Ideas to consider for future initiatives

The following are ideas, under each of the six Green Action Areas, from our March 25th "Taking Action" workshop and from the Jan/Feb "Making Connections" seminar series, and from our Feb. 2008 workshop "Focus on Fairlawn".

Have people think "I want to be part of this community because they are leaders in the right way to be Christian".

Advocacy

  • Advocacy for going carbon neutral (done)
  • Raise awareness of “ethical investing” for our trustees and members of the community
  • Petitions for environmental protection causes
  • Leverage the Fairlawn Neighbourhood Centre to co-sponsor programs and encourage its membership to go green
  • Car pooling for church events 
  • Publicize that the church is easy access from the subway (e.g., added to the home page, location page and the footer of every page on our website)
  • Say the Creed more often in church ~ 'To live with respect in Creation'
  • Invite a well-known guest speaker to speak at our church service
  • Networking connections to other churches and organizations in the neighbourhood who are also doing green activities

Buy locally-grown foods

  • Encourage local suppliers to stock locally-grown foods

Communications

  • "Green Quiz of the Week" at the Green Table highlighting a green topic (done ~ started on April 1st with a recycling quiz of a variety of discarded material. People who dropped by the Green Table guessed the correct recycling category ~ e.g., recycling, organic/compost, garbage, re-use, etc. 
  • Promotional campaigns to help educate members of the Fairlawn community regarding green topics using events such as: seminars, guest speakers, weekly bulletin, web site, bulletin board postings, handouts, church announcements, green table, Community Life, email notes to the green distribution list, etc. (ongoing) 
  • Guest speaker to discuss how to be “green” in a condo or apartment
  • Guest speaker to discuss how to insulate/caulk your home
  • Guest speaker to demonstrate bike repair to encourage biking rather than driving (watch for more on this for spring 2008)
  • Guest speaker such as Matthew Fox
  • Community Life articles (ongoing)
  • Find a link to some websites on the internet that provide lists of sources and companies that are “green” ~ for a variety of products
  • Provide links from the Green Page to other useful web sites
  • Get other green web sites to link to the Fairlawn web site (e.g., Greening Sacred Spaces)
  • Emphasize environmental protection in prayers, Sunday School, connection with the rest of the world and with spirituality
  • Sermons on the topic of environmental protection each year (quarterly?)
  • "Minute" for green topics in some services
  • Green tips in the Bulletin
  • Publicize that we are a green church ~ add to our street sign
  • Publicize environmental heroes in our community
  • Films on environmental issues during service (rather than always after coffee hour)

Gardening

  • Tree planting
  • Plan something for Earth Day or Earth Hour
  • Sustainable plantings
  • Vegetable garden
  • Urban garden
  • Obtain rain barrels to water our Fairlawn gardens
  • More composters (done)
  • Encourage a spiritual connection with nature with outdoor walks and activities
  • Plan an outdoor service; bring friends and family
  • Incorporate nature studies into Sunday School program
  • Christmas tree activities
  • Community garden on church property
  • Sponsor an Environmental Incentive Day ~ hand out plants or other reminder

Property Improvements

  • Use Environmentally friendly cleaning products in the building
  • Guest speaker on environmentally friendly cleaning products for home use
  • Organize a bulk purchase and fundraising sale with the sale of green products such as:
    - Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
    - Environmentally friendly cleaning products
  • LEED certification (Leadership in energy and environmental design) or use the key ideas from LEED
  • Use solar collectors on the roof of the church

Recycling

  • Capitalize on the Environment Day municipal hazardous waste depots that are opened throughout the city on various dates. 
  • Improved signage on existing recycling bins (done)
  • Staff job descriptions to include handling compost and recycling (done)
  • Carry over recycling and other ideas to our work places
  • Organizing a “refurbishing day” or participate in an existing “Furniture Bank” where people exchange household things instead of discarding and buying new ~ e.g. http://www.furniturebank.org
  • Organize Fairlawn folks to Give our "stuff" away to those in need.