October 28, 2009 Greetings, Sisters and Brothers in Christ! Perhaps it will come as no surprise to you that, in many of our congregations, the choice of what kind of cups to use for “coffee hour” and other contexts has often become a huge, and challenging, issue! I have been rather hesitant to make any kind of official “ruling” on this matter because (1) I realize that each congregation’s situation is different and (2) as Bishop John has been saying, post Churchwide Assembly, “We make the best imperfect decisions that we can.” That is to say, no one answer satisfies all. However, I will try, with this letter, to give you my “best ecological practices” recommendation, based on a full consideration of the many aspects of this question. First, biblically and theologically, there is little question in my mind that God calls us to care for creation, to the best of our ability. I also believe that we are all, as God’s people, called and invited to “do theology.” The simplest definition for the term theology is “faith seeking understanding.” To me, that means two basic questions: “What does it mean to be faithful, in this time and place?” and “What actions, then, should flow from that faith?” Therefore, I am drawing upon both ecology and theology, in making my recommendations to you and, in a sense, asking you to do the same. I commend your congregation for the previous ban on Styrofoam products, which was recently affirmed. At the same time, it is my reasoned opinion that in the choice between paper and Styrofoam cups, it is nearly impossible to choose, ecologically, the “lesser of the two evils.” Both use many resources, water, and energy in their production; neither decomposes particularly well in (typically airless) landfills. It is our society’s single-use, throwaway mentality that troubles me here, along with the energy/pollution. I understand that issues of “cost” have been raised in this “paper vs. Styrofoam” debate. However, the “full cost” to the environment, over the full life cycle of both paper and polystyrene products is much more than their “sticker price.” Several additional points of view: “But what is the impact of this single-serve fad on your checkbook and the environment? According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Even 500 years** from now, the foam coffee cup you used this morning will be sitting in a landfill.” This statistic is disturbing when you consider that 25 billion polystyrene (commonly known as Styrofoam) cups are thrown away every year, reports the EPA. Polystyrene can be recycled, but the facilities to do so are few and far between, making such efforts inconvenient and largely ineffective to date.” [*Kim comment: actually, Styrofoam is thought to take 20,000 years to decompose; the italics are mine.] http://majorplanethdh.blogspot.com/2007/09/styrofoam-vs-paper-and-plastic-cups.html “The Throwaway Generation: 25 Billion Styrofoam Cups a Year” By Shauna Dineen in E-Magazine “A number of green leaders, from the Dutch Ministry of the Environment to Starbucks’ own Green Team, suggest that the number one thing environmentally conscious coffee consumers can do is to “go reusable,” whether that’s ceramic, metal or plastic. Starbucks offers a 10-cent discount for customers carrying their own mugs, and this seemingly small effort encouraged 13.5 million customers to bring their own in 2003, keeping an estimated 586,800 pounds of paper from U.S. landfills.” http://www.emagazine.com/view/?2933&printview&imagesoff&src= “Having worked in the Oil Industry for my first career I can tell you that a bonanza for our petrochemical companies was the consumer craze for Styrofoam. It's cheap to make for the petrochemical companies and they reap billions of dollars from it. Perhaps letting your congregants know how much the Oil Companies appreciate the purchase of Styrofoam products might help.” Russ Senti, Director Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center (a large, eco-conscious ELCA camp in IL) It is my understanding that your church does not have a dishwasher, and that you currently have a quantity of both paper and Styrofoam cups. In the short-term, you may as well use up what you have, of both items. WHILE you are doing that, I recommend that you make decisions and take steps to move into a new direction. My recommendation is, therefore, as follows: 1) All things considered, I think that glass or re-usable cups / glasses are the best option because they are not disposable, one-use items... which are inherently quite wasteful in nature's economy. It seems similar to me to the grocery store question of "paper or plastic?" when many of us green-minded folk are now using cloth grocery bags (something I have been doing since 1990, and with some bags that old). 2) Along with a decision to use glass cups, of course, comes the consideration of how they will be washed, and, by whom? Might it be feasible for your congregation to initiate a special funding drive, or enlist the WELCA group in your church (if there is one) to purchase an energy-efficient, Energy Star rated, dishwasher? Can Thrivent be enlisted in a partnership way, to help garner needed funds for this? Over the life of its use, it would – it seems – both save time, money, and natural resources, as long as the dishwasher is only run with full loads. 3) If the above are totally not possible, the next preferable option, ecologically speaking, would be to use biodegradable, disposable products, such as those offered by a Michigan company, GreenSafe Products (made from corn and potato starch, etc). These have the added benefit of being compostable which may even invite you to consider developing a compost bin on your property. www.michigangreensafeproducts.com 4) I know that these (biodegradable items) cost more, at least in terms of sticker price (ecologically, I believe, they offer a much LESS costly approach). Could there be a special fund created for those who would like to promote this choice through their donations? Consider how using such items might also be a positive witness to the wider community and those you serve. Some churches have been known to attract new members, specifically through their ecological commitments. I understand that these recommendations may present their own challenges. I believe that your congregation can rise to the occasion, if you lift up a vision of “touching the Earth more lightly” and of “taking the long view” of what is best for the Earth, and for the generations to come. I encourage you to prayerfully and joyfully enter into these perhaps challenging choices, trusting that the Holy Spirit will empower you in choosing the most faithful earthkeeping practices that you can. AND in finding ways, financially, to do them. Finally, I commend you also for encouraging Pot Luck participants to “bring their own” re-usable place settings. That’s how it was always done, back when I was growing up. Our society, on the whole, has gotten so very complacent (and lazy!) about the so-called “convenience” of throwaway items. This simply runs counter to a healthy creation. Let our actions now be a witness to the rest of the world, that we Lutherans show our love for our Creator in part by how we mend and tend God’s creation. Please keep me informed of your next steps. I’d like to be able to share what you do with the whole synod, as both an example and inspiration for other congregations.
Your servant in Christ, |
