The Rubbish Challenge:
10 Steps to Less Waste in 10 Months
Written by Silvia Purdie (no copyright, no need to ask permission)
To receive the resource (free!) each month (Feb-Nov this year only) please email:
silvia.purdie@gmail.com
To receive the resource (free!) each month (Feb-Nov this year only) please email:
silvia.purdie@gmail.com
Current Step) April: Recycling
Bible verse: 1 Corinthians 15:50.
What I am saying is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
‘Big Idea’
God designed all of Creation to be perishable, but modern manufacturing has created millions of objects that are effectively imperishable. Plastic is designed to degrade so slowly to be almost immortal. True immortality is found only in God. All else is idolatory. Objects that do not decompose harm the environment. Recycling reduces this harm.
Question - for reflection & discussion
What do we do with objects whose life span is much longer than ours?
Action Steps for April
Help your City Council recycle as much as possible:
• know what can go into the yellow recycling bins (find out from your City Council)
• don’t put anything else in the recycling bins
• don’t wrap recycling in plastic bags
• clean recycling first.
Buy less stuff in plastic bottles – refill and re-use.
Ask for no plastic packaging when you buy products (such as polystyrene).
Get creative. What ideas do you have for re-using stuff?
Prayer
Risen Christ, all glory to you.
In you is everlasting life!
Conquer the idols in our world.
Give us wisdom, courage and creativity
as we recycle.
What I am saying is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
‘Big Idea’
God designed all of Creation to be perishable, but modern manufacturing has created millions of objects that are effectively imperishable. Plastic is designed to degrade so slowly to be almost immortal. True immortality is found only in God. All else is idolatory. Objects that do not decompose harm the environment. Recycling reduces this harm.
Question - for reflection & discussion
What do we do with objects whose life span is much longer than ours?
Action Steps for April
Help your City Council recycle as much as possible:
• know what can go into the yellow recycling bins (find out from your City Council)
• don’t put anything else in the recycling bins
• don’t wrap recycling in plastic bags
• clean recycling first.
Buy less stuff in plastic bottles – refill and re-use.
Ask for no plastic packaging when you buy products (such as polystyrene).
Get creative. What ideas do you have for re-using stuff?
Prayer
Risen Christ, all glory to you.
In you is everlasting life!
Conquer the idols in our world.
Give us wisdom, courage and creativity
as we recycle.
Video (4 mins)
Introducing The Rubbish Challenge
The ‘Why?’
We all know that we make too much rubbish. Too much goes in the red bin, off to landfill. Too much stuff is only made for one use before getting chucked. Too much recycling gets contaminated and dumped. Not enough stuff gets composted.
This is not just a problem for our city councils. It is a problem for God’s creation, and so it is a problem for God and God’s people. We all add to landfill waste and so we all get to share in solving the problem. Could this even be a way of serving God? Could it be a face of mission in 2021?
The ‘How?’
How? By taking small steps.
To cut down on our rubbish, we think about what we use and where it goes. We make choices, about what to buy and how to dispose of what we don’t want any more.
The Rubbish Challenge is a series of little actions, one each month. Together they add up to a big impact.
The Rubbish Challenge is a brief resource for churches, groups, families and individuals, designed to fit into your newsletter. Each month there’ll be thought, a verse, a prayer, and a practical task to do. Plus links to more material.
Please copy and share on your newsletter, website and facebook page.
10 Steps over 10 Months:
Step 1) February: Consider
Step 2) March: Measure
Step 3) April: Recycling
Step 4) May: Disposables
Step 5) June: Food
Step 6) July: Paper Towels
Step 7) August: Office
Step 8) September: Kids
Step 9) October: Cleaning
Step 10) November: Celebrate
We all know that we make too much rubbish. Too much goes in the red bin, off to landfill. Too much stuff is only made for one use before getting chucked. Too much recycling gets contaminated and dumped. Not enough stuff gets composted.
This is not just a problem for our city councils. It is a problem for God’s creation, and so it is a problem for God and God’s people. We all add to landfill waste and so we all get to share in solving the problem. Could this even be a way of serving God? Could it be a face of mission in 2021?
The ‘How?’
How? By taking small steps.
To cut down on our rubbish, we think about what we use and where it goes. We make choices, about what to buy and how to dispose of what we don’t want any more.
The Rubbish Challenge is a series of little actions, one each month. Together they add up to a big impact.
The Rubbish Challenge is a brief resource for churches, groups, families and individuals, designed to fit into your newsletter. Each month there’ll be thought, a verse, a prayer, and a practical task to do. Plus links to more material.
Please copy and share on your newsletter, website and facebook page.
10 Steps over 10 Months:
Step 1) February: Consider
Step 2) March: Measure
Step 3) April: Recycling
Step 4) May: Disposables
Step 5) June: Food
Step 6) July: Paper Towels
Step 7) August: Office
Step 8) September: Kids
Step 9) October: Cleaning
Step 10) November: Celebrate
Step 1: Consider
Bible verse: Ephesians 1:22
"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything."
‘Big Idea’: Mission is Gospel in Context
Christ is Lord of everything and the Gospel of Christ is good news for every-where. Mission happens at the points of connection between the eternal truth of salvation and the messy specifics of human life. In our time we face huge environmental issues. Following Jesus takes us where ever he leads, even into the rubbish dumps of the world.
Question - for reflection & discussion
Whose problem is our rubbish? Is it a problem for God?
It’s great to throw things in the bin and someone else takes it away … but where does it go? What impact does it have on the environment? Is it our responsibility?
Is this something our church/group/home would like to address this year?
Action Steps for February: Read and Discuss
1. Download the ‘Waste’ study guide from A Rocha’s ‘Rich Living’ series:
www.arocha.org.nz/resources/rich-living-series
2. Read and talk about it with others.
3. Decide to do the Rubbish Challenge 10 Steps this year.
For a church this could involve taking a formal proposal to the leadership/Council.
Prayer
Almighty Creator, all things come from you. You call us to be responsible stewards.
Jesus Christ, you are in all the world. You call us into mission to all the world.
Life-giving Spirit, give us strength to follow Christ, in the little things and in the big things.
Amen.
"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything."
‘Big Idea’: Mission is Gospel in Context
Christ is Lord of everything and the Gospel of Christ is good news for every-where. Mission happens at the points of connection between the eternal truth of salvation and the messy specifics of human life. In our time we face huge environmental issues. Following Jesus takes us where ever he leads, even into the rubbish dumps of the world.
Question - for reflection & discussion
Whose problem is our rubbish? Is it a problem for God?
It’s great to throw things in the bin and someone else takes it away … but where does it go? What impact does it have on the environment? Is it our responsibility?
Is this something our church/group/home would like to address this year?
Action Steps for February: Read and Discuss
1. Download the ‘Waste’ study guide from A Rocha’s ‘Rich Living’ series:
www.arocha.org.nz/resources/rich-living-series
2. Read and talk about it with others.
3. Decide to do the Rubbish Challenge 10 Steps this year.
For a church this could involve taking a formal proposal to the leadership/Council.
Prayer
Almighty Creator, all things come from you. You call us to be responsible stewards.
Jesus Christ, you are in all the world. You call us into mission to all the world.
Life-giving Spirit, give us strength to follow Christ, in the little things and in the big things.
Amen.
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Step 2: Measure
Bible verse
There is lots of counting in the Bible; think of some and look them up. Counting helps us take notice of reality. Jesus invited people to be fully aware of what was going on: “blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” (Matthew 13:16)
‘Big Idea’
To read a map you need to know where you are. Measure your rubbish to set a baseline. Then you can set goals and measure progress.
Questions for reflection & discussion
Take a good hard look at the rubbish that we produce.
Find out more about waste issues in your city.
Do you think you personally put too much in the bin?
What are you already trying to do to reduce land-fill waste?
Action Step for March
Measure your rubbish. Choose a period (2 or 4 weeks). Make up a chart for each type of rubbish. Notice what is in each bin – what was in the wrong bin?
Prayer
Dear God, if only we could throw away everything we do not want.
If only stuff would disappear, from our homes, from our relationships, from the planet
like … (pause to name things you would like less of).
Dear God. We confess to you our rubbish - the junk we buy, the rubbish things we say and do. Forgive us, God of infinite grace. Have mercy on us. Amen.
There is lots of counting in the Bible; think of some and look them up. Counting helps us take notice of reality. Jesus invited people to be fully aware of what was going on: “blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” (Matthew 13:16)
‘Big Idea’
To read a map you need to know where you are. Measure your rubbish to set a baseline. Then you can set goals and measure progress.
Questions for reflection & discussion
Take a good hard look at the rubbish that we produce.
Find out more about waste issues in your city.
Do you think you personally put too much in the bin?
What are you already trying to do to reduce land-fill waste?
Action Step for March
Measure your rubbish. Choose a period (2 or 4 weeks). Make up a chart for each type of rubbish. Notice what is in each bin – what was in the wrong bin?
Prayer
Dear God, if only we could throw away everything we do not want.
If only stuff would disappear, from our homes, from our relationships, from the planet
like … (pause to name things you would like less of).
Dear God. We confess to you our rubbish - the junk we buy, the rubbish things we say and do. Forgive us, God of infinite grace. Have mercy on us. Amen.
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