10/10/10 ~ A Day to Celebrate Climate Solutions!

An incredible 7,347 carbon-cutting events took place on 10/10/10 as part of 350.org’s Global Work Party, making it truly A Day to Celebrate Climate Solutions!

Communities joined together in carbon-cutting actions by planting trees, digging community gardens, installing solar panels and numerous other eco activities. By doing so, they sent an important message to political leaders: “We’re getting to work within our own communities to find solutions to climate change … You need to get to work nationally and globally.”

To watch a short video of some of the events that took place throughout the world in this unprecedented day of unity, collaboration and grassroots climate action, go to http://www.youtube.com/350org.

A number of churches in Ireland encouraged people to travel to church by sustainable transport ie. cycling, walking or taking public transport.

Rathfarnham Quakers in Dublin substituted a display of locally-produced vegetables for the usual flower arrangement. The children joined together in creating a ‘Caring for the Earth’ poster.

All ages at Churchtown Quaker Meeting joined together in making a ‘mandala’ – a circle of wholeness – made from natural things.

Dundrum Methodist Church was one of a number of churches that distributed 10 climate/biodiversity facts and 10 prayers for the environment to people to take home after church.

Ballinteer Community School choir held an Open Rehearsal during which songs and canons about nature were sung.

Fifty trees were planted in pots – to be transplanted at a later date – and people were encouraged to urge their councils to sign up to the Covenant of Mayors (see news item below).

Rathfarnham Parish, Dublin, held an Eco Awareness Service with the liturgy, prayers and sermon all embracing an environmental theme. “Ecology, saving the planet, is about co-operation between man and maker, creature and creator,” Rev Ted Woods preached. “If our planet is to be saved, if it is to realise its full potential for God’s glory, that requires our full co-operation …. We are living on a fragile planet that needs human co-operation, not human exploitation.”

In light of the fact that many scientists say we are nearing “the point of no return”, Rev Woods said we needed to take positive action. He recommended using the LOAF principle when buying food: “L stands for locally sourced, O organically produced, A animal-friendly and F fairly traded,” he said.

He concluded by saying: “The sacrament of Communion is about co-operation between man and maker, creature and creator … Let us remember that communion extends to, and embraces, all creation.”

“Ecology, saving the planet, is about co-operation between man and maker, creature and creator,” Rev Ted Woods preached. “If our planet is to be saved, if it is to realise its full potential for God’s glory, that requires our full co-operation …. We are living on a fragile planet that needs human co-operation, not human exploitation.”

He concluded by saying: “The sacrament of Communion is about co-operation between man and maker, creature and creator … Let us remember that communion extends to, and embraces, all creation.”

After the service people were given copies of a Local Food Directory, which was compiled recently by Rathfarnham Parish Eco Group. Parishioners have been challenged to eat a 50-mile dinner on Sunday 24th October (ie. eating only food sourced within 50 miles of the church) and are encouraged to send in their menus (with details as to where they sourced the ingredients). The most imaginative entry will receive an eco-friendly prize of a bottle of home-made wine (made from home-grown ingredients)!

Following the Eco Awareness service, about 15 parishioners were joined by members of the local community and Eamon Ryan, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and Senator Alex White on a Carbon-Cutting Cycle by the River Dodder.

This was a fun and sociable event with a serious purpose: to highlight the need for better cycle paths and an integrated public transport system. The route included roads and cycle paths in South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and all councillors from both council areas were invited to participate.

The Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Councillor Lettie McCarthy, came to wish the cyclists well as they left the church grounds, as did Councillors Cáit Keane and Emma Coburn of South Dublin County Council.

No councillors took part in the cycle, however, which was disappointing for the organisers. “We were delighted that Eamon Ryan and Alex White joined us but, as regular cyclists, they are already familiar with the joys – and challenges – of cycling in Dublin,” says Fiona Murdoch. “It would have been good if some councillors had dusted down their bikes and experienced with us the reality of cycling in Dublin.

“Most of our route was fine but there are some appalling examples of bad planning and poor maintenance in both South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown council areas. In some places cycle lanes suddenly stop and you’re left wondering if you should be on the pavement or the road and some dump you out into the traffic at busy junctions, which is obviously very dangerous.

Fiona reckons there is an urgent need for education of drivers. “I’ve been nearly knocked down three times in the past fortnight,” she says. “Twice by cars turning left at junctions when I was going straight on, once by a car reversing out onto the road in front of me. On all three occasions I would have been badly injured if I hadn’t slammed on the brakes in time. Cyclists seem to be invisible to drivers, even when they’re wearing hi-vis jackets.

“On the other hand, as a driver too, I also know that cyclists are not always very obedient road users either! It would be great to see a series of TV adverts teaching drivers and cyclists how to respect each other on the roads.”

Rathfarnham Parish Eco Group hopes that local and national government will prioritise cycle lanes and an integrated public transport system, so that in the future people will need to rely on their cars less.

“Oil is being used at a faster rate than new supplies are being found,” says Fiona. “Current world demand is 31 gigabarrels of oil a year but fewer than 10 gigabarrels are being found each year. As oil becomes scarcer, the price of oil will steadily increase.

“In order to prepare for the future, we therefore need to become more resilient as a community. We need to find new ways to live because the time may come when it will simply be too expensive to drive everywhere and to fly food from the other side of the world to our tables. We have to focus on sustainable transport, renewable energy sources and sourcing food grown locally.”