Carbon Footprint, Renewable Energy, and Green Teams

John Wickham

St. Columba’s Episcopal Church4201 Albemarle Street, NW

Washington, DC 20016www.columba.org

[To locate the “Environment Committee” at St. Columba’s web

page, click on “Community,” scroll to “Outreach,” then scroll to

“Advocacy.”]

St. Columba’s Environment Committee was founded in

2001• Mission• “The Environment Committee works to provide opportunities for caring for

God’s holy creation: to preserve, protect, restore, enjoy and heal the planet; to live ecologically, sanely and simply, both as individuals and as a church body; and to gain awareness of global and local environmental issues.”

• Accomplishments and Activities• Purchase 100% Renewable Energy for Church and Many of Its

Parishioners• (currently purchase wind through Clean Currents of Rockville, MD;

previously bought landfill methane gas through Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light (GWIPL))

• Installed 33 Energy-Efficient LED Exit Signs as well as Motion Sensors and CFL Light Bulbs throughout parish

• (LED signs will save over $20,000 in electricity costs over the signs’ lifetime)

• Recycle Paper, Plastics, Aluminum, and Glass• Purchase Organic Fair Trade Coffee and Use Compostable Coffee

Cups Made from Corn Starch as well as Recycled Non-Bleached Napkins at Coffee Hour

St. Columba’s Green Team• Reduced Pesticide Use and Planted Native Plants• Lead Nature Walks at Carderock and elsewhere, organized by parishioner

and President of Friends of the Earth Brent Blackwelder and his wife, Terry• Offer “Alternative Gifts” to Parishioners at Christmas, allowing members to

donate to environmental and social causes worldwide in lieu of purchasing retail merchandise

• Currently Installing Rain Barrels Underneath Downspouts to Capture Stormwater Runoff

• Exploring Installation of Green Roof and Solar Panels on top of Church • Sponsor Adult Forum Speaker Series on the Environment. Past speakers

include: Paul Gorman, Founder and Executive Director of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment (2001); Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches (2002); Monique Tilford, Center for a New American Dream (2003); Doug Siglin, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (2003); Rev. Sally Bingham, Minister at Grace Cathedral Episcopal Church in San Francisco and founder of Interfaith Power & Light (2004); Richard Cizik, National Association of Evangelicals (2006); Carter Roberts, parishioner and President of World Wildlife Fund (2007); Randy and Chris Treichler, organic farmers from Star Hollow Farm in Pennsylvania (2007)

• Invited Green Pastor, Nancy Roth, from Oberlin Ohio to Preach on Earth Day 2008

• Organize Adult Evening Classes on Faith and the Environment• Teach Sunday School on Earth Day Themes

St. Columba’s Green Team Also

• Participated in Cleanup of Anacostia Park and Neighborhood on Martin Luther King Day

• Led Cleanup of Rock Creek at Peirce Mill with Alice Ferguson Foundation, led by Brent Blackwelder and DC Councilmember Mary Cheh (Ward 3)

• Show Environmental Films• Lead Environmental Book

Discussions

The Reverend Karen Brau

Creating Sacred Spaces in Marginalized Communities