The Environmental Unit’s Ministry has a three-prong approach: the personal, the political and the prayerful.  Here are some of the activities we are involved in.

An energy audit at St. Martin's, North Vancouver.

Energy Audits
Many parishes have responded to the invitation of having an energy audit performed on their parish buildings.  Twenty-six have been completed, and we are now seeking ways to help in the funding of future audits and retrofits.

Green Sundays
We would be pleased to attend a service in your parish and provide support in 'greening' your liturgy through leading a children's minute, the prayers of the people, and/or a guest homily.

Workshops
We have held two successful workshops - '125 Ways to Green Your Parish' in early 2005 and a Church Depot event in November 2005.

Parish Environmental Steward Program
At the May 2005 Synod, a no-debate motion was passed calling on parishes to recognize the value of appointing a Parish Environmental Steward to work with the Environmental Unit.  Several parishes have appointed their environmental stewards, and we encourage all parishes to nominate someone at their 2006 vestry meetings.  We are currently developing resources to outline the role of parish environmental stewards (which can range from simply being a contact person who puts up posters and keeps environmental issues on the agenda at parish council, to spear-heading local environmental initiatives).

Greening Spirit website and the Green Parish Accreditation Program
We are also developing resources and programs that will help guide the work of our Unit and of Parish Environmental Stewards from the short- through the long-term.  This includes a website devoted to recording environmental commitments and a program for publicly celebrating parishes that are actively engaged in environmental stewardship.

The 'Neighbourhood Landmarks Green Building Education Project'
We recently received a 'Green Building Grant' through a Vancity and the Real Estate Foundation of BC.  The two-year project will get started late-spring in 2006 and last two years.  By the end of it, we hope to have achieved a heightened awareness in the Diocese about measures parishes can take to reduce their energy consumption (and, by extension, their utility bills) which in turn reduces our green house gas emissions; and, four alternative energy devices installed on four different Diocesan buildings.

Fun, social activities!

A bicycle ride starting at St. Edward's, Richmond.

While we have had our noses to the grindstone delivering the programs mentioned above, it has not escaped us that we also need to include some elements of FUN in our activities.  Imagine Sunday afternoon bike rides and picnics, or purely social gatherings accompanied by locally-grown foods. The possibilities are endless, and, we hope, transformational.

In the words of the Global Anglican Congress on the Stewardship of Creation:

 "Our planetary crisis is environmental, but it is more than that. It is a crisis of the Spirit and the Body, which runs to the core of all that we hold sacred….  As people of faith, Christ draws us together to share responsibility for this crisis with all humanity."

The Environmental Unit of this Diocese has been actively engaged in responding to this challenge since its inception in 2003.