Children at Meeting (Sunday School)
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Environmental Concerns
York Friends' environmental concerns and activities are stimulated in part by the query for Twelfth month: Are you concerned for responsible use of natural resources and their nurture for future generations? Do you try to avoid wasteful consumption and pollution? Do you seek to preserve the beauty and balance of God's world? |
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York Friends Native Plant Project
The Longest Walk II
On Feb. 11th, Longest Walk participants embarked on a 5 month journey
from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. arriving on July 11th. The
Longest Walk south route is being led by AIM co-founder Dennis J.
Banks. It is an extraordinary grassroots effort on a national level to
bring attention to the environmental disharmony of Mother Earth, sacred
site issues, and to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the original
longest walk.Walkers with arrive in the York area on or around July 8,
2008, en route to Washington, DC. .
Stay tuned to our web calendar for more up-to-date information about their arrival in York Here is a blog about the Northern route. Buy Local/Fair Trade Some York Friends Members
and attenders support 'buy local' and 'fair trade' efforts and
initiatives. Buying local produce and buying fair trade products can
benefit local/global communities and can have a positive
environmental impact as well. Below are some links you can explore to
begin to learn more.
Buying Local
Did the dinner you had last
night travel more miles to reach your plate than you have traveled in
the past year? Very possible...
http://www.localharvest.org/buylocal.jsphttp://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/buylocal/ School of Sustainable Living Get Fresh with Sarah Snow (from the Discovery channel) Eating Seasonally Famer's Markets/CSAs
Fair Trade
Not just a social issue...."Fair trade actively encourages better environmental practices and the
application of responsible methods of production. Fair trade certifiers for
example strictly prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs),
promote integrated farm management systems that improve soil fertility, and
limit the use of harmful agrochemicals in favor of environmentally sustainable
farming methods that protect farmers' health and preserve valuable ecosystems
for future generations." Read more
http://www.fairtraderesource.org/ Fair Trade Coffee (York Friends Meeting House uses only Fair Trade coffee) Benefits (taken from the EPA website):
Compost use can result in a variety of environmental benefits. The following are a few of the most important benefits:
Compost has the ability to
help regenerate poor soils. The composting process encourages the
production of beneficial micro-organisms (mainly bacteria and fungi)
which in turn break down organic matter to create humus. Humus--a rich
nutrient-filled material--increases the nutrient content in soils and
helps soils retain moisture. Compost has also been shown to suppress
plant diseases and pests, reduce or eliminate the need for chemical
fertilizers, and promote higher yields of agricultural crops.
The composting process has
been shown to absorb odors and treat semivolatile and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs), including heating fuels, polyaromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs), and explosives. It has also been shown to bind heavy metals and
prevent them from migrating to water resources or being absorbed by
plants. The compost process degrades and, in some cases, completely
eliminates wood preservatives, pesticides, and both chlorinated and
nonchlorinated hydrocarbons in contaminated soils.
Composting organic
materials that have been diverted from landfills ultimately avoids the
production of methane and leachate formulation in the landfills.
Compost has the ability to prevent pollutants in stormwater runoff from
reaching surface water resources. Compost has also been shown to
prevent erosion and silting on embankments parallel to creeks, lakes,
and rivers, and prevents erosion and turf loss on roadsides, hillsides,
playing fields, and golf courses.
Using compost can reduce
the need for water, fertilizers, and pesticides. It serves as a
marketable commodity and is a low-cost alternative to standard landfill
cover and artificial soil amendments. Composting also extends municipal
landfill life by diverting organic materials from landfills and
provides a less costly alternative to conventional methods of
remediating (cleaning) contaminated soil.
Additional information about composting::
Make a rolling composter for about $15
Here is one of many websites that describe how to make a "rolling"
composter out of a garbage can with a secure lid:
http://www.ca.uky.edu/enri/pubs/enri311.pdf. Based on a recent check at a large home improvement store, a plastic outdoor
garbage can with wheels and a handle costs as little as $15 or so. A special
"spinning composter" typically costs $160 or more!!
Note: While you can use a
metal can, some websites warn that the moisture content of compostig
materials can cause the bottom to rust.
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