God calls us as stewards of God's creation. Making our churches a more environmentally friendly place can provide a healthy, toxic-free sacred space as well as help us protect God's creation for current and future generations.

Green Building Gathering for Church Leaders

Religious institution leaders (camp and conference center ministry leaders, judicatory leaders, clergy and denominational staff) gathered in Chicago, IL, on Wednesday, June 29, for "Money for Mission: Greening Initiatives that Make Cents." The event was designed to help church leaders incorporate environmentally sustainable practices in their institutions and increase environmental stewardship while reducing financial burdens.

Building Impacts

Our church facilities do impact God's creation. We can decrease our negative impact by making sure that we reduce our electricty use (heating, cooling and lighting) and practice conservation management (limiting or eliminating fertilizers and pesticides) on our grounds. We can eliminate toxics in our churches by using "green" cleaning products, which can help improve indoor air quality. Recycling paper and using recycled-content paper products in church offices and restrooms can also help our churches become more environmentally friendly.

Success Stories

Hundreds of congregations across the country have taken steps to "green" their congregation--from purchasing organic, fair trade coffee to installing energy efficient lighting to using conservation landscaping. Learn more about how congregations are taking action

• Papago Church of the Brethren
• Wisconsin Interfaith IMPACT: Church Stewardship Project
• All Saints Episcopal Church in Brookline, Mass
• Our Savior Episcopal Church
• St. Andrews Christian Church
• Adat Shalom in Bethesda, MD

Take Five Steps to a Healthier and more Environmentally Friendly Church

We can take action to help make our churches more environmentally sustainable, creating both a healthy building atmosphere and helping to care for God's wonderous creation. If you are building a new building or addition to your church, make sure that you incorporate environmentally friendly components into your plan.

1. Conduct an Energy Audit.

• Have your youth group do an energy audit of your church. Consider taking the savings (usually, churches save money when they make their building more energy efficient) and have the youth sponsor a missions project.
• Energy Guide
• Environmental Audit for Congregations

2. Practice Conservation Landscaping on the church grounds

• Eliminate the use of pesticides to reduce toxic runoff into nearby waterways and provide a healthier recreation space for children and adults.
• Turn your church grounds into a garden and wildlife habitat by using creation friendly landscaping.
• Creation Care article on church landscaping.

3. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products

• EPA's environmental matrix on cleaning products

4. Host events that are environmentally friendly

• Interfaith Coffee Program
• FAIR TRADE COFFEE: Ensure a Better Life for Others
• Tips for Going Green: how to plan events

5. Reduce Waste

• Establish a recycling program at church. Recycling is good stewardship of resources and it helps to reduce air pollution, water pollution, and the need for landfill space, all of which reduce the harm pollution causes others.
• Utilize reusable items such as durable cups, plates, and dishes.
• Use recycled paper in the church office.

Involving Children. Explore ways to engage children in environmental ministry projects.

Learn More

To find out more about how to "green" your church building, check out some of the organizations listed below.

• Green Building Council
• American Instititue of Architects (ask for "green" building resources)
• Greening the Church
• Healthy Families
• Green Purchasing Guide for Congregations