Eating Locally

October 26, 2009 at 10:19 pm (Food and Agriculture)
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With all sorts of “food” holidays coming up, especially Thanksgiving with its “groaning board,”  Puget Sound Fresh is once again promoting its “Eat Local” campaign.  We’re probably all aware that local foods are fresher and tastier.  They increase our awareness and appreciation of our local landscape and climate as we seek out foods suited to our growing season and terrain, and they help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by minimizing transportation costs and distances, a large part of the carbon footprint of agricultural distribution.  In addition, eating local foods returns a much higher percentage of each dollar spent to our local and regional economy–anywhere from 50 to 79 cents per dollar when we buy directly from local farmers, through locally-based stores or co-ops or eat at locally-based restaurants.

Please consider “taking the pledge” to include at least one local food into your Thanksgiving meal.  If you do this on-line at www.pugetsoundfresh.org prior to Nov. 21st, you will have a chance to win a locally-raised heritage turkey or other prizes.  While you’re at this web-site, be sure to sign up for the Puget Sound fresh e-newsletter, an occasional e-mailing about what’s in season, recipes and regional agricultural issues.

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THOUGHTS ON JOB

October 22, 2009 at 10:43 pm (Reflections)
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In the glorious poetic language of chapters 38-41 of the book of Job, God expresses God’s delight in all the parts of creation, including the things we humans find unpleasant or frightening or just plain odd–storms, scavengers, birds of prey, crocodiles, hippopotami and ostriches.  In this worldview, humankind is not the center of the universe, but merely another part of it, beloved by God, but no more so than horses or stars, wild goats or ravens.  This is a humbling view for us to take, reducing our concerns to something rather small in the grand scheme of things.

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Walking the Walk

June 18, 2009 at 7:22 pm (Uncategorized)
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Walking is not only a healthy activity, it’s a great way to experience the environment, both natural and man-made.  In a recent Clarion newsletter (see http://www.fumcbellevue.org/CurrentClarion.pdf ), I wrote about my goal of walking a mile or so several times a week. In order to keep myself honest, I’m going to keep a walking log, which you can find on a separate page, NB Walks. (You can access this using the link at the lower left of this current page.)  I know there are many wonderful parks and trails in the greater Renton-Bellevue area. I hope you will send me some of your favorites.

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Christian Veganism

June 17, 2009 at 9:09 pm (Uncategorized)
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An environmental team member recently sent me an e-newsletter from the Christian Vegetarian Association, and I’d like to pass on a couple of links of interest:
http://www.ChristianVeg.org
http://www.vegan-food.net
Maybe, like me, you’re not quite ready to go totally meat-free, but are disturbed by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and the environmental degradation they cause, not to mention their inherent cruelty. For starters, try reducing your meat consumption by 50%, and eat vegetarian or vegan once or twice a week.  The vegan-food site will give you an abundance of recipe suggestions.
I’ve just finished reading a collection of essays published by Earth Ministry entitled “Food and Faith.” Agriculture in our country, and by extension globally, is about 90% controlled by just a handful of corporations. In light of what’s happened in the financial industry (i.e., bail out AIG because it’s “too big to fail”) this is quite alarming. So I fight the system as I can by eating local and organic foods and going to the farmers market. One area where doing what’s right is also fun and enjoyable.

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Outbreak of Spring Fever

May 4, 2009 at 10:30 pm (Uncategorized)
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In the interest of bringing up-to-date research to this blog (OK, I confess, I succumbed to spring fever), I recently visited the new Mercer Slough Environmental Center, which opened last fall.  I enjoyed exploring their attractive, green-built facilities and walking their well-maintained, calf-stretching trails.  An additional tenth of a mile would have taken me to a larger trail system leading into the slough, which I have hiked on other occasions.  I spotted a rufous-sided towhee, and also saw a pair of red-tail hawks circling overhead.

The environmental center offers a number of free or low-cost programs for all ages.  Some recent topics have included green remodeling, bird basics, and “bugs and slugs.”  To learn more, check out their web site at www.bellevuewa.gov/mseec.htm

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Kenosis, Psalm 23, and Earthkeeping

April 29, 2009 at 11:50 pm (Reflections)
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The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

I recently attended a lecture at Seattle University by theologian Sallie McFague on the topic of “Cities, Climate Change, and Christianity.” (Thanks, John S., for providing me with paper to take notes.)  Key to her argument was Philippians 2: 5-8: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who…did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave…and became obedient to the point of death–even death on a cross.” If we are to be true followers of Christ (not to mention saving our planet), we too must practice a form of self-emptying or kenosis. Rather than letting our individualistic desires lead us to imagine ourselves as godlike beings for whom the rest of creation exists as only resources to be exploited, we need to practice an ethic of self-limitation, recognizing that we are finite, incarnate beings living within the earth in a relationship of mutual dependency with all other beings.

St. Augustine defines sin as voracious desire, to have it (whatever “it” may be) all for oneself. Self-emptying creates space for God, who is actually our ultimate and deepest desire. To quote McFague, “No religion says, ‘blessed are the greedy.’” This week’s lectionary readings include the 23rd Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” While we may understand this to mean “I shall not be in want” or “in need” or “God provides,” it wouldn’t hurt us to take this familiar phrase a little more literally. After all, isn’t our constant wanting for more, bigger, newer (“our appetite for upgrading” per McFague) what has caused the ecological and financial crisis we now face? Perhaps we should adopt this as our prayer: “Lord, shepherd my desires and help me not to want more and more stuff at the expense of the rest of your creation.”

[Read more about Dr. McFague's visit to Seattle University at the Earth Ministry blog "To Inspire and Mobilize."  A link appears in the left hand column of this page.]

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Market Time!

April 29, 2009 at 11:06 pm (Uncategorized)
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It won’t be long until the local farmers markets are opening for the season, with a few open already.

To locate a market in your area, here is a handy web locator:

http://pugetsoundfresh.org/farmers_markets.htm

At www.pugetsoundfresh.org, you can also find out about farms and CSAs, get recipes, and sign up for their e-newsletter.

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April 16, 2009 at 7:35 pm (Quotes to Ponder)
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…solitude is only a human presumption.  Every quiet step is thunder to beetle life underfoot; every choice is a world made new for the chosen.  All secrets are witnessed.            –Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver

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“Green” Events and Activities

April 15, 2009 at 10:48 pm (Events)
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Sunday, April 19:  Festival of God’s Creation
Sister Mimi Maloney, winner of Earth Ministry’s St. Francis Day sermon competition, will preach at both the 8:30 and 11 AM services at First United Methodist Church, 1934 108th Ave. NE, Bellevue
Friday, April 24th, 6:30 PM :  A Vigil for Climate Action and Protection  Ecumenical prayer with Taize music, St. James Cathedral  –  804 9th Ave., Seattle 
Saturday, April 25th, 8:30 AM:  Highway Clean-Up
Meet at FUMC Bellevue and carpool to help make our stretch of I-405 clean and beautiful! 
Monday, April27th, 7PM: “Cities, Climate Change, and Christianity: Religion and
Sustainable Urbanism”
A lecture by author and theologian Dr. Sally McFague at Seattle University, Pigott Auditorium
“Friday, May 1 & Saturday, May 2: Garage Sale
Keep usable items out of the landfill!  Proceeds benefit various outreach and social justice ministries of FUMC.  Call the church office at (425) 454-2059 for times and location.
Saturday, May 2, 8AM-5PM & Sunday, May 3, 10 AM-3PM  Master Gardener Foundation Plant Sale
Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 NE 41st St. (near U. Village), Seattle
Learn about other activities and events throughout the Northwest by visiting www.earthministry.org and signing up for their e-newsletter.  I also encourage you to join Earth Ministry or send them a donation.  Like many of us, they are feeling the pinch of economic hard times and are faced with cutting staff needed to carry out their important work of education, advocacy and providing resources to “greening congregations.”  When you join Earth Ministry, you will receive their beautifully illustrated quarterly newsletter, be eligible to attend regular “colleague gatherings,” and add your voice to the growing faith community speaking out on caring for God’s creation.

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More on Earth Advocacy

March 23, 2009 at 6:13 pm (Uncategorized)
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Recently, the environmental team and the United Methodist Women sponsored a program on “Faith and Advocacy,” with Jessie Dye, director of Earth Ministry. She told us that creation care is like a three-legged stool. The first leg is what we do as individuals to conserve, the second is what we do in our faith community, and the third is addressing regional and systemic policies, i.e., advocacy. As an example, we might all be doing an excellent job of composting, recycling, and cutting down on energy and water consumption, but all our good efforts could be undone if industries dump toxic chemicals into Puget Sound. People who care about Creation need to raise their voices against environmental injustice of this kind.
Jessie also stated that it’s important that we let our government officials know our opinions and that we are church affiliated—i.e., that we are not isolated individuals, but part of a larger community.
Over the last several years, various environmental groups have decided to select several priorities each year and to work together to get legislation passed at the state level. I encourage you to learn more about this year’s efforts at http://www.environmentalpriorities.org  There are several ways you can support these issues. You can call the legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000. You can e-mail your elected officials via www.leg.wa.gov   If you’re not sure who your state senator and representatives are, you can just type in your street address and you will be directed to their web pages. You can also plan a visit to your legislators. (See “FUMC Green Goes to Olympia.”) All of these options are fairly easy—you do not have to be a scientific expert to let your officials know that people of faith care about the environment.

(excerpt from “The Clarion,” FUMC newsletter, 3/17/09, NB

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