Words from the Woods

We are enjoying a beautiful June here in the woods.  The north part of the woods is purposefully wild to create a safe nesting place for our wildlife neighbors, but will keep the south side of the path tamer!  We are hoping to have a new path installed to the Peace Pole soon, weather permitting. Next year we hope to celebrate our 20th anniversary in the Woods to celebrate an acre of grass transformed into an abundant habitat!

Today we will have a visit with Dawn Slack, from The Nature Conservancy to perform a follow up survey on our invasive removal program.

In the courtyard, the Little Henry itea, dwarf oakleaf hydrangea and evening primroses are in bloom.  Soon our butterfly milkweed (Asclepius tuberosa) will be blooming and attract our hungry monarch butterflies.  I hope that everyone has the opportunity to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

I like to highlight what local groups are doing in the community.  Here is a partial update from the Carmel Green group in Hamilton County and the MCSWD.

What Can You Do to Help our Common Home? We should do all we can to flatten the curve of climate change. One of the easiest things Hoosier can do is to turn things off when you’re not using them because electricity is the largest single source of carbon emissions in Indiana. Save energy, save money and reduce your footprint!  (Do you remember when your grandmother used to tell you that?)

Learn about Solar - Going solar is the cleanest energy you can get! And you can still take advantage of net metering and the 26% federal tax credit this year which make solar more affordable.  Join us for a free solar webinar to figure out if solar is right for you! RSVP for Thursday, June 24, 6:30 p.m.

Heat Preparedness - On Wed. June 9, Noon, join IU ERI for a free webinar on how to use an equitable approach to prepare for extreme heat events. Think back to the super-hot summer of 2012 when the Morse Reservoir dried up and Indy issued a watering ban.  According to the Purdue Climate Change Research Center, if we continue dumping carbon pollution into the atmosphere, every summer will be hotter than it was in 2012.  We should do all we can to avoid this scenario, but since there is already some warming baked into the system, we need to start thinking about heat preparedness. Read more. 

Climate Change & Invasives - On June 10, 11 a.m. join the MIPN for a free webinar on how climate change is affecting plants. You will learn which invasive plants might be expanding northward into the Midwest as the climate warms and which species might undergo range contraction. Register here.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby Conference - On June 12-13, join Citizens’ Climate Lobby for the virtual conference on The Push for a Price on Carbon.  An economy-wide carbon price is the single most powerful tool we have to reduce America’s carbon pollution to net zero by 2050. We’re asking Congress to enact that powerful tool this year! You’ll get updates on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and you’ll learn about actions you can take to push for a price on carbon. Read more and sign-up.

Eco-Film: KISS THE GROUND - Join us on Thurs. Jun 17, 7:30 p.m. for the screening of Kiss the Ground on the outdoor screen at Midtown Plaza by the Monon.  Kiss The Ground is an uplifting documentary about climate solutions involving Regenerative Agriculture, a holistic approach to food production that’s good for your health and the environment. The screening is free and open to the public. Read more.

From the Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District:

Workshops for a Cleaner Waterway - Our district is teaming up with ROW (Reconnecting to Our Waterways), Kheprw Institute and The City League to offer Rain Garden and Rain Barrel Build workshops this summer!  Made possible by our Clean Water Indiana grant through the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, space for these outdoor workshops is limited to 25 Marion County residents and COVID-19 precautions will be followed.  Here are the workshop details:

• Fall Creek: Rain Garden Workshop, Thursday, June 24 from 6:30-7:45 PM at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Residents living along Fall Creek will be able to learn about the benefits of and how to build their own rain garden in their yard with step-by-step instructions and will even take home several native plants from Indy Urban Acres to get it started. Register here.

• Pogue’s Run: Rain Barrel Build Workshop, Thursday, July 29 from 6:30-8:00 PM at the Boner Fitness & Learning Center. As part of The City League’s basketball tournament, residents living along Pogue’s Run will be able to build their own rain barrel to capture stormwater off of their home downspouts. Thank you to the Kheprw Institute (KI) and their ‘Express Yourself Rain Barrels’ program for providing both the knowledge and materials needed for this workshop. Register here. 

Friends have been busy in the woods...

Friends have been busy in the Woods planting more native plants to enhance the dining options for our pollinator friends. Look for wood hyacinth in our wildflower patch south of the meditational circle. We planted 3 trays of seedlings south of the SE bridge of big-leaved asters and blue stemmed goldenrod that Mary grew from seeds.

Big Leaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus) is perfect for shady areas with less than perfect soil. Drought tolerant, it thrives in both dry sand and heavy clay soils that possess a modicum of organic matter. Big Leaf Aster is often planted for its large, heart-shaped basal foliage which forms a nice ground cover. Upright stems emerge from the base in late summer, bearing clusters of delicate, bluish-white rayed flowers, from August thru September. Great for stabilizing shaded hillsides and slopes, it spreads by rhizomes to form a ground cover. Aster macrophyllus is a host plant for the Pearl Crescent Butterfly.

Blue Stemmed Goldenrod does not spread as aggressively as some goldenrods. This Wisconsin endangered plant features graceful arching stems covered with hundreds of small yellow flowers. The distinct stems are purplish in color. Native to rich woodlands in the Eastern half of the U.S. it prefers light shade, but will tolerate full sun. A mature clump has great presence and texture – brightening any semi-shade garden late in the season.

Solidago caesia is an interesting goldenrod for a variety of garden styles: open woodland garden, border, cottage or butterfly garden. As with all goldenrods, it is a desirable source of late-season pollen. Other common names include Wreath Goldenrod.In mid to late August, you may find Brown Hooded Owlet Moth (Cucullia convexipennis) caterpillars feeding on the foliage. (From PraireNursery.com)

Wild Hyacinth, also called Atlantic Camas, is the only eastern species of its genus, which is in the Lily family and characterized by squat bulbs, similar to those of small tulips in size and shape. Its pale blue-violet flowers begin to bloom from the bottom, progressing toward the top of the spike-like raceme at the end of the plant’s central stalk. It will thrive in full sun, but also open shade such as a woodland edge. It likes rich, acidic soils, but can tolerate clay soils with adequate moisture, especially when it is in flower. The bulbs are edible and were a major food source for some Native American tribes and early European Settlers, but they are very hard to distinguish from Zigadenus elegans bulbs which are deadly poisonous

Attractive to a number of insects seeking nectar and pollen, Camassia scilloides re-seeds itself and, though slow to establish, is fairly long-lived. By mid-summer, the basal leaves turn yellow and wither away and the plant remains dormant for the rest of the year (from PrarieMoonNursery.com)

The woods is approaching a naturalized state, so will not appear like a botanical garden. It’s been delightful to watch the preschool children have their school pictures taken in the meditational circle and families from the neighborhood come to learn about trees and plants. They like finding some of the trees from the Woods map that Krishan Coffman created.

Come spend some time in the Woods, listen for the birds and see what’s blooming right now.

Words from the Woods

We’ve added a few new plants to the Woods: look for spicebush, New Jersey Tea and a pagoda dogwood. A wheelbarrow full of honeysuckle was pulled out and disposed. We’ve scattered native grass, wildflower and sedge seeds in different areas, so we hope that we will see more growth soon.

Thanks to Mindy and Linda for their helping hands. Amy Perry has rearranged the entry berm that supports the Woods dedication monument to make it even more beautiful.

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) has many activities to help with Creation Care.

• Family learning activities for Earth Month. https://www.kibi.org/nature-learning-activities

• Kick start spring cleaning! Host a Great Indy Cleanup, find out the date of your neighborhood cleanup, or join us on April 24 for a cleanup at Indiana Guide Right.

Do you want a KIB pocket park in your neighborhood? Is there a vacant or under-used lot in your neighborhood? A place that where you and your neighbors could spend time together outside, if it had just a little love and attention? Do native plants and butterflies make your daily walks a delight? Then a greenspace sounds right for you! Applications for our 2022 AES Indiana Project GreenSpace projects are open until May 31, 2021. Apply now!

Spring Greetings from the Woods

Plants are emerging from their winter sleep. We have a few wildflowers peeking up through the fallen leaves such as bloodroot and Dutchman’s breeches. Trillium and trout lilies may be next. Hopefully, we will be able to increase the number of spring wildflowers, or ephemerals, as we remove more and more invasive plants.

On Friday, we had a small Woods crew of Mindy Sommer, Brenda Rodeheffer, Nancy Scott, Mary Blackburn and Terry Trierweiler work on the courtyard to get it ready for our first in-person worship service on Easter Sunday. Terry has saved the seeds of coneflower and black-eyed Susans for the children. The Annabelle hydrangea, Little Henry sweetspire, dwarf oak leaf hydrangea and Tiny Wine ninebark shrubs are sending out new shoots. We have a cluster of Tiny Wine ninebark shrubs in the northeast corner of the courtyard that were donated by Helen Davenport’s family. The Davenport family has a tradition of planting a shrub in memory of a loved one. Look for the white blossoms appearing in April and May and think of our dear Helen.

We plan to work every Thursday morning from 10- 12 noon to remove invasives and perform other maintenance. Look for the new spicebushes that will be planted this week in the wet northeast corner.

Get Ready for the City Nature Challenge!

For the fifth year, Indiana Sciences and a coalition of partners are challenging Indianapolis residents and surrounding communities to stay connected with the urban wildlife around them by becoming citizen scientists. People of all ages are encouraged to participate in the “social distancing edition” of the 2021 global City Nature Challenge from April 30 – May 3, 2021. 

If you’d like to create a First Friends Nature Team, please contact Mary Blackburn.

For more information about the program, click here.

Do you have extra Tee Shirts that you’ve worn out or outgrown? I’ve just learned about a company that recycles old Tee Shirts into new fibers to create new clothing. You can get $5 credit per T-shirt, up to $25 credit. If you’re interested, check out MarineLayer: Respun https://www.marinelayer.com/pages/respun-2020

Earth Day is coming April 22, 2021. Think about something that you can do to love God’s creation. Is it planting the right native tree in the right place in your yard? Is it cutting down on plastic use in your daily life? Is it turning off your lights when you leave the room?

Send your suggestions for loving the Earth and we’ll post them here in the Woods section of F2F.

Creation Care Update

Spring is getting ready to spring forth! The more birds are singing in the early morning hours and a lot of activity is taking in the treetops and below ground.

We are blessed to have several beautiful specimens of our state tree, the Tulip Poplar, Liriodendron tulipifera. The tulip tree is fast growing and has been called a pioneer tree, as it grows rapidly in open areas and is intolerant of shade. A new factoid I learned is that the woodland indigenous people used the tulip tree for dugout canoes.

While the tree generally blooms in May, sometimes it is hard to see their beautiful flowers way up in the canopy, so keep your eyes open for them on the ground after a gusty day.

Volunteers for Woods maintenance are invited to join our merry crew on Thursday mornings from 10am-12 noon starting March 25th.

Interested in Native Plants? Check out the Indiana Native Plant Society webpage (https://indiananativeplants.org and look for GrowNatives!

IFCL Environmental Care legislation relies on expert opinion from the Hoosier Environmental Council, Indiana Conservation Alliance, White River Alliance and others. For updates on legislation being followed by the Hoosier Environmental Council, please click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M4YW4kyOzcOgiizils8o_vObR0s_m1zd/view?usp=sharing

News from the Woods

Look up and you will see the maple trees budding and swelling, so blooms will be happening soon! From WildAdirondacks.org: “The Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) is a large, slow-growing, deciduous tree which flourishes in well-drained soil in the Adirondack Mountains. It is a member of the Soapberry Family. The Sugar Maple is one of about twenty species in the genius Acer which occur in North America. This species has a life span of 200-300 years, with some specimens in old-growth stands persisting to nearly 400 years ”

The sugar maple hosts the Cecropia Silkmoth and Rosy Maple Moth. The Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Evening Grosbeak feast upon the seeds, buds and flowers. The sap is a food source for Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.

Do you enjoy weeding and planting?
Here is our work plan for March and April:

All times are 10 AM-12 noon, reschedule if weather conditions aren’t good. As soon as everyone is immunized, we could go out to lunch afterwards :)

March 12: reseed areas in the understory in the Woods, remove invasive grass from the butterfly garden, apply Hollytone to acid loving plants, like azaleas and dogwoods. We are watching the weather. If its raining, feel free to stay home and join us on March 25.

March 25: It’s time to cut back the perennials after allowing native insects to overwinter in the dead stalks. Consider rearranging some of the plants in the butterfly garden.

April 1 & 8th: Its English ivy pulling time in the northeast section of the woods. Wear long sleeves and pants and have work gloves with no holes in them! There could be some poison ivy hidden in the area, so keep yourself safe. I’ll bring some Fels-Naptha soap, so everyone can wash their hands well when we’re done. We’ll be planting some native flag iris to join the the river of blue that Terry has been creating at the bridge. The iris will be in dedication to Marjorie Wright’s gift to the ongoing support of the Woods and are due to arrive at the end of April.

April 15 & 22 & 29: To be determined

IFCL Creation Care updates:

We are halfway through the 2021 Indiana General Assembly session, which was supposed to focus primarily on the budget and COVID-19 relief. If you would like to be on the IFCL mailing list, let me know. Mary.blackburn4@gmail.com

Here is a bill (HB 1283) to support urban agriculture that has crossed over to the Senate. It’s great to have a bill that focuses on helping people grow their own food in the city by having urban agricultural zones. Here’s a digest of the bill.

http://184.175.130.101/legislative/2021/bills/house/1283#digest-heading

HB 1191 would deprive local governments and universities control over utilities deemed harmful to the community. You can read more about it in the HEC newsletter below. At the end of the email, I’ve been put in the spotlight as a regular volunteer. ~Mary B.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M4YW4kyOzcOgiizils8o_vObR0s_m1zd/view?usp=sharing

Notes from the Woods

Notes from the Woods ~ One of our senior trees in the Woods is the Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) that typically grows 50-80' (less frequently to 120') tall with a broad, open-rounded shaped habit.

You can view this large tree just east and south of the meditational circle.  This tree is important for our bird and insect population by hosting 368 caterpillar species.  Watch her to bloom in March and April. Later in the summer, look for Mourning Cloak, Red-spotted Purple, Viceroy and Tiger Swallowtail butterflies whose larvae have been hidden there.

Highlighting a local environmental non-profit:

Reconnecting our Waterways or ROW

ROW convenes community partners to enhance the quality of life through innovation, analysis, cultural advancement and investment along Indy waterways and in neighborhoods.

See their February newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/e884ac9be74d/current-news-from-row-nov-8105370

IFCL Creation Care updates:

We are halfway through the 2021 Indiana General Assembly session, which was supposed to focus primarily on the budget and COVID-19 relief.  There are some interesting bills to consider. If you would like to be on the IFCL mailing list, let me know. Mary.blackburn4@gmail.com

Here is a bill (HB 1283) to support urban agriculture that has crossed over to the Senate.  It’s great to have a bill that focuses on helping people grow their own food in the city by having urban agricultural zones.  Here’s a digest of the bill.

http://184.175.130.101/legislative/2021/bills/house/1283#digest-heading

For an update from the Hoosier Environmental Council, please click here to see which bills they believe are important for Indiana.

For all you Purdue Fans, here’s a link to the latest report from the Purdue Climate Change Research Center. Among the report's key findings:

* Predicted changes in climate – warmer, wetter springs followed by hotter, drier summers – may increase habitat suitability for a growing assortment of tree species in Indiana.

* Warmer temperatures may increase the number of new invasive species, as plants such as kudzu and Chinese privet expand their ranges northward in response to an altered climate.

* The number of days with frozen soil is projected to drop by one-half to two-thirds by late century, dramatically shrinking the time window for harvesting trees without environmental disturbance and damage.

Here’s the link: https://mailchi.mp/0f8e01ad8a65/in-ccia-newsletter-may-2457745?_ga=2.120209032.1679945187.1614610276-225662745.1614610276

For a Friendly view of Creation Care, check out Quaker Earthcare Witness: https://www.quakerearthcare.org

What's in the Woods?

News from the Woods ~ Spring is just around the corner and nature is getting ready to spring forth!  One of our early blooming trees is the Eastern Redbud. The eastern redbud typically grows to 20–30 ft. tall with a 26–33 ft. spread. It generally has a short, often twisted trunk and spreading branches. A 10-year-old tree will generally be around 16 ft. tall. The bark is dark in color, smooth, later scaly with ridges somewhat apparent, sometimes with maroon patches. The twigs are slender and zigzag, nearly black in color, spotted with lighter lenticels. The winter buds are tiny, rounded and dark red to chestnut in color. The leaves are alternate, simple, and heart shaped with a smooth edge 3–4.5 in. long and wide, thin and papery, and may be slightly hairy below. (Thanks Wikipedia!)

Here are two species that are dependent on our redbud trees:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenter_bee

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callophrys_henrici

Iris versicolor  (Northern Blue Flag)

This spring we will be removing invasive English ivy and plant a grouping of native iris in its stead to celebrate the generosity of Martha E. Wright for her endowment of the ongoing maintenance of the Woods.

Be sure and think about your home landscape this spring.  Please consider adding more native species to your home landscape, so you can help sustain our native birds, butterflies and other creatures.  Our beautiful Earth requires your help!  Genesis 1:29, ESV: "And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food." And our fellow creatures, as well!

Our Woods is now on the Map of the Homegrown National Park.  Listen to Dr. Tallamy explain why using your yard is essential.  https://homegrownnationalpark.org/tallamys-hub-1

Updates from IFCL Creation Care:

Call your State Senators about:  SB 373 (to support a carbon credit bill), HB 1381 (to support pollinator friendly solar farms), SB 249 (to extend net metering), and oppose HB 1191 (removes local control over public health concerns.

Call your State Representative about:  HB 1337 ( to oppose another bill removing local control of logging and factory farm siting near municipal boundaries), HB 1469 (to  support a bil that protect our rivers and groundwater from coal ash contamination), and SB 389 ( oppose a bill that removes protection of isolated wetlands.

Read more in the Hoosier Environmental Council’s newsletter: http://bit.ly/HECnews02-21   

What's in the Woods?

What’s in the Woods? ~ Native woodland sedges offer food for ground feeding birds and insects. For years, I used to weed them out of the garden, not knowing that they are part of the native ecosystem.  You can tell the difference between grasses and sedges, because “sedges have edges!” The caterpillars of the butterflies Satyrodes Appalachia (Appalachian Brown) and Satyrodes eurydice (Eyed Brown) feed on their foliage. It’s amazing what small changes in ground plants can have on our environment.  Have you started thinking about how you can contribute to the backyard national park? https://homegrownnationalpark.org

https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/cm_wdsedge.htm

Join Brad Jackson on Saturday February 20 at 9 AM for an hour of bird watching in the Woods.

From our friends at Carmel Green

Catch Up on Climate Related Bills at the Statehouse 

Even though it’s a little dated already, this IndyStar article provides a great summary of environmental bills introduced this session.  To get the latest updates, check out these upcoming opportunities:

Sustainable Energy Forum  Join the Hoosier Environmental Council for an online panel discussion on leading sustainable energy issues, including rooftop solar, utility-scale renewable energy, coal plant retirement planning, and electric vehicles!  Thurs. Feb.18, 5:30 p.m.  

Mid-Session Legislative Update  Join us for a webinar on key environmental, energy and climate bills as they crossover between House and Senate and learn what you can do to make a positive difference in the second half of the session.  Thurs. Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m.   

IU Environmental Resilience Institute

Agriculture & Climate Change   Learn about agriculture practices that may mitigate the climate change impacts on crops and reduce its footprint.  

Fri. Feb. 19, Noon  

Is Carbon Pricing Enough?   Hear Severin Borenstein discuss whether a suite of policies can efficiently address climate change while also improving equity.   

Fri. Feb. 19, 3:30 p.m.  

Science, Economics & Politics at the EPA    Hear authors discuss the book “Fifty Years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Progress, Retrenchment, and Opportunities.  Wed. Feb. 24, Noon  

From our friends at Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light: Upcoming Events

Environmental Peacebuilding Webinar Series

February 18th and 25th

Care for Creation as a Common Denominator: Interfaith Approaches to Environmental Peacebuilding (A Road to Geneva Event)

An interfaith dialogue around the environment will kick-off a three-part series exploring the role of faith communities in environmental peacebuilding. Information about the sessions is available at the links below.

Presented by Young Evangelicals for Climate Action, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion at the University of Notre Dame, and Environmental Peacebuilding Association

o   Webinar 1 - Panel on faith-based approaches to environmental peacebuilding! https://www.environmentalpeacebuilding.org/.../EventItem...

o   Webinar 2 - February 18th at 11 am EST: Decolonizing the Land: Christian Grassroots Approaches to Environmental Peacebuilding 

o   Webinar 3 - February 25th at 11 am EST: Practicing what we Preach: Dialogue and Futurism in Environmental Peacebuilding

Statewide Call - February 17, 2021

5:00 - 6:00 pm EST

Join our next Statewide Call to engage with others about creation care, energy efficiency, advocacy, and other news!

Register HERE!

Advocacy Call - February 24, 2021

5:00 - 6:00 pm EST

We will be connecting to discuss our experiences at the Renewable Energy Lobby Day, and upcoming advocacy initiatives. Join us to learn how you can get involved!

Register HERE!

Virtual Tour - The 'Greenest Building on Earth'

February 25, 2021

7:30 - 9:00 pm

Our Evansville affiliate Tri-State Creation Care will be hosting a virtual Zoom tour of the Phipps Conservatory's Center for Sustainable Landscapes, the first building to meet five of the highest green certifications. It is free and open to all!

Find out More!

Congregation Energy Conservation Webinar

Join us on March 24th from 5 - 7:30 pm for an informative webinar by our panel of energy experts! Learn all about reducing energy consumption in your buildings, including how to take advantage of an energy audit, find and work with a great HVAC contractor, and more!

Find out MORE!

Creation Care

Creation Care  ~ Our Woods provides habitat not only for birds and small mammals, our trees and shrubs provide homes for important pollinators.  Each week, I will highlight a native plant and some of the wildlife it supports.

This week, let’s look at our humble and happy Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia sororia). Violet leaves which have a bland taste can be used as cooked greens or in salads, containing large amounts of vitamins A& C. Its bright blue flowers attract bees, skippers, and other insects. Caterpillars of Fritillary butterflies feed on foliage Speyeria diane (Diana), Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary), Speyeria aphrodite (Aphrodite Fritillary), Boloria bellona (Meadow Fritillary), and Boloria selene myrina (Silver-Border Fritillary)

For more information, consult Illinois wildflowers and the butterfly identification website and see pictures of the caterpillars, pupae and adult butterflies.

https://www.butterflyidentification.com/meadow-fritillary.htm

Start thinking about ways to join creating national parks in your own yard.

The Homegrown National Park™ Map Goes Live!

Based on the work of Dr Doug Tallamy and developed with Michelle Alfandari, the Homegrown National Park™ is a grassroots call-to-action to restore biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants, removing most invasive plants, and creating new ecological networks. The goal is 20 million acres of native plantings in the U.S. – an area that represents approximately ½ of the green lawns of privately-owned properties. 

A key feature of the Homegrown National Park™ is an interactive map, a community-based visual that shows each native planting site by State, County and Zip Code. It enables individuals to see their part in the whole – creating new ecological networks, connecting habitat and restoring biodiversity. As of 20th January, 2021, the map has over 2000 individuals registered and over 13,000 acres of native plantings mapped across the US; in Indiana, there are currently 71 individuals registering just over 180 acres of native plantings.  The Landscaping with Natives Team would love to encourage anyone who might be keen to register their native plantings on the map – it is free and very easy to do.  We would love to see Indiana well-represented – it can help us all to see that our individual plantings really can be part of the change! 

For other links to local organizations:
https://indiananativeplants.org/
https://thewhiteriveralliance.org/
https://marionswcd.org
https://www.kibi.org/

·         Your Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation (IFCL) is actively tracking environmental bills during the long budget session this year.  This week, we’d love to have the General Assembly start a conversation about safely moving and capping coal ash ponds that are contaminating our ground water and potential to contaminate our rivers when flooding occurs. Final day for hearings on any bills is tomorrow, February 11.  If a bill doesn’t receive a hearing, it will die in committee. Call today and

·         Contact Senator Mark Messmer, Chairman of the Senate Environmental Affairs Committee to urge him to “schedule a hearing on Senate Bill 367”

o    Phone: 317-232-9840

o    Email: s48@iga.in.gov

·         Contact Representative Doug Gutwein, Chairman of the House Environmental Affairs Committee to urge him to “schedule a hearing on House Bill 1469”

o    Phone: 317-234-9139

o    Email: h16@iga.in.gov

If you’d like to get email alerts as bills move through the general assembly, please contact Mary Blackburn at mary.blackburn4@gmail.com to get on the IFCL mailing list.

Reduce your Use!

Reduce Your Use! ~ This week try limiting your single-use plastics. Plastic is everywhere. Grocery stores shelves are filled with containers made of it (on a normal day) and when you check out, bags are made of it. Restaurants pass out straws and to-go containers made of it. Plastic water bottles are convenient at events (remember those?) and when you’re thirsty on-the-go. Then maybe worst of all, it litters our streets and sidewalks and eventually makes its way to our waterways. Try buying or making your own reusable grocery bags and store them in your trunk, rather than going for the plastic bags at check-out. Refill your water bottle and take it with you on your daily walk, rather than grabbing a disposable one. Use your own utensils at home and request that restaurants don’t include plastic straws and utensils with your takeout meal. The less plastic we use, the less likely it is to make its way where it shouldn’t.

Reduce your Carbon Footprint!

From your Creation Care Team~ Have you noticed that the horizon over Indianapolis no longer has that yellowish color? Our air quality has improved tremendously since many of us are not driving as much. While many of us are protecting our community by staying at home, here are some ideas for reducing your carbon footprint, courtesy of Climate Forward.

Program your thermostat: Although an estimated 41 percent of Americans have programmable thermostats, just 12 percent actually program them. By setting yours to automatically change with the time and season, Brenda Ekwurzel, director of climate science at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said you could reduce “heating and cooling emissions by 15 percent.”

Get cleaner power: Research solar panels (some companies are promoting contact-free installations) and community solar. Or, if you live in a deregulated energy state, look into switching to a green provider.

Kill energy vampires: Nearly 5 percent of our total residential electricity usage comes from devices that stay plugged in when they’re not being used. So Dr. Ekwurzel suggested putting devices on a single power strip that you can easily switch off.

Adjust your water heater: According to the Department of Energy, lowering the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit from 140 degrees (or to about 50 Celsius from 60) could reduce its annual energy usage by as much as 22 percent.

Experiment with climate-friendly recipes: Going vegetarian could reduce your food-related footprint by a third — but even if you’re a devoted carnivore, Dr. Ekwurzel said simply eating less meat “makes a big difference over the long run.” To stay stocked on produce, search for farmers’ markets near you; many remain open or are offering online ordering. (GrowNYC has a list of area farmers with delivery or pickup.) Adding frozen veggies to your grocery list isn’t a bad idea, either.

Join a C.S.A.: As another way to avoid “buying agricultural products that have been flown around the world,” Laurel Hanscom, chief executive officer of the Global Footprint Network, recommended subscribing to a community supported agriculture program. (Just note that, if spring hasn’t yet sprung in your region, it may be a while before your first delivery!)

Compost: The Environmental Protection Agency says food is the biggest single contributor to our landfills, constituting an incredible “22 percent of discarded municipal solid waste.” Keep your scraps out of the landfill by (finally!) starting a compost pile.

Go paperless: Spend 20 minutes registering for digital statements from all of your accounts. While you’re at it, reduce your unwanted junk mail, too.

Buy carbon offsets: Remember when traveling was a thing? Well now is the perfect opportunity to purchase offsets for prior adventures.

Get educated: Use your downtime to catch up on climate change books, documentaries and podcasts.

Make your voice heard: Ms. Hanscom urged readers to “encourage your representatives to fight for climate-forward policies in the bailouts and stimulus packages.” (Luckily, you can do that from the couch.)

Waterways Offer Healing in Uncertain Times

As we stay home and practice social distancing to maintain healthy communities, Earth may be taking some respite from the disruptions our regular human activities cause. This could be a time to spend connecting to nature, finding activities on your own or with family. Read the Reconnecting to Our Waterways newsletter for more information:  https://mailchi.mp/fd8b0e63e1ee/current-news-from-row-march-1349164?e=3066926b24.

Read to find out how waterways can be a source for making the days pass more easily, connecting to our natural world.

Reduce your Use!

This week, the Green Team considers the plastics problem that our world is facing. Please consider clicking on the links below--the first is a few minutes about the problem, and the second is a short video on how to reduce our use of plastics: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQTUWK7CM-Y 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g00rzQvyxZ8

Clear Choices Clean Water!

The Green Team would like to highlight the following website:

https://indiana.clearchoicescleanwater.org

The program has easy steps we can commit to that will improve water quality in Indiana. There are activities for kids and steps we can all take that range from water conservation ideas to curtailing lawn fertilizers. Check it out!

Degrees of Change

Climate change is in the news. Europe has experienced the highest summer temperatures in recent history and the ice sheets on Greenland are melting at an accelerated rate.  In my new neighborhood, a few older spruce trees were removed due to disease. Even though, they weren’t healthy, I immediately could feel the temperature difference when they were gone. Shade trees can cool the air beneath by 8 degrees!  Instead of 90, 82 degrees feels pretty good.

So plant a tree and care for it. For more information, read this blog from Science Friday on things you can do to make a difference: https://mailchi.mp/sciencefriday/degrees-of-changeclimate-change-affects-every-community-differently-301913?e=22430bedd7

The Green Team at First Friends

The Green Team has been reflecting on the ways that our Meeting is already a good steward of God’s creation, and also on the ways we could do more.  Certainly, we want to continue recycling office paper and other items that are coded for recycling.   We are leaning towards collecting coffee grounds in Fellowship Hall as compost for our gardeners, and leaning away from using disposable plates, cups, and silverware.  We are interested in, and researching the possibilities of, the future use of solar panels at the Meetinghouse.  The Green Team is committed to keeping fertilizers and herbicides off of the Meetinghouse lawn as our pollinators love the dandelions and our rivers, lakes, and oceans find fertilizers insufferable. 

Be on the lookout for Green Team projects such as sewing our own reusable bags, as well as for the next Green Team gathering.  If these are things that you are passionate about, please consider coming to our next meeting.