Environmental Stewardship Committee

The Environmental Stewardship Committee welcomed two new members this year: Mimi Kelly and Graham Swift.

We spent much of January, February, and March preparing for and implementing a “fast from carbon” for the Lenten season. On the Sunday before the beginning of Lent and the first Sunday of Lent, we hosted computer stations where parishioners were invited to measure their “carbon footprints”, learn about ways to reduce those emissions of greenhouse gases (predominately carbon dioxide), and make pledges to take actions that would result in actual reductions.

In addition to the carbon calculations, we showed videos on climate change, gave away low-flow shower heads, sold compact florescent bulbs, and made available other information that supported carbon-reducing activities.

On April 14, we participated in the Step-it-Up rally in downtown Chapel Hill. The purpose of the rally was to focus attention on the need to deal seriously with the reality of global climate change.

Our parish hosted a day-long conference sponsored by the Diocesan Environmental Committee on May 19.

We developed and published a list of gifts for Mother’s Day that would be friendly to “Mother Earth”. We continued to publish monthly articles in Cross Roads as well as “green tips” in the weekly Sunday Announcements.

We have maintained our representation on the Master Plan Implementation Committee on which we serve to help promote “sustainable” design and construction.

Members: Linda Gaines, Mimi Kelly, Mary Morrison, Hugh Morrison, Linda Rimer, Martin Rody, Sharon Ryan, Graham Swift, Henry Thomas lbrimer@bellsouth.net

(from 2007 Annual Report)