Warm cushions answer climate change prayers

THE Church of England is turning to heated cushions to help beat climate change as part of its new zero carbon strategy, unveiled by a senior bishop who yesterday described the militant green movement Extinction Rebellion as “brilliant”.

Anglican leaders are to adopt the zero emissions target as part of their response to what the Church will next month declare to be a “climate emergency”.

It wants to reduce its carbon output to zero by 2045 at the latest, five years earlier than the Government’s own target for the country.

The announcement, ahead of next month’s synod, came as the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Rev Nicholas Holtam, called Extinction Rebellion (ER) and teenage activist Greta Thunberg “brilliant” for having forced governments to pay more attention to the climate crisis.

ER’S supporters have been arrested in their hundreds for blocking roads and bridges in cities during climate change protests, drawing fire from Government ministers for their actions.

But announcing the Church’s zero carbon target,

Bishop Holtam said yesterday: “Isn’t Greta Thunberg marvellous? Aren’t Extinction Rebellion brilliant in moving the environmental issue up the agenda of people’s concerns?”

The Church says it needs to move away from gas and oil heating in favour of more renewable energy sources to heat its 16,000 churches – many of them ancient, cavernous buildings – as well as thousands of community halls, schools and offices.

Providing central heating for a church can cost up to £80,000 a year.

The Synod’s climate emergency paper says part of the answer will be to “heat people not buildings”, by using chargeable, heated cushions placed on pews, instead of expensive and carbon-generating radiators.

The battery operated cushions were developed by a Dutch inventor and cost about £100 each. They provide heating for up to four hours and members of the congregation are able to adjust the temperature.

Among the churches already using similar cushions are St Peter’s in Newton Bromswold, Northants; All Saints in Richard’s Castle, Shropshire; and All Saints in Cranham, East London.