Churches, Mosques and Synagogues Go Energy-Efficient

Summarized from "Churches go green," Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 23, 2003.

February 2003

The Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light group is part of a national effort that began as discussions about global warming in an Episcopal church in California. Non-profit groups are forming in Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina and Tennessee; funding from the Heinz Endowments offers free audits, technical services and help with upgrades. The movement assists churches and other religious institutions in reducing energy consumption by investing in more efficient heating and lighting systems, buying renewable energy and adding solar panels to rooftops.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, congregations can save up to 30 percent on their utility bills by practicing environmental stewardship. If all U.S. congregations participated, an estimated $573 million per year could be saved. The energy conservation efforts also could prevent the addition of six million tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, comparable to taking one million cars off the road.

Interested churches, synagogues, mosques and temples can gather information from the EPA Energy Star program (http://www.energystar.gov/) about equipment, appliances, and lighting products that are energy efficient.

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