This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 7 July 2020. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
THE Bishop of Dorchester is the first Bishop in the Diocese of Oxford and possibly the Church of England to invest in an eco-friendly electric car. The Rt Revd.
Colin Fletcher started driving his new electric VW Golf last week, shortly after the Diocese installed a charging point for vehicles at Church House, Oxford. Bishop Colin said: "Electric cars are the way to the future and are kinder to the environment than those fueled by petrol or diesel.
They are more expensive to buy, but I'm told they are cheaper to run. " It's thought that the Ven.
Olivia Graham will follow suit by switching to an electric vehicle when she is consecrated Bishop of Reading later this year. Our electric charging point, which is available for visitors to Church House to use for a small charge, is part of a wider initiative to reduce our carbon footprint across Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. This year we've been subsidising energy audits to help churches work on environmental sustainability and providing resources to help congregations pray, reflect and act on creation care.
It's all part of a drive to become an Eco Diocese - a scheme run by environmental charity, A Rocha .
It encourages diocesan level engagement with Eco Church and promotes local church participation in the scheme. Eco Church status is awarded after churches fill in a survey about how they are caring for God's earth in different areas of their life and work.
The answers collect points towards bronze, silver and gold awards.
Last year the Marlow Team in Buckinghamshire worked to gain Eco Church awards for two of their churches In case you missed it, The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft was joined by the Ven.
Olivia Graham on a recent Mass Climate Lobby in London.
Read Bishop Steven's reflection.
He also recently spoke on climate chaos in a debate in the House of Lords.
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