Typical Projects

Current Projects

Assist a Large, Suburban Church in Organizing Their Creation Care efforts

For a large suburban Catholic church, we are helping the Creation Care Team to organize their efforts by advising on the overall improvement plan and assisting in the implementation. Improvements made over the past few years include:

• Pulpit talks, educational videos and tree plantings
• Recycling, using reusable dinnerware and buying used furniture
• Supporting a food pantry and growing and distributing fresh vegetables
• Sustainable landscaping and the restoration of a stream bank
• Water efficiency improvements such as: motion sensors for toilets and sinks, low-flow flush toilets, water-wise landscape, and fixing water leaks.
• Energy efficiency improvements such as: an energy audit, changing light bulbs to LEDs, programmable thermostats, turning off lights in unused areas, using occupancy sensors to control lights in the chapel, and photo cells to control outside lights.
• While the church has come a long way over the past few years, the Creation Care Team and congregation have already identified the next set of improvements!

Laudato Si Atlanta Action Plan – Pilot Project

For the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta, we are working with a group of twelve Catholic churches and schools in North Georgia to support the implementation of the Laudato Si’ Atlanta Action Plan. Based on energy and water audits, leaders of each location are building individualized three-year plans for improving energy and water efficiency. Typical energy efficiency improvements include: WIFI thermostats, HVAC Direct Digital Control systems, LED lighting, and improving the attic air barrier and insulation. Water efficiency improvements include: low-flow aerators on all lavatory faucets, motion sensors for toilets and sinks, low-flow flush toilets, and fixing water leaks. In our role as Program Manager, we are working through Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) and with the Southface Energy Institute and the US Green Building Council. See the links below:

Grant to help parishes, schools spend less on energy, more on ministry
Catholic Churches Will Save Big After Energy Audits
Green Mass relects on “grandeur and goodness” of God’s creation
Parish energy audits identify areas of attention

Other Projects

Below are some examples of ways that we can help:

• Help a church congregation to start a Creation Care effort by building a team and drafting an improvement plan.
  For a congregation that has had an energy audit, but does not know how to move forward, we can help them decide what to do and when.
• Deciding what energy improvements to make for a church and finding a qualified contractor to do the work.
• For a school, help select a solar provider and good financial arrangements.
• Set up a recycling program for an office park.
• Teach a group “20 Easy Changes Each of Us Can Make to Be More Green.”
• Help homeowners and landlords to make their homes more energy efficient and cost effective, by identifying the main problems and finding solutions at a reasonable cost.
• Working with a family to create their own “Laudato Si Action Plan.”
• Organizing an Energy Efficiency Program for an office park.
• Planning and Coordinating a Water Efficiency Program for a neighborhood.