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Promoting sustainable living in our community
Comberton Baptist Church was awarded an ‘A Rocha Eco Church’ Bronze award in 2021, followed by a Silver award in 2024. We are now working towards our Gold award.
What is ECO Church?
The charity “A Rocha” UK’s Eco Church programme equips churches in England and Wales to care for creation.
Eco Church is a learning community of churches of all shapes and sizes open to all denominations. It provides a framework to support churches to take practical action on caring for God’s earth, through the Eco Church survey.
The survey covers five key areas of church life:
- Worship and teaching
- Buildings
- Land
- Community and global engagement
- Lifestyle
Click the badge to learn more about A Rocha UK.
Caring for creation at CBC
With full support from our Trustees and Members, we are striving to reduce our negative impact on the environment at church, amongst our fellowship and in the wider community.
Over the last few years we have insulated our buildings, replaced lighting, worked hard on our gardens to increase diversity and attract wildlife, added cycle racks, reduced paper usage, introduced ethical purchasing and promoted healthy and eco-friendly lifestyles.
There remains more to be done and we expect to be applying for a gold award over the next few years.
ECO partners
Here are some of the organisations that have inspired us on our ECO journey
Baptist Union Environment Network
The Baptist Union Environment Network (BUEN) is a UK initiative that empowers Baptist churches and individuals to address the climate and environmental crisis. BUEN aims to raise awareness, promote the care of God’s creation as integral to their mission, and advocate for environmental justice. They foster a network of environmental partners within regional Baptist associations to support local churches in practical action and worship. BUEN provides resources and encourages collaboration to inspire a movement towards a sustainable future, recognizing the goodness of creation and the need to respond to its cry.
Cambridge Carbon Footprint
Cambridge Carbon Footprint is a UK charity empowering Cambridgeshire communities to reduce their carbon emissions through practical guidance and resources since 2005. They raise awareness, offer tools like a carbon footprint calculator, and foster community engagement with projects such as Open Eco Homes. The organisation also promotes sustainable practices and collaborates on initiatives like the Cambridge Climate Change Charter. By making climate action positive and engaging, they aim to drive meaningful and sustainable change locally and beyond, equipping individuals to contribute to a lower-carbon future.
The Countryside Regeneration Trust
The Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT) is a UK charity dedicated to promoting sustainable, wildlife-friendly farming and restoring biodiversity within the rural landscape. Founded in 1993, the CRT purchases and manages farmland, working with tenant farmers to implement agricultural practices that enhance wildlife habitats alongside food production.
Their approach demonstrates that a living, working countryside, rich in flora and fauna, can coexist with productive farming. The Trust advocates for environmentally sensitive farming methods and educates the public about the importance of countryside regeneration, often welcoming visitors to their properties to showcase their conservation successes.
Climate Stewards
Climate Stewards is a UK-based charity helping individuals and organisations respond to climate change. Part of the Christian conservation network A Rocha, it encourages measuring and reducing carbon footprints.
For unavoidable emissions, Climate Stewards provides a carbon offsetting service. Contributions fund community-based projects, such as reforestation, improved cookstoves, and water filters, primarily in Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, and Uganda. These initiatives not only sequester or reduce carbon emissions but also deliver tangible benefits like improved health, job creation, and enhanced biodiversity for local communities. They offer tools and resources to facilitate practical climate action.
Emmaus Cambridge
The Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT) is a UK charity dedicated to promoting sustainable, wildlife-friendly farming and restoring biodiversity within the rural landscape. Founded in 1993, the CRT purchases and manages farmland, working with tenant farmers to implement agricultural practices that enhance wildlife habitats alongside food production.
Emmaus Cambridge is a UK charity providing a home and meaningful work for formerly homeless individuals, known as ‘Companions’. Located in Landbeach, just outside Cambridge, the community offers more than just shelter; it provides a supportive environment where Companions live and work together.
Companions work full-time in the charity’s social enterprise, primarily collecting, refurbishing, and selling donated furniture and household goods. This work not only helps fund the community, making it partially self-sufficient, but also enables Companions to develop skills, regain confidence, and rebuild their self-esteem, helping them move on from homelessness.
Organic Garden
Garden Organic is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to promoting organic growing methods. For over 60 years, it has conducted research and provided practical advice to encourage people to grow organically, enhancing biodiversity, protecting wildlife, and improving soil health.
Based at Ryton Organic Gardens near Coventry, the charity educates individuals, communities, and schools on sustainable horticulture. It manages the unique Heritage Seed Library, conserving non-commercial vegetable varieties. Garden Organic advocates for environmentally friendly practices, like peat-free growing, helping people cultivate food and ornamental plants in harmony with nature for health and well-being.