Churches across England have rallied efforts in unity to tackle the ever increasing problem of climate change. Churches have been pro-actively attempting to drive parishes to become more environmentally friendly.

Leading the way for other churches to follow, an Essex parish has been awarded an ECO-Congregational Award, according to The Church of England newspaper. In addition to this, other churches in Herefordshire and South Shropshire are currently being enrolled onto a scheme to face up to the challenge of climate change.

The parish of St Mary and All Saints won an award, along with its sister church St Fancis' Silver End. The award was given for the extensive works carried out by the churches in the environmental lands and green projects in the areas surrounding its lands.

The parish also has a Nature Care group that comes together for formal meetings throughout the year to study and carry out investigations on the habitat and environment in its surrounding areas.

Congregations in the diocese of Hereford have been urged by their churches to improve their environmentally-friendliness in everything they do, including improving the energy efficiency of their homes, learn about their suppliers and promote what they have found out. It is hoped in this way, as the public becomes more aware of the strains that the environment goes through they can influence a greener society, as well as donating the savings that they will make.

The churches have pointed out that in the UK alone nearly £5 billion is wasted on energu every single year.

The scheme has followed a general call by all churches to use their influences to drive forward environmentally friendly initiatives and to make their congregations more aware of these important issues.

Earlier this year, a report was published by the Church of England entiltled "Sharing God's Planet". The document urged churches to themselves become more alert of changes that can be made to benefit the environment. To give weight to the campaign, the head of the 70-million strong worldwide Anglican Communion, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams even described climate change as "a weapon of mass destruction".

This year's G8 Summit placed climate change as one of the gravest concerns in the world at present, and the leaders of the 8 richest nations in the world gathered to dicuss efforts to decrease carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.