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This presentation, created by George Davis, Facilities Director at LOMC, explores practical ways for individuals and congregations to care for creation. It discusses energy efficient lighting, recycling, green cleaning, and more.
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Caring for Creation WAYS TO GO GREEN presentation created by George Davis Facilities Director LOMC
The Church View • “We cannot escape the interconnectedness of Earth’s fabric of life. Creation is the matrix of all our activities, both as human beings and as Christ’s church. God gives us and all creatures life through water, air, food and all other gifts that come to us from the Earth. Everything we do depends on these gifts and has some impact upon them. If these gifts are treated with contempt and abused, people, animals, and plants suffer together. If they are graciously received and cherished people will flourish with rest of creation. We cannot love God or our human neighbor without caring for creation.” • “The question is not whether the church will engage what our society calls the environment, but how.”
Statement from Bishop Gary WollersheimNorthern Illinois Synod, ELCA • Sometimes we get fooled into thinking that we own stuff. But actually the Lutheran Church teaches that God is the owner of all things, we are simply caretakers. In Psalm 24:1 we read “The Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.” So let us care for all creation as if belonged to God, because it does.
Northern Illinois Synod Green Team Mission Statement • The mission of the Synod Green Team is to encourage the congregations, agencies and institutions of the Northern Illinois Synod to become “greener” communities by providing educational opportunities and resources for • A. showing how faith and ecology are interrelated, and • B. teaching pragmatic means of becoming “greener”
Creation Declares the Glory of God • Rev. 4:11 “ you are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by you they were created and have their being.”
God’s call to Earthkeeping • Caring for creation is an essential component of religious faith and witness. Faithfull “earthkeeping” can deepen our relationship with God and one another, as we work for the healing of the world. • From Kim Winchell book Awakening to God’s call to Earthkeeping. A four part lesson book.
Common Sense, Survival and Stewardship • Like many people responsible for congregations, you may be finding that yours is in an increasingly difficult cost bind. Fortunately, energy conservation and recycling can make a difference. While you can’t do anything about the rising cost of energy. By using less and recycling you can see savings. These savings can cover most of the cost of new lighting, starting a recycling program. This all helps with “Greening.”
What will be covered today • Energy efficient lighting • Recycling • Green cleaning for congregations • Green products • Energy options • Resources
Electrical utilities lighting • Use of lighting for proper tasks • Fluorescent to replace incandescent • Outside lighting using photo cells • Canisters lights should be elliptical bulbs • Lighting should be by what takes place in the area
Suggested light levels. • Offices 50 foot candles • Meeting Rooms 50 foot candles • Lobby or foyers 10 foot candles • Eating areas 20 to 30 foot candles • Hallways 10 to 20 foot candles • Device to measure this, light meter
Example of energy savings that was done at LOMC • Before • 4 fixtures x 100watt incandescent bulbs x 5rooms = 2000 watts • 2000 watts x 4 buildings = 8000 watts per hour • 8000 watts per hour= 8 kwh x 8 hours of use = 64 kwh
After conversion • 4 fixtures x 23 watt fluorescent bulbs x 5 rooms = 460 watt • 460 watts x 4 buildings = 1840 watts per hour • 1840 watts per hour = 2 kwh x 8 hours of use = 16 kwh • Breakdown is 1540 watts less per hour • 6110 less per 8 hour usage • 48 kwh less per 8 hour period • Pay back on project about 4 months • Old cost of running lights $192.60 a month. • New cost of running lights $28.60.
Energy Costs • Gas, electric, propane. • Programmable thermostats • Heating and cooling costs account for about one half of a total energy bill. Above thermostat could save about a $150.00 a year on a average home • For each degree you lower your thermostat in winter you could save 5% on your heating bill
The average congregation will spend around $5300 on all energy costs in 2008. In 2009 it is projected to be even more think of what that cost is to congregations • When you make energy efficiency part of your everyday activities, you are reducing energy demands. This means less greenhouse gas emissions and cleaner air and not leaving carbon foot prints. • (carbon footprint. A representation of the effect human activities have on the climate in terms of the total amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide)
What can you do to improve your carbon footprint. • Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner: Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350lbs of carbon dioxide a year • Replace incandescent bulbs with CFL’s they use 60%less energy. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with each bulb you replace • Be sure your recycling at your church; you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your church generates. • Buy energy star appliances at home and at church. • This information and more comes from awareness ideas website
Another cost saving item. • On demand electrical meters. • This charges you at lower rates. Think about when your church uses the most power, mainly Sunday mornings. With these meters it shows that your demand is at a off peak time and that charge goes for the whole week or month as off peak demand time. Peak demand charges normally occur when business and factories are on line. These meters can be obtained from ComEd at a initial cost. You will see a pay back in electric bills. • Have an Energy Audit done of your church by a company.
To become Green we need to followthrough and do the full cycle of being a “ Green”congregation. • We need to recycle everything we can, but then we need to buy recycled products. This is the full cycle items, like floor tile made from old tires. Counter tops made from recycled glass and more.
Green cleaning chemicals. • Cleaning with Green products does the following; it is products and services that cause less toxic pollution and waste, conserves resources and habitats, minimize global warming and ozone depletion. They are not toxic, no ozone depleting chemicals, no phosphates or phosphonates and no carcinogens. No hazardous waste chemicals. No oil by products.
Bio-Renewable and Green cleaning products. • Bio-based cleaning products made from renewable resources. Sustainable products for a sustainable future • These products are created using soybean oils, corn, coconuts, palm kernels and citrus acids all renewable resources • ( information from Spartan Chemical.)
Additional Resources • Malabar Farms • Alliance to Save energy • Awareness Ideas • Web of Creation • Evangelical Enviromental Network • Spartan Chemicals Booklets • Energy Star • Clorox Green Cleaners ( new to the Market) • Sheet of web sites in the back
Energy Star Website. Go to this website click on Congregation. This site has an amazing amount of information on “greening” in connection with energy ideas.
, • John. 1:1-3: “ before the world was created, the word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him.”
Question to ponder • What is your hopeful vision, as a child of God, for how humans should live on the Earth in connection with the rest of creation? • Writing of Martin Luther: • God is in all creatures, even in the smallest flower!
Web of Creations Website • Everything you need to know about getting started is there for you to download. • Descriptions • Reasons to become a “green” congregation • Worship materials • Recommendations • Procedures • Covenant.
Form a “Green Team” • Go back and start looking how you as a congregation can become “Green”. Use flow charts and graphs to see how you are moving ahead to become “Green.”
The Green Congregation Program Action Plan (short version) • Transformation through Worship: “Let all creation praise God!” • Transformation through Education: “Know your tradition and your world.” • Transformation through the Buildings and Grounds: “ The church as an alternative community.” • Transformation through Discipleship at Home Work: “Love your neighbor and care for creation.” • Transformation through Public and Advocacy: “The church exists to serve the world.”
ELCA social statement, • Humans, in service to God, have special roles on behalf of the whole of creation. Made in God’s image, we are called to care for the Earth as God cares for the Earth. • Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice.
What’s Coming in the future for C/SIS • A formation of a Synod Green Team in February of 2010 • Formation of a “Green Team” mission statement • Workshops presented at the Synod Assembly in May of 2010 • Long Range plan for Energy Audit Team some time late summer of 2010
ELCA Climate Change Consultation January 20-21, 2010 • This consultation was a gathering of 21 people some from National Church Headquarters and others from across the country. • Our challenge to formulate a way for all of the ELCA to meet the goal set by the resolution passed at the Church wide assembly last August • The resolution was that all areas of the ELCA reduce their carbon footprints by 50% over the next ten years
Closing Prayer • Gracious and Holy Lord: We give you thanks for your living Word of Holy Scripture. And we ask that you would continue to speak to us through it, that we may open our minds and our hearts anew, to know what it means in our time to live in covenant with you and in right relationship with all Creation. And all God’s people said. AMEN
