St Paul’s now has an Environmental Management Plan, which is used to monitor environmental performance of our activities and seeks to implement care for the environment in our decision making. In response to a motion from Diocesan Synod last year we were required to formulate a parish response to climate change. However, it is best practice to consider environmental impacts more fully, rather than just focus on the issue of climate change. Therefore, the environmental management plan addresses how we as a parish can engage with environmental issues and take some practical steps at the parish level.

A key principle in putting together this plan, was to build into the mission for our parish a focus on caring for, and safeguarding our environment (God’s creation) so that it will continue to sustain and renew all life on earth. This plan also sets out the actions the Parish proposes to take to mitigate the effects of climate heating and bio-diversity loss. In particular, the Parish also seeks to reduce our carbon footprint. This plan should foster an ethic of stewardship and ensure our parish wisely uses resources to support its activities and seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment.  As stewards of God’s creation we seek to improve environmental outcomes and contribute to positive change.

Currently, the plan has identified the following priority areas: Energy use (including hot water heating), Consumables, Waste, Travel, Cleaning, Buildings, Grounds, Parish (awareness), and Community interaction.

An environmental Management Committee reporting to vestry has been established consisting of Judith MacDonald (vestry member and environmental co-ordinator), Rod Shaw (synod representative) and Tim Frank (vicar). However, we don’t just want to be a formal committee and would really value the input of interested parishioners. If you want to know more or have some ideas, please approach any of the committee members. I also you encourage you to read the plan, which you can get from the office or download from the website.