Wednesday, May 24, 2025 // by Marillene Allen, Creation Care Chair

Creation Care hosted its third annual Fair on Sunday, May 4th following both morning worship services. The theme of energy efficiency drew a significant number of parishioners to both sessions. Ten very different practical demonstrations were offered to showcase a variety of actions we can easily take to live healthier lives while creating a more sustainable environment.

Signing up for a Home Audit from the Center for Energy and Efficiency can give us ideas to make our homes more comfortable and less expensive to run year round. Information was also available on the many things St Stephens has already done to make our church more sustainable and the renovations we are hoping to add in the near future. Throughout the Fair a small solar powered model generated energy from a bright sunny day. The City of Edina worked with us at the Fair to explain the many grants and loans available to help finance sustainability projects. Two parishioners signed up to adopt drains near our church.

A display of the commuter bikes, e-bikes and scooters some of our own parishioners use to manage daily errands without large fuel charges or the hassle of finding parking spots demonstrated a fun alternative to using our cars for even short trips. Hennepin County and the City of Edina are already working to improve bike paths, walking trails, bus and LRT transportation. A colorful graph measuring the pounds of Greenhouse Gases produced in the growth, harvest and distribution of a pound of several common foods we eat showed clearly that emissions from a pound of beef are many times greater than those produced by fish, eggs, or fruit and vegetables. Another exhibit showed how we can grow a variety of vegetables in even a small space. A large table nearby held examples of electric gardening tools and another, different options for organic recycling.

Four Practice Tips from the 2025 Creation Care Fair: 

1. Request a Home Energy Audit from the Center for Energy and Efficiency [612-244-2484] so the experts can help you decide what actions will save your family the most energy and money while reducing greenhouse gases. Cost is minimal – $0 – $50 – $100.
2. Review your transportation habits. Where possible group chores and use alternatives to gas-powered cars – walking, biking, e-scooters, public transport.
   It’s summer folks, fresh air and exercise are calling.
3. Revise your household waste habits. The Fair demonstrated many simple composting options used by parishioners – collect organic waste in official
   biodegradable bags – or paper lunch bags, dog bowls, pretty ceramic flower pots, small metal bins or build your own outdoor composting site.
4. Exchange one or two Beef, Pork, or Cheese meals every two weeks for fish , eggs, or vegetables to substantially reduce greenhouse gases and improve your own health and vitality.\

 

The Fair highlighted numerous simple yet effective steps we can take to save money, improve our daily lives, and become better stewards of God’s creation. For those interested, please reach out to any member of the St. Stephen’s Creation Care team to learn how to calculate your personal carbon footprint.

Together, we can monitor our progress as individuals and as a community.

UPCOMING CREATION CARE EVENTS

Watch parish communications for more information about –

• a trip to Good Courage Farm to learn about Regenerative Farming
• a guided tour of Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis Park, a fully ECO-Friendly building designed by our own HGA architects
• a visit to the Republic Recycling Processing Center in Minneapolis