Stewardship of Creation Tips

Prairie Climate Stewardship Network

Living consciously with creation in mind does not necessarily mean living without.

It does mean living differently.

It does mean living simpler and intentional lives.

The choice is ours to make.

Stewardship of Creation Tip #3

Phantom Loads

Action: Reduce phantom loads and conserve energy by plugging appliances to a power strip that is equipped with its own power switch. Switch the power on and off as needed.*

Phantom loads are electrical devices operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even when you think the device is turned off.

The typical US home has more than 25 phantom loads.

Phantom Loads:

• Include cordless phones, remote-controlled television sets and DVD players, digital clocks, stereos, cell phone chargers and other devices that get their power through a transformer cube, plugged into the wall.
• 40 percent of the electricity consumed by these appliances occurs when they are idle, waiting to be used.
• Drive up electricity consumption, raising monthly bills by 2 to 8 percent.

*Appliances with remote controls: this method will disable the unit's remote until the power is turned on.

Source: Minnkota Messenger, September/October 2007, pp 6-7

Previous tips

Awakening: To God in All

“Apprehend God in all things, for God is in all things. Every single creature is full of God and is a book about God. Every creature is a word of God.”

Meister Eckhart

Reflection

How often do I see God in creation?

How often do I read God in creation?

How often do I hear God in creation?

How often do I greet God in creation?

Tip #1 Download Word Dishwasher: Energy & Water Conservation

Tip #2 Download Word Washing Machine: Energy & Water Conservation & Awakening: the gift of clean water

Prairie Climate Stewardship Network will periodically post other tips that foster creation care. Please feel free to share these with others and/or include them in bulletins or other material. Please acknowledging sources used should you share these tips.

If you have had a transformative experience that has changed your relationship with creation, please consider sharing that with us. We would like to share these experiences with others, along with stewardship tips. By doing so, we hope to awaken ourselves and maybe see the world through new eyes.

PCSN will respect the privacy of individuals sharing these experiences if that is the preference -- just let us know how you would like to be acknowledged.

PCSN asks that the “sharing” be short and that the reader be invited to reflect upon his/her life in relation to the realization shared.

In addition to being posted on our website, we might include a “sharing” with stewardship of creation tips as bulletins blurbs. If necessary, PCSN will shorten material received.

If you are interested in sharing your experience, contact us at psn@prairiestewardship.org