Environmental Stewardship
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.
Genesis 2:15
Mission and Commitment Statement
We joyfully strive to be careful stewards of the environment as we honor God’s covenant with all of creation.
We welcome all people to our church and all living creatures to our earth by committing to preserve its beauty and longevity.
As followers of Christ, we seek to live the love of Christ by protecting all of God’s creation; with Christ’s humble and wise demeanor we enjoy the gifts of our environment without wasting God’s generosity.
Webster Groves Presbyterian Church is committed to environmental stewardship and implementing sustainable practices as an integral part of our ministries. We strive to minimize the environmental impact of our church, workplaces and all the events we support, in coordination with our staff, church officers and congregants.
WGPC is proud to have been approved as an Earth Care Congregation by the PC(USA). To achieve this recognition, our Session committed to the Earth Care Pledge, which challenges us to live in a manner consistent with God’s call not only to care for creation but to commune with creation because of our love for Christ. Please contact our Mission Outreach Coordinator, Beth Kazlauskas, if you have any questions.
Environmental Corner
Bird Loss
Audubon Society's new report, Survival by Degrees: 389 Bird Species on the Brink, shows that two-thirds of North American bird species are at risk of extinction from climate change. We've lost 3 billion birds since 1970. Beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions, what can we do? By simply choosing native plants for our yards and public spaces, we can restore vital habitat for birds and help them adapt and survive. Many bird species can be given a better chance to survive and thrive through a little assistance from structures like birdhouses, roosting towers, nest platforms, and artificial burrows. For some species, these structures tip the scales back in their favor, reducing declines in populations and restoring species to places they once inhabited.
Recycling 101
The average American generates 4.48 pounds of trash a day, adding to a monstrous 262 million tons of trash per year in the United States. Approximately 35% is recycled.
Aluminum, such as beverage cans, pet food cans, aerosol cans, aluminum foil, and cookware, can be recycled. It takes 60 days to repurpose aluminum cans. It is cheaper to make material from recycled material than it is to make the same material from scratch.
Recycling Tips
1. Walmart, Target, Dierbergs, and Schnucks recycle the film or stretchy plastics..that is grocery bags, newspaper bags, dry cleaning bags, zipper sandwich bags, and plastic cereal bags. Curbside pick up does not accept these items. We knew that, but we didn’t know any paper labels on this type of plastic needed to be cut off first.
2. Rinse bottles with hot water and shake well. Pour out the water, allow to dry and replace the lid back on the bottle.
3. Any item with more than one material cannot go in your recycling bin. For example a Pringle can has a metal base along with the cardboard round container. One could cut off the bottom, then the container might be recycled.
Recycling Information
Our Recycling Station in Fellowship Hall accept the following:
- markers/highlighters/pens
- batteries (rechargeable, alkaline, hearing aid)
- cell phones/chargers
- corks
- eyeglasses
- hearing aids
- printer cartridges
- electric cords
For locations to recycle other items, see Where to Recycle in St. Louis
ReUse Opportunity:
WGPC is collecting "loose parts" for Urban Sprouts Child Development Center. The Center is a joyful, encouraging, and diverse educational community located in North University City. As evidenced by the 300 families on the wait list, many people are in need of high quality, predictable child care to enable them to enter the workforce. The Center is inspired by the Reggio-Emilia approach and to that end, it builds learning toys from many "loose parts." WGPC has a new collection center in Fellowship Hall to gather the following for Urban Sprouts:
- Washers and Bolts
- Napkin Rings
- Wood Frames
- Buttons
- Bracelets
- Thimbles
- Wood Scraps
- Embroidery Rings
- Thread and Ribbon Spools
- Cabinet and Drawer Knobs
Tree Stories Needed
The Environmental Stewardship group is seeking tree stories from the congregation.
- Has a tree played an important part in your life...
- Do you have a favorite tree and why...
- What has a tree given you or you have done for a tree...
Any story about a tree would be appreciated. We are collecting tree stories for our Tree Theme. Send your tree story to Denise Thomas.