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Environmental Stewardship Committee
 | Mission Statement:
The Environmental Stewardship Committee is committed to working with WHPC and its members to conserve and protect God's creations through thoughtful and prayerful use of the resources with which God has entrusted us.
We invite anyone with an interest in environmental ministry or anyone with an idea on steps we can take as a church to live more sustainably to join us. Contact Nancy Douglas nsdouglas@austin.rr.com for more information.
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Mug Drive - Feb 28 - March 7
Bring in any extra, standard size mugs you may have, but please don’t buy new ones. That would defeat our purpose. Collection boxes will be set up throughout the church to accept your mug donations. These will replace using Styrofoam cups at church. |
The Green and Yellow Paper Recycle Bin, like the one you see to your left, is located in the upper level parking lot to the right of the building. Please start using it ASAP.
White office paper, magazines, junk mail, shredded paper (please bag), newspapers, etc. accepted. Click here for a detail list of "ACCEPTED" and "NOT ACCEPTED" products.
The church earns money for the products we recycle. |
Green Resources:
· Enter your location and what you desire to recycle to find your nearest facility
· Information about toilet replacement, rain barrels, rebates, energy efficient appliances, etc.
· Learn to make eco-friendly shopping decisions
UPDATE - Small Steps Can Have a Big Impact
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In order to intentionally nurture our relationships with our neighbors and the world, we at WHPC are seeking to become better stewards of the resources entrusted to our care. To date, these steps have been taken:
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All the heating & air conditioning units have been replaced with energy-efficient models.
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All the incandescent light bulbs have been replaced with CFL bulbs.
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All the thermostats have been replaced with programmable thermostats. They are programmed to change the temperature based upon room use and time of day.
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The new roof over the youth and main kitchen area is reflective white and has a higher R-value insulation.
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The office staff recycles the paper it uses. The bulletins are also recycled.
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The WHPC newsletters (ECHO, Children's Kingdom Court, Preschool newsletter, the Bible Reading Plan, etc.) are now available electronically. Fewer hardcopies are printed and on a request-only basis. A few ECHOs are mailed.
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Ministry Pamphlets are available in various locations throughout the church. Only a few are printed at a time so we can keep the information current and recycle as few obsolete pamphlets as possible.
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When appropriate ALL-Church emails are sent instead of using the postal service.
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Fair Trade Coffee is used on Sunday Mornings.
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WHPC responded to a City of Austin lighting audit. Inefficient lighting has been replaced and new lighting has been installed - notice the lighting in the lower level parking garage & how the lights in some room automatically come on or go off based on room activity.
What you may have noticed recently:
The new worship space is more energy efficient:
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High R-value insulation encases the room (ceiling, outside walls and under the deck).
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Low-E, double-pane windows were installed
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The HVAC unit was adjusted to run at a lower speed for greater efficiency and quietness.
Looking ahead:
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A WHPC Environmental Stewardship Team has been formed. One of their initial actions was to encourage the use of reusable dishes, and reduce the use of disposable products.
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The Facility staff is also investigating the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products..
THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE HELPED TO MAKE THESE STEPS POSSIBLE! STAY TUNED.
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