Our environment
A moral responsibility
Adapting to change
Change is not an abandonment of the past, but recognition of the present. Our ability to change and make a gospel response to shifting culture has played a vital role in our success.
At the moment we are facing a growing tide of concern about the environmental impact of our way of life. No reputable science is denying that our climate is changing or that human beings are responsible for much of the global warming effect. But there is still time to avoid disaster if we change our day-today consumption.
As with human need, there is no silver bullet solution to the problem of climate change. Everyone can do their part in reducing the impact we have on the environment by using our resources more effectively. As stewards of God’s Earth, this is action we are called to take. The most pressing challenge is how to counter the seduction of consumerism with a more respectful, humble and reverential attitude to the natural systems upon which we depend.
Climate change is a significant threat to our economic and social life. The potentially devastating effects of more extreme weather conditions are now mainstream news and they cut to the heart of all that Wesley Mission represents. Just as it is impossible to separate economic activity from its social ramifications, we cannot ignore the social impact of ecological change. Economic, environmental and social outcomes are all interlinked; it is vital that we address all three areas if we are to achieve and maintain a healthy community.
Changes in weather systems and the precautionary market and regulatory changes that the forecasts are bringing, will affect us all. But, inevitably, the poor and marginalised will be least able to accommodate the rapidly changing natural, social and political environment.
In December 2006, Wesley Mission provided 50 farming families with a week of fun and relaxation at Vision Valley’s Drought Relief Christmas Family Camp. This provided them with some badly-needed respite from the pressure of a continuing struggle to cope with the prolonged drought.
In contrasting but equally devastating circumstances, parts of the Mission and many of our neighbours were significantly affected by flooding following the torrential rains in June. Thankfully, no one was hurt, although some spent time trapped in their cars. It is in times of crisis that some of our best qualities come to the fore. Client needs were still a priority, and everyone rallied to deal with the mess.
The passing of the weeks makes it even more difficult for those who struggle. Once the stories leave the headlines, it’s easy to forget – to assume that the problem has been solved. The dream of those at Wesley Mission is to work together in a Christ-centred way, all of the time.
Financial stress
Our recent research into the impact of financial stress highlighted the strain that many individuals and families are currently facing. As governments and the markets begin to place greater value on scarce resources, shelter, food and other necessities we take for granted are bound to become more expensive. We are already seeing a rise in the price of fuel. Food, water and energy prices are also likely to climb. Insurance companies, as ever the canary in the coal mine, are already raising their premiums as extreme weather events like flood, fire and drought become more frequent.
Questions about the environment are also questions about justice – about behaving in way that provides everyone with the same access to all that our world produces. Wesley Mission has a fundamental commitment to both greater equity and social justice and, in the following pages, we outline the efforts we have made to do our part in reducing our own ecological footprint.
Of course it is still early days… but every journey starts with the first step.
Our environment
Our response so far
Reducing our environmental footprint
Wesley Mission has begun the process of reviewing, measuring and reducing our use of fuel, water, electricity, chemicals and paper. This year we have undertaken an energy expenditure audit on electricity, water and gas, and the next phase for 07/08 is the development of an energy reduction strategy. We are also investigating a range of waste reduction measures through a review of systems and processes, particularly in the area of paper usage. Last year we concentrated on reducing the environmental impact of our motor vehicle fleet, which also brought significant cost savings.
Fuel and motor vehicle
In December 2005, we set a target to reduce the amount of fuel we use by 35% by May 2007. By integrating a mix of efficient engine types including fuel-efficient 4-cylinder, hybrid and diesel-run vehicles, we managed to exceed this, achieving a reduction of 40%.
We currently have 23 Toyota Prius hybrid electricity/petrol vehicles in our fleet.
Diesel engines also offer an environmental benefit. Diesel fuel has higher energy content than petrol and the output of a diesel engine is generally more efficient and less polluting. Four members of our senior management team, including our Superintendent, now drive diesel-powered cars. As each of our fleet of 25 buses needs to be replaced we will choose dieselpowered engines.
Since December 2005, it has been a requirement that all new additions to our fleet have 4-cylinder engines. As needed, we are replacing Camry Altise and Falcon XT models with the new, larger Toyota Corolla (7.8L per 100km) which should reduce consumption by a further 8% and 20% respectively. Over the next reporting period, 60 vehicles in our Community Services group will be replaced by the more fuel efficient new 1.8L Corolla. Based on the latest data from Toyota, our current vehicles are the best rated in each class in terms of greenhouse emissions.
By May 2008, we plan to have only 4-cylinder motor vehicles in our fleet.
|
Mo/Yr |
Litres/Mo |
No of Cars |
Avg no litres/mo per car |
Total fuel cost |
Fleet mix |
| June 2005 | 75,209.02 | 330 | 227.91 | $79,224.42 | Nearly all 6 - cylinder |
| June 2006 | 75,981.34 | 374 | 203.16 | $103,610.26 | Approx. 60% of fleet 4-cylinder |
| June 2007 | 74,727.42 | 437 | 171.00 | $97,502.15 | Approx. 86% of fleet 4-cylinder |
Our environment
The broader effects of helping our environment
Wesley E-Recycling specialise in the refurbishment of computers for individuals, families and community organisations in need. At the moment we are employing 10 supported employees, and we are attracting interest from many other people with a disability who would like to work with technology.
It is obvious that, as a nation, we need to deal with the ever-growing e-waste going to landfill.
We are currently refurbishing around 10 computers each week, a total of 442 over the last financial year. 97 of these were sold for a low price to not-for-profit organisations and 345 were sold or donated to individuals. Only 480 computers were donated to us this year.
It is obvious that, as a nation, we need to deal with the ever-growing e-waste going to landfill. Australians bought 2.4 million new computers last year, and threw at least 1.6 million old computers into landfill. We also put 1.8 million in storage alongside the 5.3 million already in cupboards, which is usually just a precursor to dumping. If we continue to abandon computers where they can leach lead, cadmium, mercury, cathode-ray tubes and plastic treated with brominated fire retardants into the soil, human health and the environment face irrevocable harm.
Wesley Mission’s E-recycling has two streams. Presently we are mainly focused on reusing computers discarded when corporates or government departments update their equipment – usually every two or three years.
We have an extensive range of high-quality refurbished computer packages that are internet ready and can be customised to suit customers’ needs. All refurbished computers are fully tested and come with a three-month warranty. As a member of the Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher program we are able to install Windows 2000 or Windows XP for the end user.
Unfortunately, our refurbishing stream is increasingly difficult to sustain as the lifespan of computers continues to shorten.
E-recycling’s second stream involves the dismantling and recycling of computer components. The Department of Family and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FACSIA) has acknowledged that computer dismantling is very suitable employment for people with a disability. However, there is a cost involved in recycling these items and, at the moment, government and manufacturers are unable to agree as to who will pay, particularly as many of those in storage have been made by companies no longer in business.
Nevertheless, we are developing our skills and learning more about the dismantling process so that, when this level of recycling is funded, we will be in a position to provide this service with our disabled employees.
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