Eco-Justice Connection

An initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches

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Durham Shambhala Meditation Center Energy Audit Reflection

By chris

“A couple of years ago NCIPL did an energy audit at the Durham Shambhala Meditation Center, and about that time the Center also sponsored a showing and discussion of Al […]

Durham Shambhala Meditation Center Energy Audit Reflection

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clothesline“A couple of years ago NCIPL did an energy audit at the Durham Shambhala Meditation Center, and about that time the Center also sponsored a showing and discussion of Al Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth”.  As a (now retired) employee of the US EPA, I considered myself pretty environmentally aware, but I was surprised to learn that for most people their greatest contribution to carbon dioxide outputs comes not from their cars but from the fossil fuel burned to heat and cool their houses and run the appliances therein.  In a way this was somewhat of a relief for me because I can’t afford a Prius, and I don’t have good enough depth vision to drive a car with such rounded fenders.  So I’m sticking with my old 24 mpg station wagon for now, but I definitely wanted to do something.  I found that just using a solar clothes dryer (known back in the 20th century as a clothesline) saved almost 40% on our electric bills in the spring and fall.

Also in response to both the audit and the movie, I looked into various options when the HVAC system in my home needed to be replaced and decided to go with a dual fuel heat pump rather than a standard gas pack.  I found estimates that the dual fuel heat pump, while more expensive initially, would pay for itself in 7-9 years as well as generate less carbon dioxide from the day of installation.  The guy that installed it said “Yeah, yeah, they say” but I’d estimate it will pay for itself in about 5 years.

I was asked to write a couple of paragraphs on the impact of the audit, but now I find it hard to stop.  While nothing can ever be as cost-effective as a $2 clothesline, every time I was out there hanging up clothes on a beautiful sunny day, I found I still wanted to do more to utilize the abundant sunshine we are blessed with in this area.  I’d heard that solar water heating, while more mundane, was more cost-effective than photovoltaics.  However, the commercial solar water heating systems that we looked at cost at least $3,000 so we were looking at a big up-front investment and a long pay-back time.  We are currently in the process of having a do-it-yourself solar water pre-heater installed based on a design from Mother Earth News.  The cost will be just over $1,000 so we hope to at least recover our investment in our lifetimes as well as being the first in the neighborhood to have solar-heated hot water.  Once we get that done we are going to put in a small off-grid photovoltaic system.  I doubt this will ever pay for itself, but it will obviously make some difference in electric bills and carbon dioxide generated and also be a reliable source of electricity during power outages.”

-Jackie  Stonehouer, Member of Durham Shambala Meditation Center

To schedule your congregation’s audit, contact us info@ncipl.org.

St. Thomas More Energy Audit Reflection

By chris

“As I’ve been asked to make some personal reflections on the energy audit at St. Thomas More Parish sponsored by NCIPL, let me offer these few comments.  We had a […]

St. Thomas More Energy Audit Reflection

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Parishioner upgrading lighting.
Parishioner upgrading lighting.

“As I’ve been asked to make some personal reflections on the energy audit at St. Thomas More Parish sponsored by NCIPL, let me offer these few comments.  We had a major building project in 2007-2010 during which we had incorporated several energy-saving features.  However, we did not have sufficient capital to do all that we wished during construction.  When NCIPL contacted us about a free energy audit, we were approaching Advent, 2011 and the start of our liturgical year of energy reduction that we in the Environmental Stewardship Ministry sponsor.  We said “yes” because we figured that we’d hear some items we knew and some that we didn’t.

Mr. John Seymour, an NCIPL volunteer auditor from the NC Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach) performed our audit.  John was very professional, skilled in his field and personable.  I especially appreciated that before we ever looked at a building, he walked us through the zero-cost behavior changes that could lead to savings.  With a very large congregation and with visitors using our facilities, and with a large faculty and student population we don’t easily manage behaviors.  Sometimes you have to put in central control of a thermostat so it’s not changed by each user!  We did find some suggestions that staff and faculty could implement, so that’s the easiest fruit to harvest.

Since not all buildings could be covered in the time available, we looked at the new Parish Center and the Sanctuary.  Afterwards we prioritized our list of items based on affordability and pay-back.  The only cost for our first item was the labor of the maintenance staff.  The air flow from the sanctuary HV/AC was re-directed away from the windows and into the sanctuary so that heat or cooling loss from the glass was minimized.  We had no way to estimate cost savings from this item.  The next change was more substantial, the replacement of halogen lights in the entrance hall ceiling with LED lights.  A total of 152 halogen lights were replaced with LED lights for a monthly cost savings of $170.87, based on an estimated average usage of just six hours per day.  Our $3000 initial investment will be paid off in 18 months and from then on we’ll be benefitting from that $171/month savings.  And the need to replace the bulbs is years away!

I think we’re allowed to celebrate successes, and the energy reduction already achieved from the audit is a success.  One dimension is the money saved, which can be directed to fulfilling the mission of the parish.  Secondly, there is the reduction in electricity usage, which in North Carolina means burning less coal and generating less carbon dioxide.  Finally, this is just one way we are participating in the larger mission of the Environmental Stewardship Ministry, to “Care for Creation and the Poor.”  Our list is still long, there’s always more to do!”

-Bob Weickert, Co-Chair of the Environmental Stewardship Ministry at St. Thomas More, Chapel Hill

To schedule your congregation’s audit, contact us info@ncipl.org.

Environmental groups begin statewide “convergence” in Sylva

By chris

David Forbes, Mountain Express From the Canary Coalition: Thousands of groups and individuals from throughout North Carolina are expected to be converging on Raleigh the weekend of April 20-21 to […]

Environmental groups begin statewide “convergence” in Sylva

David Forbes, Mountain Express

From the Canary Coalition:
Thousands of groups and individuals from throughout North Carolina are expected to be converging on Raleigh the weekend of April 20-21 to raise awareness about climate change and to demand the state government take strong action to address its man-made causes in our state. Dozens of local rallies and events will precede the Climate Convergence on Raleigh to help energize and recruit more participants, and to inform local government officials, the press and the public about the urgency of climate change. The first local event will take place in the far western part of the state, in Sylva, the county seat of Jackson County, On Monday, April 15, 11 AM, at the Old Courthouse Fountain, on Main Street. This kick-off event is being coordinated jointly by The Canary Coalition, The Wilderness Society, Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance and Western North Carolina Alliance. A permit for the event has been issued by the Town of Sylva.

 

Click here to read more.

NC Faith Community Working Together to Fight for Clean, Affordable Energy

By chris

Stephanie Carrol Carson, Public News Service RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina utilities want to raise rates again, and people in the state’s faith community are speaking up at public hearings […]

NC Faith Community Working Together to Fight for Clean, Affordable Energy

Stephanie Carrol Carson, Public News Service

RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina utilities want to raise rates again, and people in the state’s faith community are speaking up at public hearings and at services to keep rates affordable and encourage the use of renewable energies.

The Duke-Progress merger and anticipated rate hikes have some residents concerned about that impact the change will have on their energy bills and on the environment.

Reverend Stephen Halsted of Community United Church of Christ in Raleigh declared that the new Duke Energy should be initiating change.

“The energy utilities need to be leading us in the proper direction to be more responsible in the use of our resources, and they’re just doing more of the same that they’ve always done,” he asserted.
Click here to read more.

Earth Day 2013 and Your Congregation

By chris

Climate Convergence NCIPL is honored to be a partner in 350.org’s upcoming Climate Convergence on Raleigh, occurring the weekend of Earth Day. The mission of the Climate Convergence on Raleigh […]

Earth Day 2013 and Your Congregation

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Climate Convergence

NCIPL is honored to be a partner in 350.org’s upcoming Climate Convergence on Raleigh, occurring the weekend of Earth Day.

The mission of the Climate Convergence on Raleigh is to hold a large rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a convergence from all directions on Raleigh by bicycle as well as automobile in order to demonstrate the strong support of North Carolinians for stopping global climate change, to provide opportunities for attendees to learn more about climate change and solutions to stop it, to demand state legislative support of initiatives that will slow climate change, to provide the attendees with options for getting actively involved with climate change projects of existing North Carolina non-profits, and to provide a model for other states and perhaps the country to do similar actions.

-CCR 2013

NCIPL Director Susannah Tuttle will be facilitating the rally’s Interfaith Service, and NCIPL Steering Committee member Tim Watson will also lead one component of the service. Find out how you and your congregation can join in on this demonstration here.

If you are located in the Western region of the state and are looking for a more local rally, we encourage you to consider attending WNC Green Congregation’s Care of Creation Candlelight Vigil, an event happening in unity with the Climate Convergence, occurring on Sunday, April 21st in Asheville’s Pritchard Park (7-8 p.m.).

2013 Preach-In on Global Warming

The weekend of April 20-21st will be the last formal weekend of the National Preach-In on Global Warming. If your congregation has not yet participated, register today. How exactly you participate is up to you: your worship service can address climate change (check out these sermons for ideas), you can host a screening of this year’s feature film, The Hungry Tide, you can send postcards to President Obama asking him to Care for Creation, or more. The possibilities are endless and this is great way to honor Earth Day.

Other Resources

Download a free copy of The National Council of Churches 2013 Earth Day Sunday Resource. This year, their resource examines the environmental impacts of common Sunday morning routines.

Also, be sure and Check out Blessed Earth’s ideas for “Honoring God’s Creation on Earth Day.”

Events

First of all, check the Preach-In page for NC events on a regular basis to see what events are planned near you. You can also submit your event for others to see.

Click here to check out a list of Earth Day events across the state.

Community United Church of Christ, Raleigh

By chris

Community UCC, Raleigh & Raleigh Friends 814 Dixie Trail, Raleigh and 625 Tower St, Raleigh In May of 2007, Community United Church of Christ (CUCC) concluded that global warming (climate […]

Community United Church of Christ, Raleigh

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Raleigh Friends and Community UCC pre-work crew
Raleigh Friends and Community UCC pre-work crew

Community UCC, Raleigh & Raleigh Friends
814 Dixie Trail, Raleigh and 625 Tower St, Raleigh

In May of 2007, Community United Church of Christ (CUCC) concluded that global warming (climate change) is real and will be a disaster for everyone, rich and poor.

We also concluded that it hurts the poor more than the rich.

Quoting the UN’s International Panel on Climate Change:  “People who are poor are least able to adapt to climate change…” and “… millions … will suffer from hunger, thirst, floods and disease unless drastic action is taken…”

In response, we initiated a CUCC Focus called “Justice in a Changing Climate” to:

  • Educate ourselves, Change our practices
  • Provide an interfaith religious focal point of leadership and action on climate change and advocacy.
  • Act to decrease the impact of climate change on the poor.

Since that time, we have held and attended education events, improved CUCC’s carbon footprint, been involved in advocacy and worked with other churches and faiths to seek ways forward.

In 2011, in collaboration with Lyle Adley-Warrick of the Raleigh Friends Meeting and NCIPL, we initiated action to decrease the impact of climate change and improve the quality of life for some Wake County low-income families.  For both comfort and safety in the face of climate change, the need for home energy efficiency and insulation is increasingly important.

Fortunately, “Resources for Seniors” of Wake Co weatherizes and insulates homes for families of low income.  The program is funded by the federal Stimulus program and is quite successful.  Some families’ homes cannot be weatherized because the houses need minor repairs or have some debris that prevents the weatherization crews from doing their job.

To help these families, our two churches started “Pre-weatherization” home repairs or debris clean out to help make these “walk away” houses ready for weatherization.

On Easter Saturday morning, a crew of 10 people from CUCC and the Friends cleaned out the crawlspace of a house in Raleigh.  The elderly man of the house told us that this enabled “Resources” to insulate his crawlspace and attic and replace his HVAC system.  We were thrilled by the impact.

Since then, we cleaned out a second and a third house, made some significant repairs on a fourth, and then cleaned out a few more.  We have now helped eight families have their homes weatherized that would not have been weatherized otherwise.

Along the way, we worked with people from four other churches and met some wonderful families. We pray that they each are more comfortable and will see their energy consumption decrease in the coming years. We plan to continue this work in 2013, and other people and congregations are coming on board.  We are currently looking at a house near Sanford and another one in Wake County.

Finally, we have recently learned that there may also be people who need help filling out the weatherization application form, and we have begun to explore whether we can help here as well.  The work continues.

Most importantly, the following people from CUCC, Raleigh Friends Meeting and beyond have been the blessings who worked on the houses to make this ministry happen this year: David and Gale Cass, Dwayne and Carrie Edwards-Cook, Lena Gallitano, Pastor Steve Halsted, Ron Howell, Tim Jensen, Marty Lamb, Patrick Lee, John Little, Cathy Marshall, Maegan Mohr, Carl Sigel, Jane Smith, Skip Stoddard, Edith Sylla, Gary Smith and Lyle Adley-Warrick.

I am moved to say that we are blessed to help, and we have had a ball at each event.  I pray that we can impact climate change and increase the comfort of those influenced by it.

It would be great if you would be interested in getting involved.  As you can guess, we can use your strong hands and backs, but we also need people who can listen and people who can help work to maintain and expand the program.  Please contact me, Gary Smith (smithgk@mindspring.com) or Lyle Adley-Warrick (adleywarrick.l@gmail.com) if you would like to join our team or get information on forming your own with your congregation.

-Written by Gary Smith, member of CUCC