Sustainability Helps the Poor

“Sustainability Helps the Poor”

Habitat puts their low-income home owners' best interests in the forefront of all they do…  

(Written by Kelly Gauthier for inside the FORUM on March 17th, 2013.)

Have you ever had to choose between paying a utility bill and paying for your child’s school trip?  Habitat for Humanity understands that low-income homeowners must often make hard choices in how they spend their money.  That’s why Habitat makes its homes as energy-efficient as possible.  Every dollar a family spends on their utility bill is a dollar they can’t spend on other needs.

The Catholic Church stresses the connection between poverty and climate change.  Some say that worrying about the environment is a rich person’s luxury, but consider:

·         Instead of reducing our consumption and recycling, we choose to buy cheap stuff and then throw it away…but who lives next to the garbage dump?

·         We subsidize polluting industries that devour the earth’s supply of fossil fuels…but who labors in dangerous mines, or lives downwind from coal-fired power plants?

·         We allow fracking companies to poison our water supply…but who can’t afford to buy water when it becomes an expensive, limited resource?

·         Some think that low-income home owners don’t need to worry about energy efficiency…but who’s receiving a shut-off notice in the middle of a winter cold spell?

We could choose to do things differently:

·        Germany currently gets about 25% of its electricity from clean, renewable sources.

·        High school students made sidewalk tiles that generate electricity using electromagnetic induction, showing us that creative thinking and technology can provide lots of renewable energy.

·        Trash sorters in India and South America have formed unions and cooperatives that raised thousands of people out of poverty, while diverting compostable and recyclable materials from landfills.

Despite the warnings from scientists around the globe, despite the calls from our Church leaders, despite the rising human cost of rapidly depleting resources and changing weather patterns, we often resist making changes to our lives of comfort and excess.

The US bishops remind us, “Our religious tradition has always urged restraint and moderation in the use of material goods, so we must not allow our desire to possess more material things to overtake our concern for the basic needs of people and the environment ….  Rejecting the false promises of excessive or conspicuous consumption can even allow more time for family, friends, and civic responsibilities.”

What will you do to help?  Support or volunteer for nonprofit organizations?  Advocate with elected officials?  Make more thoughtful choices in everyday life?

We must recognize that all life is connected and remember that “we don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”. 

Enjoy using the sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM  Sustain a House … Help a community.   Visit: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Don't Dump It-Donate It!

Don't Dump It-Donate It!

(Written by Andy Nash for inside the FORUM March 10th, 2013.)

            This past summer I assisted a friend in rebuilding his deck, for which he rented a dumpster to haul away the waste to the landfill, which got me interested in just how much of this stuff is going to landfills, and whether there was another option. 

            The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality classifies this type of waste as C&D; Construction and Demolition Waste, and also reports that C&D accounts for 10% of all waste in landfills; waste that never has to make it the landfill in the first place because it can be recycled.  The Habitat for Humanity Restore [http://www.h4h.org/restore/; (734) 822-1530] accepts donations of these C&D materials, as well as home goods, furniture, and appliances.  ReStores provide an environmentally and socially-responsible way to keep good, reusable materials out of landfills.  You can simply drop off your items at our ReStore Warehouse location, at 170 Aprill Dr. in Ann Arbor or contact Vic Whipple at (734) 323-7028 to arrange a pick-up.  NOTE: Habitat ReStore Truck will be at St. Francis, today, March 9th & 10th, 2013, to accept donations.  Please bring your gently-used furniture, small appliances, and household goods to the Habitat ReStore truck.   (Sorry NO clothing or toys or books. These are not accepted.)  Questions? Call Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley ReStore (734.822.1530). Visit:  www.h4h.org/restore/donaterestore/

            It's not only C&D waste, but appliances and furniture that are put into landfills unnecessarily.  There are multiple thrift shops in the area such as the Salvation Army [1621 South State Street, Ann Arbor; (734) 332-3474] and the St. Vincent DePaul Store [1001 Broadway, Ann Arbor (734) 761-1400] that accept all manner of home and personal goods, many of whom offer pick-up from your home.  In addition to re-sale, the local agency Friends in Deed [1196 Ecorse Rd., Ypsilanti; http://www.friendsindeed.info/; (734) 484-2727] accepts furniture, appliances, and beds and bedding to be donated back to those in need in our community, so even those without the means to purchase furniture, even from a thrift shop can have their needs met.  Friends in Deed offers pick-up of donated items from your home, as well as delivery to clients who have no access to a vehicle or the physical ability to pick-up items on their own.  As a long time volunteer and board member I have seen the difference the delivery of just a few items that would have otherwise been thrown away makes in the life of someone in need.

            In addition to helping the environment and helping others in the community, recycling also provides much needed jobs.  According to the Michigan Recycling Coalition 10,000 tons of waste if simply put into a landfill creates one job, whereas recycling this same waste creates 10 jobs.  So in conclusion, the recycling of these C&D materials as well as household items is good for the environment, good for others who are less fortunate, and good for the greater economy as a whole.  Not to mention your personal economy because donations are tax deductible!  So don't dump it- donate it!

Enjoy using the sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM  Sustain a House … Help a community.   Visit: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Fasting - We Serve One Another

“As the Body of Christ, We Serve One Another” 
(Written by Paul Schwankl for the March 3, 2013 Forum Cover.)

In school many years ago, I roomed with a Jewish Iranian. Because of his religion and nationality, he knew all about the Jewish 24-hour fast on Yom Kippur and the Muslim month-long daytime fast for Ramadan, but he had little acquaintance with Christian practices. So when I told him that Catholics could eat three meals a day when we fasted and that we had only three fast days a year (and Holy Saturday wasn’t obligatory), he rightly thought we were getting off easy. (I’m sure I’d get the same reaction from an Eastern Orthodox Christian; their fasts are complex and very strict.) And after we turn 59, we don’t have to fast at all (except, of course, the one-hour fast prior to Communion).

Still, our prayers at Mass talk of fasting and bodily self denial, echoing the time when every weekday of Lent was a fast day. Maybe the best meaning to take from these prayers, for me, is to use today’s easy fasting rules as signposts toward a broader approach. I try to eat for quality rather than quantity, for example: more organics, more fruits and vegetables, less junk. The results will be that I feel better, live longer, and help the earth. That’s Lenten, isn’t it?

Fundamentally, what we do in Lent really is intended to help us achieve the greater purpose of caring for life and each other. The current efforts to care for the environment are not really new to the Church (just look at our patron, Saint Francis!). In fact, Pope Benedict has been nicknamed the “Green Pope” for frequently speaking on climate change and “greening” the Vatican. Why is the Church doing more these days to care for the environment? Because of its impact on the poor, and because we have a chance to change the future by our actions today. “As the Body of Christ, We Serve One Another!”

Paul Schwankl, parish member

Enjoy continuing to use your Parish LENTEN PROJECT sack and activities calendar to Sustain a House – Fight Poverty… Help a family … Help a community. All money collected will go to sponsor our Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley 2013 Catholic House at: 2143 Merrill, Ypsilanti 48197. Learn more at: StFrancisA2.com/lent 

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Home Energy - Next Steps - Pros/Cons

Home Energy - Next Steps - Pros/Cons

Like many parents, Kathleen worries about losing her home and what it would mean for her children. Kathleen’s neighbors share the same concerns.  Where will they live?  What will they eat?  How can they make a new life while facing an uncertain future? These friends gather frequently, and often talk about climate change.

Kathleen and her friends are our neighbors, sharing the Catholic faith, the Earth, and the atmosphere. They’re losing their homes because of too much greenhouse gas (GHG) in the atmosphere. These neighbors live 8000 miles from Ann Arbor on the Carteret Islands of the South Pacific. Their homes are only a few feet above sea level. Ocean levels are rising because the Earth’s temperature is rising. Salty ocean water contaminates drinking water and kills crops as it washes across the island.  Some of the excess GHG is mine, some is yours.  We released it into the atmosphere.  It wasn’t a malicious or deliberate act.  We can, however choose to do something about tomorrow’s GHG.    

Last June, Meadowlark conducted an energy audit at our home, and we acted on recommendations for air sealing and insulation.  August warmth immediately demonstrated the value of these additions, keeping our upstairs noticeably cooler. Moving from cooling to heating season made the improvements less obvious. Nearby friends made the same improvements and had similar observations, saying they weren’t sure the investment had been worth the effort.

Climate change is both subtle and formidable; data often reveals detail not readily apparent to our senses. Curiosity led me to read my utility meters and collect daily outside temperature information. Knowing the data would provide an answer on the insulation’s value, I compared last winter to this winter. The results were gratifying.

As of February 14, we’ve used 11% less natural gas to heat our home than last winter. Adjusting for this winter’s colder temperatures, the reduction reaches 18%. The improvement isn’t obvious because the thermostat remains set at 66 degrees, just like last winter. Our furnace, however, doesn’t have to operate as often because we sealed air leaks and added insulation!

The 18% improvement means we’ve reduced GHG emissions to the atmosphere by 1,111 pounds. That’s good news for Kathleen in the Carteret Islands and everyone around the globe! Secondly, using less gas for my home’s heating reduced energy costs by $80 this year.

Habitat for Humanity is keenly aware of the benefits associated with energy efficiency. They strive to achieve Energy Star ratings for the homes they build or remodel. Their concern with saving energy emphasizes its importance to everyone on Earth. Equally concerned are the dozens of St. Francis parishioners (including Fr. Jim!) who have requested energy audits for their homes.

The Better Buildings for Michigan program remains available to parishioners until March 31.  Request a $50 energy audit from any of our 4 approved local contractors, Chelsea Lumber (734-475-9126), Ms. Green Construction (877-466-7473), Meadowlark Energy (877-652-7578) and Pro Energy (734-827-1003), and please act on the recommendations! 

As the Body of Christ, we serve one another by caring for all our neighbors, regardless of the distance to their home.  We share one warming planet.  Energy efficient solutions in your home serve neighbors worldwide.    Continue using the sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM  Sustain a House … Help a community.   Visit: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Building Communities & Buying Locally

Building Communities & Buying Locally

Mary Griggs is a local Habitat homeowner who recently paid off her mortgage.  She and her eight children have been happy in their home for almost 20 years.  She says, “Our home felt right as soon as we walked in.  ….despite the inevitable skinned knees and broken hearts of growing up, our lives here would be happier than we’d ever known.”  She expresses deep gratitude to all the volunteers and donors who made her home possible.

Habitat improves the lives of their partner families and has a positive impact on the community.  Decent homes keep a neighborhood strong (especially when renovating empty foreclosures), and Habitat provides additional economic benefits.  In the last year alone, Habitat homeowners paid over $200,000 in taxes to Washtenaw County.  And while some building materials are donated through national corporate partnerships, many are purchased from local vendors.

Why Buy Locally?

Local businesses are an important part a community’s unique character.  And because local business owners live in the community, they are invested in its future.  According to the National Federation of Independent Business, 91% of small business owners volunteer or donate to local causes.  And economic studies have shown that for every $100 spent at a chain store, only $12 circulates back into the local economy; that same $100 spent at a local business re-circulates $45 into the local economy.

Supporting local farmers means you’re getting nutritional produce – fruits and vegetables lose nutrition when shipped hundreds (or thousands) of miles.  It also reduces the carbon footprint involved in transportation, and gives you a chance to know the farmers.

Fair Trade

Finally, buying locally helps ensure your money isn’t contributing to slave labor, unsafe working conditions, or other international human rights violations.  If you do purchase items that are made internationally, look for the Fair Trade Certified™ logo. 

The nonprofit certifying agency, TransFair USA, travels to producer sites at least annually to see that producers get a fair price for their goods, and work in healthy and sustainable conditions.  TransFair also ensures that certified farms have no child slaves working their fields.

The fair trade system guarantees that producers get the financial and educational support to meet their living needs, improve their communities, grow their businesses, and farm with environmentally-friendly practices.

Who knew that our decisions about how we spend our money could have such tremendous implications?   (Written by Kelly Gauthier for inside the FORUM March 3rd. 2013.)

Enjoy using the sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM  Sustain a House … Help a community.   Visit: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

The Greenest House is the One Already Built

.
The Greenest House is the One Already Built 
Total HOME Energy Use = operations energy + products energy 
By Bonnie Bona, Project Manager with Clean Energy Coalition, Ann Arbor 

We know how much we pay for energy from our utility bills. We adjust controls to
keep our interiors comfortable. We use lights and appliances. These personal
decisions determine your home’s “operations” energy.

Do you know the energy used to build your home? 

 When we think about reducing energy waste, we typically don’t consider
the energy used to extract raw materials and to design, manufacture, ship and sell a
product. All the energy embodied in building products and in their assembly during
construction make up your home’s “products” energy.

 When built, 100% of a home’s energy is expended for the construction. Over
the years maintenance is performed and improvements are made, adding to the
original embodied energy of the home. It takes more than 15 years before the
energy used to operate the home will equal the accumulated embodied energy in
the building. Even after 50 years 25% of a home’s total energy use is still in its
embodied energy.

 Now consider the additional energy required to replace an existing house. What
does it take to demolish a home and process the discarded materials? Or to
deconstruct it and repurpose or recycle the materials? When considering the
embodied energy in a new home, we have to include the “products” energy from
the original building and its demolition. Additionally, will the new home be
smaller or larger than the one replaced?

 Finally, consider lightening the carbon footprint of an existing home.
Architecture 2030 suggests we reduce energy use in existing buildings by 50% by
2030. The 2030 Challenge makes the case for smart investments and decisions that
eliminate energy waste and counter rising energy costs. ReGreen provides
technical advice on whole-home improvements for comprehensive savings and
deep-retrofit projects targeting savings of 50-90%. The City of Ann Arbor created
a2energy, a website with tips to start saving now and ideas for digging deeper each
year.

 The greenest house is the one with a strategic plan for making regular
investments that integrate energy efficiency into all maintenance and improvement
projects.

• architecture2030.org (Architecture 2030, The 2030 Challenge)
• regreenprogram.org (ReGreen created by ASIC & USGBC)
• a2energy.org (City of Ann Arbor)

Enjoy using the sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM  Sustain a House … Help a community.   Visit: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Shelter - We Serve One Another

“As the Body of Christ, We Serve One Another”

(Written by Steve Lavender for FEb 24, 2013, Forum Cover)

 I’m participating in the Rotating Homeless Shelter at St. Francis during Lent. Through this experience, my Lenten journey becomes a road shared with others. We walk together, anticipating an Easter season of gratitude.

With over 100 adult volunteers and hundreds of grade school students, I supported the Shelter Week in 2012, and I look forward to it again this year.

As we offer transportation, food and overnight support, we, adult volunteers, have an opportunity to spend time with our guests, twenty-five men staying for seven consecutive nights during the Lenten season.

Evenings in the gym provide these men an occasion to share a bit of their story, an opportunity to momentarily forget a piece of their story or perhaps a chance to see their story in a new and different light. During snack time, some men will quickly choose a snack and return to their sleeping space on the gym floor. Others however will spend snack time talking with parishioners. We often find that volunteers come to the shelter expecting only to serve snacks and beverages to our guests. Volunteers leave having served these men much more than food. Their greatest service was time and attention. In return our guests offer perspective, insight and always a sincere spirit of appreciation.

You are invited to join me!   Please consider volunteering in support of this year’s Rotating Shelter program or any of the other service opportunities available at St. Francis. Isaiah reminds us that through service, our “light shall break forth like the dawn”. As the Body of Christ, we are called not to be served but to serve one another.

Continue using your sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM
Sustain a House – Fight Poverty… Help a family … Help a community.   Learn more at: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  
Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013
Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Habitat - We Serve One Another

“As the Body of Christ, We Serve One Another”

(Written by Chuck Yonka for the FORUM Cover on Feb 17th, 2013.)

From my training as an athlete and as a member of the United States Marine Corp, I have learned to work as a team player and not to leave any team members behind. This attitude has carried over into the volunteer activities that I have been part of in the community through my church. There are times when I have been able to serve more than other times.

When I was young, I helped my dad build different sections of our cabin in the woods, along with my brothers. I did not have any skills but started to learn by doing. As part of several volunteer programs I have continued to learn more about rebuilding homes.   The first few Habitat for Humanity Houses I worked on were led by Steve Polgar.  I enjoy learning and helping others to learn.   Since retirement, I have taken classes to help me understand the whole process of building.

For me, the volunteer work I do is helping someone to get a home and helping me to learn new skills.   Also, it is a pleasure to get to know and help our partner family.

Chuck Yonka, Habitat House Leader

Volunteer!  Sign up to help on St. Francis Parish website, “Sign-up Forms”.

Participation in our parish LENTEN OFFERING Sack and Activities Calendar will unite us as the Body of Christ in serving one another.  Together with the Vivas family, our partner family, we will Sustain a House – Fight Poverty, Help a family... Help a community. All money collected will go to sponsor our Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley 2013 Catholic House at: 2143 Merrill, Ypsilanti 48197, (near the area of Ypsilanti High School).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Andrea and Hosanna are the Vivas family!  

       We were born in Venezuela which is a beautiful country in South America and we speak Spanish.  We have been living in Michigan for 7 years. 

       At the beginning of our time here in Michigan things were a little difficult for us because we were living in a new country and didn’t speak English. However, step by step we were able to learn the language and adapt to our new home. I have a full time job as a Spanish translator at the University of Michigan Hospital. I am also attending school part-time.  

      Andrea, my daughter, is in 7th grade and she is a very smart 12 year old.   We have always desired to have our own home, but we also understood it could take a while for us because of our economic situation. However, Habitat has been the light at the end of the tunnel!  Through Habitat we will be able to purchase our own affordable home.   Andrea and I are very thankful for the opportunity to work with Habitat.

Sustain a House – Fight Poverty… Help a family … Help a community.   Learn more at: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices.