What do we do?
We keep our church members informed on environmental issues with a monthly article in our church magazine "The Sign".
Our church grounds are welcoming to the general public and managed in an environmentally friendly way. We have installed numerous bird boxes, log piles for insects and hedgehogs and created a small wild-flower meadow. In spring 2006 we were awarded a grant by the "Action Earth" campaign to buy plants for the meadow.
We have had a professional survey of the heating schemes in our buildings, in order to reduce fuel consumption and thus our output of carbon dioxide. There is an on-going monitoring of our heating to ensure an adequately warm church and hall at times of use, with minimal fuel usage.
When our contract with our electricity supplier terminates in 2009 we are going to switch to a company that supplies electricity exclusively from renewable sources.
We use china, not disposable cups and plates, in our catering. We use eco-friendly products for cleaning the premises and recycle glass, cardboard and paper.
After Christmas, we collect cards for recycling by The Woodland Trust and collect used postage stamps year-round for charities' fund-raising.
With the kind cooperation of Colinton Post Office we organise a community scheme to recycle mobile phones and printer cartridges. The small profit we make is donated in full to Christian Aid.
With regard to investments, our church follows Diocesan ethical policy.
We use Fair Trade products in all events that we organise. The Fair Trade scheme not only guarantees a fair price to producers, but also ensures that agricultural products are grown in a way that protects the environment.