Iowaipl org Theregenerationproject org Michigan Interfaith Power

Iowaipl. org Theregenerationproject. org Michigan Interfaith Power & Light www. miipl. org

Agenda • What’s a Cool Congregations Program? • Measure Your Own Carbon Footprint and Find Ways to Reduce! • What’s Your Style: How to organize a Cool Congregations program • Your First Meeting: Begin plans to start your own Cool Congregations program. • The Other Side of the Meter Cool Congregations Workshop 7

Cool Congregations Workshop 9

After 45 More Years of current energy use patterns 600 500 400 Today’s CO 2 Concentration 300 CO 2 Concentration 280 CO 2 [ppmv] 260 240 220 200 180 Temp. in F° 600, 000 500, 000 400, 000 300, 000 200, 000 Age (yr BP) Cool Congregations Workshop 100, 000 0 10

Cool Congregations Workshop 11

Global Warming in Michigan 1. A 5 -10 o. F rise in winter and a 7 -13 o. F rise in summer temperatures by the end of the century is projected. 2. Although average annual precipitation may not change much, an overall drier climate is expected because rainfall cannot compensate for the increase in evaporation resulting from greater temperatures. Thus Michigan may see drier soils and more droughts. Seasonally, winter precipitation is expected to increase by 5 -25% while summer precipitation is expected to remain the same.

Global Warming in Michigan 3. Extreme heat will be more common, and the frequency of heavy rainstorms will increase and could be 50 -100% higher than today. 4. The growing season could be 8 -10 weeks longer. 5. Declines in ice cover on the Great Lakes and inland lakes have been recorded over the past 100 -150 years and are expected to continue. ---From Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region, Union of Concerned Scientists: www. ucsusa. org/greatlakes Cool Congregations Workshop 13

“We have at most ten years— not ten years to decide upon action, but ten years to fundamentally alter the trajectory of global greenhouse emissions. ” Dr. James Hansen NASA Goddard Institute for Space Science

U. S. Emissions 3 • Carbon Capture and Storage 2. 6 2. 5 Electricity end-use efficiency Gt. C 2 Other end-use efficiency 1. 8 Passenger vehicle efficiency 1. 5 Other transport efficiency Renewables 1 0. 9 0. 5 0 1970 1990 2010 After Pacala and Socolow, 2004; ARI Car. Ben 3 Spreadsheet 2030 2050 CCS and Supply efficiency

Religious communities have aided social change in the past • Abolition of slavery • Civil rights • Women's right to vote • Endangered Species Act We can do it again… Cool Congregations Workshop 16

Care for Creation Theological Statement In a 1999 statement, the Reformed Church of America stated that while there is a continuing need for further research and better computer modeling of the effects of increased greenhouse gas emissions, these uncertainties should not be used as an argument for delaying action. The vast scale of the environmental and social damage that would be caused by climate change, and the long time scale it will take to reverse the effects, calls for taking preventive action. The Reformed Church of America believes that it would be easier to achieve reductions now, and at less cost to society, than to wait until the problem has grown worse. John D. Paarlberg, “Report from the Commission on Christian Action to the General Synod of 1999”, Reformed Church of America Cool Congregations Workshop 17

Stewardship Program • Pledge energy efficiency • Save money • Prevent global warming pollution Cool Congregations Workshop 18

How? • Measure Carbon Footprint • Find ways to reduce • Pledge Cool Congregations Workshop 19

Carbon Footprint What is a Carbon Footprint? • Your carbon footprint is the measure of how much global warming pollution you produce in your daily activities. • Measured in pounds of carbon dioxide (CO 2). Cool Congregations Workshop 20

Carbon Footprint Why are our feet so big? • • • Autos Flights Electricity Gas, or…(gas, oil or propane) Garbage Cool Congregations Workshop 21

How Do We Fare? Average American emits 21, 000 pounds of Carbon Dioxide (CO 2) annually • 2 times that of Germany, person • 3. 5 times that of Sweden • 5 times that of Mexico and China Cool Congregations Workshop 22

How Do We Feel? We comprise 4% of the World’s population, but are responsible for between 25 – 30 % of Earth’s CO 2 emissions! Cool Congregations Workshop 23

A Moral Issue As Catholic bishops, we seek to offer a distinctively religious and moral perspective to what is necessarily a complicated, scientific, economic, and political discussion. Ethical questions lie at the heart of the challenges facing us. Pope John Paul II insists: “We face a fundamental question which can be described as both ethical and ecological…. . How can one prevent disasters that destroy the environment and threaten all forms of life? ” --from “Global Climate Change, a Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and the Common Good, 2001, by US Catholic Bishops

Ann’s Family

Carbon Footprint Checklist 1) UTILITY INFO totals for the last 12 months Electricity (k. Wh) ___________________ Heat (You only use one of the following in your home) Natural Gas _________________ (Total “therms” of gas. If “mcf” then, 1 mcf x 10. 3 =1 therm) Heating Oil (in gallons) _____________ Propane (in gallons) ______________ Didn't save your last 12 months of bills? Mid. American - find your account number on your latest bill and go to www. midamericanenergy. com, establish a user name and password, enter your account number and print off your last 12 months of bills. 2) MILES DRIVEN and MPG - Estimate for each car for the last 12 months.

Ann’s footprint

25 Simple Steps Under $25 LIGHTING • Buy compact fluorescent light bulbs for your most-used lights. $2/bulb 180 pounds each/yr • Turn off unneeded lights 380 pounds/yr

25 Simple Steps Under $25 HOME APPLIANCES • Line dry clothes in summer: 780 pounds CO 2/yr • Line dry all year: 1400 pounds • One less load/wk in dryer: 200 pounds/yr

25 Simple Steps Under $25 Home Heating and Cooling Ask your utility company for a home energy audit to find out where your home is poorly insulated or energyinefficient. CO 2 reduction: Potentially, thousands of pounds a year. Don't overheat or overcool rooms. Adjust your thermostat (lower in winter, higher in summer) CO 2 reduction (for each 2 -degree adjustment): 500 pounds a year. Cool Congregations Workshop

25 Simple Steps Under $25 Water Wash clothes in warm or cold water, not hot. CO 2 reduction (for two loads a week): 500 pounds a year. Cool Congregations Workshop

25 Simple Steps Under $25 Barry Eastman Owner, Rudy’s Tacos Buys 72 % locally Other Equally Important Things To Do Cool Congregations Workshop 32

Green tags Consider Green Tags or RECs to ‘replace’ some of your CO 2 emissions. Your purchase can help finance construction of a specific new renewable energy project. Nativeenergy. com

ANN’S ENERGY USE • Electricity down 17%! • Gas down 15%! Cool Congregations Workshop 35

Ann’s Carbon Footprint • Reduced by 9 %! • Invested $12 on CFLs • Saving $100/mo on utility bills (APPLAUSE!!!)

The Power of 1 X the many From the 2009 Pay. It. Green Alliance study---If EVERY U. S. employee who had access to direct deposit (122. 5 million) used it, we would • save 4, 105, 889 gallons of gas. • avoid the release of 31, 581, 675 pounds of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Equivalent to: 112, 329, 703 miles not driven; 1, 345, 379 trees planted (and grown for 10 years); and 13, 756, 978 square feet of forest preserved. Cool Congregations Workshop 37

St. Luke’s Biggest Losers! • 67 tons • 9% average • Saved $5000 just on utilities!

q Initial investment = $200 q Reached payback after 4 months q Annual savings $600 q Saved 10, 000 pounds of CO 2 in one year Cool Congregations Workshop 39

Now It’s Your Turn! Cool Congregations Workshop 40

Next… 1. Take your completed “Carbon Footprint Checklist” to computing station to figure your footprint 2. Return to table. Absorb Footprint. Choose actions from "25" Lists. 3. Help yourself to the literature Cool Congregations Workshop 41

Buy efficient products and raise money for Michigan Interfaith Power & Light at www. shopipl. org (discount code – “shopipl”)

Q & A?

“We’ve got to get organized!” Cool Congregations Workshop 44

“We’ve got to get organized!” • • • Green team Guinea pig Involve Congregational leaders Educate congregation Reduce your carbon footprint Measure your reductions and celebrate!

Green Team • Measure your footprints • Find ways to reduce • Make a pledge

Guinea Pig Cool Congregations Workshop 47

Involve your Faith Leaders: Step 1 • Talk to your faith leader • Make a plan to go before the board together

Involve your Faith Leaders: Step 2 • Collect data from each board member ahead of the meeting. • Calculate their footprints.

Involve your Faith Leaders: Step 3 • • • Religious response to global warming Explain Cool Congregations Stewardship program Share Guinea pig’s case Show board members their footprints Invite them to make a pledge

Teach!

Keep Learning! • Adult Education Hour sessions • Monthly testimonials in newsletter • Info on reduction options in newsletter • Sales of CFLs, L. E. D. holiday lights • Alternative holiday gift fair • Retrofit your congregational bldg Cool Congregations Workshop 53

Ready, set, Reduce! What’s your style? • House Party • Small Group Ministries • Festival Cool Congregations Workshop 54

End of year… Measure Your Reductions

CELEBRATE!

Your First Organizational Meeting! • • • Green team Guinea pig Involve congregational leaders Educate congregation Reduce your carbon footprint Measure your reductions and celebrate! * Why do you care? *

The Other Side of the Meter

Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Be a Cool Congregation! q Pledge Actions q Talk to your faith leader q Recruit 3 helpers

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead