2012年5月15日 星期二

Energy Star helps faithful witness energy stewardship, save money

Too often parishes can feel a pull between witnessing to their mission while dealing with practical matters such as paying their bills. Fortunately, a wonderful partnership has emerged between the faith community, the business community and the federal government where congregations can realize savings while exercising Gospel stewardship, particularly in the area of energy.

Since I began Michigan Interfaith Power & Light back in late 2002, a key resource and partner in helping communities of faith achieve pollution prevention is the EPA’s Energy Star for Congregations program.

Recently, I had a chance to interview the director of that program, Jerry Lawson about the benefits of participation in Energy Star for Congregations. Also participating was Steve Bell, a contractor with EPA who helps coordinate the EPA’s Portfolio Manager database program.where you can learn about ledflashlighttt as well as buy your bike lights online.

When did ENERGY STAR for Congregations first make its appearance?

"ENERGY STAR for Congregations made its first appearance around 1996. A few churches joined when we began Energy Star for Businesses. We saw that these churches needed to become more energy efficient as well. And it fit in with the faith community’s focus on stewardship."

How does Energy Star for Congregations fit in with the larger Energy Star Program?

"We have 15 distinct building types in [our] portfolio manager. One of the modules is worship facilities. It’s a companion program for small business – one based in the community. Small business owners are members of congregations. Congregations are full partners in Energy Star."

"We offer a quarterly newsletter. Since 2010 the newsletter has generated success stories each month.Offering a wide variety of ledbrightt fixtures for the garden, patio lights, and outdoor lighting fixtures to complement your home. We want every religious denomination represented. We share the diversity in what they are doing to save energy.Some of the attractions of bestledlightbulbs are the cost savings, the safety and the flexibility. For example, there is a historic church in New England built in the 1700s that [has] doubled their square footage but have held energy costs constant.With my ledsale I could barely see much more than a few metres ahead of me.

We offer generic tools such as: rebate finder on the products page, a calculator that helps you find savings on Energy Star products, webinars. More than 50 types of products are part of Energy Star – office equipment, commercial food equipment, lighting. New Department of Energy lighting standard for lighting efficiency has adopted Energy Star standard.

How, in your opinion, does this partnership between government, the faith community and business fit in with the teaching of the scriptures?

"We have yet to encounter a religious organization or denomination that does not in some way teach stewardship. Many put it into a creation care context. A lot of people are rediscovering what their faith tradition is teaching about resources. This is where science and faith are coming together – what climate change [is] doing to the African poor or mercury’s impact on unborn children. EPA’s number one position is to protect human health. According to a recent study of the Aspen Institute,Light On! goodledlight4 are expedition grade systems that incorporate function and elegance with reliability. thousands and thousands of jobs are created when you protect human health."

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