Saturday, March 13, 2010

Update with Susans Comments

Agenda for Feb 2 at meeting 002 of greengroup@COTTC

What can be done, who should do it and when do we start ?

a) Short term goals:
1. Replace any incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs)
Although initially more expensive, you save money in the long run because CFLs use 1/3 the energy and last up to 10 times as long as incandescents. At 8 cents per kWh, a single 18 watt CFL used in place of a 75 watt incandescent will save about $45.
Actual Costs:
General :average life span of 2,000 hours for incandescent and 10,000 hours for CFL.
Average cost was: $0.49 for incandescent, $1.72 for 40/60W CFL, $3.44 for 100W CFL
Flood lighting:
Set of 2 - 15 Watt Flood Lights CFL Bulbs (60W Equivalent) for Spot/ Flood Lighting $39.95

Incandescent(watt)
Fluorescent(watt)
Same lightoutputrange (lumen)
40
7
400-500
50-60
10
500-600
75
11-15
600-1150
90
18
1150-1250

Create an Adopt-a-Bulb program to replace all incandescent bulbs, even the costly flood lights in the East Room.
Committee considered lighting issues for each type of fixture. Issues need addressing around Exit lights; exterior lighting in parking/back door area; all halogen bulbs & fixtures in usher area and “glass room” Susan Herzog to see if lighting fixture similar to one at her home is affordable for replacing usher-area/glass room fixtures. (Fixture in Herzog home not in right price range; Susan is investigating other similar fixtures.)
2. Turn off the church/office lights when they aren’t in use (movement sensor ?)
Heath Zenith SL-6107-WH Motion Activated Wall Switch by Heath Zenith Company
Buy new: $19.95 $17.51
4 new from $16.851 used from $13.99
John Hobbs to look into motion detectors for Men’s and Women’s bathrooms and kitchen. (John Hobbs purchased and installed motion detectors in all three rooms.)

3.Use paper conservation in the office by choosing (under Print- Properties-Finishing) 2-sided and 2 sheets per side (4 pages become 1 page). Always ordering recycled paper
Committee learned about practicality of two-up/two-sided printing in relationship to staff computers. Staff is conscientious about amounts of paper used. Staff always orders recycled paper.
4. Make more recycle cans more prominent in the building
Rubbermaid Blue Deskside Recycling Container with Universal Recycle Symbol, Medium (RCP2956-06BLU)
Manufacturer: Rubbermaid
Sold As: Sold Individually
List Price: $6.49
Our Price $5.19
Committee considered where to place recycle bins for increasing recycling during course of building use. (New recycling bins have been placed to the side of Fellowship buffet table—for recycling items from fellowship and other activities, and by usher stand—for recycling weekly bulletins.)
5. Evaluating the bulletin to see if we can reduce the paper consumption.
Committee learned more about the capacity of the photocopier, computers, and printers in relation to reformatting for reducing paper consumption. The complexity of putting everything that goes into the bulletin into PowerPoint on a weekly basis was explained. That’s why the committee and Pastor decided to try periodic “no-bulletin Sundays” where the only items printed or photocopied would be upcoming events/announcement sheets for people to take home as reminders.
6. Continue to stress at “eating” events – the use of items we can use over and over such as the cups, plates, etc…a) Landfill..b) Recycle..c) Re-usable.
The “green” cups are of a material that doesn’t dry well and therefore sit clean, but wet in the dishwasher from Sunday to following end-of-week. Susan Herzog to look into problem. (It was discovered that if these cups are hand washed and left to drain on the counter drainer, then they dry on their own more quickly. It will be recommended to hospitality volunteers to use this method to clean the “green” cups.)
7. Check to see if doors are sealed and not letting in cold or hot air.
The committee took a look at the doors to consider whether there’s a need for a seasonal temporary exterior entrance—such as restaurants put up to shield customers from exterior cold. It was decided to let the consultant from Faith in Place help address this issue.

8. Checking out cleaning products(Custodians?) to see if we are using “green” products
Susan Herzog to examine and evaluate “green-ness” of cleaning products.
9. Cutting back on envelopes in the bulletin – as well as other inserts and the like which would cut down on copying.
John Hobbs to ask Bev Urschel—who handles deposits, including Sunday offering—how offering in envelopes works in tallying the money. Perhaps an occasional suggestion can be made during announcements that checks can simply be folded in half, rather than placed in an envelope to retain their confidentiality.
10. Installing the rain barrel that we have. Barry to work with church handyman on this.

11. Foam-pumping soap dispensers in bathrooms and at kitchen sink.
Don’t recall what was decided here; maybe the foam-pumping soap dispensers are already in place?
12. Replace all garbage can liners with better degrading products.
Susan Herzog to find and purchase these products.

The committee ended the meeting at this point, hoping to pick up remaining agenda items in subsequent meetings. There was discussion about the appropriate time to invite the Faith in Place consultant to meet with this group. I do not remember what was decided.
13. Encourage driving members to pick any one of these Sundays to get to church without a car--walk, PT, etc. Have a “no-driving” Sunday

b) Long term goals:

1. Solar panel or wind-power on the roof
Currently only “motivational” installation makes sense..small units which generate enough power to keep the lights on in the bathrooms??

2. Small garden on roof-native plants ??
http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&contentOID=536912065&topChannelName=HomePage

3. Check out the heating and cooling systems for efficiency.

4. Evaluating the insulation in the building

5. Replace humming ballast in 1st floor East Room (sound pollution).

6. Create an Adopt-A-Paver/Plank fund to get going on covering the east lawn with permeable or off-set pavers or faux-timber decking materials--whatever is deemed to be the best material for covering the area. *Convert sections of lawn to indigenous plants that require only the naturally occurring regional rainfall--to reduce need to water during dry stretches. (Perhaps a "prairie look" here or there would discourage dog pottying?)

7. Evaluate the two-refrigerator set-up in the kitchen--is there a better solution that would still accommodate Art Fair needs? (Don't know)

c) Educational Goals
1.Run a series of Educational Seminars (Sunday morning?) on " Living the Sustainable Good Life".2.Each Sunday morning take turns to announce some good news about church members who have made changes toward a sustainable life style. Success stories under Joys and Concerns
3. A green month between Earth Day ( April 22,2010) and Chicago Greenfest May 22-23, 2010
4. *Unveil a new church-greening effort each Sunday.
5. *Show the Disney "Earth" movie after church one Sunday (or another thematic movie)

Monday, January 18, 2010

Faith in Place upcoming workshop

If any of the green group followers are interested, the organization Faith-in-Place is having an environmental advocacy workshop on Sunday, January 31, 2010 at Fourth Presbyterian Church (Chestnut & Michigan Ave) from 2-5pm. There will be an address on the legislative agenda for 2010 from Charles Jackson, Executive Director, Illinois Environmental Council and then some breakout sessions. The one I'm most interested in is the one on the 2010 Solar Strategy for the state of Illinois. It will cover some regulations that will help solar develop faster in our state. While I'm not so into the "advocacy" part of this workshop, I think participating would be a great way to network with some other interested parties, to see what others are doing out there and to meet some new folks... Even if we don't end up participating in advocacy campaigns, it's nice to stay in touch with what's happening out there.

Price is $15 per person - or 3 people per congregation for $30 - suggested amounts, no one turned away. Anyone game to go with me after church that Sunday? Let me know!
Dana*

Friday, November 6, 2009



CLIMATE CHANGE :THE CANARY HAS DIED

Over 2000 scientist from 150 countries have reached consensus that global warming is real and that it is caused by human activities. Dr. James Hansen, Goddard Institute for Space Studies, NASA, says we need to cut our atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide to 350 or less by 2016
(just seven years from now) if we are to avoid the most catastrophic and dangerous effects of climate change, such as: disrupted food and water supplies; the extinction of thousands of species of plants and animals; and seal level rises that would flood the homes of hundreds of millions of people.

Just last year two top scientists surprised their colleagues by projecting that the Arctic sea ice was melting so rapidly that it could disappear entirely by the summer of 2040. Now, NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally is saying at the current rates of melting “the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free at the end of summer by 2012".

Why should we care? "The Arctic is often cited as the canary in the coal mine for climate warming," said Zwally, who as a teenager hauled coal.
"Now as a sign of climate warming, the canary has died. It is time to start getting out of the coal mines"