Reminder -- Upcoming Styrofoam Collection at Grace Church

Saturday, July 28, 10 a.m. -- 3 p.m., at the Grace Church parking lot, 76 Salem End Road

Please remove all tape and food particles. For more information on what can be recycled, see www.refoamit.com.  Volunteers to help sort and pack the styrofoam are welcome! If you miss the July collection you can visit us again on Oct. 27 or Jan. 5, 2013.

August -- All About Food

The showing of "Transition 2.0" at Edwards Church in May has prompted a lot of thinking from those who were there about our food system, farms, personal food choices and their effect on the environment.  So there are two events coming up this summer we hope you will consider -- the first sponsored by our friends from Transition Framingham, and the second an Earthcare event.

"Stone Soup" bowl from Stearns Farm work day, fall 2010  

"LOCAVORE" POTLUCK PICNIC -- (sponsored by Transition Framingham) -- Butterworth Park, Arthur St, Framingham, 01702  -- SUNDAY, AUGUST 5, 2-5pm (rain date August 12)

Bring a dish to share, made with at least one locally grown ingredient. Transition Framingham will provide tables for the food, plus plates, flatware, cups, water and lemonade. You bring a blanket, lawn chairs etc. For more info. email Transitionframingham@yahoo.com or call 508-628-9294. Transition Framingham is a group of citizens working towards a more sustainable future for Framingham in the face of economic instability and climate change. Check them out at www.transitionframingham.org.

Green Movie Night: Meat the Truth: The Massive Impact of Livestock Farming on Climate Change, Wednesday, August 15, 7 p.m. 
The first in a series of monthly movies exploring how the food we eat affects our bodies and our planet. Meat the Truth, produced by Marianne Thieme, examines the connection between livestock farming and greenhouse gas emissions, and aims to contribute to the societal discussion about a more plant-based diet. Jointly sponsored by Open Spirit and the Earthcare Team of Grace and Edwards Churches.   In the Education Building at Edwards Church
(up the hill, beside the sanctuary).  And coming up (same location)-- September 19 - Forks Over Knives.

Earth Day 2012 has passed . . . now what?

The Earthcare group has been somewhat quiet the past few months, although several of us participated in the Carbon Fast and others were involved with the Framingham Earth Day Celebration, or styrofoam recycling at Grace.  But coming up in May are a flurry of events we invite you to consider -- one that would only require about an hour of your time, another that would mean a weekend, and one just an evening. Take your pick!

Event #1 -- Perhaps less than hour -- show up at the Wayland Town Library on Saturday, May 5th at 9:30 a.m. to help draw attention to this "climate dot" as part of 350.org's "Connect the Dots on Climate Change" Day.  You may remember that the Wayland Library was severely damaged by the spring floods of 2010. This is the kind of extreme weather we can expect to see more of as carbon dioxide levels continue to soar.  Come be counted with those who care and want to see real limits on carbon.

Event #2 -- A weekend commitment -- Transition Framingham is offering a "Training for Transition" course the weekend of May 12-13, to learn skills to build local resiliency in the face of peak oil and climate change.  See the Transition Framingham website for more information.

Event #3 -- An evening commitment -- Earthcare Framingham is hosting a viewing of a movie about the Transition movement on Tuesday, May 29th, 7 p.m. at Edwards Church. Come learn more about this grass-roots movement with a positive vision about how to "transition" away from fossil fuels to a new economy.

After Mardi Gras -- Join us for a Carbon Fast? -- Kick-off Potluck Wed., Feb. 22nd, 6:00 p.m.

This week marks the beginning of Lent, and instead of "giving up" chocolate or television or other temptations, we invite you to join us in the Ecumenical Carbon Fast. Some of us in the Earthcare group did this last year and it was a good discipline.  You sign up for a daily email with a reflection and an invitation to concrete actions -- some are small (remove one lightbulb from your house) -- some more challenging (if you still eat meat, consider becoming vegetarian). We will gather for a potluck dinner to kick off the fast at Edwards Church, this Wed., Feb. 22nd, at 6 p.m. -- followed by the Ash Wednesday service at Edwards at 7:30 p.m.  All are welcome! Whether you come to the potluck or not, you can sign up for the Carbon Fast at http://www.macucc.org/pages/detail/2410 or see the daily posts on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/carbonfast?sk=wall.

Styrofoam Collection -- Sat., Jan. 7, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Another one of our "seasonal" styrofoam collections coming up very soon at Grace Church, 76 Salem End Rd.  Bring along your styrofoam and/or plastic utensils (clean, separate from the styrofoam) anytime from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., this Saturday, Jan. 7th. We will also be accepting cans of non-perishable food to help the Hope Food Pantry in Framingham re-stock after the holidays.  Stay for a bit and help load the truck if you have time. If you miss this one, look for another collection in April, close to Earth Day. For more information on what can be recycled, see http://www.refoamit.com/.  Sponsored by Grace Congregational Church, UCC and Refoamit, Inc. Congratulations to Barbara Sherman of Refoamit on being selected as the Woman who Made Framingham Better in 2011!

Free Movie -- "Coal Country" -- Sat., Nov. 19th, 7 p.m.

We’ll provide the movie, snacks (Framingham’s Stearns Farm popcorn), and plenty of food for thought.  Join us for a thought-provoking movie (about 45 minutes long) on the effect of coal mining, especially by mountain-top removal, on communities in Appalachia. Hear more about the Sierra Club’s “Beyond Coal” Campaign and learn what you can do to help end this destructive practice. The audience is invited to make a free-will offering to support a local program providing children in Appalachia with much-needed school supplies. This event is at Grace Church, 76 Salem End Rd., near Framingham State University.

Fall Styrofoam Collection -- Oct. 22nd

Save your Styrofoam and plastic utensils -- we have another collection day coming up at Grace Chuch -- Sat., Oct. 22nd., 10a.m.-3 p.m. For more information on what can and cannot be recycled, see http://www.refoamit.com/. To volunteer for an hour or two at the collection (it's light duty, but help is much appreciated!), contact Mary Memmott at memmottm@gmail.com.