Hamilton faith groups are joining a world wide movement that addresses energy conservation, sustainability and climate change in their places of worship as well as in their homes.
This fall, Environment Hamilton launches an Energy Initiative for Faith Groups; a project that's geared at helping faith group members with their energy goals and concerns.
Many faith organizations recognize their role as 'Stewards of the Earth' and are increasingly seeking practical ways to implement these beliefs and encourage their members to do likewise. They seek to live in alignment with the planet, not exploit it but use it's gifts sparingly.
Our Energy Initiative will focus on energy conservation in the home and in the place of worship and renewable energy alternatives as part of the program.
We will continue to present environmental films as an introduction to the follow up workshop.
Energy conservation in the home
The workshop looks at a do-it -yourself energy audit at home. Using displays and a visual presentation the workshop will provide a range of practical energy-saving steps and direct people to the climate change calculator on the Environment Hamilton website: http://environmenthamilton.org/tonnes/calculator/index.php
A home energy conservation planner will be made available to congregation members whereby they will be able to plan and act on their energy conservation goals and share these with other team members.
Part of the presentation will provide training on the use of an Electronic energy meter to do a self-audit of home electricity use. To be able to actually see how much phantom energy is consumed just by leaving your television or microwave plugged in while not in use is a revelation unto it self!
A $15 deposit will be requested for the loan of an energy meters to individuals who agree to use them and complete a questionnaire on their findings and the changes they intend to make as a result. The money will be returned once the meter is returned.
We will provide a free Union Gas energy-saving kit as well as a package of materials on energy conservation to everyone who attends the workshops and/or commits to reducing their energy consumption.
We will direct interested individuals to complete professional home energy audits with Green Venture.
Renewable Energy Options
Dave and Cathy Braden's super energy-efficient Flambourough house tours continue; they explain how they have achieved outstanding energy savings and how these lessons can be applied in home renovations or in new home construction. The home is off-grid and illustrates home-based small-scale solar and wind energy production.
Available will be tours of Green Venture's Eco-House, a renovated century home that illustrates environmental technologies to encourage, inspire and support the adoption of sustainable living practices and effective environmental home retrofitting.
Busing for your faith group can be arranged upon request.
Also; We will continue filming churches that are undertaking conservation initiatives and we plan to hold a film screening of these films when the series is completed.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you are interested in participating in the project.
Beatrice Ekwa Ekoko
Project Manager
Environment Hamilton
905 549 0900
Funding for this project was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Energy's Community Conservation Initiative.
The views expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Ontario Ministry of Energy. Any errors are the authors' responsibility.
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