General Information and Resources - Green Churches and Earth Care

1. Simple Sustainable Steps Why Do We Care?
General
• Promote worship services dedicated to the
moral obligation for creation’s care, including
Earth is our home. We are part of this
world and its destiny is our own. We, as Information
Earth Day services. people of faith, are called to join with
• Recycle materials used on the church
others to halt practices that fuel global and Resources
warming/climate change, to instigate
property.
sustainable alternatives, and to mitigate
• Form a group in your congregation to the impending effects of climate
advance environmental awareness and disruption. Our faiths dictate that we
sustainable practices. Join the Sustainable must commit to a renewed reverence for
Sanctuary Coalition.
all life, all creation, and all existence.
• Discourage disposables and encourage
members to use durable tableware such as We affirm the following norms of social
plates, metal utensils, and mugs. and environmental responsibility:
• Offer environmental education programs JUSTICE: We must create right
for children, youth, and adults. relationships, to ensure for all members of the
earth community the conditions required for
• Involve youth of the church in environmental their flourishing.
actions and programs.
• Conserve energy: SUSTAINABILITY: In covenant with
o Conduct an energy audit to enable en- humanity and all other living creatures, we are
ergy efficiency and conservation. called upon to be responsible for our truly
o Encourage members to reduce energy long-term impacts.
usage resulting in economic savings.
o Consider renewable energy sources BIORESPONSIBILITY: All species
such as solar power. deserve a “fair share” of Earth’s bounty.
Our mission is
• Purchase responsibly. Buy recycled paper
products and non-toxic chemical cleaners. SOLIDARITY: We are committed to the to encourage sustainable
global common good.
• Support fair trade and sustainable living initiatives in faith
farming practices by buying, serving, or HUMILITY: We recognize the limits of communities.
selling fair trade coffee and other products. human knowledge, technical ingenuity, and
moral character.
• On your grounds,
o Grow native plants, grasses, and ground (Paraphrased from the United Church of Christ’s “Open Letter to For more information, contact:
covers to conserve water and ensure Church and Society,” and the Unitarian Universalist Association
Statement of Conscience on “Threat of Global Warming/Climate
info@sustainablesanctuary.org
successful landscape. Change.”) or Jerry at 913-568-4250
o Avoid toxic pesticides, herbicides, and 3/07
fertilizers. www.sustainablesanctuary.org
o Compost organic material, e.g., leaves,
lawn clippings, and food scraps.

2. Resources for Faith Examples ….
Communities
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church St. Paul United Methodist Church
The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Kansas City, Missouri Independence, Missouri
Life • “Eat Your Values” lunches • Landscape conversion to organic
www.coejl.org • Earth Flag flown practices
• Recharge and recycle batteries • Butterfly and hummingbird gardens
Earth Ministry • Sponsor documentary films and created by church youth
www.earthministry.org forums • Organic composting facility
• Information on recycling, hazardous
Eco-Justice Ministries Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church waste disposal, and cleaning
www.eco-justice.org alternatives.
Overland Park, Kansas
Evangelical Environmental Network • Paper and aluminum recycling by
www.creationcare.org youth to fund mission trips Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist
• Use recycled paper in the church Church
The National Council of Churches office Overland Park, Kansas
www.webofcreation.org • Energy efficient upgrades • Stream clean-up participation
• Bridging the Gap Earth Day Walk
National Religious Partnership for the St. Andrew Christian Church participation
Environment Olathe, Kansas • Paper recycling
www.nrpe.org • Conservation display prepared by
• Straw bale construction (Hearth
Room) youth
Presbyterians for Restoring Creation
www.prcweb.org • Natural landscaped areas
• Building use policy The United Methodist Church of the
The Regeneration Project/Interfaith Power & • Fair Trade Coffee Resurrection
Light Leawood, Kansas
www.theregenerationproject.org • Parking lot run-off reclamation ponds
• Energy efficient HVAC with remote
Religious Witness for the Earth control
www.religiouswitness.org • Paper recycling
Solar panels on roof reduce use of power from the grid • Landscaping with native plants
Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth
www.uuministryforearth.org
Village Presbyterian Church
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Prairie Village, Kansas
www.energystar.gov; • Motion-activated lighting
search for congregations • Computer reclamation ministry
• Environmental education
For the K.C. Metro area: Bridging the Gap • Purchase recycled paper, non-toxic
www.bridgingthegap.org chemicals, and alternatives to
Styrofoam
We should think of our resources not as
having been left to us by our parents, Printed on Recycled Paper
Photo Courtesy of Unity Church of Sussex, NJ
but as having been loaned to us by our
children. --A Kenyan Proverb