UMC Votes to Fight Global Warming With "Printing and Mailings"
From the UM News Service (emphasis mine):
I worry that "global warming" has, to its detriment, become synonymous with "environmentalism"; as a result, you have people who brush off all things eco-friendly because they can demonstrate that Al Gore is a hypocrite or see a cold day in April as proof that global warming is a hoax. I would rather we see global warming as one of several interrelated environmental issues including air quality, water quality, resource conservation, and food availability.
That said, I support any effort by the church to address global warming.
Here's my problem: We (the people of The United Methodist Church) are investing $66,000 in an effort to fight global warming that involves primarily "meetings, printings and mailings." Maybe we could spend another 20K and add logging, bus racing, and incinerating plastic.
I kid. But this is silly. We have the technology to raise awareness without sending junk mail throughout the land, and we should use it. I can only hope that the "meetings" in question are conference calls or online video conferences and that we're not flying people around the country to meet in person, but I have my doubts.
The assembly voted 521-89 to create a task force to examine ways in which churches, agencies and conferences can address global warming. The 12-member group will make recommendations for such things as solar panels, meetings by conference calls, and building insulation, then report its findings to the 2012 General Conference.
Cost of the four-year endeavor, including meetings, printing and mailings, is estimated at $66,000. Delegates will review that cost after receiving recommendations from GCFA and the Connectional Table.
I worry that "global warming" has, to its detriment, become synonymous with "environmentalism"; as a result, you have people who brush off all things eco-friendly because they can demonstrate that Al Gore is a hypocrite or see a cold day in April as proof that global warming is a hoax. I would rather we see global warming as one of several interrelated environmental issues including air quality, water quality, resource conservation, and food availability.
That said, I support any effort by the church to address global warming.
Here's my problem: We (the people of The United Methodist Church) are investing $66,000 in an effort to fight global warming that involves primarily "meetings, printings and mailings." Maybe we could spend another 20K and add logging, bus racing, and incinerating plastic.
I kid. But this is silly. We have the technology to raise awareness without sending junk mail throughout the land, and we should use it. I can only hope that the "meetings" in question are conference calls or online video conferences and that we're not flying people around the country to meet in person, but I have my doubts.
posted by Tinley | 6:09 PM
2 Comments:
we have the technology, but does anyone on the floor know what that technology is to say that we don't have to spend money in this fashion?
the problem with going green, is that it takes a lot of money to do that. most churches that operate in survival mode financially will opt out of going green when they see the price tag
But e-mail, websites, and conference calls have been around for years and are much less costly than sending out mailings or meeting in person. Publishing a document on a website or as a PDF is far less expensive than print. I don't see why price tag would be a barrier.
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