Colchester Quakers are committed to the careful use of the world's resources and addressing the danger of climate chaos. We seek the help of all users of the building in serving the cause of sustainability - meeting our present needs without waste, while making sure that future generations will be able to meet their needs.

Within the Quaker Meeting we have:-

• Arranged to buy our electricity from “Good Energy”; our funds go to purchase power from renewable sources, though the power we are actually using is very likely to come from conventional generating stations, so conservation is still important to reducing pollution.
  (Join with us and sign up by visiting http://www.good-energy.co.uk)
• Installed rainwater collection butts for garden watering
• Become a "Fairtrade Church" and hence committed to buy and promote fairly-traded commodities. Producers of these products are paid a premium and helped directly to improve their standard of living, their health and their children's education
• Promoted car sharing and cycling within the Quaker Meeting

We ask you to help us by adopting the following practices:-

• If a room is being heated and is too hot, turn the heating off, rather than opening the doors and windows and wasting the heat. In the Meeting Room, ask the Warden to turn the heat off.
• Cut transport pollution and congestion by cycling, using public transport, or lift-sharing. There is a covered bicycle locking area in the garden behind the downstairs kitchen, out of sight of thieves and vandals.
• Conserve electricity. Use it wisely and turn off equipment and lights when no longer needed. Think whether you need lights in daytime. One full kettle will make twelve small white cups or eight mugs - boil only as much water as you need. Don't heat kettles until the hot water is needed.
• Recycle glass, tins, plastic bottles and paper, placing them in the plastic box provided in the downstairs kitchen. Food scraps and tea bags can be composted, placing them in the red bin, or in the green compost bins in the back garden. There is plenty of equipment to use in the kitchens so please don't use disposable plastic cups and cutlery.
• If you are allowed to park on our premises, please park carefully to make best use of the limited space available. Check with the Warden if you are blocking in another car and leaving the premises.
• Use Fairtrade beverages and other products. Ask the Warden for details of suppliers in Colchester, or see Colchester's Fairtrade Town website at http://www.fairtradecolchester.com
• Please label milk in the fridge with your name. Unused/unlabeled milk may be used freely by other people, to avoid wasting it.
• If you are producing literature for your group, use recycled paper and print on both sides where possible.
• Conserve water, making sure taps are turned off. Try to reduce the amount of water used in washing up - too much is wasteful of water and heat and just over-dilutes the washing up liquid. In dry weather, empty waste water onto the flower beds (not the lawn please - that just means it needs mowing more often, wasting more electricity !)
• Please recommend the Meeting House as a venue to friends and colleagues - we want to see our premises used fully to the benefit of the local community.

Suggestions on sustainable living are often posted on our notice boards. If you have any ideas to help us reduce our environmental impact, or comments on this text, they would be most welcome. Please speak with our Warden.

Further ideas and information on living sustainably can be found at the ENFORM centre in Church Walk, 120metres south of the Meeting House, or via their website, http://www.en-form.org.uk

Thank you very much for your efforts and ideas

Mervyn Carter, Meeting House Warden