Rathfarnham Meeting, Dublin, has become the first meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Ireland to receive an Eco-Congregation Ireland award.
Since setting up an eco committee three years ago, the Meeting has planted fruit trees and a herb garden and allowed part of the lawn grow into a wild meadow, which is now home to three beehives.
The Meeting has signed up to Airtricity, uses energy-efficient light bulbs, where possible, and has clearly-labelled bins for recyclables. All cleaning products, soap, toilet rolls etc are environmentally-friendly brands and containers have been put in the toilet cisterns to save water. Fairtrade tea and coffee is always used and crockery, rather than disposable cups and plates.
Presenting the award on 4th December, ECI chairperson, Sr Catherine Brennan, said, “In all the eco work here, which covers many of the topics in the ECI resources, there is no sense of striving, or trying to achieve, or of it being hard work. I feel sure that your approach in all the work flows from your quiet meditation. Only constant and consistent meditation and prayer can help us live the simplicity of Jesus.”
Sr Catherine said she had read the Quaker testimonies of peace, integrity, simplicity and justice and could see how the Meeting had linked each of these to God’s Creation. She was impressed that the Meeting had considered whether earthcare should be a fifth testimony. She said, “The one that touched me most deeply is simplicity. This testament is evident in all your eco work here – from the planting of the herb garden and fruit trees, the development of the natural meadow to the installation of the water butt, to name but a few.”
“The variety of work done by the Junior Meeting is truly impressive – planting, studying, creating, raising money for the poor … You are truly living out the Chinese proverb –
Tell me, I forget
Show me, I remember
Involve me, I understand.
“The board games you use are new to me and I got ideas from them. Special congratulations to each of you in the Junior Meeting and to your leaders.”
Sr Catherine expressed her gratitude to Fr Hugh O’Donnell, priest, poet and author, and Dean Eaton, environmental awareness officer at Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council for “the careful work” they did carrying out the assessment some months earlier.
Earlier in the year Rathfarnham Meeting invited the local community to join in a Spring Clean that was organised in conjunction with Rathfarnham Parish Eco Group.
Members of the Meeting have also been encouraged to sign up to The Litter Project – a world-wide campaign that encourages people to commit to picking up a piece of litter every day. One member of the eco committee also set up a Facebook page called One Piece of Litter a Day – Ireland. See http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128592503843275
Junior Meeting sessions with children and teenagers often include earthcare. Topics covered have included Celebrating Creation, recycling, picking up litter, living simply, planting herbs and bulbs, insects, eco quiz, Fairtrade, Stop Climate Chaos, rainforests, water, globalisation and making a bug hotel and an Easter Garden from natural materials.
The young people have also organised a number of fundraising cake sales, with beneficiaries including VITA and Rainforest Concern.
To read more about the eco activities of Rathfarnham Meeting, see https://www.ecocongregationireland.com/archives/2647.