Eco Congregation – What is it?

St Mary's is endeavoring to become an eco congregation

The environmental charity, ENCAMS, which runs the Tidy Britain Group and Going for Green, encourages schools to become Eco Schools, field study centres to become Eco Centres and churches of all denominations to become Eco Congregations.  

An Eco Congregation looks at how it is caring for the environment.  

An Eco Congregation will:

1.    Cut down waste

2.    Save energy and natural resources

3.    Travel sensibly

4.    Prevent pollution  

5.    Look after the local environment.  

The church is working alongside Kelvedon St Mary's Primary School who are working towards becoming an Eco School. 

Recycling in Kelvedon

In Kelvedon we are fortunate that our local council   provides fortnightly kerbside collections.   Remember the new collection day is now Tuesdays.

We can recycle, tins, plastic bottles, newspapers and magazines, cardboard, paper and junk mail and textiles through this scheme.

For other things why not try:

SPECTACLES

The Kelvedon optician, Eye Syte , recycles spectacles through Vision Aid, who send them to people in need in developing countries.  

FOIL

Anne Hackworth , Lances, Church Street, collects foil for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

USED PRINTER CARTRIDGES

St Mary’s Primary School collects these which they can exchange for computer equipment.   They accept All Hewlett Packard cartridges, All Lemark cartridges, Canon BC01/02/05/06/29   BX2, BX3 cartridges.

Action Aid - Tel: 0117 929 8818 or email nru@actionaid.org.uk takes used printer cartridges and also fax machine and photocopier cartridges.

Great Ormond Street Hospital collects used printer cartridges for their TOMMY Campaign Tel   0800 435576 for free post envelopes.

OLD MOBILE PHONES

Great Ormond Street Hospital - Free post, CRUMP

Christian Aid   Appeal - XS Tronix, Free post LON17592, London SW17 9ZZ

Action Aid - National Recycling Unit, Tel: 0117 929 8818   email nru@actionaid.org.uk.

USED STAMPS

Collected in the church porch and in the Co-op

HEARING AIDS

Especially children’s ones.

MOYO a Malawi charity.

C/o Pam Douglas, Sheep Leas, Duke Street, Settle, BD24   OAN.

WOOD AND METAL WORKING TOOLS

For Africa

Tel:   01703 869697 for nearest collection point.

ENVELOPES

Reuse envelopes, labels can be bought from the Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 9AZ.

BOTTLES

Bottle bank in the Co-op car park.

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINE S

Collected by the council

TEXTILES

Are hand sorted and graded.   Clothes in good condition are sold in charity shops, given to the homeless or sent to developing countries.   Textiles in bad condition are made into cleaning cloths for industry or shredded and the fibres used to make blankets, rugs, new clothes, insulation or padding in furniture.   Take to charity shops.

CANS

Are sorted using magnets.   Steel and aluminum are sold into the scrap metal market. The council collects cans

PLASTIC BOTTLES

Are hand sorted into the main types of plastic.   The plastic is shredded, washed and converted into pellets, typical use for HDPE (milk bottle plastic) are waste containers and plastic pipes,   PET (drink bottles) is often recycled into polyester for the clothing industry The council collects plastic botles

CARDBOARD, MIXED PAPER & JUNK MAIL

Is sold to a paper merchant to be recycled into paper. The council collect this.