June 30,2020

 We want YOU to join our Board!

Do you have Faith in a cleaner, healthier, more just future?

• Do you believe that our diverse faith and spiritual communities can be a force for good?
• Are you passionate and hopeful about protecting our environment for future generations?
• Are you a self-starter who respects tradition but is unafraid of change?
• Are you comfortable talking about money?
• Do you thrive working in multi-cultural, multi-faith, grass-roots environments?
• Do you have a sense of humour?
• Do you have some of the interests and experience discussed below?
  
  

If you answered a strong “Yes!” to these questions, you may be just the person we are looking for to join our Board of Directors.

Download the PDF for more information.

SUMMARY

The Beit Tikvah Synagogue hugglekulture garden is a superb example of permaculture, polyculture and regenerative agriculture on a small scale in Ottawa. Permaculture garden design is a “whole systems” approach to growing food by maximizing the benefits of natural ecosytem principles into the landscape. Using natural water flow movement, the benefits of woody material decomposition (both for nutrients and water storage) and increasing the seasonal biodiversity of food crops, this hugglekulture garden optimizes nature’s cycles and reduces the work for the synagogue’s gardening community.

(Beit Tikvah's Orchard and Gardens, Title photo reproduced with permission by photographer (2020))

Caring Sustainably for Saskatchewan

“Wherever you are, whatever you do, you can act daily for the climate.”

Saskatchewan Environmental Groups Collaborate on Webinar Series.

“The webinar format allows us to invite speakers from outside Saskatoon, such as speakers from Saskatchewan's Ministry of Environment and PACE Canada,” says Carroll Chubb, CIEA Committee Member, and main organizer. “PACE financing is a way to finance building alterations to buildings that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” 

Warm sunshine dazzles the earth around me warming both my body and my soul as I look up into a bright blue open sky.  Overhead a flock of geese so heavy that a shadow is cast over the yard and upon closing my eyes I hear the powerful thrust of flapping wings.  In the distance, a coyote yelps as cattle join into the chorus while songbirds sing a delightful accompaniment.  Snow is melting, buds are forming, water is flowing the aroma of fresh earth fills the air and tonight the skies will be filled with a tapestry of endless stars, this is springtime in Saskatchewan and what a magnificent concert it is to take in. It is so easy to fall in love with creation yet true love always desires responsibility.

SUMMARY

The Orleans United Healing Biodiversity Garden was created to commemorate the 40^th anniversary of the church. The focus on both biodiversity and healing came from the desire for this new garden to provide both habitat and shelter for wildlife and offer a relaxing space for meditation and prayer for community members including those benefiting from a new healing ministry program. Nature itself offers healing benefits and this garden provides a designated space to sit outdoors and enjoy the wonder and beauty of being outdoors.

(Title Image - Photo credit - F. Lemay-Legault)

“What kind of world do we want to leave to those who will come after us,
to children who are growing up?" 
Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ #160

Celebrating the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si’ with dialogue and solidarity around the future of our common home

In the five years since Pope Francis signed his groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’ calling on everyone to care for our common home, the ecological crisis has intensified and the current coronavirus pandemic is laying bare the deep injustices and inequalities still present in our world. Laudato Si’ continues to be a compelling source of hope, guidance and inspiration for creative initiatives including the formation of the Global Catholic Climate Movement which has grown to over 900 member organizations seeking to bring Laudato Si’ to life and respond to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.

(The Haven Community Garden - Multifaith Housing Initiative, Photo Credit: Nancy Moir)

SUMMARY

The Haven’s two-year old community garden is a LEED gold component of the Multifaith Housing Initiative’s (MHI) newest development in Barrhaven. Growing local produce and helping with food security is one of the garden’s tangible goals but participating in this outdoor activity offers residents much more: an opportunity to strengthen the connections in this neighbourhood and build trust and confidence between members.

Faith buildings account for about 42% of a typical faith community’s carbon footprint, according to a Canadian National Inventory Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.* With over 27,000  faith communities in Canada, the faith sector can do a lot to lower emissions, starting from their places of worship. Doing so also encourages congregants to follow suit at home. Energy conservation and efficiency is an obvious way to immediately reduce emissions and make a real impact.

As a start, it is useful to track energy usage, because you can’t change what you don’t measure. Over the last three years, FCG has been supporting faith communities to do just that, through our Energy Benchmarking program for faith groups. Now that the program is drawing to an end, this wrap-up blog offers insights to help your faith group tackle next steps in retrofitting. We will end with tips from one participant of the program.

We share insights from our Building Audit Manager, Stephen Collette. Stephen is a sustainable building consultant, and a heritage professional specializing in faith community buildings. He blogs at  http://www.yourhealthyhouse.ca