How Cool Is Your Congregation?
FOR CONGREGATIONS
Measure your carbon footprint, find ways to reduce, get certified!
We measure:
- Facility: The amount of fuel used to heat, cool, and power your buildings, plus water, waste and recycling
- Transportation: The staff work-related miles and travel by congregants to worship
- Food: The frequency various types of animal products, grain, produce, and drinks are served at congregational meals each week
- Procurement: The dollars spent on printing, supplies, maintenance, and everything else you purchase
Download the Cool Congregations checklist to gather the information we use to calculate your footprint before you begin. THIS IS WHERE YOU SAVE YOUR INPUT DATA, please save it to your computer.
If you are only measuring the carbon footprint of the gas and electricity used to heat, cool, and power your congregational facility, use the short version of the checklist
Learn about the calculators from the creators of the tools at Cool Climate Network, Dan Kammen and Chris Jones in this informative webinar.
Certification
After you have taken steps to reduce, come back and measure your footprint again. If you have reduced by 10% or more you qualify for Cool Congregations certification and we will mail you a certificate suitable for framing to show your community you are leading the way in caring for Creation. Plus you can purchase a lovely eco-friendly plaque to be really classy. It’s a great way to encourage others to reduce too. Contact programs@interfaithpowerandlight.org to get your certificate.
Cool Congregations Challenge for Congregational Facilities
Enter the annual Challenge to win $1,000 cash prizes in 5 categories. Deadline December 15.
Sample congregation
Blue Sky Church, CA
FOR CONGREGANTS
Run a contest!
The combined carbon footprint of all your congregation’s members’ homes is probably larger than your congregational facility. Try out the calculator yourself then use the Cool Congregations Contest kit and Household Calculator to run a contest in your congregation.
Give out prizes for Biggest Loser! Add up the total reductions of your congregants and see if they can beat the worship facility in lowering their carbon footprint!
Household Calculator Contest Kit Coming Soon!
PLANT TREES
Plant trees to offset your remaining carbon footprint through IPL’s Carbon Covenant program. Protect trees and build resilient communities through faith-based programs. $5 per ton of carbon dioxide. Enroll in monthly contributions to offset daily emissions. Your dollars really make a difference and we will all breathe better! For congregations and congregants.
