by QueenAnneLutheranPosted on Posted in Uncategorized

Wider Circles in Our Lutheran Community Promote Climate Consciousness

Until now, our articles have focused on what we as individuals can do to address climate change and climate justice. This month, I’d like to talk about some of the things the ELCA, the Northwest Washington Synod, and Queen Anne Lutheran are doing to promote climate consciousness.

The ELCA website has a myriad of climate resources available for congregations and members – just enter “climate” in the “Search ELCA” box on the home page to start looking. The entry that caught my eye is the Social Statement Caring for Creation that the ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted in 1993. I’m proud to be part of a denomination that has been advocating for creation justice for almost 30 years!

The ELCA also has “put their money where their mouth is” by creating Social Purpose Investment Fund A, which is available to Lutheran churches and synods. QALC moved our Endowment Fund to this fund at the end of 2019. The main reason for the move was that Fund A is an ESG-type fund (Environmental, Social, and Governance) that follows Lutheran Social Statements. The Fund’s literature states:

Fund A’s assets are selected, where feasible, in accordance with criteria of social responsibility that are consistent with the values and programs of the ELCA. In addition, Fund A seeks positive social investments that provide a proactive way to receive a return while directing capital to underserved markets, such as community development and renewable energy.

Many Lutheran colleges and universities offer programs addressing climate issues. In September, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, Pastor Dan’s alma mater, inaugurated a new Center for Climate Justice and Faith under the direction of Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, who spoke at QALC a few years ago. The Center offers a Climate Justice and Faith Concentration in its Master of Divinity program, as well as a non-degree Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith.

The Northwest Washington Synod partners with both Earth Ministry (as does QALC) (earthministry.org) and Lutherans Restoring Creation (lutheransrestoringcreation.org), a grassroots movement of the ELCA that has existed in one form or another since 1997.

Queen Anne Lutheran: Our congregation strives to promote hope and action in the face of climate change. Here are a few examples:

We’ve adopted a Greening Congregation Statement of Intent, which can be reviewed at the top of this page.

We are working to make the church building as energy conscious as possible. The most visible example is the rain cisterns that were paid for by Seattle Public Utilities.

We present annual forums on climate issues. We’re excited that Dr. Kristi Ebi, Professor of Public Health at UW, will join us again on May 23 and June 6 to give us an “update on the Earth”, followed by a discussion on next steps on June 13. If you haven’t already, mark these dates on your calendar!

We’ve established the Environmental Stewardship and Faith Group, an ad hoc group interested in responding to the climate crisis. If you’re interested in finding out more, please contact Pastor Dan, Lisa Kjaer-Schade, Bob Whitehorn, or Susan Evans.

by QueenAnneLutheranPosted on Posted in Uncategorized

New Year’s Resolutions—for the Planet

Every year, I make those same New Year’s resolutions – lose weight, exercise more, read more, watch less TV. Almost always, they are aspirations for self improvement. But, as the New York Times newsletter, “Climate Fwd” recently pointed out, perhaps 2021 is the year to make a New Year’s resolution to help the planet.

In past articles for this column we’ve talked about changes we can do personally, within our church, and in the community. But let’s be honest, those are tiny drops in the bucket compared to the urgent changes needed nation-wide to slow (let alone reverse) the rapid onslaught of climate change. Covid19 taught us the phrase “flatten the curve”. Now we need to apply this to global warming. And as with Covid19, drastic action is required.

This year, my New Year’s resolution will be to “THINK BIG”.

We can start by supporting some of the flagship efforts of our Governor to be an example for the rest of the country. His goals include the following:

  • Establish a Clean Fuel Standard, which reduces transportation pollution through electrification of cleaner fuels for ferries, transit, and passenger vehicles.
  • Pass the Climate Commitment Act, which caps statewide greenhouse gas emissions and invests in clean energy, transportation, and climate resilience projects, and funds part of the Working Families Tax Credit.
  • Pass the Healthy Homes and Clean Buildings Act, which requires new buildings to use carbon-free space and water heating by 2030, and puts the state on a pathway to fully decarbonize existing buildings by 2050.
  • Require an environmental justice assessment for all climate-related investments, and create an Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Panel to analyze how climate investments impact those most vulnerable to climate change.
  • Invest $428 million in clean transportation, clean buildings, and clean energy projects.

We can write letters, email, and call our government representatives to make sure they know what legislation and policies we think are important. We can check our 401(k)’s and eliminate any investments in fossil fuels (and ask our employers to do the same). We can write to Target and other big box stores and urge them to reduce plastic packaging. We can pray for the earth, for guidance on how best to use our own talents and resources to help, and for the energy to carry out our intentions. What will your New Year’s resolution be?

When the earth is sick and dying,

There will come a tribe of people

From all races

Who will put their faith in deeds,

Not words, and make the planet

Green again.

 

—Cree Prophecy
From Praying for the Earth by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

by QueenAnneLutheranPosted on Posted in Uncategorized

Vote for the Environment

By the time you read this issue of the Quill, ballots for the November 3rd general election will be on their way to Washington voters. It’s impossible to overemphasize the importance of this election, including its impact on environmental issues. Regardless of who controls the Presidency, the U. S. Senate, and the U. S. House of Representatives, some of the most meaningful environmental legislation is enacted at the state level, where laws have a direct effect on local policy. Since elections in state districts can be decided by slim margins, every vote makes a difference.

Once again this summer, we’ve experienced the deterioration of air quality from smoke coming from fires up and down the West Coast. Even though land management practices have had an impact on these fires, the effect of climate change on them is undeniable.

This year’s fires have made climate change very personal to me. I grew up in Springfield, Oregon, just east of Eugene across the Willamette River. Springfield always has been known as the “Gateway to the McKenzie River.” People from all over the world have come to vacation in cabins and lodges along the river and enjoy the breathtaking scenery, world class fishing, soul-inspiring hiking, and sensational river rafting. I’ve spent many memorable hours with family and friends playing and picnicking along the riverbanks and in the parks that dot the highway along the river. Along with the Oregon coast, I always thought it was the most beautiful place in the world. But the Willamette Valley has been unusually dry for several years, and on Labor Day fire began destroying land on both sides of the river for 24 miles. The fire has consumed over 173,000 acres and probably won’t be completely contained until the end of this month. My high school served as an evacuation center for residents escaping the fire. The pastor of the church I grew up in and his wife had a home and spiritual retreat center along the river. They had enough time to pack a few things and leave with their cat, but their property is a total loss.

People all over the world are grieving the loss of life, home, and property from escalating natural disasters. Extraction and overuse of fossil fuels are devastating the atmosphere and the landscape. Plastics are clogging our landfills and polluting our oceans. First world conspicuous consumption is depleting all our natural resources. Third world countries are facing famine and disease. Aside from living our lives in the most environmentally conscious way we can, one of the most influential things we can do is vote. What better way to proclaim God’s love in Christ for every person?

If you haven’t registered to vote, do so now. Watch your mailboxes for your ballots. Place them in your closest drop box or mail them early to make sure they are counted. Urge your family and friends to do the same. Study the climate advocacy records of candidates in your districts. Your voter’s pamphlet and the candidates’ websites are great places to start.

We need to act now to stop and reverse the effects of global warming and climate change, while there is still time. God’s magnificent creation deserves nothing less.

—Susan Evans

by QueenAnneLutheranPosted on Posted in Uncategorized

Suggestion Box Yields Great Results in December

The first month of the Climate Change Suggestion Box was a success! Rich Mathes won the drawing and received a reusable water bottle. Here are the excellent suggestions our members submitted:

For the Community:

Support uniform federal standards for recycling and composting.

For the Church:

Solar panels.

Use compostable products to replace plastic. BEWARE: “compostable” means what Cedar Grove accepts. Flatware and lined deli containers are trash in Seattle, even though the products say they are compostable. Plates with slick surfaces and waxed cups aren’t compostable, either. Even if you wash food off these dishes and recycle them, the paper itself probably goes into the garbage at the recycler.

For Our Homes:

Put up a clothesline to dry your clothes in good weather (makes them smell wonderful!).j

Plan trips to avoid using the car; make it a family contest! Ideas: 1) carpool with families for soccer practice, 2) ride bikes or walk to school, 3) group errands – for example, do grocery shopping and visit the library when you’re in the area for a doctor/dentist appointment.

Use compostable products to replace plastic. BEWARE: “compostable” means what Cedar Grove accepts. Flatware and lined deli containers are trash in Seattle, even though the store where you get them says they are compostable. Plates with slick surfaces and waxed cups aren’t compostable, either. Even if you wash food off these dishes and recycle them, the paper itself probably goes into garbage at the recycler.

Use washable ceramic/glass dishes and storage containers instead of single use plastic.

Use air purifiers for good respiratory health.

Use toilet paper made from recycled paper. A million acres of Canada’s boreal forests are logged each year, and a lot of that timber goes to make throwaway tissue products like toilet paper. Since boreal forests store more carbon per hectare than any other forest ecosystem, they are one of the best defenses against climate change. NO major household brands of toilet paper contain any recycled content. See the sustainability scorecard on page 6 of the Natural Resources Defense Council/Stand.earth and Google “The Issue with Tissue”.

Please keep these great ideas coming! Truly, it will take all of us working together to reduce our carbon footprints and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. In February, let’s all make a commitment to try out one of these suggestions.

by QueenAnneLutheranPosted on Posted in Uncategorized

Ideas for a Zero-Waste Holiday

At our house, Christmas is one of the biggest trash days of the year.  Wrapping paper, Styrofoam, other gift and food packaging, food leftovers, and replaced electronics and batteries all contribute to the landfill.  Here are some easy ideas for reducing contributions to the landfill this year: Just a little planning can make a huge difference.  Adopting even one of these ideas will help!*

  • Getting a lot of unwanted catalogs in the mail this time of year?.  Cancel them for free via https://www.catalogchoice.org/.  It may take several months to see the effect but if you do it now, next year’s junk mail will be significantly reduced.  Tip:  I save just the catalog cover page (which includes all the data that is needed to cancel the catalog) then stack that page by the computer until I have a few piled up – then cancel them all at once.
  • Give gifts that are homemade, benefit charity or are antiques or experiences. One option is the ELCA’s Good Gifts at   https://community.elca.org/ELCAGoodGifts.
  • Reuse and recycle gift wrap, or use reusable gift bags, cloth tea towels or even sew your own gift bags.    Avoid foiled, plastic, glitter, velveteen or raised embossing gift wrap as it usually can’t be recycled. Remember ribbon cannot be recycled (but it can be reused!).  One alternative to ribbon is raffia, which can be recycled.
  • If you must use disposable plates and cutlery, use paper plates and compostable silverware instead of Styrofoam and plastic.  Compost when finished.
  • Decorate your home with natural decorations (plants, fruit, branches, ivy, etc) and edible displays, which can be eaten or composted when you are done.
  • Styrofoam requires special handling. Peanuts are often accepted at your local packaging store, such as Mailbox,etc. (The Magnolia Mailbox is always happy to receive them.).  In Seattle, you can arrange for Seattle Public Utilities to pick up Styrofoam blocks for free (max 32 gallon bag), but you must arrange a separate pick up online or by calling (206) 684-3000. If you are a member of Ridwell (see below), they will pick up a huge bag of Styrofoam for $9.
  • As of Jan 1 we will no longer be able to put plastic film (bags, plastic bubble mailers, bread bags, etc) in our recycling. For a small fee, Ridwell, a new company, started on Queen Anne, will pick up items from 4 categories: lightbulbs, batteries, plastic film and “threads” twice a month. In addition, theymaintain a list of rotating categories throughout the year, e.g. leftover halloween candy, broken Christmas lights, women’s work clothes, etc., that you can opt in for, and for which they have found a good home. https://www.ridwell.com/.
  • Buy local/humanely raised meat, or try celebrating a meatless holiday.  Freeze leftovers rather than throwing them out.   Some sources for humanely raised and local turkey include:

www.HeritageTurkeyFoundation.org

www.LocalHarvest.org

www.huffpost.com/entry/heritage-turkeys-thanksgiving_n_5bd341f6e4b055bc948b78c4/amp

—Lisa Kjaer-Schade

* Primary Source:  The Zero-Waste Lifestyle – Live Well by Throwing Away Less, by Amy Korst

by QueenAnneLutheranPosted on Posted in Uncategorized

Climate Crisis—Thoughts & Resources

Our Challenge

Prosperous, well educated, densely populated―Seattle, King County, and the Salish Sea region are uniquely well situated to take the lead in addressing the climate crisis. 

It is almost 2020; the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change gives the world 12 years to act to avoid the worst effects of climate change.  In those circumstances, it is appropriate for the City of Seattle to revise its goal for carbon neutrality to 2030 (10 years) ― instead of 2050 (30 years). 

Difficult times lie ahead in any case: note that the IPCC gives the world 12 years to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

We are all aware that we are called to care for creation and to love our neighbor, whether that neighbor is nearby, is across the world, or is yet unborn.  That gives us a unique moral opportunity. 

That opportunity is not only in caring for the vulnerable, but also in fellowship with each other.  In sharing our perspectives, our concerns, our talents and gifts, we nurture and support each other in Christ.

Below are some resources for exploration.

Context and Opportunities

Tall buildings out of timber? In the face of climate change, Seattle encourages it

Seattle Times, Sept. 23, 2019

Electric buses are coming, and they’re going to help fix 4 big urban problems

Vox, April 28, 2018

Engagement

What would a Green New Deal for Seattle look like?

Crosscut, Aug. 5, 2019

Council Vote Forms Oversight Board to Guide Seattle in Achieving Its Vision for a Green New Deal

Council Connection blog at Seatttle.gov, Sept. 16, 2019

Crisis News

Six takeaways from the new climate report

Environmental Defense Fund, Oct. 8, 2018
A summary of important lessons from the IPCC “Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees Celsius.”  This is the report in which Dr. Kristie Ebi, professor of Global Health at the UW, participated and who addressed our 9 o’clock forum.

Melting permafrost in the Arctic is unlocking diseases and warping the landscape

Vox, Sept. 26, 2019

BACK TO SERVE

by QueenAnneLutheranPosted on Posted in Uncategorized

This page is a reservoir of hope and action in the face of a changing world. Look here for ideas to re-shape your own life, or our life in community, in ways that will help us all reduce our carbon footprint. The entries posted here are part of the work of Queen Anne Lutheran’s Environmental Stewardship and Faith Group, an ad hoc team of people interested in how we as a community of faith and as individuals can respond to the climate crisis unfolding in our world.

Greening Congregation Statement of Intent
Our Congregation, Queen Anne Lutheran Church, recognizes the need to promote awareness of and care for God’s creation. As part of our covenant with the Creator, we embrace our responsibility to care for the Earth and will do so through the following commitments:

• Worship in ways that inspire appreciation for all of God’s creation
• Involve adults and children in education opportunities that explore connections between faith and caring for the Earth
• Incorporate sustainable, earth-friendly practices into our congregation’s building and grounds
• Provide leadership and model earth-friendly practices to our neighbors, and engage in community outreach
• Take action for environmental justice and speak up for systemic change through faithful advocacy