Environment

The Diocese of Gloucester is committed to caring for the environment and supporting the work of local and national environmental organisations.

Responding to climate change:

Shrinking the Footprint - The national church has a carbon reduction target of 80% by 2050 and an interim target of 42% by 2020 (in line with government commitments). Shrinking the Footprint is the Church of England’s national campaign to help the dioceses and local churches reach these targets. 

Diocesan green energy scheme - Gloucester Diocese has teamed up with Ecotricity to create a scheme through which both churches and individuals can sign up to switch to green energy. Please contact the Diocesan Environment Officer for more details.

Energy Saving Benchmarking - “Energy Saving Benchmarking” is a detailed survey of the local church through which the church can identify its energy efficiency, rather than just its energy usage. The scheme does this by factoring in the annual footfall of the building, the different types of usage, the overall floor area, plus other factors. If you are interested in having a survey of your church then please contact the Diocesan Environment Officer

sMeasure - sMeasure is a simple online tool designed to help you calculate the carbon footprint of your church.

All churches and schools in the Diocese of Gloucester are able to access the online energy audit for free on the national Shrinking the Footprint website

Four good reasons to measure church energy

• A better understanding of building efficiency

• Compare energy usage with others

• Share your commitment with the local community

• Save money

The following materials will help you conduct your s measure energy audit:

User guide full guide to setting up and using sMeasure and monitoring energy

Data analysis guide – understand the results of energy monitoring and how energy usage can be reduced

Postcards for churches and schools – to promote energy monitoring and get more church buildings involved (available from the Diocesan Environment Officer)

Posters – for communicating energy monitoring in church buildings (available from the Diocesan Environment Officer)

Greening your church

For Creed and Creation
For Creed and Creation is a booklet designed with the needs of the local church in mind. The booklet has a foreword from Bishop Michael and it gives practical advice on how to make environmental improvements to the church building, from simple, small scale projects to major schemes. Each project comes with a key which indicates the cost, time and people power required and provides information on wider resources available at the local and national level. 
 For Creed and Creation

Environmental policies
For guidance on drawing up an environment policy for your local church or diocesan body please consult the downloadable booklet below.   Local church environment policy action plan

Gloucestershire Churches Environmental Justice Network 

The network meets about every two months and also functions by e-mail and postal circulation. 


The network seeks to encourage reflection and action on environmental issues (especially in relation to a just and fair world) among Gloucestershire Christians, to support and encourage local Christians who are concerned about the environment and to provide an information exchange and to facilitate co-ordination of initiatives. 


Membership is open to any Christian within the area of Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire - and interested members of other faiths are welcomed. If you would like information on future meetings and join the email network then please contact the Diocesan Environment Officer

You can also visit Gloucestershire Churches Environmental Justice Network Facebook page. Go to www.facebook.com   log in to your account and search Gloucestershire Churches Environmental Justice Network.


 Notes from the last GCEJN meeting

Transition Towns

Transition Towns is an international campaign which encourages a positive response to the twin challenges of peak oil and climate change by promoting resilient, low carbon communities. For more information on Transition Town initiatives in Gloucestershire and how churches can get involved please contact the Diocesan Environment Officer .

Downloads

 Operation Noah Lecture 2/3/13 (Speakers: Tim Gorringe, Michael Northcott)

Useful links:

Eco-congregation:  for church-orientated resources http://www.ecocongregation.org/



A Rocha: for Christian conservation-orientated resources http://en.arocha.org/home/ 



John Ray Initiative: for Christian theological and scientific resources 
http://www.jri.org.uk/



Christian Ecology Link: 
http://www.christian-ecology.org.uk/




Operation Noah: an educational and campaigning tool from Christian Ecology Link 
http://www.operationnoah.org/ 



Living Generously: an e-community of people who covenant to live more responsibly and ethically 
http://generous.org.uk/

Severn-Wye Energy Agency: the local government-sponsored agency supporting households 
http://www.swea.co.uk/



Vision 21 for Gloucestershire: Gloucestershire's Agenda 21 initiative. Vision 21 aims to involve all organisations working with sustainability in Gloucestershire so enabling a cohesive, co-operative effort, which furthers our shared goals http://www.vision21.org.uk/

Simon Topping - Diocese of Gloucester Environment Officer

Tel: 01452 712476  Email: stopping@glosdioc.org.uk