The Eco Church Award scheme is designed to help congregations take practical action to become more environmentally friendly in all aspects of church life.
There are three levels of award (bronze, silver and gold) with five sections that need to be completed for each level. These five sections are: Worship & Teaching, Buildings & Energy, Land & Nature, Lifestyle, and Community & Global Engagement.
We have gained the Bronze Award and we’re currently working towards the Silver Award including support for the local environment through our community outreach work, and looking at ways to reduce our carbon footprint.
Some of the actions we’ve already taken include recycling more of our waste, switching to a 100% renewable electricity supplier, buying recycled paper toilet rolls and environmentally friendly cleaning products, and taking steps to make our church grounds more wildlife friendly.
We’ve ‘twinned’ all our toilets through the Tear Fund charity, supporting families in communities overseas to build their own basic toilet, access clean water and learn about hygiene – a vital combination that saves lives. We also support Water Aid’s work to protect the environment, and regularly pray for Christian Aid’s overseas projects that help communities adapt to climate change.
We won’t improve everything overnight but small changes make a big difference. We’re committed to caring for God’s creation, locally and globally, to help ensure a sustainable future for all.
