The Creation Care Team members are Connie Nelson, Sr. Janice Hoffman, Mary Baughman-Kane, Whitney Wiemold, Al and Susan Julius, and Carmen Henke. They came together in response to Pope Francis’ call to all Catholic parishes, individuals, and institutions to protect creation. Their task is to study potential activities and propose activities to the parishioners. A few of the ways the team might do this are by telling us where to dispose of old electronics; explaining how to avoid wasting food; listing natural non-toxic cleaning products; giving information on ESG investing; recommending alternatives to plastic and toxic Styrofoam; and suggesting ways to conserve water. All these things protect God’s creation and our health, and they save money. The first big successes have been the collection of over 3300 pill bottles since March 2nd and the gradual replacement of plastic and Styrofoam with real dinnerware &/or compostable products. If you have recommendations, contact one of the Creation Care Team members. Go to https://laudatosiactionplatform.org/ to learn about &/or enroll in the Pope’s action plan.
The Letter – a film from the Vatican This is an intimate heartbreaking portrayal of the experiences of several people who live in diverse parts of the world, which is beautifully shown in a 1hr.21min. film called, The Letter from the Vatican. The people in the film were invited to by Pope Francis to go to the Vatican to tell him in person what life is like in their country as a result of climate change. They represent the youth, the poor, the indigenes people, and the scientists. There are scenes from each country, from Rome and from Assisi. https://www.uisg.org/en/news/The-Letter-Film
RECYCLING ELECTRONICS & MORE: Did you know? Best Buy stores have an awesome recycling program. Some of the items accepted include TV/video; computers/tablets; cell phones and radios; appliances; ink and toner cartridges; all kinds of electronics and cords!
For a full list and details about possible trade in deals search “Best Buy Recycling”
Fun Fact: Best Buy states they have collected over 2 Billion pounds of e-waste and appliances! Let’s add to that number! To learn more, please click here.
OVEN CLEANER USING NATURAL PRODUCTS 2oz. Dawn 4oz. Lemon juice 8oz. White vinegar 10oz. Water
ESG INVESTING is also known as “socially responsible investing,” “impact investing,” or “sustainable investing” and refers to investing which prioritizes environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors or outcomes. ESG investing is seen as a way of investing “sustainably”—where investments are made with consideration of the environment and human wellbeing, as well as the economy. Governance refers to things like workplace diversity, equal opportunities, ethics, etc. of the organization.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #1 of 50 ways we can help: 1. Change your light If every household in the United State replaced one regular lightbulb with one of those new compact fluorescent bulbs, the pollution reduction would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road. Don't like the color of light? Use these bulbs for closets, laundry rooms and other places where it won't irk you as much.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #2 of 50 ways we can help: 2. Turn off computers at night By turning off your computer instead of leaving it in sleep mode, you can save 40 watt-hours per day. That adds up to 4 cents a day, or $14 per year. If you don't want to wait for your computer to start up, set it to turn on automatically a few minutes before you get to work, or boot up while you're pouring your morning cup 'o joe.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #3 of 50 ways we can help: 3. Don’t rinse Skip rinsing dishes before using your dishwasher and save up to 20 gallons of water each load. Plus, you're saving time and the energy used to heat the additional water.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #4 of 50 ways we can help: 4. Do not pre-heat the oven Unless you are making bread or pastries of some sort, don't pre-heat the oven. Just turn it on when you put the dish in. Also, when checking on your food, look through the oven window instead of opening the door.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #5 of 50 ways we can help: 5. Recycle Glass Recycled glass reduces related air pollution by 20 percent and related water pollution by 50 percent. If it isn't recycled it can take a million years to decompose.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #6 of 50 ways we can help: 6. Diaper with a conscience By the time a child is toilet trained, a parent will change between 5,000 and 8,000 diapers, adding up to approximately 3.5 million tons of waste in U.S. landfills each year. Whether you choose cloth or a more environmentally-friendly disposable, you're making a choice that has a much gentler im pact on our planet.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #7 of 50 ways we can help: 7. Hang dry Get a clothesline or rack to dry your clothes by the air. Your wardrobe will maintain color and fit, and you'll save money. Your favorite t-shirt will last longer too.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #8 of 50 ways we can help: 8. Go vegetarian once a week One less meat-based meal a week helps the planet and your diet. For example: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #9 of 50 ways we can help: 9. Wash in cold or warm If all the households in the U.S. switched from hot-hot cycle to warm-cold, we could save the energy comparable to 100,000 barrels of oil a day. Only launder when you have a full load.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #10 of 50 ways we can help: 10. Use one less paper napkin During an average year, an American uses approximately 2,200 napkins—around six each day. If everyone in the U.S. used one less napkin a day, more than a billion pounds of napkins could be saved from landfills each year.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #11 of 50 ways we can help: 11. Use both sides of paper American businesses throw away 21 million tons of paper every year, equal to 175 pounds per office worker. For a quick and easy way to halve this, set your printer's default option to print double-sided (duplex printing). And when you're finished with your documents, don't forget to take them to the recycling bin.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #18 of 50 ways we can help: 18. TAKE A SHORTER SHOWER Every two minutes you save on your shower can conserve more than ten gallons of water. If everyone in the country saved just one gallon from their daily shower, over the course of the year it would equal twice the amount of freshwater withdrawn from the Great Lakes every dayPope Francis has asked us to care for the earth.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. He is #19 of 50 ways we can help: 19. PLANT A TREE It's good for the air, the land, can shade your house and save on cooling (plant on the west side of your home), and they can also improve the value of your property. Make it meaningful for the whole family and plant a tree every year for each member.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #20 of 50 ways we can help: 20. USE YOUR CRUISE CONTROL You paid for those extra buttons in your car, so put them to work! When using cruise control your vehicle could get up to 15% better mileage. Considering today's gasoline prices, this is a boon not only for the environment but your budget as well.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #21 of 50 ways we can help: 21. SECOND-HAND DOESN'T MEAN SECOND-BEST Consider buying items from a second-hand store. Toys, bicycles, roller blades, and other age and size-specific items are quickly outgrown. Second hand stores often sell these items in excellent condition since they are used for such a short period of time, and will generally buy them back when you no longer need them.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #22 of 50 ways we can help: 22. BUY LOCAL Consider the amount of pollution created to get your food from the farm to your table. Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmers' markets, supporting your local economy and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas created when products are flown or trucked in.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #23 of 50 ways we can help: 23. ADJUST YOUR THERMOSTAT Adjust your thermostat one degree higher in the summer and one degree cooler in the winter. Each degree celsius less will save about 10% on your energy use! In addition, invest in a programmable thermostat which allows you to regulate temperature based on the times you are at home or away.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #24 of 50 ways we can help: 24. INVEST IN YOUR OWN COFFEE CUP If you start every morning with a steamy cup, a quick tabulation can show you that the waste is piling up. Invest in a reusable cup, which not only cuts down on waste, but keeps your beverage hot for a much longer time. Most coffee shops will happily fill your own
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #25 of 50 ways we can help: 25. BATCH ERRANDS Feel like you spend your whole week trying to catch up with the errands? Take a few moments once a week to make a list of all the errands that need to get done, and see if you can batch them into one trip. Not only will you be saving gasoline, but you might find yourself with much better time-management skills.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #26 of 50 ways we can help: 26. TURN OFF LIGHTS Always turn off incandescent bulbs when you leave a room. Fluorescent bulbs are more affected by the number of times it is switched on and off, so turn them off when you leave a room for 15 minutes or more. You'll save energy on the bulb itself, but also on cooling costs, as lights contribute heat to a room.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #27 of 50 ways we can help: 27. GREENER LAWN CARE If you must water your lawn, do it early in the morning before any moisture is lost to evaporation. Have a few weeds? Spot treat them with vinegar. Not sure if you should rake? Normal clippings act as a natural fertilizer, let them be. If you've waited too long, rake by hand — it's excellent exercise.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #28 of 50 ways we can help: Some time in between the artichoke dip and the coleslaw, you lost track of your cup, and now there are a sea of matching cups on the table, one of which might be yours. The next time you picnic, set out permanent marker next to disposable dinnerware so guests can mark their cup and everyone will only use one.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #29 of 50 ways we can help: 29. RECYCLE OLD CELL PHONES The average cell phone lasts around 18 months, which means 130 million phones will be retired each year. If they go into landfills, the phones and their batteries introduce toxic substances into our environment. There are plenty of reputable programs where you can recycle your phone, many which benefit noble causes.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #30 of 50 ways we can help: 30. MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLE Not only are you extending the life of your vehicle, but you are creating less pollution and saving gas. A properly maintained vehicle, clean air filters, and inflated tires can greatly improve your vehicle's performance. And it might not hurt to clean out the trunk—all that extra weight could be costing you at the pump.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #31 of 50 ways we can help: 31. RECYCLE UNWANTED WIRE HANGERS Wire hangers are generally made of steel, which is often not accepted by some recycling programs. So what do you do with them? Most dry cleaners will accept them back to reuse or recycle.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #32 of 50 ways we can help: 32. RECYCLE ALUMINUM AND GLASS Twenty recycled aluminium cans can be made with the energy it takes to manufacture one brand new one. Every ton of glass recycled saves the equivalent of nine gallons of fuel oil needed to make glass from virgin materials.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #33 of 50 ways we can help: 33. TELECOMMUTE See if you can work out an arrangement with your employer that you work from home for some portion of the week. Not only will you save money and gasoline, and you get to work in your pajamas!
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #34 of 50 ways we can help: 34. KEEP YOUR FIREPLACE DAMPER CLOSED Keeping the damper open (when you're not using your fireplace) is like keeping a 48-inch window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney. This can add up to hundreds of dollars each winter in energy loss.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #35 of 50 ways we can help: 35. CUT DOWN ON JUNK MAIL Feel like you need to lose a few pounds? It might be your junk mail that's weighing you down. The average American receives 40 pounds of junk mail each year, destroying 100 millions trees. There are many services that can help reduce the clutter in your mailbox, saving trees and the precious space on your countertops.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #36 of 50 ways we can help: 36. CHOOSE MATCHES OVER LIGHTERS Most lighters are made out of plastic and filled with butane fuel, both petroleum products. Since most lighters are considered "disposable," over 1.5 billion end up in landfills each year. When choosing matches, pick cardboard over wood. Wood matches come from trees, whereas most cardboard matches are made from recycled paper.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #37 of 50 ways we can help: 37. LET YOUR FINGERS DO THE WALKING—ONLINE Consider if you really need a paper phone book. If not, call to stop phone book delivery and use an online directory instead. Some estimate that telephone books make up almost ten percent of waste at dump sites. And if you still receive the book, don't forget to recycle your old volumes.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #38 of 50 ways we can help: 38. GIVE IT AWAY Before you throw something away, think about if someone else might need it. Either donate to a charitable organization or post it on a web site designed to connect people and things, such as Freecycle.org.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #39 of 50 ways we can help: 39. GO TO A CAR WASH Professional car washes are often more efficient with water consumption. If everyone in the U.S. who washes their car themselves took just one visit to the car wash we could save nearly 8.7 billion gallons of water
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #40 of 50 ways we can help: 40. PLASTIC BAGS SUCK Each year the U.S. uses 84 billion plastic bags, a significant portion of the 500 billion used worldwide. They are not biodegradable, and are making their way into our oceans, and subsequently, the food chain. Stronger, reusable bags are an inexpensive and readily available option.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #41 of 50 ways we can help: 41. FLY WITH AN E-TICKET The cost of processing a paper ticket is approximately $10, while processing an e-ticket costs only $1. In the near future, e-tickets will be the only option, saving the airline industry $3 billion a year. In addition to financial savings, the sheer amount of paper eliminated by this process is commendable.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #42 of 50 ways we can help: 42. DOWNLOAD YOUR SOFTWARE Most software comes on a compact disc, and more than thirty billion compact discs of all types are sold annually. That's a huge amount of waste, not to mention the associated packaging. Another bonus to downloading your software is that it's often available for download at a later date when you upgrade to a new computer or are attempting to recover from a crash.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #43 of 50 ways we can help: 43. STOP YOUR ANSWERING MACHINE Answering machines use energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And when they break, they're just one more thing that goes into the landfill. If all answering machines in U.S. homes were eventually replaced by voice mail services, the annual energy savings would total nearly two billion kilowatt-hours.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #44 of 50 ways we can help: 44. SKIP THE COFFEE STIRRER Each year, Americans throw away 138 billion straws and stirrers. But skipping the stirrer doesn't mean drinking your coffee black. Simply put your sugar and cream in first, and then pour in the coffee, and it should be well mixed. Determined to stir? Break off a piece of pasta from the cupboard. You can nibble after using it, compost, or throw away
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #45 of 50 ways we can help: 45. FIND A BETTER WAY TO BREAK THE ICE When a big winter storm heads our way, most of us use some sort of ice melter to treat steps and sidewalks. While this makes the sidewalks safer for people, it may pose a hazard for pets who might ingest these products. Rock salt and salt-based ice-melting products can cause health problems as well as contaminate wells and drinking water. Look for a pet-safe deicer, readily available in many stores.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #46 of 50 ways we can help: 46. USE COTTON SWABS WITH A PAPERBOARD SPINDLE Some brands of cotton swabs have a paperboard spindle while others are made of plastic. If 10% of U.S. households switched to a paperboard spindle, the petroleum energy saved per year would be equivalent to over 150,000 gallons of gasoline.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #47 of 50 ways we can help: 47. PAY BILLS ONLINE By some estimates, if all households in the U.S. paid their bills online and received electronic statements instead of paper, we'd save 18.5 million trees every year, 2.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and 1.7 billion pounds of solid waste.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #48 of 50 ways we can help: 48. STOP PAPER BANK STATEMENTS Some banks will pay you a dollar or donate money on your behalf when you cancel the monthly paper statements you get in the mail. If every household took advantage of online bank statements, the money saved could send more than seventeen thousand recent high school graduates to a public university for a year.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #49 of 50 ways we can help: 49. USE RECHARGABLE BATTERIES Each year 15 billion batteries produced and sold and most of them are disposable alkaline batteries. Only a fraction of those are recycled. Buy a charger and a few sets of rechargeable batteries. Although it requires an upfront investment, it is one that should pay off in no time. And on Christmas morning when all the stores are closed? You'll be fully stocked.
Pope Francis has asked us to care for the earth. Here is #50 of 50 ways we can help: 50. SHARE! Take what you've learned, and pass the knowledge on to others. If every person you know could take one small step toward being greener, the collective effort could be phenomenal.