Comprised of parishioners and staff, the Creation Care Team was established in June 2018 to pursue a two-part mission: The encouragement throughout the parish of the dimension of spirituality that can be called Christian environmental stewardship, and the establishment or improvement of environmental management practices on church and school buildings and grounds.
Electric Usage Update – Spring 2024
Between 2013 and 2018, St Andrew used an average of 442,000 Kw-hr of electricity per year at a cost of $47,400 per year. In the process, the electric utility produced 177 metric tons of CO2 per year which had an estimated world societal cost between $24,000 and $48,000 per year.
Beginning in 2018, the parish replaced the incandescent lights in the Nave (pendants, sconces, floods etc), Gathering space and Chapel with LED lights. We also replaced the fluorescent tubes in administrative and educational areas with LED lights. For most of the lights, the cost of replacing the lights was paid back in less than one year due to the reduced electrical usage.
In 2023, St Andrew used 306,000 Kw-hr (30% reduction) and cost the parish $32,800. In addition to reducing annual electrical cost by $14,600, the need to hire a contractor to replace the bulbs annually was reduced to an estimated once per decade replacement cost. The CO2 emissions produced by the electric utility was reduced by 46 metric tons for an estimated world societal benefit of between $9,200 and $18,000.
St. Francis Pledge
The St. Francis Pledge to care for Creation and the poor has been our seminal direction with its five-point program. We pledge to:
- PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God’s Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.
- LEARN about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of climate change.
- ASSESS how we as individuals and in our families, parishes, and other affiliations contribute to climate change by our energy use, consumptions, waste, etc.
- ACT to change our choices and behaviors to reduce the ways we contribute to climate change.
- ADVOCATE for Catholic principles and priorities in climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact the poor and vulnerable.
Click here to learn more about the St. Francis Pledge!
Laudato Si- Pope Francis’ Encyclical video
The USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development has several new and updated bilingual resources:
- Laudato Si’ Study Guide (y en Español)
- Laudato Si’ 1-pager (y en Español)
- Laudato Si’ postcard (y en Español)
- Available in multiple formats
- Liturgy and Preaching resource (y en Español)
- Querida Amazonia Study Guide (y en Español)
- Abridged Video children’s book Drop by Drop on access to water
Visit the full library of resources for more ways you can observe the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si’.
Click here for some wonderful resources for children to learn more.
Learn more about Laudato Si’ Week and join our global Church in this important work.
Pope Francis has made many statements upon which we could base our mission. The most comprehensive and inspiring is his encyclical “Laudato Si” published in June, 2015. This document has served for reading and reflection for the ministry. Click here to read the encyclical.
“Laudato Si” is an appeal from Pope Francis addressed to “every person living on this planet” for an inclusive dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. Pope Francis calls the Church and the world to acknowledge the urgency of our environmental challenges and to join him in embarking on a new path. This encyclical is written with both hope and resolve, looking to our common future with candor and humility.
Ministry Goals
- Develop an action plan and timeline to become a ZERO WASTE parish by 2025.
- Reduce energy & water consumption, reduce the use of toxic chemicals in the buildings and grounds, and implement sustainability concepts.
- Communicate/educate the parish community on Environmental Stewardship and the Goals and Objectives of the Creation Care Ministry.
Accomplishments
- As a result of the pandemic, the parish has become more dependent on electronic communication and the parish website. The number of printed copies of the bulletin and the size of the bulletin has been decreased. These changes are certainly lessening paper trash. All parishioners are encouraged to skip a bulletin and read the weekly e-communication instead!
- During the summer of 2020, the Creation Care Ministry was able to provide an opportunity to recycle electronics neighboring parish, St. Michael the Archangel.
- During the summer of 2018 the Creation Care Committee significantly increased the recycling activities of the parish which now includes glass (in the kitchen). In addition, numerous recycling bins for paper have been placed all over the campus! Be sure to check them out and help support these recycling efforts!
- Guided by the EPA’s “ENERGY STAR for Congregations” Action Workbook, a thorough analysis was conducted to pinpoint cost-effective energy-saving projects for the parish. Improvement suggestions were presented to Father John and the parish staff, with the majority being implemented. A summary of the improvement results is provided at the top of this web page.
- Our Early Childhood Center (ECC) sets a great example for Creation Care. Here are some of their activities:
- Teaches our children to conserve resources. At the beginning of the school year, we instruct our children to wash their hands after each trip to the rest room, each messy art project and before eating lunch. On average each child washes their hands two times during their 3 to 3 ½ hour day at preschool. Therefore we teach them “Just a dot, does a lot” to remind them that they only need a small amount of soap for each hand washing. We also instruct them to use one paper towel to dry their hands. Finally, we remind them to rub their hands together while rinsing them to get their hands cleaner quicker and to turn off the water when they are done.
- Incorporates “Caring for the Environment” in the 4 year old curriculum. We have lessons around Earth Day to teach our children methods of reusing and recycling materials to benefit our environment.
- Recycles acceptable materials leftover from crafts that can not be reused.
- Reuses materials gathered from our children’s lunches, our children’s homes, and our preschool.
- As of January 2020, St Andrew’s Preschool has collected almost 600 markers to donate to the Crayola Colorcycle Project (to recycle markers) and 3 1/2 gallons of crayons to donate to The Crayon Initiative (which creates new crayons from the old ones and distributes them to art programs at children’s hospitals across the US).
- Look for real dishes and silverware being used at some future gatherings in an attempt to cut down on paper waste!
Upcoming Activities
While the COVID epidemic led to a considerable decrease in this ministry’s activities, we are now planning its revival and seeking volunteers eager to learn about how Catholics wish to Care for our Common Home and enact changes that realize Creation Care objectives.
Learn More about Caring for God’s Creation
In 2006, to address growing ecological awareness and the need to implement Catholic social teaching on ecology within the US Church, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) helped form Catholic Climate Covenant. Inspired by the USCCB’s 2001 statement on climate change, and supported by 16 national partners (which include the USCCB, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities USA, the Catholic Health Association, congregations of religious men and women, and other national organizations), Catholic Climate Covenant helps US Catholics respond to the Church’s call to care for creation and care for the poor. Click here to learn more about Catholic Climate Covenant and view their myriad of resources!
To find products that reduce energy consumption, save money, and help protect the environment, or to discover actions you can take to save money and care for our planet, visit the EPA’s Energy Star webpage.
Contact:
Ron Myers,