Eco-Act 015: Everyday Swaps

As we shared in last week’s post, there are a few strategies to reduce our waste, tread more lightly on the earth, and be better neighbors to those affected by climate change disproportionately (the Global South, communities of color). One of the ideas brought up was purchasing behavior. Following last week’s list of sustainable gifts to consider, we invite you this week to swap out some everyday items that are little-zero waste.

accessible alternatives

swap for zero-waste

One local shop that has made a lower waste lifestyle more accessible is the Eco-Collective. Located in Ballard and founded by a group of women, there are many reasons to support this little zero waste shop. Their website has lots of great resources (blogs, videos, social media links, very informative product instructions about use and end of life disposal). They are not currently open for retail shopping but you can order everything online, choosing from local pick up (11am-2pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays), local delivery ($8 fee for over $25 order), or shipping 100% plastic-free and carbon-neutral nationally.

Additionally, they have a fabulous bulk bar that features everything from dish soap to gummy vitamins. In these covid times when many bulk bars are closed and you cannot use your own containers to reduce single-use plastic, they have a $2 deposit program to reuse the glass jars that most of their bulk items are packaged in. The hand soap, mango curl conditioner, and dish soap have been great!

Here are some of Adrienne’s other favorite products:

• The Stasher Silicone Sandwich Bag: “these durable and reusable silicone bags stand the test of time, and are microwave safe, dishwasher safe, sous vide ready, oven strong, and fridge and freezer friendly.” Fun colors, great to organize things, and a way to say goodbye to plastic baggies! (Hint, Ballard Market had a sale on this size and the “snack bag” size…worth checking out!).

• Refillable Dental Floss: this is a super easy one! Kept in a small glass vial, simply refill the floss when it runs out and viola!

• Charcoal Water Filter: this nifty activated charcoal Japanese oak does a lot of good. “The stick of charcoal bonds with the toxins in tap water and absorbs impurities, while also imparting healthy minerals like calcium and magnesium.” I have loved the water bottle size and am on my 3rd one (though it does clank around in there). The used ones get broken up and used as filtration in my potted plants!

These are a few of the things I’ve tried…all of which I have had great experiences with. Purchasing from this little store is easy, convenient, and local. It has also piqued my interest in other zero-waste alternatives to everyday items.

Have another store or low-waste alternative that you recommend? Let us know in the comments!

Prayers of the People: August 9th, 2020

This prayer was led by Mark Mitchell, adapted from The Book of Common Prayer. Following our time together with Dr. Darrell Guder, we encourage you to continue using this prayer as “gathered people who are sent.”

Please join me in prayer:

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name.

And Almighty God, through the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ, we have assurance that you will have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Hallelujah.

And, Lord, as people indwelt by the Holy Spirit who fills us with the crucified and resurrected life of Jesus Christ, we pray for your church and your world, knowing that you are reconciling both to yourself:

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.

Silence

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good.

Silence

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.

Silence

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us.

Silence

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.

Silence

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

O Lord our God, accept the fervent prayers of your people; in the multitude of your mercies, look with compassion upon us and all who turn to you for help; for you are gracious, O lover of souls, and to you we give glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say together:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Eco-Act 014: Being Part of the Change

Last week, we proposed a challenge: adopt one new behavior in August that will reduce plastic waste. 

One way to think about this challenge is to divide it into 3 separate approaches:

• properly disposing of plastic;  Seattle Public Utilities helps with this approach, and urges us to make sure our recycled plastic items are empty, clean and dry. Companies such as Ridwell help with more difficult-to-recycle items. And sites such as TerraCycle and Where Seattle Recycles identify additional recycling resources we can make use of.

• avoiding plastic in the first place; our “one-new-behavior” goal can be achieved in the grocery store by consciously and consistently choosing metal/glass/paper packaging over plastic, making bulk buys that allow us to (re)use our own containers, or by refusing to purchase single-use plastic beverage containers.

• repurposing plastic that’s already out there; we know that vast quantities of plastic have been and continue to be dumped into the world’s oceans, creating massive floating garbage patches, or gyres that endanger sea life, the earth—and ultimately humans. But what modest step can any of us, as mere individuals, take to counter this despair-inducing situation? How about … buying a bracelet?

shopping with intention

Shops like 4Ocean recycle and repurpose plastics

Next time you need a gift for someone, or just want to treat yourself, check out 4Ocean, where you can pick up a bracelet made from plastic recovered from an ocean, river or coastline. According to the company’s website, 4Ocean recovers a pound of plastic for every item purchased.

Actually, it turns out that today an encouraging number of products incorporate recycled plastic (and other recycled materials, such as wool). Visit World Wildlife Fund for one list of such items, which include sportwear, sneakers, rugs, yoga mats, dog collars, blankets, building materials, backpacks, and more. Some other products? How about Nike and Adidas shoes, Allbird shoes (a favorite of Barack Obama), Bionic Yarn, cutting boards, outdoor furniture—even Pilot pens. 

The take-away? There really are things we can do—a lot of them. Can we make plastic disappear from the environment tomorrow? Will any one of us be the tipping point that triggers this rescue? No, of course not. But could we see positive changes, worthwhile improvements, in our lifetimes, or even sooner? With hope, we say yes. And with purpose, intention and commitment, we act.

August 2nd Pastoral Letter

Read on for a pastoral letter from Renée. The “Saints of Selma” icon is by Kelly Latimore. John Lewis is to the left of Rev. Dr. MLK Jr., and the Rev. C.T. Vivian is in the upper right corner (not visible above, but visible in full icon with the names of each of these saints here).

---

Dear Beloved Friends,

Rep. John Lewis, a man of faith, hope, and action, inspires us in his essay, that was published on the day of his memorial, to live into our better selves as Beloved Community, people living our highest calling, standing up for what we truly believe. In another writing, he provided a prophetic view of God’s humanity:

"Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society. Why? Because human beings are the most dynamic link to the divine on this planet." Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America

As life continues to be disrupted, may we be emboldened by John Lewis’ life and witness, that we are created to be God’s dynamic link that brings healing through our acts of love, courage, and peaceful protest of injustice (in the various ways we are called).

As our friend, Jojo reminds us frequently, letters matter. Today we invite you to pause and see the Bible as a love letter to YOU, as a part of God’s Beloved Community. Here is a love letter from Romans 8 that you can read with confidence because Jesus Christ, who is Lord, showed love to the full extent for YOU.

Dear Beloved Child,

I invite you to journey with me today. No matter what comes your way - I will never leave you nor forsake you. No matter what comes your way – my Spirit is with you empowering you, comforting you, guiding you. No matter what comes your way – You belong to me and nothing can separate you from me.

Love,

Your Creator, who knows everything about you and LOVES you.

Eco-Act 013: Make August Your “One New Action to Reduce Plastic” Month

frameworks and ideas

to use less plastic

Somehow, humans got along for eons without plastic. But within the past century, we have seen this material emerge from non-existence to achieve environmental threat status, endangering oceans and sea life, for example. We respond to this danger through our recycling efforts, and we can feel good about these purposeful acts. But if we stop for a moment and think (an opportunity this pandemic certainly provides us!), perhaps additional actions we can take will come to mind.

In their book Active Hope, Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone describe a three-step framework we might apply to thinking about plastics in our lives:

• Holding actions: stopping unconscious behaviors that contribute to the problem. An example of this might be “aspirational recycling”—I’m not positive this plastic item can be recycled but I’ll toss it into the bin anyway and hope for the best. Reference guides are available to support proper recycling.

• Life-sustaining practices: intentionally changing an established routine, such as switching to an environmentally friendly reusable water bottle and no longer buying water in single-use plastic bottles, or consciously buying products packaged in paper, metal or glass instead of plastic.

• Consciousness shifts: acting out of a sense of connectedness and responsibility—taking an action that might not be convenient, but one that makes a difference. Examples might include cooking more/buying fewer prepacked meals, shopping more at farmers’ markets (when this option becomes more feasible again), buying foods in bulk/(re)using your own containers, etc.

Earth911.com suggests a “good-better-best” approach for thinking about reducing plastic waste; check it out here.

• “Good” actions include actions most of us already take, but here are their examples: https://earth911.com/home-garden/plastic-free-home-5-simple-changes/

• “Better” ideas include making use of organizations such as Ridwell (featured last week) that handle more difficult-to-recycle items (Ridwell accepts plastic film). And here are a few additional locator sites along the same lines:

  • Earth911 Recycling Search

  • Terracycle

• “Best” approaches are more ambitious, like the consciousness shifts noted above. They may involve changing attitudes, even values, to positively impact the environment.

Now August begins, our sixth month of living in a different world. Along with the many negatives we have had to adapt to, might this now be a time to take a positive action? What if each one of us were to change one habit, or start one new practice that would reduce plastic waste from this month forward?

Immigration is a Biblical Issue

Paul & Mary Ehrlich were the first people to meet Jojo and invite him into our Union community. Along with so many, they’ve continued to faithfully walk alongside him while at NWDC. Please continue to pray that he will soon be assigned a lawyer for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Here is a reflection from the Ehrlichs:

“Do not oppress an alien, you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens because you were aliens in Egypt” — Exodus 24.5

We are reminded by this text that how we care for immigrants/refugees/and the undocumented matters to God. Immigration is as much a major issue today as ever and our individual part in supporting immigrants is important as we move toward a more just society. Jesus reminded people of the commandment: love your neighbor as yourself. Who should we love? The story of the Good Samaritan gives us a biblical view of how to be a neighbor and to welcome as Christ has welcomed us.

Firsthand, we know the blessing of engaging in the work of welcoming refugees and immigrants. Thirty years ago, we sponsored a refugee family from the USSR through World Relief. Our country was more welcoming then, providing a few months of funding to help with the transition. We walked with the family and supported their ups and downs of getting settled. This gave them time to adjust in the transition. We are still in touch with the family. Their children have families and are contributing members of our society.

Our Union family now is aware of JoJo and his story of being undocumented in the US for more than 27 years. We were able to walk alongside him during the six months he was under ICE supervision but not in detention. Going to his appointments with ICE was revealing of how the current system does not work well. Though we persistently asked, we were unable to get answers as to how we could help in moving through the process. There were no answers; just another appointment. Then one day he was told to come to a supervision appointment and instead was picked up by ICE.

The outcome of Jo Jo’s hearing at the NW Detention Center last fall was disappointing. But the amazing response of the Union family with so many that came that it overwhelmed the waiting area, encouraged Jojo greatly. It was a visual demonstration of the heart of Union, living in response to God’s invitation of welcome. This work is not done. “Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40.31). We need to continue to hope, work and pray for JoJo. He currently is waiting for a lawyer to present his appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In the past year, we’ve met people being released from the Detention Center (even as Jojo still waits) and been able to provide welcome, support and encouragement. Now, a group of Union folks are coming alongside another undocumented gentleman who is incarcerated at Monroe Correction Facility and helping us discover how to support him and his family.

On Sundays we’ve been learning the Bible verse Micah 6:8:

“What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”

It is most applicable to immigration issues. Our prayer is that all of us and our country act justly, love and show mercy to immigrants and our neighbors of the world.

Eco-Act 012: Try Ridwell

Live lighter:

find a place for all your waste!

To continue in our waste series, we are excited to share this eco-faith invitation from a member of our Union community. Kay Olsen shared this local waste company when we first launched the Eco-faith initiative and says:

I don't know if this is too “commercial” of an idea, but a few months ago, I subscribed to a local service called Ridwell, which picks up and redistributes or recycles many products that our local recycling service won’t take. One example is the plastic film used for many forms of packaging and I sometimes find unavoidable. In addition to bi-weekly pick-ups of light bulbs, batteries, plastic film and clothing, Ridwell includes a pick up from a rotating list. 

And that’s pretty much what Ridwell does! You can pay a small fee for pickups every two weeks to avoid the hassle of making multiple trips to various collection sites in your quest to produce less waste. In addition to the above regular categories of waste, you can also add on larger items that Ridwell sends to partner organizations — e-waste gets recycled by strict standards, latex paint gets re-mixed and tinted, and styrofoam/plastic wrap is used to make composite decking and new trash cans, as well as renewable fuel sources.

Feel free to look around on their very simple website for more info about items they collect, their local story, and their blog — this one on 5 Great Reads About Waste was very helpful. You can also learn more about partner community organizations that repurpose bottle caps for art and kitchenware for Refugee Women’s Alliance.

To conclude, we invite you to follow Kay’s lead and let us know how you are reducing waste, or if you decide to try out Ridwell! The Notkins recently started a service with them after hearing about it from Kay and also give glowing reviews.

We leave you with John 6:12-15, after Jesus miraculously and abundantly feeds the crowd with loaves and fishes:

When the people had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted.” They went to work and filled twelve large baskets with leftovers from the five barley loaves.

The people realized that God was at work among them in what Jesus had just done.