Taking Grace Green Committee
In 2007, the Stewardship program at Grace was expanded to focus
on the growing concerns about the environment.
A sub-committee was formed consisting of people who represented
a range of age groups, old and new members, and a variety of interest
groups at Grace.
Topics and program goals, which included establishing awareness and an outline of educational tools and events to get things moving, were developed. The group kicked things off with a three part series program in September followed by a series of "how to" seminars, and program of articles in Grace to You each month.
In 2008 the monthly articles continued and in April, Dr. Eldin Greij gave a computer presentation on global climate change and the outlook, actions to be taken, and the need to get started.
A groundswell seems to have started. We have gone into a full-out recycling
effort to be better stewards of the paper, plastic and metals we use.
We went from using disposable coffee cups to using ceramic. Less waste, longer lasting materials.
Tom Samuelson began using fluorescent bulbs for the overhead lamps in
the sanctuary earlier this year, saving 500 watts per lamp while they were on, with no loss in illumination. A huge saving in energy and its cost.
A bulletin board was developed and established in the Commons to tell people
what they could do to use less energy, recycle consumer and building materials,
use fewer resources, help protect the environment . . . and save money.
A new Grace furnace boiler, originally scheduled for 2009, is now in place. It is much more efficient, and will therefore be able to use less energy, give off lower emissions, and cost less to do the same job. This should result in helping it pay for itself.
The Grace to You articles will continue and we will be looking at more featured speakers in 2009.
