Environmental Ministries

Good Stewardship of God's Creation

 

     We are called to care for one another, the Earth, its resources, and all of God's creation.  Listed below are some of the ways we as a church seek to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us.

 

     By clicking on a link below, you will be taken directly to the topic, or you can just scroll down the page to read about each topic:

     Recycling

     Thermostat Zones and Timers

     Lighting

     Composting

     Organic Shade Grown Coffee

     UCC Environmental Ministries - this link will take you to our UCC denomination's website

 

 

 

Recycling

     St. Paul's UCC recycles paper, plastic, glass, metal, and cardboard.  Blue recycling bins can be found throughout the building.  We have single stream recycling, which means all of our recyclables can be placed in the same container.  In addition to the blue bins, there is a basket in the upstairs narthex hallway for recycling paper (including bulletins); and a white recycling bin in the Fellowship Hall.

     Please rinse out containers before placing them in the recylcing bins.

 

 

 

Thermostat Zones and Timers

     To conserve energy and the natural resources used to create that energy, the church is zoned into different areas controlled by different thermostats.  Those thermostats are on timers.  This allows us to heat and cool only the sections that are in use on a particular day and time.

 

 

 

Lighting - Flourescent, CFL, & LED

     St. Paul's has been changing most of its incadescent lighting to flourescent, compact flourescent light bulbs (CFL), and light emitting diode bulbs (LED).  For example all the chandeliers and sconces in the sanctuary are now CFL and LED bulbs.  Due to the nature of some of our older fixtures and wiring limitations there are still some incadescent and halogen bulbs being used, but we are continually seeking to use the most efficient options available.

 

 

 

Composting

     St. Paul's has two composting bins located outside near the kitchen.  We rotate between those two bins; we add scraps and clippings to one bin, while the other bin is going through its composting process.  After the composting process is finished, we use the composted material in our flower beds, and start adding to the empty bin, while the full bin goes through its composting process.

     Our first composting bin was store bought.  Our second was hand made by our Girl Scout Troop.  Thank you to the Girl Scouts for their wonderful and helpful handiwork and for their environmental stewardship.

 

What Can Be Put in the Composting Bin?

     The following can be placed in the composting bin: grass, leaves, coffee grounds and coffee filters, tea and tea bags, nuts, fruits, vegetables, scraps from fruits and vegetables, shredded paper (and small amounts of napkins and paper towels), and other plant matter.

 

What Cannot Be Put in the Composting Bin?

     The following should not be placed in the composting bin: plastic, styrofoam, metal, glass, meat, bones, fat, paper plates/bowls, or stacks of paper (which will clump together rather than break down in a helpful way).  In addition, materials that say "for industrial composting only" or "not for home/backyard composting" should not be used in our composting bin, as it is not designed to break down those types of materials in a timely fashion.

     If you are unsure if something can or cannot go in the composting bin, please check with the Property Committee or Trustees, they will be happy to be of help.

 

 

 

Equal Exchange Coffee & Tea - Organic & Shade Grown

     The coffee and tea used for our after worship fellowship time, as well as the coffee and tea served for many of our other activities, is from Equal Exchange.  This is an interfaith supplier (of which the UCC is a member partner), where the coffee, tea, sugar, chocolate, and other Equal Excange products are fair trade, and most of those products (including the coffee and tea we serve) are grown organically (without harmful chemicals) and are shade grown (grown without deforestation).  Equal Exchange also works to help third world country small farmers through mission outreach projects for their communities.

      You can learn by clicking on this Equal Exchange link.

 

 

 

UCC Environmental Ministries

     For information about our denomination's environmental ministries, please click on this UCC Environmental Ministries link.