Kansas IPL’s most successful program has been, “Cool Congregations,” a three-hour training program originally designed by Iowa IPL to encourage congregations and individual congregants to agree to lessen their carbon footprints by 10% over the course of a year (a carbon “tithe”). This is accomplished by a detailed analysis of an individual’s utility bills, car and plane travel, and gallons of garbage produced each week, and an exploration of ways that this footprint could be reduced. Recommended changes include: switching to CFL lightbulbs, raising the thermostat in the summer and lowering it in the winter, washing laundry in cold water, etc. The suggestions are simple, low-cost measures that families can implement to immediately put their faith into action and reduce their carbon footprint.
For more information on the Cool Congregations program, and for an on-line carbon calculator, please visit http://coolcongregations.com/.
To arrange for a training for your congregation or town, please contact rebmoti<@>kansasipl.org.