What's it all about?

Throughout 2010 a team of us have been thinking long and hard about what we can do in this diocese for the "Our Environment 2011" initiative.  We have gathered resources and come up with a number of ideas and events to take place through the year which we hope will both raise awareness and engage with new people in our part of the Church of England and beyond.  Many of these resources are available on line through our website http://www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/your-church/environment/

Our PRIMARY aim for 2011 is to CELEBRATE and SUPPORT the good things that people are doing ALREADY and to ENCOURAGE others by example. 

But also we want to have some fun while we do it and not beat ourselves up with what we simply cannot change or influence.

For me the year will be about reflecting on how I can make small differences in my lifestyle and the decisions I can make that affect how "light my tread on the earth is".  I hope some of my thoughts will encourage you to do the same.  This is not some sort of moral crusade for me - I am not an Environment Fanatic - but having been invited by the Archbishop to act as his Adviser for the Environment I have thought more about what I can do at a personal level and also about what we might do collectively as the church community in this part of England. 

I look forward, along with Eleanor, to sharing the things we hear about through the year ahead.

Graham Andrews