New Creation Care Initiatives at Honey Creek Camp

The Creation Care Commission, a new environmental ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, met at Honey Creek Camp on June 13 to establish programs that reduce and recycle waste and to increase awareness of ways to better care for "this fragile earth, our island home."A food waste reduction program will focus on reducing overall food waste at summer camp and composting or recycling as much waste from meals as possible. Food waste will be weighed and tracked after each meal, with incentives offered for reaching certain waste reduction goals. Liquid waste will be recycled to water an existing butterfly garden.The theme of the food waste program is "Reduce Bad Gas (in the environment)," to emphasize the connection between food waste, greenhouse gases, and climate change. Nearly 20 percent of waste in landfills is food, which creates methane-a potent greenhouse gas-when it breaks down in a landfill," said Deacon Leeann Culbreath, who organized the work weekend. Methane is 20 times more lethal than carbon dioxide.A three-compartment compost system was built using recycled wooden pallets. Finished compost will be used to nourish current flower, herb, and butterfly garden beds, and a vegetable garden in the future. The group also donated recycled clothing to be used as rags for daily dorm cleaning, to reduce paper toweling use."The waste we create, and what we do with it, affects people, animals, and ecosystems around the world," Culbreath said. "Loving God's Creation through simple actions means loving our neighbors near and far, and being a healing force in a suffering world. Reducing waste at Honey Creek also has many economic benefits."The compost system still needs to be lined with hardware cloth to help keep critters out and compostables in. If you have materials or labor to donate toward this effort, please email Deacon Leeann Culbreath at deacon@stannestifton.com.To keep up with the Creation Care Commission's ongoing work, and to view more photos of the work weekend, visit their Facebook page.