As evident from the attendance at the soup lunch after the service on Sunday the environment is on most people's minds. The effect we have as a species although not believed by all is becoming more and more evident in the climate changes occurring. Century storms have become decade ones over the last few years, this year in particular with not one but 2 tropical storms becoming hurricanes following each other up the Atlantic coast causing immense losses of life and property. 

One of the questions asked was who makes the decisions on what is to be done? 

We can make the decision to act, choosing the best option for the environment and for us. 

Your property committee started many years ago to try to reduce our waste/carbon footprint. Some of the things this congregation has accomplished: 

  1. Changed from asphalt shingles to longer lasting metal roofing starting 30 years ago with Hilliard Hall and carried throughout the property’s sloped roofs as roofs needed to be replaced. 
  2. Converting from 200, 200-watt incandescent flood lights to high intensity and later to the current florescent fixtures in Hilliard Hall, providing better lighting with a much lower energy cost. Lighting throughout the property was changed to LED whenever possible to continue the saving in energy. Occupancy detection switches were installed on washroom lights to turn them off when not occupied. 
  3. Changing toilets to low flush versions to save on water. 
  4. HVAC controls with central administration were completed a couple of years ago to allow for empty rooms to have temperature setbacks, again to reduce energy consumption. 
  5. Although we installed a new steam boiler when the old one failed, we have continued the process of converting the actual room heating to hot water when we can. This reduces the energy usage again. 

Everyone can have an impact; you just need to make the environmentally friendly choices. 

 

Rick Heemskerk