Movie Screening: Friday 24th, May.

Call for GSS Awards Application and Nomination. Due June 15th. 2013.

The Greening Sacred Space Awards recognizes the contributions of faith communities who demonstrate commitment in the care of the environment through action.

These awards provide a way for people from diverse faith traditions to come together in common humanity with the shared purpose of affirming and celebrating those who lead the way for all of us in stewardship.
 We want to know if your faith community has been involved in any greening initiatives! Send in a short description (word or .pdf) stating what your community has done to increase sustainability in your place of worship. The awards take the following areas of greening into consideration:

1. Spirituality and Worship: Prayers and actions concerning Creation, environmental stewardship, social justice, and human rights
2. Sacred Space, Grounds, and Activities: An earth-friendly policy that may include recycling, re-using, energy efficiency initiatives, water efficiency, building improvements, etc.
3. The Wider Community:  Support stewardship (i.e. tree planting or clean-up events, encourage sustainable transportation, host environmentally themed  workshops, clubs, or presentations) and social justice (i.e. food security) issues. Send in pictures of your environmental initiatives, building, and/or community events and they will be included in a recognition slide show during the ceremony (Date TBA in July).
4. An application is available for those interested. Please email Beatrice at beatrice.ekoko@gmail.com or bekoko@enviromenthamilton.org.

NOTE. 2012 winners were:

Melrose United Church earned a Green Sacred Spaces Award of Excellence for their work in conducting an energy audit, retrofitting with energy efficient compact fluorescent lighting, upgrading weatherstripping, and initiating a rooftop solar panel project.

Grace Lutheran was honoured with a Green Sacred Spaces Award of Excellence for their work hosting the Good Food Box program, growing a community garden, planting fruit trees, naturalization of the property and hosting a wonderful food fair featuring over 10 local food initiatives.

Grace Lutheran has completed an energy audit, basic retrofitting and upgrading of boiler and is exploring the possibility of going solar. Congregants are encouraged to take environmental messages home through weekly e-bulletins and e-newsletters. Grace Lutheran Church partners with various environmental organizations and the Victory Gardens Hamilton group.

Anglican Youth Synod: Day of Action. May 04. 2013.

Our day began with a question: What is eco-justice? Youth were invited to draw or write down in words their ideas on large pieces of paper. Everyone got a chance to tell the group what their drawings/thoughts were about.  One youth made the following comment (which I love): 

"Eco-justice is using the environment in a good way. It is allowing the space provided to be used fairly." Amen. 

This exercise was then followed by a powerpoint presentation on eco-justice where I was able to share some examples of Hamilton area environmental justice initiatives—specifically the work Environment Hamilton is doing in the community.

About to begin our work! Say 'weed.'

We then headed over to the Hamilton Victory Gardens  where we worked at the site (one of six gardens and expanding!) for a couple hours, pulling out rye weed that had been planted last year in order to renew the soil. HVG is a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating poverty and food insecurity in our community of Hamilton, Ontario through urban agriculture. It is completely volunteer run!!! Volunteers grow thousands of pounds of fresh produce for local food banks and hot meal programs, transforming empty city lots into spaces of community, education, and growth.

Digging out rye weed at the Hamilton
 Victory Gardens.

A quick lunch before moving on to the Bike
workshop.

After a quick lunch, we hopped on the bus and rode down to New Hope Community Bikes.

We learned about the origins of the initiative, starting of as an project  of New Hope Church. Here is their mission statement (which is brilliant by the way):

As a non-profit, social enterprise we seek to get more people on affordable, reliable bicycles and provide employment and job training opportunites for youth. We believe bicycles can help build a healthier, more environmentally friendly community and that everyone should have access to affordable, efficient transportation. We build and restore bikes to a variety of price points and rider specifications, offering everything from cheap winter commuters to unique one of a kind custom bikes. 

Our group then learned from a mere 13 year old—the competent Brett about how to dismantle an old bike to recycle still useful parts (keeping bikes out of landfills is a good thing people).

Here we are at the New Hope Community Bikes

Here's 13 year old Brett, a member of Community Bikes and already a wealth of knowledge!

Some of our team decided that they would rather paint the future home of Community Bikes (conveniently located across the street from the current location) and that's what they did!

Helping with the renovations at the new Community Bike location!

We then returned to the Cathedral where I handed out flyers with links to more eco-justice action and some fun swag to take home.  All in all, a satisfying day!

I AM: The film Screening on Earth Day. April 22nd.

Another wonderful Earth Day event!  In partnership with Hamilton Pubic Library, KAIROS,  A Tiny Shift, Environment Hamilton, IDEA Burlington and Hamilton 350, GSS screened the movie I AM (A life altering documentary). 

In the film, our guide Tom Shadyac (Director of Ace Ventura, The Nutty Professor, Pet Detective) confronts the most serious crisis humanity faces and reveals transformative solutions. Asking the questions "What's wrong with the world?" and "What can we do to fix it?", Shadyac interviewed scholars, scientists, authors, activists,and spiritual teachers who disclose truths about ourselves that prove that prove that we have the power to change and transform our lives and the world around us.

The film was followed by a presentation by Don Mclean of Hamilton 350 on the pipeline 9 reversal situation and the ecological upheaval and destruction it will cause if allowed to pass through Hamilton and other communities. Attendees were invited to take action.

Missa Gaia Choir, April 21st: A treat!

It was really enjoyable to celebrate Earth day with the Missa Gaia choir.
Westdale United Church and Greening Sacred Spaces hosted the singers to a church full of music and Earth lovers.
Thanks to Grant Linney for bringing the massive Earth Ball to the event. It was a beautiful visual representation of our dear home planet; a reminder that there really are no borders and that what is needed is a shift in the way we think and relate to each other and the non human life on Mother Earth.

Living with Toxins talk: April 19th. Youth make their own make-up: April 15th.

What an eye opening talk last Friday 19th at St. James Anglican church in Dundas!  Eco Churches of West Hamilton (Eco-WHAM) and Greening Sacred Spaces Hamilton brought in Maggie MacDonald from Environmental Defense to speak about the toxic content of most cosmetics.



Maggie is a fantastic speaker: clear, engaging and entertaining. Let me tell you; I went home and dumped out all my moisturizer and makeup (not hard to do since I don't have much).
From now on, it's go toxic free or nothing. It's expensive to buy natural care products and that is why I was excited that the youth group at Hughson St. Baptist church got to make their own make up-coached by the talented and skilled Amina Suhrwardy. Here's what Melissa, the youth leader has to say about the workshop that took place on April 15th:

I run a program in the North End of Hamilton that provides mentorship for high school aged girls.  Last week we had Amina come in to teach the 20 girls how to make their own all-natural make-up and makeup remover.  It was an awesome opportunity to show the girls how to take care of their skin with the products that they use.  Amina kept the group interested, and all of the hands-on activities and opportunities to experiment with colors and elements like zinc and clay was so much fun!  It was definitely a treat to participate in the fun!

More Nourishing Hamilton Fair April 14th, 2013: What they said.

Vendors had the following comments to say:

"I got to talk to quite a few interesting people (both vendors and attendees) and I think I may have recruited a few new members for my produce co-op (one has already emailed me to join), so quite a productive afternoon."

 "We had a great time and did some good networking and also meeting folks we already know. Nice that it rotates through the churches." 

"Thank you.  I found it worthwhile and enjoyed speaking with others.It was well run. Persons and families enjoyed the displays. Many handouts disappeared and there were non-stop questions. A very good thing. I would participate again and if you need a facility in the Hamilton  east end, Faith Lutheran church could be an option."

 "I'm wondering if the faith group members of Greening Sacred Spaces would consider having their youth groups as the presenters. By all means we "seniors" would educate/coach/mentor the young people to help them prepare for the event. I think it would also be helpful to attract younger people by having some form of live music. Perhaps a number of younger kids with the chance to sing or play their instrument would bring in their parents?
Another thought could be timing your event with the actual construction of a garden on the property of one of the members of Greening Sacred Spaces. I think it might be more attractive to people if they could see "hands on" what the people in the booths are talking about."
"Thank you for inviting us. We had several great conversations with people who share a similar passion with us to nourish people in a healthy way and make use of what is produced in our communities."

"Thank you for hosting Sprout Camp at the Nourishing Hamilton Fair; it was also great. It was a interactive, enjoyable afternoon. It would be nice to do the workshop again sometime."