The United Nations (UN) has declared 2014 as the:

• International Year of Family Farming (IYFF 2014).
• International Year of Crystallography.
• International Year of Small Island Developing States.

Ecocell Workshop on Food, Sustainable Agricutlture, Food Sovereignty and Security

Saturday 18 January, 2014, 10.30am to 4.30pm.
Upper Vestry Hall, St George’s Church, 6 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2SA.
Nearest tubes Holborn and Tottenham Court Road.
 
Keynote speaker: Tim Lang
President of Garden Organic, Professor of Food Policy at City University, author, and Land Use Commissioner on the Sustainable Development Commission. He will discuss food security and sovereignty – the ‘big picture’ in relation to food and sustainability, globally and in the UK. Edward Echlin, eco-theologian and keen organic gardener, will open the day with a reflection on what the Bible has to say about food.

Group work in the afternoon based on CEL’s LOAF principles
(Local, Organic, Animal friendly and Fairly traded).

All are welcome, not just ecocell and CEL members. Entrance is free, but donations on day welcome.
More details including downloadable flyer and programme.
Booking is essential as space is limited. Deadline for receiving bookings is Saturday 11 January. To book a place email or phone Tony Emerson 020 8769 4078 or tony.emerson12@btopenworld.com

World Wetlands Day - The date of February 2nd was chosen as it marks the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands which took place in the Iranian city of Ramsar near the Caspian Sea on 2 February 1971.

The UN has declared 2014 the International year of Family Farming and the theme chosen for World Wetlands Day 2014 is "Wetlands and Agriculture: Partners for Growth".  There will be an emphasis on the agriculture and wetland sectors working together along with the water sector to secure the best possible outcome.

This year across the UK the Wildlife Trusts will be holding events to raise the public's awareness of wetland values and benefits and the Ramsar Convention.  The UK's wetlands are home to some of our most exciting wildlife, like otters and beavers, and this is your chance to learn more.

In the past there have been walks around the Walthamstow and Leyton Marshes, and this year looks set to be just as entertaining, so get your welly boots ready!

To find out more, visit the World Wetlands Day website. 

Earthing Faith gatherings in 2014 will focus on resources to help explore environment related issues in a parish, with particular focus on resources for worship. There will be three gatherings - in Oxford, Reading and Aylesbury. Each gathering will include a brief introduction by the area bishop, followed by showcasing of resources churches have found useful and examples of how they are approaching environment issues. There will then be a break for coffee to network and connect around the resources shared, and a closing act of worship that engages us in nature and environment issues. The dates are: ° Thursday 27th February 2014 - with Bishop John at New Road Baptist Church, Oxford book here

Thursday 1st May 2014 - with Bishop Andrew at St Nicholas, Earley, Reading book here

Thursday 9th October 2014 - with Bishop Alan in Aylesbury (venue to be confirmed) - book here

Speak- Soundcheck - Conference - the Rag Factory London.- with these speakers and more workshops it looks like an excellent conference.

Speakers: Andy Atkins, (previously Policy and Campaigns Director at Tearfund and is now Executive Director of Friends of the Earth.

Mary Grey (Roman Catholic ecofeminist liberation theologian)

Chris Howson (Author of A Just Church: 21st Century Liberation Theology in Action.

http://www.speak.org.uk/gatherings/soundcheck/soundcheck-2014

Followed by Day of Action on 3 March

Sustainable Communities: What has the church got to offer? In recent years there has been much interest in the Transition Movement as a potential way of tackling climate change and Peak Oil. Many Christians are involved in Transition, although the movement itself is secular. What has the Church to learn from Transition? What can Transition learn from the church? How do we move forward together to make sustainable communities? These are among the questions that will be asked on Saturday 1st March 2014 at Redcliffe College, Gloucester. Booking is now open for this exciting meeting and there is an “early bird” offer for those booking before 31st January 2014.

Positive Money Conference - We need many more citizens to care about changing money, which is fuelling the biggest problems in society today. Who: Positive Money Supporters who want to lead and participate in the active movement for change - Where: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London, WC1R 4RL [Map] - When: Saturday 1st March 9.30 am to 5pm

FLOODING CRISIS - - the new normal? - An inspiring evening exploring local and global climate issues -Featuring guest speakers Richard Priestley (environmental writer) and Michael Goodfellow-Smith (founder of
questforfuturesolutions.co.uk; co-founder of
Forum for the Future) - 7-9pm,- St John’s Methodist Church, Hereford - 01432 355111 - Concern Universal- 21 King Street, Hereford, HR4 9BX

Start of Lent

http://www.thecarbonfast.org/

http://www.40acts.org.uk/ of generosity

Climate Week Service 7pm, St Peter’s Church, West Blatchington, Hove BN3 7LQ. Chichester Diocesan Environmental Action Group Service leading this service during national Climate Week which runs from 3-9 March. More details from David Farey, Diocesan Environmental Officer: 01272 425692 Tel: 01273 425692, email: david.farey@chichester.anglican.org
www.chichester.anglican.org

Christian Spirituality, Ecology and the Environment: 
Ancient Wisdom, Present Crisis - with
Dr Esther de Waal, Dr Dimitri Conomos, Martin Hodson - STUDY DAYS and EVENTS in HILARY TERM 2014
at St Theosevia House, 2 Canterbury Road, Oxford OX2 6LU
An Ecumenical Centre for Christian Spirituality in Oxford 10.30 am – 4 pm http://www.theosevia.org/studydays.html

Talk by Revd Nick Read, Director of the Bulmer Foundation, at St John's Methodist Church, St Owen Street, Hereford HR1 2PR, at 7.30 pm - organised by Hereford Christian Ecology Link. Vison of Bulmer Foundation: to promote sustainable development and sustainable practices in Herefordshire and beyond.

Greening the Gods: Ecology and Theology in the Ancient World - St Edmund's College, Cambridge - see Call for papers

“In wisdom God made all things: some reflections on Psalm 104”- A discussion evening with David Atkinson
Assistant Bishop, Southwark Diocese, Operation Noah board member and author of Renewing the Face of the Earth: a theological and pastoral response to climate change
7.30pm The Old Priory, Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3LE - (next to St Gregory’s Church) Admission free – retiring collection. After the meeting there will be the opportunity to join in evening prayer (compline). Enquiries: Cheltenham Christian Ecology Link 01242 575779 martinmdavis@gmail.com

This Conference is now Fully booked. We intend holding a larger conference on the same theme next year. Send your contact details to secretary@christian-ecology.org.uk
if you want us to alert you when booking opens for the 2015 conference.

CEL conference: "Joy in enough" - Awakening to a new economics - CEL Day Conference, - Carrs Lane URC Centre, Birmingham B4 7SX - (close to Birmingham New Street) Saturday 29 March, 2014 11am to 5pm -
Keynote speaker: Dan O’Neill - Lecturer in ecological economics at the University of Leeds; chief economist at the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (CASSE); and co-author of Enough is Enough. -  

Economic growth has turned toxic – but there really is an alternative. And God’s people are called to the cutting edge of change. - What might a genuinely sustainable economy look like? And how can the churches make it happen? Join us to map out the journey to a happier, healthier, and holier world.

Cost: £20 (£15 CEL, A Rocha and SPEAK members; £15 ‘early bird’ price for all before end of January).

• That the welfare system provides a robust last line of defence against hunger in Britain
• That work pays enough for working people to properly provide for their families
• That food markets function, promoting long term sustainable and healthy diets with no one profiteering off hunger in Britain

-The Biomess Awards - Vote for your "biggest biomass baddie!" The Alternative Awards Ceremony at Gibson Hall in London,

Choose from a shortlist including:- Drax - The Green Investment Bank - The Department for Energy and Climate Change - The Renewable Energy Association - ENVIVA - The Wood Pellet Association of Canada

This is part of a month of events which put the spotlight on the destructive biomass industry. Visit http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/
for more information on what else is going on in April, including a demonstration outside the Drax AGM.

Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) - Drones - What are Drones? - Why are Drones Used? - Who is using Drones?
What is UK involvement? -

A talk by Chris Cole - UK leading authority on Drones - 7:30 pm
St Mary & St Michael Parish Hall, - Tillman Close, Settle BD24 9RA
Organised by Justice & Peace Group - More information: email: mich_chris@btinternet.com

FOOD OR FAMINE? Feeding the world from an East Anglian point of view - Please book early -numbers limited - preferably by 14 March for Converance orgaised by WEA on 12 April  the John Innes Centre (JIC)  9:30am - 4pm.

Dr Gordon Jamieson, who is Director of Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation at JIC will open the day looking at the work of crop and plant research scientists, he will also chair the panel. Ken Proctor, the NFU Norfolk Chairman, will speak for the larger-scale farmer and the importance of farmers working together to tackle the issues. The Rev’d. Philip Young, the Norwich Diocese Environmental Officer, will look at the challenge of creating a world in a peaceful and just way regarding food distribution, where no-one goes to bed hungry. William Hudson will speak about his experience as a Farming Adviser and Agro-preneur in seeking innovative solutions to both technical and market blockages in the organic and agro-environmental sectors. Lastly, the Conference will look at the responsibility of supermarkets and the food retailing sector in promoting fair, secure and sustainable food production and consumption, and creating public awareness of this. Cost ( includes lunch) £15, or £10 to those in fulltime education. email: wea.tas@virginmedia.com or visit

World

The Global Day of Action on Military Spending - CEL are a signatory of the Call to Action

There are great resources on the GDAMS UK website
http://demilitarize.org.uk/plan-your-action/ to encourage local actions and the international site for solidarity and other ideas.

Pax Christi are planning an action/event in London that will link up various Government Departments - those that have money e.g. MoD and those whose money is being cut e.g. Health, Environment etc... Please do circulate the date and website... and use your social media channels... face book/twitter etc to get the word out.

How would you spend £100 billion ? Rolling out community solar power ?
Or replacing Trident ?

There is a strong environmental element to the resources and proposed
actions for this year's Global Day of Action on Military Spending,

London

Biofuelwatch says: 12pm @ Grocers’ Hall, Princes Street, EC2R 8AD - Join us outside the Drax AGM to call for an end to big biomass and coal and for an end to subsidies that allow operators like Drax to keep profiting from destruction.

Drax power station in Yorkshire is converting 3 of its 6 units to run on biomass. Since its last AGM it has converted and opened one unit and burned up to 5.5 million tonnes of green wood (mostly imported) – that’s equivalent to more than half of the UK’s annual wood production. At full capacity this unit alone will have netted them £190 million in subsidies.

When all 3 units are converted they’ll be looking at almost £700 million a year – paid for through our increased fuel bills. What’s more, Drax’s conversion actually allows it to burn more coal long into the future. Even after the conversion they’ll be burning some 3.7 million tonnes of coal every year from opencast mines in the UK and imported from places like Colombia, where communities have been forced off their land for expanding mines. website (http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/2014/drax-agm-2014/)

Live Below the Line

Live off £1-00 a day for Food for 5 days - in solidarity with the poor of the world - -get sponsored for it for a charity of your choice (well within a restricted list) - e.g. VSO, Progressio, Tearfund. Unicef http://www.unicef.org.uk/Fundraise/live-below-the-line/

Can you live off £1-00 a day?

it's a challenge! which gets harder each year as food prices go up.

(Try Porridge oats, Lentils and Potatoes)

Individual months recorded in 2014:-

Individual months recorded in 2013:-

Individual months recorded in 2012:-

Number of events recorded in previous years.