You and your congregations care about the environment, and many of you are worried about costs, especially since oil and gas prices went up significantly this past year. When I visit congregations with the Bishop, I often meet people who might not currently be in leadership, but are willing to help take on a project to address both of these issues.
The good news is that it is possible to help the environment, while saving money. And there is some financial support available. Churches across Canada are taking responsibility for their own buildings. They can also show their members how to get involved and how to share the environmental good news with their neighbours.
What is the path? Switch over to electricity but use heat pumps (air-source or geothermal) instead of baseboard heaters or electric furnaces in order to use 3-5 times less electricity. If your church (or home) uses fuel oil, there are significant grants available, because this eliminates large amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs).
The combination of heat pump efficiency, low electricity prices and high, unpredictable oil and gas prices offsets the price of equipment. Loans are often available from the diocese (apply through the vicar general).
Congregations in Ste-Agathe, Greenfield Park, St Jax and the Cathedral have moved to heat pumps, and Dorval installed geothermal heating years ago. Sutton and Rawdon are currently exploring this option.
Electrifying is harder to do for churches with hot water heating; register your church with us as we do case studies and identify options for reducing your GHGs.
Once a congregation changes its furnace (and now benefits from summer air conditioning!), they can expand their impact by helping their members to do the same with their own heating systems. (Even tenants can successfully encourage their landlords to change systems and save money). Then those members have one more reason to interact with their neighbours, as they share good news for the environment and how God’s Good News motivates them to care for God’s creation.
Visit www.netzerochurches.ca.
