The Green Tau

Counting on … day 109

21st October 2026

Limited water and land

“Aside from contributing to climate change, food production has substantial environmental impacts that tend to receive a lot less attention. Most obviously, it takes up an awful lot of land, and its extent continues to grow. Pristine, biodiverse habitats such as rain forests continue to be converted into dull, pesticide-soaked monocultures of soy beans or oil palms, or overgrazed, arid pastures.”

But “One way to reduce our global footprint is by consuming foods that require less land….vegetables, most fruits and wine….”(P47 Eat the Planet Well)

However it is not just land that crops need but water too. How much crops need varies across the range whilst the availability of water across the globe also varies. Sensibly one wouldn’t grow thirsty crops in areas of low rainfall or where there isn’t a guarantee of sufficient water from rivers or aquifers. (These latter cannot supply infinite amounts of water). And climate change is rapidly changing how much water might be available and when.

Agriculture may not be an issue in taking too much water from limited supplies, it may also have a detrimental effect on those very water supplies as the run off from the land can carry with it pollutants from pesticides and herbicides, from fertilisers and from slurry.

Again it is meat and dairy that are the main large consumers of water with fruit, vegetables and pulses being much less needy. However olive oil and nuts – together with cheese – can use even more water per kg of food produced. Some olive and nut orchards rely heavily on irrigation and their produce is best avoided, whilst others are grown in regions where farmers can simply rely on rainwater – Goulson recommends rain fed olives from Portugal and southern Spain, as well as walnuts (they need no irrigations) and Brazil nuts – ditto as they grow in rainforests. W

Climate change may yet require further shifts in where such foods are grown. But eating more plants and less meat and dairy is a good move.

Counting on … day 108

20th October 2026

Local foods

Food miles of themselves don’t add that much to the carbon footprint of the food we eat – about 6% on average, notes Goulson. Although this is much larger for foods brought in by air. Whilst only 0.16% of global food miles are by air, this is seldom indicated on food labels but a good guess would be that perishable foods from the southern hemisphere – such as asparagus, strawberries and berries sold out of season – have come this way.

Local as a term is not that precise! Do we mean food grown or produced within say a 5 mile radius, or food that is regionally grown and produced, of food that is grown in the UK?

Goulson highlights – as have many other experts – that the UK is only about 60% self sufficient in food, rising to 75% of we just consider foods that are well suited to our diet (bananas and citrus fruits are best grown in warmer climes). Disappointingly we only grow 50% of the vegetables we eat and a mere 16% of fruit.

Why do we import food that could be easily grown in the UK? Sometimes it is because other countries can benefit from cheaper labour – Spain has many temporary agricultural workers who come from North Africa and are paid a pittance. Other countries may have less restrictive regulations than in the UK around the use of pesticides or animal welfare which again may reduce the price – but at what cost? This is not to say that UK standards are always the highest – the EU has banned the use of neonictinoids but these continue to be used in the UK under repeatedly issued ‘emergency’ permits.

Goulson concludes that ‘the ethics of the shopping decisions you make re fiendishly complicated. Every food item you buy has influence, funding a particular grower or system of production along with its associated chemical inputs, plus all the transport, processing and packaging costs.’ (P46 Eat the Planet Well).

One advantage I can see for buying food that is locally grown and/or produced, is that it can help strengthen the resilience of local farmers and local communities.

Counting on … day 107

19th October 2026

‘Carbon, Cows and Climate Change’

In this chapter Goulson focuses on the carbon footprint of different foods. Research clearly shows that beef has the largest footprint, and that of all the foods we eat, it is almost always those that are plant based that have the lowest. Having explored the whys and wherefore, he concludes “there is no question that livestock farming as practiced up to the present has resulted in vast deforestation, air and water pollution, and soil erosion, and contributed hugely to greenhouse gas emissions…there is no scenario in which livestock are carbon neutral.” Further he notes “More than 75% of the world’s agricultural land is devoted to rearing animals, yet they contribute just 18- of our calories and 37% of our protein intake. Growing crops to feed animals to feed people is a hugely inefficient way of feeding people, and there simply isn’t the space on our planet for us all to have a meat-rich diet.” (P39 Eat the Planet Well Dave Goulson)

His conclusion is that we shouldn’t eat meat from animal that have been mass-reared indoors or in crowded feedlots but rather should choose outdoor reared meat and eat less meat.

There are various ways of eating less meat such as meat-free Mondays, or meat-free weekdays. The former has its own website! https://meatfreemondays.com/calculator/

And enticing looking recipes – https://meatfreemondays.com/our-recipes/

Proper 24, 20th Sunday after Trinity

Reflection with readings below

Today’s reading from Isaiah sounds like the fulfilling of the scenario posited by the Song of the Vineyard which we heard a couple of week’s ago. Isaiah is describing what he sees as God enabling a foreign power to come in and defeat the nation of God’s people – either a punishment or as the inevitable consequence of the failure of God’s people to follow and be faithful to the ways of God. The last lines – ‘I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things.’ – are nevertheless a reminder that God is always wanting to re-establish well being. The word ‘weal’ has the meaning of wellbeing, welfare and prosperity – and often is used to refer to the wellbeing of the common good. Hopefully this reading reassures us that whatever humans do to harm each other and the planet – and the woe that they cause – God still desires and seeks our ‘weal’, wellbeing.

The Psalmist too reasserts that God’s gospel is that of salvation – the healing and restoration of the planet, its inhabitants. Their thriving reflects the glory of God – so the Psalmist then urges us to praise and worship God just as the trees, the fields and the seas already do. The natural environment naturally follows God’s will but humans need constantly to be called back to that wisdom. Humans seem all to ready to follow the ways of idols – be that free-market economics, racism, global domination, or just simple greed.

As Christians we are called to reflect the image of God, adhering to the wisdom and way of God. We are in this called to love our neighbours – both neat and far, human and creaturely- so that in the healing and flourishing of Earth, God is glorified.

A recent Green Christian workshop on ethical purchasing laid out the rational for us as Christians to think -and research factually – about where the things we buy and the services we use, have come from, who has laboured to make and deliver them? Have they been fairly paid? Has care been given for their safety? How nature has been handled – has nature been cherished or trashed? Has consideration been given to the sustainability of any extractive processes? Has consideration been given to any pollutants that might be released or waste discarded? Who has profited most from the purchase? Have taxes been appropriately paid?

This thought process is clearly one in which we are checking that are actions are compatible with loving our neighbours, and are in line with God’s wisdom.

Is this what is at the heart of today’s gospel story? The Pharisees and the Herodian see money as just money albeit money that may bear a graven image on one side. But Jesus understands that money is more than just coin. It has something that has a back story: how has it been earnt? Does it represent the fruit of exploitation or fair trade? What does it represent – just or sharp practices? Who will it benefit? The one who needs it or the one who already has more than enough?

The question of money, of where it comes from, of who uses it, and of how it is used, is just as valid today. The Green Christian talk was given by the campaign charity Just Money. One of the main focuses is on challenging us to think about our money and in particular the banks we use. Does our bank use our money (and all banks do use the money that passes through their coffers both to make more money and to enable other businesses to function and expand) to enable good businesses to flourish or do they enable to continued trading of business that cause harm? Do, for example, the banks we use enable renewable energy projects or do they fund the continued expansion of the fossil fuel industry? Do they, for example, protect and enhance biodiversity or do they fund business that continued to deforest the Earth? Do they, for example enable social housing projects or energy hungry dat centres?

Are our lives a ‘work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ’? Do we need to review where our money comes from, how it is used and why effects it has on our neighbour?

Isaiah 45:1-7

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped

to subdue nations before him
and strip kings of their robes,

to open doors before him–
and the gates shall not be closed:

I will go before you and level the mountains,

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,

I will give you the treasures of darkness
and riches hidden in secret places,

so that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,

I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other;
besides me there is no god.
I arm you, though you do not know me,

so that they may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is no one besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I form light and create darkness,
I make weal and create woe;
I the Lord do all these things.

Psalm 96:1-13

1 Sing to the Lord a new song; *
sing to the Lord, all the whole earth.

2 Sing to the Lord and bless his Name; *
proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.

3 Declare his glory among the nations *
and his wonders among all peoples.

4 For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; *
he is more to be feared than all gods.

5 As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; *
but it is the Lord who made the heavens.

6 Oh, the majesty and magnificence of his presence! *
Oh, the power and the splendour of his sanctuary!

7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples; *
ascribe to the Lord honour and power.

8 Ascribe to the Lord the honour due his Name; *
bring offerings and come into his courts.

9 Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; *
let the whole earth tremble before him.

10 Tell it out among the nations: “The Lord is King! *
he has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder and all that is in it; *
let the field be joyful and all that is therein.

12 Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy
before the Lord when he comes, *
when he comes to judge the earth.

13 He will judge the world with righteousness *
and the peoples with his truth.

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead– Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

The Gospel

Matthew 22:15-22

The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

Lament for lost biodiversity

17th October 2026

My eyes grow dim with weeping. Each day I beg your help; O Lord, I reach my pleading hands to you for mercy. Soon it will be too late! Psalm 89:9, 10a

You Lord, are the source of all good things:

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation:

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives:

May we live together in peace.

A reading from Luke 18: 9-14 (The Message)

He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’ “Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’” Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

Response:-

Suffering God,

Full of grief, I pour out my sorrows;

Full of mourning, I bewail my loss:

Bluebells that cannot keep pace with climate change,

Ash, elm and chestnut trees felled by disease,

Frogspawn that succumbs to unseasonal cold,

Butterflies deceived by unseasonal warmth/ rain.*

Suffering God,

Full of grief, I pour out my sorrows;

Full of mourning, I bewail my loss:

Wetlands that are no longer wet,

Curlews that have nowhere to feed,

Streams overwhelmed by fertilisers,

Rivers polluted by sewage.

Suffering God,

Full of grief, I pour out my sorrows;

Full of mourning, I bewail my loss:

Glaciers receding up mountains,

Alpine plants pushed over the edge,

Mountain hares with nowhere to go,

Moorlands and tundra burnt to a cinder.

Suffering God,

Full of grief, I pour out my sorrows;

Full of mourning, I bewail my loss:

Oceans with no whales,

Savannahs with no elephants

Coral reefs with no coral,

Icecaps with no ice.

Merciful God,

Forgive us our greed and our complacency,

Our folly and selfishness.

Forgive us when we have failed to see our errors,

have chosen to overlook our faults.

Forgive us when we have not listened to the facts,

preferring to believe our own stories.

Forgive us when we have ignored the plight of others,

caring only for number one.

Restore in us a right mind and a right spirit.

Strengthen our hands and our hearts to care for your world.

Embolden our will to love our neighbours as ourselves.

Free up our grasp on wealth and resources

that all may benefit from your bounty.

Release us from our pride and self assurance

that we can truly worship you,

our creator, redeemer and sustainer.

Amen.

The Grace

Each year has different extremes of weather

Counting on … day 106

16th October 2026

Having established that the world can produce enough food to feed our current and expected increased population – in 2011 the World Bank, Institute calculated that globally we grew enough food to feed 14 billion people – the real problem is how that food is distributed and whether what is produced is the healthiest option. Goulson puts forward the interesting suggestion that rather than choosing to grow what is good for us, we end up eating what someone else chooses to grow.

“About 300,000 different edible plants are known …. [yet] 50% of our calories come from just three crops: rice, wheat and maize. Together with soya beans, these crops comprise 50% of all arable farmland. And these four crops, plus potatoes, oil palm, cane sugar, beet sugar and cassava make up two thirds of all the food we consume. Carbs and oil. The food industry takes these cheap ingredients and formulates them into ultra processed foods (UPFs) which are highly palatable, highly calorific and of low nutritional value…. Regional cuisines and cooking with fresh ingredients have been displaced by fast foods, sugary drinks and ready meals.” (P19-20 Eat the Planet Well Dave Goulson)

Why not try buying and using different grains? Buckwheat, rye, barley, oats, millet? You might also try using flours made from dried peas, beans and – but more expensive – chestnuts.

Counting on … day 105

15th October 2026

Over the next few weeks, I shall share thoughts from Dave Goulson’s book ‘Eat the Planet Well’.

In his introduction he flags up issues such as the drive to produce cheap food which at the same time degrades the environment and degrades the lives of both domestic and wild animals; issues such as the simultaneous growth in ultra processed foods and obesity; issues around global food waste which is growing and equally shocking levels of starvation; issues around the growth of pesticides, herbicides and forever chemicals and the lobbying power of both chemical and food industries.

“At the heart of it all is food. Everybody eats, everybody needs bees*, everybody is a stake holder. If we want to save the planet, save the bees and save ourselves, then we need to pay more attention to what we eat…” (page 11)

*Dave Goulson is Professor of Biology at the University of Sussex and his specialism is bumblebees.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/469614/eat-the-planet-well-by-goulson-dave/9781787335622

Counting on … day 104

14th October 2026

People often feel that there is nothing they can easily do to address the climate and biodiversity crisis. Which is probably twofold. Firstly that so much that needs to change is beyond individual control and needs government input – eg upgrading the national grid to allow more renewable energy projects to proceed, providing training and funds to develop green industries, providing grants to upgrade insulation in homes, providing funds to ensure schools and hospitals can cope with extreme temperatures, licensing or not licensing oil and gas fields, taxing or not the profits of polluters, using frequent flyer taxes to reduce the number of air flights etc.

Secondly we can be reluctant to make significant lifestyle changes.

One area where we can make a significant impact as individuals and where it involves easy to make changes, is with our diet. Here we can make changes that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve biodiversity AND improve our health!

Responding to Nationalism: reconciliation or resistance?

14th October 2026

The growth of right wing politics and in particular of Christian Nationalism is deeply concerning. It works against the Christian gospel of loving our neighbour whoever and where they are. It works against care for creation. And it works against social justice. I was therefore glad to attend this year’s Green Christian Conference:-

Responding to nationalism: reconciliation or resistance?

The following is my summary/ recollections of all that we heard and discussed at this conference – 10th October 2026. The key speaker was Dr Jonathan Chaplin of Wesley House, Cambridge – a political theologian working on issues of democracy and environmental theology.

Jonathan Chaplin started by identifying the things we have all seen this year – radical political rhetoric, protests and marches from right wing groups and political parties – from announcements by both the Reform and Restore parties, the Unite the Kingdom movement and the Patriotic Platform. In particular we have seen and heard their “co-option’ of the name and symbols of Christianity. One might even call it ‘identity theft’ for its questionable to what extent those using this identity also follow to the message of the Christian gospel. (This has been boring out by recent research by the Theos think tank – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/11/christian-nationalism-uk-far-right-people-rarely-go-to-church-report?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Their message ignores the inclusivity of the gospel, the calling to welcome the stranger and to care for one’s neighbours, whoever they are and where ever they come from. Their message also derides ‘woke’ issues including net zero and other policies that address the climate and biodiversity crises. Rather they promote an agenda that purports to return to traditional values, to restore Britain to a ‘golden era’ of the past – and yet which at the same time encourages patriarchy and xenophobia and the removal of social care.

However Chaplin promoted us to consider that there were many issues of change in our world today that do make people feel threatened, and about which we should seek an empathetic understanding:-

Post industrial white working classes do feel disadvantaged and do experience exclusion
There has been a growth of mass migration (often caused by climate and economic and political turmoil elsewhere in the world)
Changing gender roles can feel disempowering for some (although whilst right wing rhetoric promotes patriarchy in the UK it opposes patriarchal practices in other cultures such as in Islam)
Loss of traditional culture such as pubs.

Chaplin then invited us to consider that nation and state are different things, the former being cultural and the latter political.

Nation

Cultural community

Something to which we may be partial

An environment rather than a thing

Always changing and pluralistic

May have recognisable traits but no fixed character

State

Has definite legal boarders and its own legal regulations

It is a thing that has the power to act (NB nations can become states when they establish legal boundaries, regulations and become a body that can act)

Boarders may be established by conflict and conquest. They may not always coincide with where nations reside. A nation may exist across multiple states or a state may rule over multiple nations.

States can shape their nations – for good or ill

States may use ‘national myths’ to shape the nation

They may favour a majority national viewpoint in determining rules, policies etc

States can be arbitrary in their rule

How then does faith relate to nation and state?

Here there is a spectrum of possible responses:-

Faith-based cultural influence
Pluralistic faith-based politics
Soft Christian privilege
Hard Christian privilege
Christian ethno-nationalism

Faith-based (in this instance thinking particularly of Christianity) cultural influence is where individuals or groups seek to shape the nation via evangelism – so that more people embrace their faith values; by being a Christian presence in the workplace/ school/ community seeking to influence the shape of these establishments. There is no expectation that the State should implement rules or practices that would mirror Christian faith.
Pluralistic faith-based politics is where one’s faith is a driver of political engagement, and political avenues are used to to try and shape law and policy to accord with one’s faith. But this position nevertheless accepts that other faith groups can and may use similar political avenues to promote their viewpoints. Democracy and debate are seems as the forum in which to resolve differences and determine outcomes.
Soft Christian privilege is where a faith institution (in the UK, the C of E) has certain privileges such as seats in the House of Lords, involvement in leading and shaping ceremonial events for the state (eg coronations, prayers in Parliament, Remembrance Day commemorations, religiously based bank holidays etc). Other privileges include state-funded C of E schools, chaplaincies in schools, prisons, hospitals etc. NB the C of E can be seen as a ‘hospitable establishment’ – a symbolic but beneficial state body.
Hard Christian privilege is where the privilege shifts from benign to exclusionary. This view point seeks to make the nation into an officially Christian nation, authorised by the State. Here Christianity should be constitutionally privileged to the exclusion of other faiths. Christian public prayer and worship would be promoted, whilst the public prayer and worship by other faiths would be prohibited. Supporters of this view point are often critical of church leaders who do not espouse the same viewpoint.
Christian ethno-nationalism follows a similar approach to hard Christian privilege, but further limited privilege to those only of certain ethnic group – eg white British. It is not expected that this Christianity is underpinned by any theological understanding but rather by ethnic culture beliefs.

These represent a spectrum of views of which only the last two should be understood as Christian Nationalism. The first three can be seen as legitimate democratic view points, but the last two are clearly undemocratic and risk undermining democracy within the UK. As Green Christians – ie with a particular concern for the wellbeing of God’s Earth – we should challenge these latter two view points not just because they work against the gospel, but because they oppose the green agenda here in the UK and oppose global cooperation on green issues to the detriment of all our neighbours.

What would a Green Christian vision of the nation – of nation-hood – look like? Chaplin suggested it would be inclusive of everyone (ie regardless of faith, ethnicity or class etc), that it would be outward looking embracing the wider non Christian and non human communities, and would be caring of both humans and nature. A green nation would find its identity in working for justice and solidarity, be both outward and forward looking (ie not trapped in the past whether that memory is real or imagined). Such a nation would seek reconciliation between its citizens and explain and develop (including listening to others as well as challenging false and misinformation) a vision of eco-wholeness. It would highlight and enable the positive benefits of creating green jobs, green spaces, healthy and readily accessible diets, energy security through renewables, etc.

A standout word would be empathy. Not just being able to listen and understand, but demonstrating the importance of so doing. Being able to find a common ground from which to develop forward looking conversations. Being able to create neighbourly relationships around ecological issues – these might include community gardens, clean river swimming sites, play streets.

We also need to be concerned as to how we read the scriptures today. How do we sense what the Holy Spirit is asking of us? Do we need to challenge unhelpful, outdated, Christian traditions that are no longer acceptable?

Conference attendees then joined breakout groups to discuss and formulate ways of putting some of these ideas into practice.

Jesus welcomes everyone and embodies compassion. How do we follow Jesus in today’s social climate?
Who is my neighbour? Countering the idea that my neighbour is a ‘white English man’. Making disciples of all nations not a nation of all disciples.
In a world of nationalism and internationalism, how do we address the food crisis? Are ‘self-sufficiency’ and ‘buy British’ a product of nationalism or part of national resilience?
Choosing our allies: is it a good use of our time and resources to make common cause with other (non Christian) groups? If so which and how? How wide should our focus be? Just climate and biodiversity or also social justice, debt justice etc?
Different opinions? How do we counter narratives of othering, division and exclusion when we see them in our churches? How do we de-polarise conversations? How do we catalyse change? Are there resources that can help us with difficult conversations? How do we make the time – create opportunities – for these conversations?

Further resources

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland had produced notes for small groups discussions entities Kingdom over Nation – https://cte.org.uk/working-together/kingdom-over-nation/

For the full Theo’s report and other of their resources re Christian Nationalism – https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/christian-nationalism

A recording of the Moral Maze discussing empathy – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0030c85

You can watch a recording of Jonathan Chaplin’s talk on Green Christian’s YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/c/GreenChristian/videos

Counting on … day 103

13th October 2026

Backtracking to building resilience, the Guardian had an apt item about ensuring that our homes are secure and ready for the likely wet and windy weather that El Niño will bring this autumn/ winter.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/oct/10/storm-proof-home-roof-garden-pipes-flooding-winter?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other