Do you want to do something about preserving and restoring God’s creation?
CONSIDER JOINING OUR CHURCH GREEN TEAM!!
Christ Our Anchor Presbyterian Church launched our Green Team the Sunday before Earth Day, April 18, 2021. A Steering Committee of about 8-10 members plans to do a full assessment of our property as well as processes around worship, education of all ages and day to day office business. Our Green Team leaders also have a relationship with the Watershed Stewards Academy and Interfaith Partners of the Chesapeake, which are offering us guidance on future projects that would be most impactful.
June 2022 Green Team Tip of the Month
This Green Team Tip is brought to you by Debbie Barbour, COA Christian Educator
May 2022 Green Team Tip of the Month
This Green Team Tip is brought to you by Deborah Sweigart
Use old clothes and fabrics, rather than paper, for cleaning supplies: Clothes that are too old or stained to be donated, sheets, towels and other fabrics can all be recycled or re-used for cleaning supplies. There is no need to use paper towels or other paper products, when you likely have a slew of cleaning supplies clamoring to be used. Worn-out socks make for great cleaning “gloves.”
April 2022 Green Team Tip of the Month
This Green Team Tip is brought to you by Joan Henderson
*Avoid the big four: plastic bags, plastic straws, take-out coffee cups and plastic water bottles.
*Bring containers to a restaurant and pack your own leftovers.
*Avoid precut, prepackaged vegetables. Buy them whole.
*Shop the bulk bins at the grocery store. Take cloth or mesh bags for your purchases.
*Try a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic toothbrush.
*Store leftovers without plastic wrap. Use beeswax wraps or place a plate on a bowl as a lid.
*Buy fresh bread that comes in a paper bag.
*Say farewell to all those prepackaged meals that are all the rage in grocery stores.
*Buy dishwasher detergent that comes in a box.
*Use natural cleaning cloths and scrubbers instead of plastic scrubbers and synthetic sponges.
*Check the labels on personal care products. Avoid anything with polyethylene.
*Try bar soap instead of liquid hand soap.
*Find hair products, lotions and soaps in glass jars and metal tins.
*Choose toilet paper that’s not wrapped in plastic.
*Use a handkerchief instead of tissues. Wait, are tissues made of plastic? No, but the box has plastic to help hold the tissues for easy access.
Plastic-Free for Easter
*Have children pick a basket or bowl in the home to leave out for the Easter bunny to fill.
*Avoid plastic Easter grass. Use shredded paper, a bandana or a cloth napkin to line the basket.
*Buy bulk candy and put it into little jars or cloth bags.
*Put a child’s favorite fruit in the basket.
*Include a small plant or package of seeds.
*Use food coloring and vinegar rather than egg dyeing kits, or dye eggs naturally with red cabbage, onion skins or beets.
SOURCE: Zero Waste LA, Chelsea Barnes and myplasticfreelife.com and included in Presbyterians Today, March/April 2022
March 2022 Green Team Tip of the Month
Brought to you by Green Team member, Keith Maynard
With Spring Flowers Come Spring Weeds: Environmentally Friendly (and inexpensive) Weed Killers There are a wide variety of homemade weed killers you can use to battle weeds while minimizing damage to your other plants and to the environment. I found a mix of white household vinegar, epsom salt, and dish detergent to be quite effective. Whatever recipe you choose, collect your ingredients now so you’ll be ready to mix it up for weed season when the forsythia blooms.
Here are 3 links to make your own natural weed killer:
February 2022 Green Team Tip of the Month
Brought to you by Green Team member, Mike Henderson
Have you considered taking the “Straw-Free” pledge? There are estimates that Americans use 500 million drinking straws every day. Think how much raw materials and landfill space could be saved if straw usage was cut by a third or half! If you are a take it or leave it straw user like me, consider saying, “No straw please” when placing your drink order in a restaurant. It’s highly unlikely that straws laid on the table are put back in the box if they haven’t been used. If you prefer using straws, think about using reusable straws. Check out this National Park Service article on a Straw Free campaign for more information and ideas.
January 2022 Green Team Tip of the Month
Thinking about New Year’s Resolutions, but afraid you won’t keep up with it all year? Here’s one that you can do that will provide benefits to the Earth all year long: Consider switching to an energy supplier that utilizes renewable energy. BGE customers can choose to get their electricity from any of the suppliers on their website. BGE Electricity Suppliers With some of the suppliers, you can choose to have some or all of the electricity you buy come from renewable sources. The more that people choose renewable energy, the more incentive there is for more renewable energy facilities to be built and it also allows fossil fuel plants to be decommissioned, which in turn, reduces our CO 2 emissions.
Things to know:
- Research a few companies before choosing a new supplier.
- To support sustainable energy, you may pay more, but sometimes the cost is equal or only slightly more than what you are currently paying. When shopping for a supplier, you can compare their offers to these numbers.
- Your choice of supplier is not permanent, but you usually commit to a one or two-year contract.
- The electricity is supplied by the company you choose, but the electricity travels through the grid maintained by BGE. You will still be billed through BGE.
December Green Team Tip of the Month
- Eco-Friendly Christmas Decorations to make yourself or with kids
- Low-Waste Wrapping Ideas
- Maryland-inspired green gifts
- For the gardening enthusiast, there’s pumpkin spice compost from Annapolis Green
- More info on Annapolis’ composting program here
November Green Team Tip of the Month: Recycle your pumpkins
Click here for instructions on how to make a pumpkin bird feeder, and many more great ways to reuse/recycle your pumpkins!
October Green Team Tip of the Month: Don’t leaf it to chance…Bag and dispose of your leaves in a Bay-friendly way!
Leaves clog storm drains and add excess nutrients to our waterways, causing algae blooms that rob the water of life-giving oxygen for fish and other aquatic life.
More on the impact of nutrients on water quality:
More on Bay-friendly leaf disposal
September Green Team Tip of the Month: Plant a tree! September is an ideal time.
A single tree can reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality, combat global warming, provide food and habitat for wildlife – even increase property values by as much as 20%! But not all trees are created equal. For the biggest impact on the ecosystem, plant native species. And Sept. is a great time to do it!
For a list of the most-popular native trees for planting and planting tips, check out these sites:
Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake Native Trees booklet
Coupon for $25 off a native Maryland tree at participating retailers
Mark your Calendar:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2021, 9 AM – 12 PM
CAPE CONSERVATION CORPS Native Plant Fest and Sale
Free · Public Welcome ·1223 River Bay Rd, Annapolis, MD 21409
Experts on hand for advice!
For more info on this event, visit their Facebook page.
August Green Team Tip of the Month:
Tired of mowing in the “dog days” of summer? Try “Green Mulch!”
Besides reducing lawn maintenance, “Green Mulch” ground covers also provide a food source for pollinators! Ideal spots are under trees where grass doesn’t grow well or on a slope that’s hard to mow. Most need little maintenance once established. Plan now and plant in Sept.!
Click here for a native plant list for different conditions.
Here’s a list of how-to’s and plants to avoid.
Mark your calendar:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2021, 9 AM – 12 PM
CAPE CONSERVATION CORPS Native Plant Fest and Sale
Free · Public Welcome ·1223 River Bay Rd, Annapolis, MD 21409
Including many ground covers! Experts on hand for advice!
Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1377954922566343/?ti=ls
July Green Team Tip of the Month:
Mosquitos bugging you? Try these non-toxic, eco-friendly solutions. From entomologist Doug Tallamy from the University of Delaware: Fill a large bucket of water with hay or straw and let it ferment for a couple of days. This will attract mosquitos to lay eggs. Add Mosquito Dunks, available at the hardware store– ¼ disc works for 30 days. The active ingredient is a naturally occurring bacterium called B.t.i., which kills mosquitos at the larval stage. Put a 1-inch diameter stick in the bucket as a ladder in case a mouse crawls in! Watch the video
This yard spray was broadcast by Paul Harvey more than 20 years ago:
June Green Team Tip of the Month:
HELPFUL LINKS
