Community Garden hugely Successful – Help needed!

I just read the following in an email:

            THE VICTORY GARDEN PRODUCTION EXCEEDED 10,000 POUNDS THIS WEEK!!

                                    PRAISE GOD!!!!

- as of this morning we have harvested 11,209 pounds

Some ask “What is your new goal”.  I am just not prepared to do so again.  HIS abundance exceeds anything we can humanly dream of.

As a further matter of information, crops harvested today included:  beets, potatoes, spanish onions, leeks, green and yellow beans, squash, canteloupe, and tomatoes. While the growing season is slowing down, we still very desperately need YOUR HELP with havesting and numerous other chores.  PLEASE JOIN US. 

We work Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until noon and Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 6:00 p.m. until dusk.

Bill Wilcox,  for Hamilton Community Gardens

 Telephone:  (905) 575-9439   Cell:  (416) 918-1404   E-mail:  bwilcox@packagingservices.ca

 To think we harvested 1,330 pounds in 2007, dreamt of harvesting 5,000 pounds in 2008 and then revised that to 10,000 pounds???????

Fruit Tree Project

Eat Local’s Fruit Tree Project is starting up for the 2008 season and we are looking for volunteers to pick fruit and to be picking leaders.

We pick fruit, that would otherwise go to waste, from local urban fruit trees and distribute it among the volunteers, homeowners, and social services / food banks.

Any free time that you can give would be appreciated.

Email Juby, co-ordinator for the Fruit Tree Project or call 289-439-1543 if you are interested.  Check out http://www.environmenthamilton.org/ for more information.

Juby Lee
Fruit Tree Project Co-ordinator
http://www.environmenthamilton.org/

Waste Management Facility Tour for Faith Groups

Concerned about waste reduction? Want to learn more about where your garbage ends up then share the information with members of your congregation?

Waste Management Facilities Tour

Environment Hamilton has made two free tours available for members of your faith group.
2 HRS buses leave Fortinos on the corner of Rymal and Centennial at 8:15am on April 25th. One bus is going to the landfill, the other is going to the compost and recycling depots.

People will be returned at Fortinos (and they make their own way home).

There are 33 spots available for each bus tour. Since this is open invitation to faith groups, we are obliged to restrict the number from each to 4 maximum. This is an opportunity for representatives of the faith groups to take photos, ask questions and perhaps, create a presentation to share with the rest of the congregation. It could be an idea project for youth members as well!
Since this is a first come first served situation, please have your representatives register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Contact me at 905 549 0900 or email beatrice.ekoko@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Beatrice Ekwa EKoko
Project Manager
Environment Hamilton

Churches Promoting Climate Justice and Corporate Responsibility through Shareholder Action in 2008

Here’s one approach to getting involved concretely in working for justice:

The shareholder action season is upon us again!

Faith-based investors like yourselves can put your values into action this year by supporting several important shareholder proposals that promote justice, human rights and environmental sustainability.

KAIROS has prepared the attached list of 2008 shareholder proposals that deal with two issues of major concern to Canadian churches: climate change and corporate responsibility in the extractive industries (e.g. mining, oil and gas).

Some examples of shareholder proposals filed in 2008 include:

*  The Sisters of Ste-Anne of Montreal have filed a resolution with the world’s largest gold producer, Barrick Gold, whose massive Pascua Lama mining project on the Chile-Argentina border presents potentially serious environmental risks to both countries.

*  EnCana, Canada’s largest independent oil and gas producer, is being asked by one of its shareholders to incorporate the cost of carbon emissions into its business strategy.

*  Major Canadian airlines – including Air Canada, WestJet and Trans AT – have been asked to prepare annual sustainability reports, which would involve in part discussing how they are responding to and managing their impacts on climate change.

Proxy voting is an important part of your stewardship of God’s resources.  KAIROS hopes you will take a moment to review your church’s investment portfolio and join other faith-based investors who will be supporting these resolutions.  Depending on how your investments are managed, you may have to contact your investment manager and request votes to be cast in support of shareholder proposals that reflect your values and concerns as an investor.

At KAIROS, we attempt to track faith-based investor actions in Canada and we’d love to hear from you.  Please contact me at ithomson@kairoscanada.org, or by phone at 1-877-403-8933 or 416-463-5312 ext. 229, if your church or religious congregation holds shares in these companies and you will be supporting some or all of these proposals.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Ian Thomson, CSR Program Coordinator, KAIROS

Greening Sacred Spaces Waterloo Region

 

This looks like an excellent learning opportunity, offered by Faith and the Common Good www.faith-commongood.net & Residential Energy Efficiency Project (REEP) www.reepwaterlooregion.ca 

Date: Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Time: 6:30-9 p.m.

Location: 99 Regina St. in uptown Waterloo, Regina and William Streets; parking in the City of Waterloo lot across the street; 1 block from Grand River Transit Route #7, King/William St. stop; bike parking available in front of 99 Regina St.

Where: Room 508

Topic: Greening Sacred Spaces success stories! GSS participants will tell us about their energy audits and retrofits, and about combining light festival celebrations with energy-efficient lightbulb distribution.

Environment Hamilton seeking partnerships with faith communities

Environment Hamilton has been very encouraged by the growing environmental concern among faith communities. In response, they are putting on a “Next Steps Mini-Conference” on Saturday, September 29, 2007, from 10:00 – 12:00 am, at Melrose United Church, 305 Locke St.

At the gathering, Environment Hamilton will inform participants about resources being made available to church environment committees. There will also be the opportunity to hear about the experiences of already existing church environment committees, and to meet other like-minded Christians from across the city.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Richard Reble at: therebels_rands@mountaincable.net or 905-560-9556.

 

Seminar and Workshop topics at Conference

For the first time, the TrueCity Conference (Feb 23-24, 2007) will offer sessions focused on environmental concerns.

Churches and the Environment: Why Christians should be concerned about creation will be a consideration of our calling as Christians and the challenges we face. We are thrilled that Professor Edward Berkelaar of Redeemer College is willing to offer this seminar.

Churches and the Environment: What’s Happening in Hamilton? will be an opportunity for us to respond. It will be an interactive time identifying some of the main environmental issues in Hamilton, an overview of the key players, and then a facilitated discussion around how churches could be more involved.