Eco-Act 21-07: the “global” in global warming

eco not ego

global climate change

Today we begin to look at how and where we as individuals fit into the work of eliminating global warming. To do this, we’ll dig just a bit into agriculture, which accounts for 19% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually, according to Bill Gates in How to Avoid a Climate Disaster*. As we start, we should remember three points.

1. We truly are all connected. Atmospheric warming can’t be eliminated by or for Seattle, Washington state or the US alone. We can and should take steps that help local conditions, and we can be confident that these measures contribute to the bigger solutions needed. But despite our best efforts, we will feel some negative impacts of global warming in Seattle, the Northwest, the US—and in the northern hemisphere—until climate problems are addressed globally. It should also be stated that the global majority will face more severe consequences of global warming, first.

2. Global climate solutions must pair with global equity solutions. Effective, lasting climate solutions must be robust enough to work for a growing world population (the Pew Research Center estimates it at 10.9 billion in 2100), supporting higher living standards and expanding economies that enable increasing worldwide consumption of goods and energy. We have a mandate to act, from both a climate and a social justice perspective: no (social) justice, no (climate) peace.

3. Game-changing climate solutions will require global scale. Carbon taxes, solar and wind farms, transition to “clean” steel and cement, carbon capture technologies …. These and many other initiatives will be essential to the elimination of GHG emissions. And they will require investments, technology advances and legislative actions exceeding by orders of magnitude the contributions any one of us alone can make. Does this make our individual efforts pointless? Absolutely not! Our actions can help make a direct difference. Here, for example, are three actions we as individuals could take right now that have the potential to reduce GHG emissions in the agriculture sector:

   • Waste less food. Americans throw away something like 40%** of the food they buy—twice the percentage of Europeans and some other populations. As wasted food rots in the landfill, it releases GHGs—3.3 billion tons each year. So we can help reduce global warming simply by shopping for food more carefully and making sure we use everything we buy.

   • Modify our diets. Raising livestock for food is a major source of GHG emissions in the agriculture sector. Reducing the amount of meat we eat thus makes a direct, if gradual, contribution to GHG elimination. Consider also that our reduced consumption here will help compensate for other parts of the world where improving standards of living support increased meat consumption. Can our meal planning include a few meatless (or “engineered” meat) entrées each week?

   • Get smart about fertilizing our gardens. As they are used, fertilizers can release nitrogen, which ultimately leads to GHG emissions and water pollution. Yet plants—including those in our Union Gardens—benefit from fertilizing. The challenge is to fertilize just enough. A wealth of information on this topic can be found here and elsewhere online.

Intentional acts like the three noted above produce direct benefits and confirm the value our individual roles, in this case as consumers and savvy gardeners. But they do more: they signal the food industry, agribusinesses, corporate farmers and livestock producers, and other organizations that our requirements, and thus our shopping behaviors, are changing. And to continue to enjoy success in the marketplace, these major corporations and other businesses will have to change their behaviors as well, by changing product offerings or raising smaller herds, for example, or growing food grains instead of livestock feed.

Climate change is truly global. But even so, we do fit into the work of eliminating global warming—by our actions on a personal scale, and by our influence on regional, national and global-scale players.

* How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Bill Gates, page 55. The formal title for this category is actually “agriculture, forestry and other land use.”

** How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, page 121.

Eco-Act 025: Re-capping Waste

Waste. It’s been a joy to explore this summer but as we take our cue from the seasons and transition into fall, we want to explore some of the things we’ve learned since July.

Here are a few reminders from our journey through waste:

• Where does it go?: The City of Seattle has excellent resources when it comes to waste. Have a question about disposing of an item? Check out their accessible site!

• Recycling: According to Seattle Public Utilities, our city does a great job, though there’s always room for improvement.

• Trying Ridwell: We’ve heard of many Union folks trying this waste subscription company! Though I (Adrienne) had an experience working as a driver that raised some questions, I would affirm that the company does channel all the waste where it needs to go.

• Swaps: There are many ways to switch out single-use plastic, look for alternatives, and support zero-waste (local) stores!

• Join the Circular Economy: What ways are you participating in creating less waste, sharing more, and giving items new lives?

Waste

is what you do with it

• Food Waste to Security: We have more than enough resources to feed those who are food insecure. In addition to the above link, check this post out for more volunteer opportunities.

• E-Waste: Learn more & proceed intentionally.

• Heart Posture: Beyond simplicity and resisting consumerism, we can and must frame our actions and our hope from the lens of justice. Often communities left out of the dominant culture’s centering of care are the first and most impacted by climate change.

• Small acts are communal: beyond supporting the county’s plans (SCAP), we as individuals can make adjustments in our everyday lives that have huge impacts.

So what has stuck for you? Hopefully, you can take one or a handful of these ideas and put some of them into practice this fall. Creativity abounds with every plastic yogurt container: be it in the creation of sculpture art or as a new indoor garden of seedlings.

To bring it back from our first post in July, waste (in all its forms) means a lot for Christians. As waste continues to have devastating impacts for our global neighbors who receive legal or illegal waste generated by the US, for sea creatures and ecosystems, and for the land/air in general that gets polluted with industrial toxins, we’d point to the Gospel according to Matthew:

“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you” (7:12), and

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (22:39)

And that should be reason enough. Do you have any more waste tips or tricks to share, or any new ideas you learned in this waste deep dive? Let us know in the comments below or email Adrienne!

Eco-Act 023: Stories from the fields

As we round out our waste series (for now), we thought we’d highlight a food waste story from our greater region that has local implications. Earlier this summer, Alysun Deckert — studio 3 elder and UWMC nutritionist — sent us an article about a former coworker who started a nonprofit (read: movement!) to redistribute food in our region at the onset of COVID-19. By partnering with farmers in Eastern WA who had surplus produce and community members all over the state, George Ahearn and co. began moving tons of produce, dairy, meat and other foods to create more food security in this time of need.

moving food

with community

Since its inception in late April, EastWest Food Rescue has diverted 8,000,000+ pounds of food and served 1,500,000+ meals. And it all started through serendipitous community connections. You can read more about their story and the heart behind this food movement in this UW Bothell article, or by visiting their website above. As our eco-act for this week, we challenge you to meditate on George’s words from the UW interview:

“It’s really just finding a way to connect the dots. I was amazed to see a potato give people hope and to bring tears to people on both sides — the donors and the recipients. A potato can give people purpose,” he said. “So, figure out what dots you have in your life and try to connect those and make it easier for someone.”

And isn’t that how it happens? We’ve seen the harvest and abundance of opportunity grow as we invest in relationships with those we live with, our neighbors, and community partners during this year. Acts of tending and keeping (our first vocation, according to Genesis) can be as simple as a potato — literally.

So what dots in your life can you connect around food security, waste, care for the earth, and ultimately, justice? Might there be an opportunity to cook an extra meal for a neighbor — on your street or from Compass House? Could you plant your garden this winter and coming warm season, planning to grow some excess produce to be used in Union’s various food ministries? Or maybe you might connect with EastWest Food Rescue by volunteering your time to let nothing go wasted.

Let us know what dots you connect and the ideas you might have that our community can help you grow.

Eco-Act 017: Food Waste to Security

This week, it’s no surprise that we circle back to food waste in our wider coverage of waste. Food is so much a part of our everyday, tangible existence — which for many of us in quarantine, has looked like equal cycles of delight and dread as we cook homemade sourdough everythings, and/or really nothing at all (ordering take-out does help our local food industry & workers!).

Food is literally the foundation of our bodies, the building blocks of our cells. In terms of our faith, Jesus uses such mundane, everyday items (bread and wine, fish and loaves) to help us re-member and heal the fractures in ourselves, our communities, and the world, and make evident the miraculous abundance of the Kingdom (more on our food ministry here)

Food waste

to food security

This week, we invite you to learn about food insecurity by chewing on the Truth & Justice reflection written by Alysun Deckert, Studio 3 Elder and registered UW Medical Center dietician. As Alysun highlights the very real statistics behind food security, especially in a pandemic and especially among Black and Brown folks, there are ways we can continue to redirect food away from waste and towards security (while also lowering carbon emissions!) In addition to resources shared on her post, here are some more ideas:

• Increase food access through the University Food Bank by rescuing excess food and funneling it to folks who could use it. Union goes weekly and sends food directly to LUV & Compass House, along with using produce rescued in our 300+ weekly burrito roll.

  You as an individual or family can also rescue food there; rescuing food has low barriers and it can go far for yourself or if you’re cooking for others (Compass House & LUV included!). Email Adrienne to get in touch with a Food Bank staff member.

• Check out Civil Eats for great reads, inspiring stories, and news updates on what is happening across the country in the ways of food and politics.

• See the FAO (UN Food & Agricultural Organization) for the global perspective on food security, with special attention to their food loss indicators, and affirmation on shifting excess food to those who are hungry.

• Shift your household’s food waste. Before food is wasted, cook some homemade meals for Compass House, LUV, or other neighbors in need. More info here, otherwise email Adrienne if you have any questions! And consider buying Imperfect produce for “ugly” food that has already been reclaimed.

• As Kitchen Table Conversations talked about this week after listening to the 2nd episode of the Chief Seattle podcast, consider some of the health conditions of folks you are cooking for. Providing balanced meals low in sugar and high in protein, full of veggies, and with attention to common sensitivities (gluten, soy, nuts, dairy) can make a huge difference for folks who are diabetic or who have other food requirements.

As Christ affirms with his incarnation, bodies are good and the tangible, accessible food that nourishes our bodies is also good. Because of this, we cannot ignore the food injustices present in our communities, especially among communities of color as related to environmental injustices, systemic racism, histories of colonization, capitalism, and immigration rights — the powers and principalities that be.

Let us continue tending to the work of justice in our neighborhoods by leveling our food systems. We leave you with such images from Scripture as Mary sings in the Magnificat,

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…[God] has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; [God] has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.”

Luke 18:46-47, 52-53

And as Isaiah 40 proclaims:

A voice cries out:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
    make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
    and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
    and the rough places a plain.
5 Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
    and all people shall see it together,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Eco-Act 010: Exploring Waste

knowing our waste

and where it goes

For the next subtopic within our eco-faith initiative, we are taking a deep dive into waste (of all kinds!) — and simple things you can do to learn more, act, and reduce waste. This post and eco-act invitation is really just an introduction to waste. Later, we will delve more into plastics, e-waste, toxic waste, consumerism, and maybe even sprinkle in a few more ideas about food waste and compost! Ultimately, we also hope to offer ideas on how you can live a lower waste lifestyle (any things you already do??).

So to start, let’s get a lay of the local systems and municipal offerings. We are privileged to live in a city where residential and commercial compost is taken by Seattle Public Utilities (or other commercial providers), people are (mostly) cognizant of sorting waste, and zero or low-waste lifestyles are encouraged (reusable water bottles or mugs, etc). Wherever you are located, it’s important to get acquainted with the resources your city provides! Here are a few great Seattle resources to get started:

• Where Does It Go? List: This detailed tool gives a breakdown of where to toss everything from dryer sheets to asbestos by Seattle Public Utilities.

• Buy Nothing Project: Started in 2013 on Bainbridge Island, two friends created what has now become a global gift economy phenomenon! Read more here, and be sure to check their group locator page, as well as Covid-19 statement.

• Eco-Collective: This is an amazing zero-waste store in Ballard that has many home essentials and a bulk bar (full of oils, shampoo, cleaning solution, spices). They do rigorous product testing and give detailed product info about end-of life disposal as well.

Finally, what is the importance of waste for Christians anyway? As waste continues to have devastating impacts for our global neighbors who receive legal or illegal waste generated by the US, for sea creatures and ecosystems, and for the land in general that gets polluted with industrial toxins, we’d point to the Gospel according to Matthew:

“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you” (7:12), and

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (22:39)

And that should be reason enough. We hope you’ll join us by sharing some ways you are reducing or reusing waste. Let us know in the comments below, or email Adrienne!

Eco-Act 006: Let Nothing Be Wasted

Again we encourage you to center, learn from, and support Black environmentalists. Here are a few more to add to our list from last week’s post:

@marandas_world [Low-Waste, Sustainability Parent]
@greengirlmagic [Climate/ Environmental Justice Lawyer]
@rasheena.fountain [Environmental Educator / Writer]
@climatediva [Climate Advocate / Writer]
@climateincolour [Climate Conversation Bridge]

reduce food waste

(this outranks electric vehicles & solar farms!!)

News about climate change and our environment seems overwhelmingly negative these days, doesn't it? It leaves us feeling anxious, guilty, angry, resigned … or thinking in panic "we've got to DO SOMETHING!" But what? Well, here's a positive step to consider.

According to Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, the #3 most powerful environmental action we can take is to REDUCE FOOD WASTE. Think about it: shrinking food waste outranks electric vehicles and solar farms in potential environmental benefit. And each of us can act on this TODAY.

The USDA estimates that 1/3 of available food is wasted each year in our country. And greenhouse gases are released in producing, transporting, storing, and disposing of this food in landfills.

Clearly, what we produce must be better aligned with what we consume. But this adjustment will take time. Positive steps we can take RIGHT NOW are available. We can align our family shopping more closely to our actual eating patterns, for example. Here’s a list of 20 steps that start there and then go on. You can also send some of your food scraps to a worm bin to create nice compost for your garden.

We can also make and donate meals to put our unneeded food to excellent use. Union offers several ways to do this.

The bottom line is that we CAN DO SOMETHING. And in so doing, maybe we can relax a bit, knowing that we’re following the guidance of Jesus after he had fed 5000: “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” (John 6:12)

Eco-Act 004: Worm Bins!

start a worm bin

& cultivate great soil!

This week, we have our first eco-act of hope + purpose to share from the Union community! We hope you enjoy this tip from Bob Tissell:

“I have been sending my kitchen scraps to the worms for years in my home worm bin. I bought the first set of worms from a nursery, and I have been so successful that I now have 3 bins, and plenty of worms to share with others.

I use old insulated coolers I found at yard sales, often for free. These keep my worms warm in winter and cool in summer. Sawdust, shavings, or wood chips make up the bedding. ”

Bob says he would like to share his worms with anyone interested in starting their own worm bin. Message him at bertdonsell@gmail.com if you want free worms!

There are many different ways to build or buy your own worm bin (see below). The worms will eat up your food scraps and produce castings, or nutrient-dense compost. Sprinkle that (and any worm tea that you collect!) on your garden, add it to your potted plants, etc.

Here are a few more worm bin resources to get you going:

• WSU’s Cheap & Easy Worm Bin — great tips, troubleshooting for a multi-bin system

• Cornell’s “6 Easy Steps…” — very simple read for one bin

• Mother Jones’ take — longer read but very informative, especially the part on harvesting the nutrient-dense worm castings

We hope your worms and food scraps flourish and transform your dirt into soil full of vitality and life! As Adrienne’s mom says, “Soil is a living ecosystem full of nutrients. Dirt is a four letter word”. (Yes, we know soil is also a four letter word…)