Goin' Green Calvin church launches initiative
ZELIENOPLE — Green is the new theme at Calvin Presbyterian Church, but nary a paintbrush will be grasped.
The church on Sunday kicked off it's new Green Team project, which is designed to help members become more aware of the environment and the waste humans create both at home and at church.
The idea came from the church's head pastor, the Rev. Graham Standish, who stressed that "going green" at the church has nothing to do with one's political view.
"We try to avoid the global warming argument or any left/right issue," said Standish. "That doesn't matter. We are called to care for the Earth and we are focused on how best to do that."
The 6-month-old Green Team is comprised of about 10 church members. Standish said the first item of business was changing all church light bulbs from the traditional incandescent to the new, spiral-shaped energy-saving type. All dimmer switches were also replaced by regular switches as an energy-saving measure.
The Green Team took the church one step beyond recycling cans and bottles by importing a paper retriever. The familiar green and yellow Dumpster-shaped bins allow not only the recycling of all weekly bulletins and office paper used by the church, but paper brought in by church members as well.
The church receives money for the recyclable paper, and Standish said coffers will swell by about $200 a year from the paper retriever. But more importantly, heaps of office and newspaper will be saved from decades in a landfill.
Standish said Calvin has filled at least five paper retrievers since April. He said the first bin was overflowing with paper after three weeks at its new home in the church parking lot.
One conservation measure resulting from the Green Team is the church's use of equal-exchange coffee and tea. Standish explained the church buys coffee straight from the farmers who grow it, thereby cutting out the middleman and providing more money to farmers.
Standish said the practice is especially valuable for third-world countries because farmers receive more cash in exchange for their products, which means an all-around better community for them.
"They can then build schools and improve their infrastructure," said Standish.
On Nov. 23, Calvin held a Green Fair in the church's fellowship hall. The event saw members of the Green Team manning tables with information about conservation.
Composting; the energy-efficient house; nontoxic, biodegradable cleaning products; and conservation-themed children's' crafts were some of the tables available for perusal by church members at the Green Fair.
Green Team member Tom Reiber said the new initiative at Calvin Presbyterian will save money and energy at the church, but may also give congregation members ideas.
"It's important to not only explore from an organizational standpoint what we can do for conservation," said Reiber, "but also to make members aware of what we can do in our own homes."
Reiber said while people see conservation measures touted in print and on television, an actual in-depth program like the Green Team brings it to a more local, personal level.
He said Christians can also square their personal conservation measures with their faith.
"The Bible says we are stewards of the planet."
Standish said the Green Team project has been very well received by his congregation. He hopes the program serves as a model to other churches.
"I'm excited to see what's going to happen," said Standish.
Lorin Meeder, environmental programs coordinator for Cranberry Township, praised the Green Team project.
"Everywhere you look, everyone is talking green. Now there's someone actually walking the walk," said Meeder. "That's exciting. I'd like to see more of it."
