Eco Church
Fountainhall Church Eco Team was created 15 years ago with the aim to place environmental concerns and environmentally-oriented action at the centre of the life of our congregation. Winning their first award in 2007, the Eco Team also strives to heighten awareness of environmental issues amongst the local community through its members’ personal witness and example.
For more information, please contact us on Eco@fountainhallchurch.org.uk
Eco Tip of the month
20 Sept - 6 Oct 2024 is Good Money Week
In addition to the more common ways of living sustainably have you considered how you can do good with your money?
Do you know where your bank invests your money to generate your interest? If this does not meet with your sustainable objectives consider moving to a more ethically invested bank.
Try to ensure your pension is invested ethically.
If you are fortunate enough to be in a position to, you might lend to someone living in poverty in a developing country who is trying to set up their own small business. Take a look at lendwithcare.org for more information.
If you are able to, buying supplies for your local foodbank can be a real help to people in need in your local area.
For more information on Good Money Week go to goodmoneyweek.com
Eco Events
Eco Team Autumn Ramble 2024
It is time to dig out those walking boots again. The Fountainhall Church Eco Team invite you to join them for an Autumn ramble to explore the lower reaches of the Don, Scotland’s 6th largest river.
Meet at the entrance to the Donmouth Local Nature Reserve hide AB24 1XP on the Beach Esplanade, at 09.45 am for 10.00 am departure on Friday 27 September.
We start our walk at Donmouth which is home to a variety of wildlife, and then follow the Donside Heritage Trail along the south bank of the Don past the old Brig O’Balgownie, through Seaton Park, past the Donside Hydro, crossing the Don at Grandholm Bridge and then following the Grandholm Lade through Persley Den.
We will continue to the café at Tesco Extra, Laurel Drive, Danestone, for refreshments! The walk is 3.8 miles.
Walkers can catch a bus back into the centre of Aberdeen, or for the more adventurous there is the option to walk back to the Donmouth Nature Reserve, crossing the Persley Bridge, past Persley Walled Garden, continuing along the south bank of the Don to the Grandholm Bridge, and then following the north bank of the Don.
NB Warm clothing and stout walking shoes are recommended as sections of the walk can be muddy.
This is a free event. All are very welcome. Please contact Sheila via email eco@fountainhallchurch.org.uk if you would like to join us.
COMPOSTABLE CADDY LINERS at the Centre and at the Cross
Fountainhall Church at the Centre and Cross are distribution points for compostable food caddy liners. These are available at reception in these buildings. Food caddy liners are biodegradable and environmentally-friendly allowing food waste to be easily separated from other rubbish and then put into the brown garden waste bin.
Looking for a bigger caddy liner?
Free 7 litre food caddies can be ordered from Aberdeen City Council. Food caddy liners and food waste can be disposed of in the brown bin.
RECYCLING POINT at Fountainhall Church
Fountainhall Church supports the recycling of items which cannot be efficiently recycled by kerbside collections. Each of our 3 buildings have a dedicated recycling point for selected items:
Postage stamps for Oxfam
Spectacles and cases for The Lions Club
Mobile phones and ink cartridges for ReBoot of Forest
Pre-1950 Postcards for Oxfam
Foreign and Pre-Decimal Coins for Oxfam
We are a Fairtrade Church
What does this mean?
We promote and raise awareness about FT by:
The use of FT tea, coffee and sugar for hospitality in our three buildings
The display of the FT logo
The display of FT posters on our Eco Noticeboards
Having a stall at FHC coffee mornings and events in FHC
Including reference to FT during worship
Participation in FT fortnight
Eco Team's Remit
Encourage amongst our congregation and the local community a concern for environmental considerations in the course of all actions undertaken as part of everyday life
Encourage an appreciation of God’s creation and our responsibility to care for it
Help to bring to the attention of the world at large the centrality of environmental issues
Remain active members of, and contributors to, Eco Congregation Scotland
Encourage our church and congregation to promote sustainable development and energy use
Encourage our congregation to become a more effective Fairtrade community
Eco Team's Actions
The Eco Team’s activities include:
raising awareness of green issues and organising green events for the congregation and wider community;
promoting Fairtrade;
developing our grounds as a quality leisure and wildlife area;
forging links with community organisations and environmental bodies;
having an input into the Fountainhall Church purchasing policy;
promotion of recycling, support for projects to reduce our carbon footprint, inclusion of environmental material in worship and liturgy;
Communication and awareness actions with contributions to What’s On Weekly Digital Newsletter, Intimations and The Source magazine, and campaigning.
We are an Eco Congregation. What does this mean?
Fountainhall Church is a member of Eco-Congregation Scotland (ECS) which is a charity, offering a programme to enthuse and engage church congregations to weave environmental issues into their everyday lives and mission in an enjoyable and stimulating way. ECS achieves this through three strands: Spiritual Living, Practical Living and Global Living. ECS encourages churches to take part in their award process which recognises achievements in these three areas.
ECS has an award scheme with three categories: bronze, silver and gold. Fountainhall Church has been assessed and achieved a silver award.
Fountainhall Church was awarded the first Eco Award in 2007, the second Eco award in 2011 and the third one in 2016. The Award Scheme was then altered to Bronze, Silver and Gold with the criteria becoming slightly more stringent. Our Third Award became then a Silver Award under the new award scheme.
Our Eco Awards
