Poo-power to save the world?

Last week, it was reported that Bristol is planning to have a fleet of 'poo buses' in the city, after a successful 6-month trial of the Bio-bus on one of the routes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-34919563

The buses will be powered by human and food waste that is turned into biomethane gas, and it all sounds like a very good move to me, if we are trying to move away from fossil fuels.

In Uganda, my good friend, and CRED Partner, John Njendahayo has been building biogas units, on demand, for several years now - providing schools, orphanages, homes and whoever else is interested with clean, sustainable power, albeit powered by cow poo rather than from humans. John has even developed ways to convert the biogas so that a fridge can be run off it, and once you add in solar panels for electricity generation, and use interlocking bricks, and rainwater harvesting then you have a very environmentally friendly building.

John's next project is to develop a biogas farm. He recognises that not everyone has room for the cows that are required to provide the waste needed for the biogas, and there is a lot of suspicion and stigma about the human waste option that will require a lot of education to overcome. But, if you have one big generator with lots of cows creating lots of waste that can be turned into lots of biogas, and if you then supply nearby households with gas bags so that they can go and collect their gas, then a whole load of homes will be able to cook on clean fuel, less trees will be cut down, less respiratory infections will be experienced, less time will be spent by girls looking for firewood so they can go to school for longer instead, and so the list of benefits goes on.

John, and the city of Bristol, are showing that it is possible to move away from fossil fuels, towards cleaner, more sustainable options.
As the Climate Change Conference continues in Paris, let's pray that those making the all-important decisions can similarly find routes forward that lead to a better, and more sustainable world for all (and I mean ALL!)

Pray:

for safety for all attending the event
that leaders and decision makers will acknowledge the level of climate action needed
that the event will provide a basis for positive negotiations in the weeks to follow
that the media attention around the talks would increase the level of ambition in statements made and actions agreed

Father God, as many world leaders attend the negotiations, please work in their discussions, whether public or private, to bring consensus and ambition on the commitments needed.

We ask that their negotiations will not be characterised by talking with little action, and that all country leaders will be heard, not just those seen to be the most powerful. Amen

(prayer from Tearfund)

Praying for the Climate Conference in Paris

Taken from the Facebook Page 'Pray4COP21':

1 December

Yesterday saw many developments both in the Leaders Event and in side events. Today, the 1st of December, the actual COP negotiating sessions start. In addition the Lima Paris Action Agenda, which brings together state and nonstate actors for cooperative action around key issues, will hold events focused on forests and agriculture.

Fittingly, it’s also a day when many people will be taking part in prayer and fasting for the climate negotiations, as they have every 1st of the month since the Fast for the Climate movement was started after the Warsaw climate talks.

In the speech that inspired the Fast for the Climate Movement, Filipino negotiator Yeb Saño called for “real ambition and climate action.”

Please pray today:

in thanksgiving for Yeb Saño’s inspiration and all who have been
part of fasting and prayer for the climate over the past two
years
that the negotiations that begin today will lead to an agreement
that involves real ambition and climate action.
That the events on forests and agriculture will help to preserve
and protect earth’s forests, ensure the livelihoods of farmers
worldwide, and enable access to food for all people.

Dear Lord,
We see sea level rising in low Pacific Island Nations,
plants and animals becoming extinct,
birds changing their migration patterns,
and the flowering time of plants advancing.

We also see that it is the poor
who are suffering the most
from the way that the rich world
is changing the climate
through overuse of fossil fuels and deforestation.

But today we have hope.
The preparatory meetings for the Paris negotiations
have gone further than any past meetings.
There is hope that a binding climate change treaty
can be drafted in Paris.
We pray in hope for a positive result.

We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Prayer contributed by A Rocha UK from material written by Sir Ghillean Prance

May that hope be realised, may the politicians be brave and courageous in their decisions, may a united global benefit rather than individual point-scoring be the inspiration that fuels that courage, to lead to positive results that have benefits for now and for the future