COMMUNITY INSPIRATION
The Providence Climate Agreement
Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN collected pledges from the community at large to the Providence Climate Agreement of those taking action to reduce emissions totaling 1275 tons annually.
ENERGY SAVER
Climate and Energy Stewardship: Carbon Footprint Fund
The Presbytery of East Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee created a Carbon Footprint fund, collecting about $10,000 and disbursing about $6300 so far to fund seven projects in the Presbytery, all of them involving lighting upgrades to LED lamps and fixtures.
RENEWABLE ROLE MODEL
Solar Sisters
Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross in Green Bay, WI increased their solar installations to cover 58% of the electrical needs of their campus offsetting 195 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
SACRED GROUND
Sacred Grounds Steward
United Church of Santa Fe in Santa Fe, NM installed a solar carport reducing electric use by 42% and a 32,000 gallon water catchment system for their beautiful outdoor worship space and grounds in the high desert. The landscaping sequesters 8 tons annually.
COOL PLANNERCool Desert Coalition
First Christian Church in Las Cruces, New Mexico is making plans for installing solar and will continue hosting a one-acre urban farm with a bioreactor and composting system through a coalition of groups: a local farmer (Backyard Farms), a non-profit, multi-cultural food group (La Semilla), and the Dona Ana County Soil and Water District.
LED Lighting in the Temple
Sri Shirdi SaiBaba Mandir of North Carolina in Cary, North Carolina also won the Cool Planner Runner Up Award for their ongoing efforts to switch to LED lighting. Their youth team, the Sai Sevaks, through NCIPL’s Youth Leaders Initiative, helped initiate an energy audit performed by NCIPL and raised the funds to switch to LEDs.
