Environmental Audit survey results - October 2023
Thank youto everyone who completed a survey. Here are the results from the 18 returned (3 online, 13 paper, 2 verbal).
88% said yes to ‘I consider an ethical lifestyle part of living out my Christian faith.’
More than 75% of responses were yes or sometimes to these statements:
I walk or cycle or share lifts to church services and events.
I try to reduce my car use when possible.
I limit my waste by adhering to principles of reduce, re-use, re-cycle.
I use the LOAF principle (Locally grown, Organic, Animal-friendly, Fairtrade) when buying food.
I seek to purchase Fairtrade goods where possible.
Other responses:
I seek to purchase ethically where possible (e.g. check source of products, bulk buy for less packaging). 67% Yes or sometimes
I have reviewed and made changes to their my diet to be healthier and more sustainable (e.g. less meat). 50% Yes
I consider where I put my money by using ethical banking, savings accounts and/or investments. 50% Yes or sometimes
My home electricity is renewable. 44% Yes or sometimes
I participate in community activities with an eco agenda (e.g. litter pick events, member of a group). 35% yes or sometimes
I have completed a personal carbon footprint audit in the last year. Just four people said yes, but three said they wanted to do one.
Which of the following CBC activities have helped and supported you in living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle?:
75% of people had been helped by Sermons and talks, 50% had adapted good practice from church
28% had learned from items in monthly newsletter and 11% from Church on-line (social media posts, Facebook, website)
Resources you have found helpful in living an environmentally friendly lifestyle:
IonaCommunity – lots of Eco stuff out there https://iona.org.uk/
Iona Community’s Heart of Creation https://www.ionabooks.com/product/a-heart-for-creation-downloadable-book/
Mission Zero Isle of Wight https://togetherformissionzero.co.uk/
Things you have done, or learned, in the last year, to care for creation:
Garden:
Installed water butts/ Water management i.e. washing up bowl when water butt is empty
Bird feeding
Producing own produce, some to give away
Not cutting grass to encourage wildlife
Use tea bags as garden fertiliser
At home:
Eco washing balls (instead of detergent)
Eco washing up liquid
Toilet and kitchen rolls packed in paper not plastic
Using electricity at certain times of day makes a difference
Food:
Healthy eating / living in view of physical needs and frailties
Eating less meat, more plant based meals
Purchasing:
When there is good labelling in shops, to buy Fairtrade or products available locally
Buy local foods where possible
Recycling:
Where can we recycle plastic bottle tops?
Blister packs (medication) – schemes via Boots and Aldi. Can we collect at church?
Do you have any plans for the future or any pledges to respond to creation care?:
Re designing my garden for wildlife and with native plants
Consider using more ethical energy supplier/ Switch to renewable energy
Travel: I will offset flights but need to find out how
Am resolved to not take short haul flights but to travel by train whenever possible
To purchase sustainable fabrics for clothing
Try a ‘waste free’ month of food shopping (will need to look for more local produce)
Using water based paints to decorate house
Using less plastic/ Not buying any cleaning product in plastic containers
Using ‘green cleaning’ methods at home
Nurturing oak tree to plant in the wild
My company! (in industrial decarbonisation)
To continue to improve.
Other comments:
What does an ethical lifestyle and ethical banking mean?
What does ‘creation care’ mean?
The real need for everyone to do what they can, even if it seems like a very small thing.
Too expensive to buy Fairtrade products
The challenge is making this accessible to all, particularly the poor.
There are lots of ethical options other than Fairtrade
We have a heat pump … none of home electricity resources is renewable
I want to do an individual carbon footprint but need help!
At church, can we organise a permanent display area at church for sharing Eco Church information for all who use the premises as well as our church family. This could include collecting items for recycling?
Can we buy more fairly traded products for church? e.g., flowers
Is there interest in working together regularly in the church grounds (garden and other things)?
