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Mount Olivet Reduces, Reuses, Recycles!

Mount Olivet Reduces, Reuses, Recycles!. Sep 2012 – Aug 2013 Sponsored by a Grant from Community POWER. Overall Project Goals. Reduce the amount of trash that Mt Olivet generates Recycle more of our waste (including organics recycling)

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Mount Olivet Reduces, Reuses, Recycles!

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  1. Mount Olivet Reduces, Reuses, Recycles! Sep 2012 – Aug 2013 Sponsored by a Grant from Community POWER

  2. Overall Project Goals • Reduce the amount of trash that Mt Olivet generates • Recycle more of our waste (including organics recycling) • Evaluate our use of toxic chemicals (reduce and dispose of properly) • Advance awareness, knowledge, and application of these issues among our members.

  3. Preparation for the Project • Visited Burroughs Elementary School to see trash sorting in the lunchroom • Met with the Creation Care team at St Joan of Arc in South Minneapolis • Had our trash weighed in April 2012 to establish a baseline measurement • 25.2% of our trash was recycled • 74.8% went to the landfill/burner

  4. Objective 1 – Form Creation Care team • The Mount Olivet Creation Care team promotes caring for God’s creation and serves as a resource in the areas of: • worship life • education • buildings & grounds • at home & work • outreach and affiliate ministries So that earth keeping becomes integral to the identity of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church.

  5. Creation Care Team • Vision statement: • Leading in creation care throughout our church and community. • Meets monthly (ongoing after project ends) • Develops and supports action plans for educational activities and changes at the church • Reviews progress

  6. Obj 2 – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! • Purchased and installed new recycling and organics recycling bins • Trained volunteers (starting with 20 stewardship dinners) to recycle and compost table trash. • Educated church staff (including custodians) about the grant and our renewed commitment to recycling. • Acted on ideas to reduce our trash

  7. Stewardship Dinner Table Tents In order to become better stewards of God’s creation, Mount Olivet has expanded our recycling program to include organic waste! Today’s event will have only a small amount of trash going to the landfill while other waste products from this event will be either recycled or commercially composted. The creation care team thanks you!

  8. New Trash Stations

  9. New Waste Station at Administrative Entrance

  10. Installed Hydration Stations in the Youth Center (to reduce use of Plastic Bottles)

  11. Activities to help us Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle • Presented Sunday School program to “Caring for God’s Creation” – 674 kids • Ben Knudsen, Hennepin County – spoke about the county’s 5 year plan and answered recycling questions • Kim Labo (Healthy Action Coalition) - evaluate our use of toxic products. • We will use up old chemicals that we already have • Use guidelines to use for future purchases.

  12. Results at Mount Olivet – Minneapolis campus * Initial baseline before project started

  13. Results at Mount Olivet – Minneapolis campus * Initial baseline before project started

  14. Results at Mount Olivet – Minneapolis campus * Initial baseline before project started

  15. Results at Mount Olivet – Minneapolis campus * Initial baseline before project started

  16. Obj 3 -To advance awareness, knowledge, and application • Understand the importance of reducing the trash that is sent to the landfills • Increase efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle at home. Activities: • Trained church staff – 23% changed behavior • Published “creation care” articles in bi-weekly newsletter • Trained volunteers at events

  17. January & March 2013 • Launched a 6-week adult education program using the video series “Earthbound” • Tied scripture to practical actions • Activities created energy & group discussion • Timeline showing how long items stay on the earth when they are not recycled • Who wants to be a Millionaire? • 85% of respondents said the class made a difference in their recycling activities

  18. Earth Day – April 2013 • Hymns reflected the Earth Day theme • Giveaways: Bookmarks, Reuseable bags • Creation Care team available to answer questions for the congregation • “I’m so proud of what Mt Olivet is doing to recycle!” • “I have held back on some of my donations because I didn’t think the church always used my money wisely. But now I know about the activities we are engaged in and feel better about how my contributions are used.”

  19. Kings Kids Camp – Summer 2013 (6 weeks) • Theme: Friends of the Earth • 200 participants • Grades K-6th with High School Counselors • 4 days per camp session • Preserving God’s creation • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle • Caring for our Wildlife • Protecting our Water

  20. Kings Kids Camp

  21. Artwork of recycled materials

  22. Artwork of recycled materials

  23. Making our own cleaning supplies

  24. Making our own cleaning supplies

  25. We need to take care of our home on Earth!

  26. Lessons Learned/Recommendations • Some people don’t want to embrace change • Provide your audience with opportunities to give feedback • Explain WHY it is important • Signage – words and pictures • Coffee cups • Repeat the message many times and in different ways • Network with other organizations • Use the resources available to you!

  27. Lessons Learned/Recommendations • Dive into the dumpster! • Milk cartons – recyclable or organic waste? • Remind people to empty their plastic cups • Nursery school teacher made a list of questionable items to be researched • Home Economist switched to more items being served family style (vs individual cups) • Network with other organizations • Send someone to Hennepin County’s Master Recycler/Composter course

  28. Do Community projects make a difference? “I was helping Nicholas clean the playroom and we had a nice bag of garbage. As we left he looked at me and said “you ARE going to recycle that, RIGHT?”” – a mom of a Kings Kids program participant

  29. Do Community projects make a difference? “Now that I see what a difference we have made in our recycling efforts here at church, I am so much more aware of what needs to be done in our community. I am amazed at how many places I go that have no recycling bins.” - A custodian at Mount Olivet

  30. Do Community projects make a difference? • Congregation is proud of our results • Mount Olivet West – expands recycling program September 2013 • Mount Olivet Retreat Center will expand to organics when hauler can carry it • Plan to expand to other Mt Olivet facilities as it becomes feasible

  31. Thank You! • Mount Olivet Lutheran Church • Custodians • Staff • Volunteers • Creation Care team • Congregation

  32. Thank You! • The Community POWER grant • Supported us financially • Forced us to get organized and establish goals, timelines, and activities • Pushed us beyond just buying trash bins to do more recycling. Our activities created more awareness in the congregation. • Asked us to commit to continue activities beyond the grant period.

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