Energy Stewardship Reducing Carbon Footprints in Congregations

Thinking about Carbon footprints When considering carbon footprints I think two realities Greenhouse gases warm a planet, with a effect that depends on a concentration of the gases The combustion of greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and other gases has been increasing rapidly with in the Earths atmosphere especially because of human impact over the last centaury. A multitude of measurements show that the planet is warming , just as the green house theory predicts

Green House Gases Carbon dioxide and methane are two. Some of the origins are burning of fossil fuels, garbage dumps and such. We do need carbon dioxide in the atmosphere but not the levels we emit. One way to cut it back are forests but we continue to harvest the Earths forests faster than we can reproduce them. It is up to us to reduce the way we leave our carbon foot prints to Gods Creation

Definition Carbon Footprint Sums up the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced. A carbon footprint includes many things , but for measuring convenience, all factors are converted to units of carbon dioxide (co2) measured in pounds

One such human activity We are a country dependent on making trash. Each year , 251 million tons of trash are thrown away in America. Some of it is recycled or recovered, but most of it goes to landfills. Only 32.5% of the trash is recycled or composted, 12.5% is burned, and 55% is buried in landfills. The amount of trash has doubled since 1960.

2009 Church Wide Assembly Resolution Three items came out of the resolution One is that the Bishop and the national Synod Council appoint a Creation Care Task Force develop a roadmap to sustainability, which gives congregations, synods, and other institutions an actionable plan that is user friendly a way to track data and share among groups

Resolutions Second to adopt the Genesis Covenant and reduce the carbon footprints of church wide, synods, congregations and institutions by 25-40% over 10 years to reduce Greenhouse Gases (ghg) Third Resolved, that the assembly calls on all it’s congregations, and the ELCA to work together with other areas of government, science, religious groups and business to adopt the same goals of the Genesis Covenant

January 20-21, 2010 Climate Change Consultation On the above date myself and twenty other people from church wide and congregations who were appointed by the church body to formulate the above mentioned resolution. We meet for two days and observed we were discussing the same items again as they had done in 2003 and 2008. We decided it was time to stop talking and take action.

Meeting out come No traveling would be done to meetings to reduce the carbon footprint of travel Five groups with different assignments were given tasks to accomplish in 2 weeks, 2 months and 2 years All meetings would be done by conference calls and emails More on the meetings will be coming Writing of a resolution for all synods to adopt Sample of resolution and groups report

Synod Resources Energy Audits are available contact George Davis for this geodavis2@comcast.net Have a presentation done to your Green Team or start a green team Attend Synod sponsored workshops coming soon

What’s the future What are the next steps This is not a fad

Things we can do in our Congregations Have an Energy Audit done by NIS Green Team Do a Carbon footprint survey Visit the lutheransrestoringcreation.org website for more information on what can be done Visit Energystar.org click on congregation for more information Pick a year to use as a baseline, look at utility bills and then compare as items are completed. Attend workshops Form Green teams in Congregations Support the Synod Green efforts to reduce the carbon footprints Submit information when requested

2010 NIS Synod Resolution on Energy Stewardship There is a set of resolutions as recommended by the consultation committee If we can get ten people to sign it, we could get it passed this year at the NIS assembly We are one of ten synods picked to start the process.( this was done) Data will need to be gathered and tracked to show how we doing to meet the goals

Energy reducing steps Use Energy Star items Have an Energy Audit done Replace light bulbs to cfl’s Replace boilers to energy efficient units Replacing hot water tanks with on demand water heaters Keeping filters clean on a/c and heating units Using motion sensor light switches ( 30 minute) Use of more renewable energy resources ( wind, solar and geothermal) Reduce your carbon footprint driving less Practice the three r’s reduce, reuse and recycle Carpooling More ideas

Help by sponsoring the resolution There is a sign up sheet in the back of the room We need ten church members to sign up to help sponsor this resolution and the Synod Green Team This resolution makes Church Wide, Synod and Congregations responsible to reduce there carbon footprints as a Church body by 2020

Networking Gathering Workshop for Green Teams on Carbon Footprint Reduction. Location: Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center Date – time: August 28, 2010 9am- 1pm Lunch include Agenda – Workshop on Carbon Footprint Reduction, Sharing of Green Team accomplishments, Lunch and a chance after lunch to take a Carbon Footprint Hike of LOMC grounds with our E E Director Thomas Williams This workshop will be free to all NIS green teams

Questions and Sharing of Ideas

Closing Prayer Heavenly Father help us to understand how we can reverse the damage we have done. Teach us how to be true stewards of your creation. Teach us how things are to live together in harmony. With all creatures of the land, air, and water. We look to you for guidance to help us save what you created. All God’s people said AMEN