Environmental Stewardship: Tips & Links
The Green Team at Aldersgate UMC was established to promote an atmosphere of caring for God's creation at Algersgate and to encourage activities that are beneficial to the environment and to Aldersgate. We maintain contact with the Virginia Conference work group Caring for God's Creation to participate in statewide programs and to share ideas for environmental stewardship. While concerned about global warming and ways we may need to adapt to it, our main concern is sustainable practices which will preserve the beauty and resources of the earth to the seventh generation.
Below are some links to sites concerned with caring for God’s creation. We will be updating these and notifying you of ways you can participate in caring for our environment as we encounter them.
Caretakers of God’s Creation location on Facebook (don’t need to join)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Caretakers-of-Gods-Creation/66637682036
Home Page: http://www.vaumc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=950
About Pat Watkins, Executive Director. http://www.vaumc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=672
The UMC Women’s Division (all the UMW groups at the national level) has green suggestions and also engages in efforts to get federal legislation on climate change.
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umw/work/social-action/environment
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umw/work/social-action/environment/climatechange/?i=30188
Fairfax County recyling program: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/recycling/
Local Interfaith Power and Light, a non-profit initiative that helps congregations work for a more just, sustainable and healthier creation by reducing the threat of global warming. Has suggestions for worship and for green practices. http://www.gwipl.org
Earth and Life Studies http://dels.nas.edu
Board on Atmosphereic Sciences http://dels.nas.edu/basc
Audubon Society http://www.audubon.org/globalWarming
local http://www.audubonva.org
Where to recycle things by zip code: http://www.earth911.com
The Worldwatch Institute is an independent research organization recognized by opinion leaders around the world for its accessible, fact-based analysis of critical global issues. The Institute's three main program areas include Climate & Energy, Food & Agriculture, and the Green Economy. http://www.worldwatch.org/
International Society of Arboriculture: www.treesaregood.com. Information on value of trees, buying trees, and care of trees.
Environmental Defense Fund: recent developments in clean energy. www.edf.org
National Resources Defense Council: Advocates for the environment. www.nrdc.org
and www.savebiogems.org/newsletter
National Wildlife Federation pages on
http://www.nwf.org/globalwarming/statefactsheets.cfm
A carbon footprint calculator for your home may be found at http://www.carbonfootprint.com/cartravel.html
Northern Virginal Soil and Water Conservation District has activities and information on good environmental practices. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd (a part of state government, not county in spite of the website name)