No Plastic July 2026

For one month your Eco-Justice Council asks you to eliminate (or minimize) your use of single-use plastics. Individual actions are powerful and can influence others: REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.

Commit to these 3 changes NOW to make a real impact:

1. Choose to Refuse single-use bottled water — use refillable water bottles always.
2. Choose to Refuse plastic straws!
3. Choose to NOT USE plastic wrap — store leftovers in reusable containers.

Take the Plastic Free July Challenge and access resources for change.

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Our 2026 Actions & Events

Pot-Luck Supper and Movie Nights
Friday, Feb. 27 at 5:30 – Family, friends and neighbors attended a pot-luck supper and movie. The movie, Gratitude Revealed, is about how to live a more meaningful life full of gratitude. Scheduled during Lent,  a time to Rest, Remember, Repent and Restore, this showing reminded attendees and about all we have to be grateful for.  The Eco-Justice team provided pancakes and attendees brought a side-dish, salad or dessert to share.

Sunday, April 26 at 6:30 pm — The EcoAction team offered pizza, potluck desserts and a showing of It’s All About Love, featuring retired Bishop Michael Curry. Our special guests for this showing were the 2026 confirmation class and their mentors. With all invited to this intergenerational event, we enjoyed food, community, and the movie’s powerful message — more relevant today than when it was first given.

Earth Day /Week / Month Celebrations
Earth Month Liturgy Sunday, April 12 — At morning prayer, lay leader Marj Chapman offered a homily celebrating Earth Month by remembering the teaching of Thoman Berry who said: “We are not lacking in the dynamic forces needed to create the future. We live immersed in a sea of energy beyond all comprehension. But this energy, in an ultimate sense, is ours not by domination but by invocation.” Marj closed her message by reading the beautiful Mary Oliver poem The Sun.

Earth Sunday, April 19 — Winged Hope Event and Art Installation, sponsored by our interfaith group, Cheshire Creation Care, this creative, intergenerational event was held at Cheshire Congregational Church. Children and adults alike crafted butterflies in paper collages and fabric. The beautiful paper butterflies were mounted on fabric and displayed in the Congregational Church’s parish hall. The fabric mobile butterflies were hung from trees on church grounds. In May, the entire Winged Hope exhibit with mounted butterflies and butterfly mobiles flew to St. Peter’s. In June they again took flight to fly in Cheshire’s Pollinator Pathway gardens. The entire installation was originated and overseen by Cheshire artist extraordinaire Kathryn Frund.

Cheshire Sustainability Summit, Wed., April 22 at 7 pm, St. Peter’s Parish Hall
An event hosted by Cheshire Creation Care at St. Peter’s to gather climate caring community leaders to network and discuss ways to collaboratively move sustainability awareness and action forward in 2026 and beyond.

Ongoing Projects

St. Peter’s Garden Plot at Boulder Knoll Community Farm — Parishioner-volunteers help prepare, plant, weed, water and feed our vegetables. We share the garden’s bounty with our parish community and GWIM and are always looking for more help – no expertise required. Come dig with us.

Recycling Center and Information Hub at St. Peter’s – the executive team has dedicated a location in parish hall for our education and awareness hub. We are completing signage and setup. Suggestions welcomed.

Cemetery Ground Cover Project — Project lead Chris Morris is working with Sam Dunlap to designate test planting areas. Seeds have been received and planting will proceed.

Native Pollinator Garden — Working with Cheshire Pollinator Pathway we have received an ECCT grant and anonymous contribution to plan and purchase plants for this enhancement of St. Peter’s landscaping. 2026 summer plan is to turnover and plant the “flower meadow” portion of the garden. Sunsequent planting will occur in the Fall of 2026.

Proposed New Project

Mosquito Buckets — suggestion from folks at Sustainability Summit to promote this simple solution in contrast to “Mosquito Joe” spraying of properties. Link to Homegrown National Park info and challenge, also see suggested event and fundraising ideas. 

Our 2026 Forums

Lights Out CT Forum on March 26 at 7 pm – St. Peter’s Parish Hall

Light Pollution and Its Effects on Birds, Wildlife, and Human Health: Learn How You Can Help

Chair and Co-founder of Lights Out CT Craig Repasz offered a comprehensive presentation with the facts we need to understand the problem of light pollution and help us be part of the solution — just in time for the spring bird migration. Please Join us – all are welcome. Attendees enjoyed a lively Q&A session followed by refreshments and social networking.

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