The religions of Australia have a shared sense of moral purpose on climate change. Each of our diverse traditions has a common concern for our world and a deep reverence for life. We believe we are called to respect the environment and relate in due humility to its living cycles. We strongly acknowledge the interdependent relationship between our welfare and that of the planet. And while recognizing the uniqueness of our distinctive traditions, we agree on a common call to action on Climate Change. The Seven Steps is a practical way to turn our shared purpose into action and start leading by example.
Step 1: Appoint a Sustainability Spokesperson at your place of worship
Step 2: Switch your place of worship to 100% government accredited Green Power
Step 3: Reduce you energy consumption
Step 4: Actively encourage your fellow worshipers to also do steps 2 and 3 in their homes
Step 5: Support public polices that address climate change
Step 6: Spread the word
Step 7: Be Creative
Step 1: Appoint a Sustainability Spokesperson at your place of worship
Chances are your place of worship doesn’t have one – about time they did don’t you think? The fact that you are reading this indicates that you are probably the likely candidate to take on this role.
The first job of the Sustainability Spokesperson can be to committ your place of worship to the Seven Steps to Sustainability.
Having taken this first step you are now part of a larger network of common believers who are committed to making a difference and bequeathing a sustainable environment to future generations.
Now that you have made this commitment we recommend that you seek out other like minded people at your place of worship and form an environment committee. You’ll be amazed what a small group of inspired people achieve.
Step 2: Switch your place of worship to 100% government accredited Green Power
Green Power is only a phone call away. This very simple and practical step sends a powerful message to the market and effectively helps prevent climate change.
Here is a user friendly green power presentation for you to download and present to your community
Download: Green Power Point Presentation.
Once your place of worship has realised making the switch makes sense - here is how you do it.
Download: Making the switch made easy for places of worship.
Green Electricity Watch is an independant resource that can help you choose the best Green Power provider for you.
Download: Apply for the Green Power Logo
Step 3: Reduce your consumption
Get an energy Audit for your Place of worship and switch to energy efficient lighting and appliances. Actually reducing your energy consumption has the dual benefits of reducing your CO2 emissions and your energy bill.
Energy Audits:
Down load our easy to use Energy Audit Kits for your place of Worship
Download: Cool Church Kit
Download: Energy Audit Handbook
There are a number of free online Audit kits for Churches
Download: Shrinking the FootPrint
You can also pay a professional to come out and do an energy Audit of your place of worship. Here is comprehensive list of government accredited Energy Auditors right across Australia.
Download: Energy Auditors
Step 4: Actively encourage your fellow worshipers to also do steps 2 and 3 in their homes
Inspire your community to follow your example of faith based environmental action.
Hand out or email this easy to follow guide to the members of your community.
Download: Making the switch made easy for households
Down load this very useful tool to help you keep track of your community switching to Green Power.
Download: Pie Chart of households that have made the switch.
Home Energy Audits
Quite often your local council will provide free home energy audits. Otherwise there plenty of online resources.
Download: Energy Saving in the home
As stated above there are companies that will come to your household and change your light globes for free.
Easy Being Green
NECO
Envirosaver
Step 5: Support public policies that address climate change
Invite your local MP down to your place of worship to demonstrate to them that your faith requires you to place our environment as a high priority.
To impress your local MP with your knowledge of key climate issues and policies you’ll need to be informed. Here is a list of 5 key environmental issues that you can talk to your MP about. If our governments did just these 5 simple things it would go a long way to helping solve the climate crisis.
Download: Climate Change Policy Scorecard
Download: 5 things to mitigate climate change
It is important that everyone in your place of worship is aware of these issues – so make sure you print enough for your fellow worshipers.
Step 6: Spread the word
Let another place of worship in your area know what you have done and inspire them to do likewise. Form a network of environmentally conscious places of worship in your area. Caring for our environment is our shared responsibility - we are all in this together.
These useful website will help you find other places of worship in your area.
Find a Place of worship
Find a Church
Once you have built a relationship with another place of worship make sure you keep in touch. Take advantage of networking tools such as
Face Book
Google Groups
Yahoo Groups
Step 7: Be Creative
This is just the beginning, check out these inspirational sites for more ideas on what you can do in your place of worship and in your broader community.
Theological and Spiritual Resources.
Living in harmony with the environment is essentially a spiritual practice. Our call to care for Creation is articulated similarly by a range of diverse traditions, some examples of which are provided in the following resource links:
What does your religion or spiritual practice have to say about the environment?
Other things you can do in your faith community.
Community Gardens: are a great way to build a healthy community and help the environment.
No Meat Mondays: The production of meat is one of the greatest contributors to greenhouse gases. Producing 1kg of beef results in more CO2 emissions than going for a three-hour drive while leaving all the lights on at home. So if your tradition allows you to eat meat then try abstaining at least one day a week.
Solar panels: With the new Government rebate of $8000 you can get a 1kw solar panel for as littel as $6000. To see if your place of worship is eligible check out the Federal Government's Photovoltaic Rebate Programme.
Solar hot water:: 30% of your energy bill can be taken up by heating water. So it makes good environmental and economic sense to install solar hot water panels
Car sharing: Less cars means less pollution.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
