Environment Committee

Made in God's own image, human beings are both an integral part of the ongoing Creation and the stewards who must protect all that God has given. The Environment Committe at St. Andrew's is an informal group, setting out to engage in the work of environmental care and stewardship, focusing on three broad areas:

• Theology of the environment
• Environmental stewardship within St. Andrew's
• Environmental stewardship in the broader world

Join us! Typically we meet on a Monday evening, every other month. Our next meeting will be Monday, 6 October in the basement of the Episcopal Student Center (next door to St. Andrew's). Another great way to get involved is by signing up for our Google group, where members can coordinate actions, share resources, and discuss ideas via email. Have more questions? Feel free to contact Doug or Neely Kelley.

St. Andrew's parishioner meets with Bishop James Jones

Robert Bindschadler, a parishioner at St. Andrew's and glaciologist at NASA Goddard, was recently invited to a lunch meeting with the Right Reverend James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool. Bishop Jones is a fervent and active environmentalist who has a particular interest in uniting the environmental movement with traditional Christians to reduce and alleviate climate change. Dr. Bindschadler has written an article about the meeting, published in the December Celtic, and you can read more at Bishop Jones' site.

Adult forum: Christians and Trade Justice • September 2007

Beginning 9 September 2007 there will be a four-part adult forum entitled “Christians and Trade Justice,” jointly facilitated by members of the Environment Committee and Jubilee Commission. We will be meeting in the Rector's Lounge on Sunday mornings, 9:30 - 10:15 am. All are welcome to attend. Topics are below, and discussion guides are available in advance. Hope to see you there!

• 9 September - Trade Justice: A Biblical Imperative
• 16 September - Problems and Possibilities
• 23 September - Fair Trade and Cooperative Success Stories
• 30 September - Toward a Better World

Energy Audit Results: Well Done, More to Do

This summer members of St. Andrew's met with Allison Fisher of Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light to perform an energy audit of our facilities. They did a thorough walk-through of the building, and the result is a detailed Energy Assessment Report.

We should be proud! The results are quite positive overall, and St. Andrew's is already doing a good job of managing thermostats, using low-power lighting, insulating properly, etc. The report also points out areas where our energy efficiency can be improved further, like recycling, unplugging electronics that are not in use, upgrading fluorescent fixtures to T8 fluorescents, installing LED exit signs, reducing water usage, and upgrading older windows to double-pane.

For more information, you can read the full report.

Eastern Shore Bike Ride • 26 May 2007

A bicycle is a fine way to spend a day enjoying Creation! We drove to St. Michael's, MD, a cute and historic town on the Eastern Shore. From there we set out pedaling. Wide shoulders, light traffic, and an absolute lack of hills—plus plenty of sunshine—made it a great place for cyclists of all levels. For scenery we had bayfront, 17^th-century farms, and even an osprey nest. A few photos are below.

19^th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup • 31 March 2007

We had a great time helping out with the 19^th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup! Six of us joined with a group from the Environment Committee at St. Columba's, DC, to pick up refuse on a stretch of Rock Creek between Frog Rock and Pierce Mill. The weather turned out to be gorgeous. Together we collected about 20 bags of trash, plus an aluminum gutter, a set of mattress springs, and a few other large objects. Check out our photos below!