GreenFaith Action Team Planning Meeting September 22, 2013

 Clean energy (energy efficiency & renewables)  Healthy indoor and outdoor air, water, soil  Resource management  Reduction of reliance on landfills  Healthy and sustainable agriculture  Environmental justice (equity) What is Sustainability?

 Investigation of high heating bills uncovered significant heat loss through the windows.  Identified easy-to-build thermal window inserts that form an insulating barrier to save heat.  Church members built and installed 26 of these window inserts.  That action, combined with other changes such as adding ceiling fans, saved them 25% in heating costs.  The project spread to church members who wanted the inserts for their homes  Project also spread to low-income families who received the inserts free of charge.  Window Dresser Project is now a non- profit 501(c)3 corporation. First Universalist Church of Rockland

 “Houses of Worship Take Their Environmental Leadership to the Next Level”  The GreenFaith Certification Program is turning houses of worship into environmental leaders. The benefits are clear:  Protect Creation: From eco-themed worship services, to 'greening' of the building, congregations are making significant changes.  Save Money: Action steps are designed to be no-cost, and often lead to big savings.  Foster Relationships: Interfaith and intergenerational.  Learn Together: Resources, webinars, and a virtual community space. What is GreenFaith?

GreenFaith’s Mission GreenFaith inspires, educates and mobilizes people of diverse religious backgrounds for environmental leadership.

What is the Certification Program?  2 year leadership program  Roadmap & structure for religious-environmental leadership

 Institutions that have graduated the Certification Program  Trinity Presbyterian Church, East Brunswick, New Jersey Trinity Presbyterian Church,  Stanley Congregational Church, Chatham, New Jersey Stanley Congregational Church  Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, Bronx, New York Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale  St. David's Episcopal Church, Austin, Texas St. David's Episcopal Church  Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple, New Brunswick, New Jersey Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple  Barnert Temple, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey Barnert Temple  Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, South Orange, New Jersey Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel  Temple Shalom, Aberdeen, New Jersey Temple Shalom  Red Bank United Methodist Church, Red Bank, New Jersey Red Bank United Methodist Church  Christ Presbyterian Church, Martinsville, New Jersey Christ Presbyterian Church  St. James Lutheran Church, Coral Gables, Florida St. James Lutheran Church  Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church  United by Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Evergreen Park, Illinois United by Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church  Peninsula Sinai Congregation, Foster City, California Peninsula Sinai Congregation  54 others Current List of Participating Institutions

What are the Benefits of the Program?  Support and Guidance: Structure, resources, one-on-one support, an engaged community. ELCA-specific resources & coach  Member Engagement: "Participation in the GreenFaith program has opened up to us a whole new way of expressing our commitment to service and our sense of responsibility to our community and the world. In this way, the program has truly transformed our community not only physically but spiritually as well.". Rabbi Barry Dov Katz, Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale  Savings: $6,000 to $40,000  Achieving More, Holistically: “The possibilities for collaboration and inspiration make GreenFaith an essential partner.” Mark Niederman, Green Team Leader, Temple Beth Rishon

 Get Credit for all Environmental Activities  Spirit  Worship  Education  Environmental Justice  Interfaith  Intergenerational  Stewardship  Improving physical facility  Educating congregants to improve their sustainability Structure of the Program

Worship Examples

Religious Education Examples

Education Efforts  Creation rotation for kids.  Mural completed  Book studies for adults  Video studies for youth  Sunday forums  Breakfast events

Spirit Activities Outdoor worship services Hikes Interfaith activities Sermons with environmental message

Spirit Activities  Interfaith forum on the environment  Jewish, Christian, Muslim representation  Over 100 people in attendance  Vegan meal

Stewardship Examples-Action

Grounds Improvements Butterfly garden that is a Wildlife Habitat Added 8 shade trees to cover parking lot. Grew watermelons, sunflowers and zinnias between the new trees. Established a woodland garden under existing large canopy trees Built a dry stream to help channelize rain run off and eliminate erosion.

 CFC bulbs  Green cleaners  Systematized recycling  Eliminate disposable dinnerware  Bike racks  ‘Green’ classes for children Greening

Stewardship Examples-Education

Environmental Justice Examples “Because we were working on the EJ requirement for the GreenFaith Certification Program, we recognized the need for a community forum to openly discuss concerns around the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, and to highlight why many of us in the faith community care about its potential effects. ‘Pipeline and Pie’ will be held shortly before the State Department comes out to hear Nebraskans testify about the proposed pipeline.” -Deacon Betsy Bennet, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Nebraska

Justice  Partner with EJ orgs  Established a farmers’ market in Alton Park, a food desert  EBT machine at existing farmers’ market

Annual CIPL Energy Oscars

 Major retrofit of its lighting and heating systems.  Attention to water usage (through plumbing and land irrigation)  Recycling program  Environmental education  Community outreach activities St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Pacific Grove

 La Verne Church of the Brethren

 On September 19, 2012, the church went live with a 57kWh solar system consisting of watt panels. This system will generate about 90,000 kWh of electricity each year, an amount equal to what the church has used for the last several years.  The dashboard shows real time information on what the system is doing. Modesto Church of the Brethren

 reuse and recycling of building materials  required all contractors to follow rigorous guidelines for deconstruction, recycling, and integrated waste management  new windows to save energy and heating/cooling expenses and  new energy-efficient systems for heating and cooling the facility  solar-powered hot water heaters  programmable thermostats  attic and wall insulation  low-flow toilets  lighting upgrades  new composting unit  chose an accredited organic land care professional  Mercy Center saved significant costs over constructing a new building, which would have been three times more expensive. Madison, Connecticut, Sisters of Mercy, CIPL “Cool Congregations” 2012 Energy Winner

 On-site storm water infiltration pit which prevents storm water from entering and polluting city streets and sewers  25% fly ash content in concrete mix  Formaldehyde-free plywood  High efficiency heating and cooling systems  Thermal Break aluminum window frames with low-e coating  Bamboo flooring  Low VOC paints  Drought-tolerant, locally- sourced planting including original San Fernando Valley citrus trees and an edible vegetable garden Temple Judea, West San Fernando Valley

 The Team embarked on a “year of water” in conjunction with a storm water management project.  A mandate from the City of Minneapolis required the roof drains of the church to be disconnected from the sanitary sewer and redirected to discharge outside onto grade or directly connected to an available storm drain.  They determined that a more extensive storm water management system would be a more environmentally responsible course of action.  With the receipt of a grant for $50k from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization to assist with the project, a detention system was installed underneath the parking lot which allows storm water to soak into and be naturally cleaned by the soil.  This reduced flow of water in to the City’s storm water system is helping to extend the life of the City’s system Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis

Temple Beth Rishon  500 families  Wyckoff, NJ  Multi-use: Preschool, Hebrew School, Synagogue  Their Story: Taking energy seriously pays off!

Big Results. Reduced Electricity Usage by 30% Reduced Natural Gas Usage by 19 % Avoided 128 tons of CO2 emissions Equal to planting 321 trees, or taking 11.2 cars off the road for an entire year! $34, in 2 years.

Brainerd Community Garden 20 pesticide free beds open to community and parishioners for modest fee Education classes to support gardeners Free berry garden Notice board Pavilion with green roof, tool shed and rockers

Brainerd Community Garden  23 non-church gardeners, 15 churched  Parishioner donations and volunteers, $1500 from outside the church  Compost bin open to neighborhood

 We are already doing and planning to do many of these activities.  Work through existing committees and ministries  Identify mentors who have experience with these types of activities  Identify new volunteers who will bring new energy to the activities Approach

 Draft and pass a Council resolution  Pastor to make oral and written statement supporting the GF campaign  Fill out application  Submit application by December 1  Volunteers to spearhead certain activities  Plan for Kickoff (January)  Next meeting: Mid October Next Steps

 Get Credit for all Environmental Activities  Spirit  Worship  Education  Environmental Justice  Interfaith  Intergenerational  Stewardship  Improving physical facility  Educating congregants to improve their homes Structure of the Program

Things We are Already Doing or Could Do Recycling labeling Renovation Using dishes instead of paper Sunday bus service Fix sidewalk PG&E Smart Days Flex Alerts Improve lights in sanctuary: logging usage Environmental Tithe Landscaping: LEED Credit Test drive electric and hybrid cars Progressive dinner at environmental houses Clotheslines Youth group install clothes lines Food and faith Sunday school garden Cycle second Sunday Letter writing Windows in sanctuary, bike racks Worship: Season of Creation Environment and faith event Adopt a highway: won award Coffee grounds/compost Recycling Ideas for home and church in coffee alley Sustainable Landscaping Hiking club: Putah Creek hike