St. Martin's Environmental Task Force
The St. Martin's Environmental Task Force has come together to recommend ways that we as a congregation and as individuals can continue our efforts to be good stewards of God's creation. As part of our efforts, we are looking at using and adapting an assessment tool and other materials from the ELCA. Read more on the ELCA Caring For Creation advocacy page.
Check out the Web of Creation site, which includes a number of earthkeeping resources developed by professors and students at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Check out the Web of Creation site, which includes a number of earthkeeping resources developed by professors and students at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Synod Environmental Workshop, November 22, 2008
The Southwestern Texas Synod Task Force for Stewardship of the Environment will be holding a workshop from 9:30-12:30, Saturday, Nov 22, 2008 at First English in Austin. This event is intended to assist congregations in planning actions within their member households, as well as in the activities of the congregation itself, actions that will help to heal God's creation. The synod task force is particularly interested in having at least one lay person from each congregation attend the workshop. Representatives from St. Martin's ETF are planning to attend.
ETF Update: 6-15-08
The ETF has begun the process of assessing St. Martin's environmental impact and operational procedures.
Areas of Assessment
1. Energy Usage
2. Water Usage
3. Transportation
4. Waste and Recycling
5. Hazardous Materials
6. Landscape and Grounds
New Recycling Bins
Although St. Martin's has had a large paper and cardboard recycling container for a number of years, non-paper based recycling bins were limited to one poorly marked container by the soda machine. New recycling bins have been purchased, marked, and put in the Fellowship Hall and Parlor Kitchen.
Areas of Assessment
1. Energy Usage
2. Water Usage
3. Transportation
4. Waste and Recycling
5. Hazardous Materials
6. Landscape and Grounds
New Recycling Bins
Although St. Martin's has had a large paper and cardboard recycling container for a number of years, non-paper based recycling bins were limited to one poorly marked container by the soda machine. New recycling bins have been purchased, marked, and put in the Fellowship Hall and Parlor Kitchen.
ETF Update and Recommendations: 5-19-08
Task Force Process
The Environmental Task Force (ETF) is developing an overall congregational environmental assessment. We will conduct this assessment, and ultimately present our findings and recommendations to Council. The plan for the assessment, including a timeline, will be reported to Council in June.
Meanwhile, we are developing a process for evaluating and communicating environmental issues and potential solutions brought to the attention of the ETF. An assessment grid has been created to review environmental, economic, and convenience factors that might be considered before a congregational decision.
Initial Issues and ETF Recommendations
Three issues have been brought to our attention thus far:
1. whether St. Martin's should be a collection site for CFL recycling,
2. whether non-disposable dishes should be purchased for VBS, and
3. whether the congregation should purchase non-disposable dinnerware for larger congregational events as well.
The ETF has voted to make the following recommendations to Council:
1. St. Martin's should not become a collection site for CFL recycling. While we support the intent to make recycling and proper disposal of these bulbs easier for members, we feel that the hazards of being a collection site (potential glass breakage, mercury spillage) outweigh the advantages. A number of retail stores (notably Home Depot) have recently announced their intention of becoming CFL collection sites.
2. VBS should proceed with their "Green Plate Special" fundraiser and purchase non-disposable dinnerware for the environmentally-themed VBS. We recommend, of course, that the VBS planning team purchase the dinnerware that is most useful and cost-effective. We support this intent and move toward environmentally-conscious eating at St. Martin's.
3. The ETF will include analyses and long-term dinnerware recommendations in our assessment and report to Council later this year. We will try to recommend long-term plans that complement what is purchased for VBS.
The Environmental Task Force (ETF) is developing an overall congregational environmental assessment. We will conduct this assessment, and ultimately present our findings and recommendations to Council. The plan for the assessment, including a timeline, will be reported to Council in June.
Meanwhile, we are developing a process for evaluating and communicating environmental issues and potential solutions brought to the attention of the ETF. An assessment grid has been created to review environmental, economic, and convenience factors that might be considered before a congregational decision.
Initial Issues and ETF Recommendations
Three issues have been brought to our attention thus far:
1. whether St. Martin's should be a collection site for CFL recycling,
2. whether non-disposable dishes should be purchased for VBS, and
3. whether the congregation should purchase non-disposable dinnerware for larger congregational events as well.
The ETF has voted to make the following recommendations to Council:
1. St. Martin's should not become a collection site for CFL recycling. While we support the intent to make recycling and proper disposal of these bulbs easier for members, we feel that the hazards of being a collection site (potential glass breakage, mercury spillage) outweigh the advantages. A number of retail stores (notably Home Depot) have recently announced their intention of becoming CFL collection sites.
2. VBS should proceed with their "Green Plate Special" fundraiser and purchase non-disposable dinnerware for the environmentally-themed VBS. We recommend, of course, that the VBS planning team purchase the dinnerware that is most useful and cost-effective. We support this intent and move toward environmentally-conscious eating at St. Martin's.
3. The ETF will include analyses and long-term dinnerware recommendations in our assessment and report to Council later this year. We will try to recommend long-term plans that complement what is purchased for VBS.
Congregational Walk-Through on April 20
Earth Day Church Walk-Through. Norm Hummel led a walk through the church buildings, highlighting some of the ways SMLC is addressing energy and environmental concerns, and areas where improvements are desirable or needed.
Tour Notes: Norm said the church encompasses 70,000 square feet of space. In the sanctuary, everything is dimmable for different kinds of services like weddings and funerals.
Tour proceeded inside the sanctuary and then down to the basement below the altar. The basement is the Mop and Hammer work area now. It has original lighting from 1960. The 3rd organ is currently stored there and the console is already installed for Thom to use. The basement has one of five air handler units. The filters are checked every 2 weeks. These are used for both heating and cooling.
Tour proceeded to the main A/C unit, which is downstairs under the Fellowship Hall. After an explanation the tour was led to the gym. There are 42 light fixtures in the gym and we are using 40 of them. Every 3rd light is on a switch. It costs $15 to replace each bulb. Mop and Hammer uses the lift to replace the bulbs. A big problem is when all the lights are on at times and no one is in the gym. Same problem occurs in classrooms, lights are being left on and no one is in there. There is talk about replacing lights to be similar to ones used in high school gyms today. However it would cost $30,000 to replace the lights and make it more efficient.
Lights in the hallways have been changed to CFL. A/C and heat are controlled by a computer in 7 or 9 zones. Tour proceeded outside to the parking lot. Norm pointed out the cooling tower on top of the building. There is a chiller tower with speakers. Also, there are 2 A/C units on top of the building. Speakers date back to 1963 and aren't used anymore. Pastor Schoss used to turn them on for certain parts of the service however neighbors complained about the sound.
Discussion ensued about the possibility of solar panels on the roof. Norm said that we joined Green Power 4 years ago. Basically, we're buying wind power from the City of Austin. The possibility of a solar screen was discussed. We do recycle paper, using the large bins outside the gym. This is done by both the Day School and the church.
Tour Notes: Norm said the church encompasses 70,000 square feet of space. In the sanctuary, everything is dimmable for different kinds of services like weddings and funerals.
Tour proceeded inside the sanctuary and then down to the basement below the altar. The basement is the Mop and Hammer work area now. It has original lighting from 1960. The 3rd organ is currently stored there and the console is already installed for Thom to use. The basement has one of five air handler units. The filters are checked every 2 weeks. These are used for both heating and cooling.
Tour proceeded to the main A/C unit, which is downstairs under the Fellowship Hall. After an explanation the tour was led to the gym. There are 42 light fixtures in the gym and we are using 40 of them. Every 3rd light is on a switch. It costs $15 to replace each bulb. Mop and Hammer uses the lift to replace the bulbs. A big problem is when all the lights are on at times and no one is in the gym. Same problem occurs in classrooms, lights are being left on and no one is in there. There is talk about replacing lights to be similar to ones used in high school gyms today. However it would cost $30,000 to replace the lights and make it more efficient.
Lights in the hallways have been changed to CFL. A/C and heat are controlled by a computer in 7 or 9 zones. Tour proceeded outside to the parking lot. Norm pointed out the cooling tower on top of the building. There is a chiller tower with speakers. Also, there are 2 A/C units on top of the building. Speakers date back to 1963 and aren't used anymore. Pastor Schoss used to turn them on for certain parts of the service however neighbors complained about the sound.
Discussion ensued about the possibility of solar panels on the roof. Norm said that we joined Green Power 4 years ago. Basically, we're buying wind power from the City of Austin. The possibility of a solar screen was discussed. We do recycle paper, using the large bins outside the gym. This is done by both the Day School and the church.
Task Force Members
Please feel free to contact any of the task force members or Church Council liaision to the task force, Carmen Retzlaff at email cretzlaff@flash.net, with your questions:
Ted Hazen
Anita Salmon
John Howard
Duke Browning
Chris Pasch
Christina Martin
Tom Friedrich
Norm Hummell
Ted Hazen
Anita Salmon
John Howard
Duke Browning
Chris Pasch
Christina Martin
Tom Friedrich
Norm Hummell
