Congregations

Congregations Share their Sustainability Initiatives & Resources at Interfaith Green Network Forum on 9/11/2012

Check out the slides from the presentations given by the following Congregations on their Sustainability Initiatives:

Congregations presenting were:

  • Ascension Catholic Church – Community Garden
  • Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church – Geothermal Heating and Cooling
  • Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church – Garden Ministry
  • First United Church of Oak Park – Professional Energy Audit
  • Good Shepherd Lutheran Church – Green Fair and Eco-Film Fest
  • Grace Lutheran Church and School – Waste Reduction / Recycling
  • St. Giles Family Mass – Community Makes Change Faster
  • Unity Temple – Policy Advocacy

Also see the article about the sustainability forum which was held on September 11, 2012.

Resources and Funding Sources for Congregations

as suggested by PlanItGreen to help reduce Energy, Waste and Water

Resources and Funding Sources for Energy

Energy Savers: Comprehensive website of resources around energy use, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Illinois Clean Energy Foundation: Funding organization that provides grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Illinois.

IL Energy Efficiency Grants: Grants from the state of Illinois for energy efficiency projects.

IL Renewable Energy Grants: Grants from the state of Illinois for renewable energy projects.

Building Energy Codes Program: Department of Energy website with resources and information around building energy codes.

Cook County Energy Efficiency Program: Free energy audits, funding and loans for energy efficiency projects through Cook County.

ICLEI: Non-profit with a variety of tools and resources for local governments interested in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Resources and Funding Sources for Waste

Illinois Recycling Grants Program: State of Illinois funding for recycling projects.

Illinois Recycling Association: Membership association for recyclers in Illinois.

Building Materials Reuse Association: Non-profit with information and resources around building deconstruction.

Food Scrap Composting Revitalization & Advancement Program: State of Illinois funding for composting projects.

IL Zero Waste Schools Program: State funding opportunities for waste reduction in schools.

Resources and Funding Sources for Water

WaterSense: EPA program with information and resources about water efficiency.

Lawn Talk: Lawn care information for northern Illinois, including resources for outdoor water efficiency.

Alliance for Water Efficiency: Website with comprehensive information about water efficiency.

HarvestH20.com: Rainwater harvesting resources.

Gray Water Policy Center: Greywater harvesting and policy information resources.

IL DCEO Utility Rate Studies: Free technical assistance for utility rate studies for local units of government in Illinois.

EPA Watershed Funding Programs: EPA grant funding around watersheds.

American Water Works Association: A non-profit with a wide variety of resources around safe water, including free water audit software for water utilities.

 

Faith in Place

Faith in Place gives religious people the tools to become good stewards of the earth. We partner with religious congregations to promote clean energy & sustainable farming.

Since 1999, Faith in Place has partnered with over 600 congregations in Illinois—Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Zoroastrian, Baha’i and Unitarian. We’re also part of the national Interfaith Power & Light campaign.

Our mission is to help people of faith understand that issues of ecology and economy—of care for Creation—are at the forefront of social justice. At Faith in Place we believe in housing the homeless, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. But even if we do all those things, and love our brothers and sisters with our whole heart, it will not matter if we neglect the ecological conditions of our beautiful and fragile planet.

Interfaith Power & Light Campaign

 

Cool Congregations Calculator

Use our Cool Congregations Calculator to estimate your congregation’s carbon footprint. It offers a snapshot of your carbon footprint, allowing you to look at the best places to lower your footprint and become more energy smart. We break your carbon footprint down into four sub-components:

  • Energy use
  • Transportation.
  • Goods and services
  • Waste

Then we give credit for lands your congregation may manage in their natural state as carbon sinks and for any carbon offsets your congregation has purchased.  We provide your congregation’s total footprint in both pounds of carbon and in acres.

2011 Carbon Fast for Lent Find Carbon Fast pdf document here Follow your own Carbon Fast, or choose from this calendar of suggested daily actions. As you lay aside the calendar each day, do so with a prayer. From Washington Interfaith Power & Light (WAIPL)

 

Green Resources on Congregation Web Sites:

Check out resources on one another’s web sites form the sample sites below:

Good Shepherd Lutheran:

Oak Park Friends Meeting:

Oak Park Temple:

Euclid Avenue United Methodist:

First United Church of Oak Park:

 

 

Web of Creation

The Web of Creation was established to foster the movement for personal and social transformation to a just and sustainable world from religious perspectives. To that end, the information at this site will:

  • connect you with ideas, resources and strategies for doing eco-justice
  • inform, inspire, encourage, educate you about eco-justice
  • support you in your efforts to live, work and pray in ways that promote eco-justice