam-in-action/oxfam-blog/the-water-cost-of-fast-fashion-a-crisis-of-climate-change-inequality-what-we-can-do-about-it/

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/fast-fashion-end-exploitation-big-business

https://www.wwf.org.uk/challenges/less-more

Home

https://www.transform-trade.org/fashion

Counting on … day 82

31st July 2026

Knowing where the stop cock for your water supply and the off switch for your electricity and gas supplies is sensible. In the event of a flood all three should be switched off.

The other sensible thing is to make sure they are working. We recently had a dripping tap. When we tried to turn off the water, we discovered the stopcock was not working. When we tried to turn off the water in the street we found that that too was not working! So first we had to get Thames Water to fix the stopcock in the street, and then a plumber to fit a new stopcock inside before we could tackle the tap!!!

Counting on … day 80

29th July 2026

Saving or conserving water is good at any time – emergency or not.

Some eco houses have proper grey water systems that collect waste water. We have a basin in each wash basin, and a jug on the floor. Water from hand washing is collected and is used to flush the toilet of poured in the jug for later toilet flushing. The toilet flush is used when a good flush is needed.

Counting on … day 79

28th July 2026

With a few to having a degree of resilience should a crisis cut off our supply of water, we keep stored about 12 -14 litres of water (for a household of three). Rather than opting for a stock of plastic bottled water, we use a mixture of glass bottles and Demi johns, refilling each as we empty them, and rotating them so that they don’t have water more than about a day old.

We use the water for drinking, cooking and washing up. If the water supply was cut, we would use this bottled water purely for drinking and rely on the water in the header tank in the roof space for washing up etc.

Counting on … day 78

27th July 2026

Collecting washing machine water for the garden.

Over the next few days I plan to share a few ways in which our household is trying to be more resilient in the face of the climate – and other associated -crises.

Last week Thames Water introduced a hosepipe ban which didn’t come as a surprise given a) how hot it has been and b) how little rain we have had these past few months.

Routinely we try to minimise our use of water – water is a scarce and valuable resource. But now that our several water buts have run dry, we have moved one but so that we can use it to collect the water from the washing machine – 50 litres (5 buckets) per wash. At the same time we switched from us in a laundry liquid to an eco egg which produces less soapy water. This water is then used on plants in the garden – fruit bushes, squash plants, rhubarb etc.

Tending the earth for all

18th July 2026

Trust in the Lord and be doing good; dwell in the land and be nourished with truth.
Let your delight be in the Lord and he will give you your heart’s desire.
Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, and he will bring it to pass.

Psalm 37:3-5

You Lord are the bread of life;

feed us with your wisdom.

Our meat is to do the Father’s will.

guide us in all we do

Whenever we eat or drink

Let it be to the glory of God.

A Reading – Mark 4:3-8

“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

Pause for reflection

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,

So may we store water for when and for whoever needs it,

and safeguard those living with the threat of flooding.

As the earth brings forth and sprouts,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

So may we harvest what is needed,

sharing the bounty so no one goes hungry.

So shall God’s word be that goes forth; it shall not return empty,
but it shall accomplish that which is purposed
and succeed in the thing for which it is sent.

May we pay attention to God’s word,

following the ways of wisdom that God desires

for the wellbeing of all creation.

For as the earth brings forth its shoots,

May we protect the fertility of the soil,

not polluting it with chemicals nor stripping it of nourishment.

And as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,

May we treasure those who tend and farm the land,

paying fair wages and sharing profits.

So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations:

May we welcome God’s kingdom with all our being,

following God’s law with hands, hearts and voices.

Based on Isaiah 55:10,11 and 61:11

The Grace

Counting on 2026 …. Day 51

1st June

One step on from a water butt would be a rainwater harvesting system. This in essence is a large wtwr storage tank that collects and stores all the rainwater from your roof. Unlike a water butt it includes a filtration system to keep the water clean and a pump so that you can use the water for flushing toilets and running the washing machine – as well as watering the garden.

Given the imbalance between winter and summer rainfall, and the increasingly likelihood of droughts and water shortages, such systems will become increasingly common and practical, and will increase our personal resilience and our community resilience.

For more information – https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/rainwater-harvesting-information/rainwater-harvesting-information

Trinity Sunday

31st May 2026

Reflection with readings below

Today is Trinity Sunday when, having focused on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, Jesus’s relationship with God as Father, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Church celebrates the interconnectedness of these differentiated persons or facets of God. But in fact today’s readings perhaps focus more on the relationship between God, humanity and creation.

The reading from Isaiah is an often overlooked creation story. In this telling humankind is over-egging it’s importance in the whole process. Through the words given by the prophet Isaiah, God challenges humankind to reconsider their importance as significant agents in the creation of the wonders that constitute Earth.

The alternative first testament reading given today is that of the creation story in Genesis 1. Like today’s psalm, that passage talks about God giving humankind ‘dominion’ over every living thing – plants and animals – that God had created. This same word also features in Psalm 8 but it is prefaced by words that challenge humankind to reconsider their importance in the far grander scale of creation.

What might it mean for humanity to be given (given not earnt) dominion of all living things? What is doesn’t do is give any one – or group thereof – human the right to exercise dominion over other humans. Rather we are commanded (in both first and second testaments) to love our neighbours as ourself.

The question of dominion as humanity’s role as expressed in Genesis 1 or as servant and guard as expressed in Genesis 2 was the subject of much email discussion within Green Christian. The conclusion seemed to be that in being given the role of dominion, humankind was being asked to enact dominion in the way that God does – for humans were created in the image of God for this purpose. Dominion is therefore not about imposing our will on all living things but God’s will. It is to honour the role that the ground and the waters play in bringing forth life. It is not about controlling gather human beings, nor is it about creating boundaries that divide the earth – no ‘This is my land’, no ‘This is my gold mine’, no ‘This is my water.’

The words from Isaiah, ‘Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand’ brings to mind Deborah Colvin’s description of the Thames drainage basin as a soup bowl. (This was at the Rivers of Spirit: Spirit of Rivers conference which I wrote about earlier). The Thames basin is like soup bowl with the South Downs and the Cotswolds forming the rim, while the bowl itself is filled with layers of different geological material channelling and absorbing water. The water derives from rain (and snow) that has fallen over the millennia. This bowl is vast unseen reservoir. The water comes to the surface via springs and rivers or can be tapped into via wells. As humans we extract water from the Thames basin for domestic use – washing, drinking etc – for agricultural irrigation and livestock, and for various industrial uses – something that in the future will expand if more data centres are built. Although we have had some drought years, the Thames basin has supplied our needs. However it is estimated that as our use of water expands we are likely to see a 5 billion litre per day shortfall by 2055.

Globally we are consuming fresh water at faster rate than rainfall, ice melt etc can replenish.

Humans may have been given dominion but it is not a licence to consume Willy-nilly nor is a magic wand with which to conjure up endless supplies of whatever we want.

Isaiah’s words suggest we humans need to show greater humility in the position we adopt vis a vis the earth’s resources and vis a vis God. Julian Allwood in his talk to Green Christian (1) about his book, Promise the Earth: A safe planet in good faith, spoke against the oft touted vision of new technology as the solution to climate change – it will not be available either in time or at scale to be of any use. His recommended solution is to show restraint and consume less. Simple, practical advise that reminds us that we humans part of, and are called to live responsibly within, God’s creation.

As Paul writes, “Put things in order … agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_iw6flpNxc&list=PLdHb4RRseikMboKuqbw5M8qpL9iahsKo8

Isaiah 40.12-17,27-31

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand

and marked off the heavens with a span,

enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure,

and weighed the mountains in scales

and the hills in a balance?

Who has directed the spirit of the Lord,

or as his counsellor has instructed him?

Whom did he consult for his enlightenment,

and who taught him the path of justice?

Who taught him knowledge,

and showed him the way of understanding?

Even the nations are like a drop from a bucket,

and are accounted as dust on the scales;

see, he takes up the isles like fine dust.

Lebanon would not provide fuel enough,

nor are its animals enough for a burnt-offering.

All the nations are as nothing before him;

they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

Psalm 8

O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;

what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
and crowned them with glory and honour.

You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,

all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,

the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”