What does Green Electricity, a conservation project in the Chilterns and a church environmental project known as Ecocongregations have in common with rural clergy? Well, the next Rural Ministry Forum on 11 July will be having speakers about each of those topics. Rural life is said to be highly carbon dependent. That's possibly because rural people have to travel long distances by car to access the things they need such as post offices, health services, employment. Rural homes are less carbon efficient, usually because they are older and less easy to make eco-friendly (though there are some things that can be done).
But, farmers in rural areas are busy helping to offset the carbon inefficient way of life for rural dwellers. The single farm payment is linked to environmental activities which improve the look of the countryside and replace that which rural living extracts. And those who buy locally grown produce contribute to the carbon offsetting process.
Rural villages are also beginning to respond to the climate change challenge. For example, North Leigh is aiming to be the first energy efficient village in Oxfordshire according to the Climate XChange leaflet, a project among whose partners is the Christian Concern for One World group within this diocese.
Sustainability in rural villages will be a focus for the work of the Rural Community Councils nationally throughout 2007 - look out for activities and exhibitions around this theme supported by the RCCs. And villages which enter this year's Village of the Year competition will be inspired by the visionary report of a winning village in 2016. Rural churches, using the event on 11 July as a stimulus perhaps, can also develop practical ways to play their part in sustaining God's creation and contributing to reducing the rural carbon footprint.
The Revd Canon Glyn Evans is Diocesan Rural Officer
