Just getting started?
Invite one of our seminarian speakers to share Ten Tips on How to Organize Your Congregation with a group from your congregation. These are lessons we’ve learned the hard way so you don’t have to. They include where to begin (and where not to begin!), finding allies, how to frame environmental stewardship in religious terms, and much more. Contact us for more information.
Want to increase your environmental literacy?
We offer culturally relevant "Environment 101" workshops and help congregations explore topics and opportunities of interest to them. We can design workshops to meet your faith community wherever they are in the learning process.
Eager to conserve energy?
We've helped dozens of faith communities conserve resources by replacing lighting, weatherizing their sanctuaries, upgrading refrigerators and appliances, conserving water, reducing paper consumption, and more. Download 12 Steps to Reduce Energy at Your House of Worship, buy energy efficient lighting and appliances at shopIPL.org (get a 10% discount simply by entering the code "shopIPL"), or call us to discuss your specific needs.
Ready to reduce your carbon footprint?
We help faith communities reduce their carbon footprints -- the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by your faith community. The best place to start is CoolCongregations.com, a website designed by Interfaith Power & Light to help houses of worship calculate their footprint and identify carbon-saving actions that make sense. Cool Congregations also includes a multi-year program to help members reduce their global warming contributions in their homes. This well-thought out plan is fun and effective and uses existing groups in your faith community to spread activity.
Curious about clean energy like solar, wind and geothermal?
We’ve helped Resurrection Lutheran Church become the first solar church in Chicago and the Mosque Foundation become the first solar mosque in the nation! We’re also helping Unity Temple pilot a geothermal heat system in their Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building. We can help assess what technologies make sense in your location, direct you to contractors we’ve vetted, and help you raise money to cover a portion of the project.
Planning to build?
Please call us first! We can connect you to green architects who make sure that your building project is as green as it can possibly be from the beginning. Find some inspiration for your project from the winning designs from our new ideas in religious architecture competition. One of these innovative, green designs could be right for your congregation. We can also help to connect you to leaders in other congregations who have done green building programs. Share the knowledge and the love!
Interested in local food and farming?
We have long equipped faith communities to practice their faith at the table. We can help you start an organic garden in a food desert, point you to excellent resources for finding a Farmers Markets or Community Supported Agriculture farm near you, help you host a Winter Farmers Market so farmers can sell soaps, meats, honey, wool goods in their leanest months, or match you up with other families who want to buy large quantities of organic beef or lamb directly from a local farmer.
Care about Fair Trade?
Hosting a Fair Trade market can be a great way to support sustainable development and fair labor practices around the world. It is a good undertaking for a congregation wanting to learn more and educate their community about fair trade products while developing a market for local and world artisans and commodity growers. Contact us for tips on hosting a Fair Trade event or Winters Farmers Market?
Want to speak up for good environmental legislation?
It’s important to change our lightbulbs but even more important to change our laws! We distill public policy advocacy so that it’s much easier for busy people to deal with. Want to know enough about a few very significant bills at the state and federal level so that you can encourage your congregation to do the right thing without being overwhelmed? We can equip you. With our monthly e-news, winter workshop on policy, organized letter-writing campaigns and annual Lobby Day in Springfield, we have a robust advocacy program that won’t wear you out.
Interested in what other faith communities are doing?
Get inspired by stories from congregations around Illinois who are becoming good stewards of creation.
Feeling generous?
Your support helps us equip faith communities in this important work! Go here to donate.
