Get Certified!

If your congregation has taken steps to reduce your energy use and carbon emissions, apply to be a Certified Cool Congregation today!

Eco-friendly bamboo plaque is available for each level of certification

With this certification you will demonstrate your leadership in your community by showing that it is possible to reduce emissions, care for our common home, and often save money in the process

How to Apply

If you already have the information on your energy savings, apply today.

First download the application questions and record your answers. This is helpful because you have to complete the online application in one sitting, it is not possible to save a draft and complete it later. The application questions includes the updated 2021 certification policy.

Download the Application Questions

APPLY

If you do not have the information use the Cool Congregations calculator for congregational facilities to take a “before” snapshot of your congregation’s carbon footprint, then make the changes to reduce your footprint, and come back to the calculator again to take an “after” snapshot. If you have reduced by 10% or more, you qualify for certification. Apply above.

You will receive a certificate suitable for framing and you can purchase a classy eco-friendly wooden plaque to show your leadership and inspire your congregants to make changes at home. You can apply for 10, 20, 30, or 40% reduction certification. Due to many congregations achieving higher levels of reduction, in 2020 IPL added new categories of 60, 80 and 100% reductions that a congregation can apply for. The average certified congregation has reduced 42%!

The Certified Cool Congregations listed here are jointly preventing over 1,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere every year. This is the equivalent of not burning one million pounds of coal every year. Read their inspiring stories and apply for certification!

Use the start up kit for congregations: “5 Steps to Becoming a Cool Congregation” to get started on a project to reduce your congregation’s carbon footprint.

Download the Start Up Kit

100% CO2 Reduction – Platinum Medallion

St. Martin’s Episcopal Church

Davis, California Becoming a Zero Carbon Church The Episcopal Church of St. Martin offered a virtual tour of their Zero ...
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Crosslake Presbyterian

Crosslake, MN Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 110% carbon reduction equivalent Crosslake is a rural town some refer to as “God’s ...
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St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Framingham, MA Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 110% carbon reduction The 168 solar panels that grace the lovely St. Andrew’s Episcopal ...
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80% and above CO2 Reduction – Gold Medallion

St. John’s Lutheran Church

Stamford, CT St. John’s Lutheran Church in Stamford, CT has achieved a whopping emissions reduction of over 80% through holistic ...
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Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church – All Hands on Deck!

Cincinnati, Ohio Mt. Auburn Presbyterian has reduced their carbon emissions by 75 tons through energy saving measures and the installation ...
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Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Tucson, AZ Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 80% carbon reduction A progressive and diverse urban parish, Grace Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church ...
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Temple Beth El in Stamford

Stamford, CT Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 80% carbon reduction Temple Beth El in Stamford, Connecticut now has one of the largest ...
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60% and above CO2 Reduction – Silver Medallion

Congregation Kol Shalom

Bainbridge Island, Washington Congregation Kol Shalom has gone electric! They replaced an old fuel-oil boiler with heat pumps cutting out ...
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Emmaus Cut the Carbon by 60%!

Emmaus United Church of Christ, Vienna, VA A group of dedicated volunteer Green Team members have worked for years to ...
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Temple Sinai of Glendale

Glendale, California Temple Sinai of Glendale began with a small but important step – getting an energy audit from their ...
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50% and above CO2 Reduction

La Mesa First United Methodist Church

La Mesa First United Methodist Church in La Mesa, California is certified at the 50% reduction level and is preventing ...
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Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church Cut Energy Use in Half!

Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, Severna Park, MD 50% and above reduction Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park, MD carefully ...
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40% and above CO2 Reduction – Bronze Medallion

Mountain View United Methodist Church

Mountain View United Methodist Church Boulder, Colorado Mountain View United Methodist Church has reduced their carbon footprint by 40% and ...
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Nativity Catholic Church

Burke, VA Nativity Catholic Church, a large congregation with 10,000 members has taken seriously the call from Pope Francis in ...
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Taftsville Chapel Mennonite Fellowship

Taftsville, VT Taftsville Chapel Mennonite Fellowship, a tiny church with only 55 members, has reduced the emissions from their worship ...
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Shalom Mennonite Church

Shalom Mennonite Church Joins Network of Solar Congregations Indianapolis, Indiana Shalom Mennonite Church in Indianapolis, Indiana has cut their emissions ...
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Church of the Brethren Modesto

Modesto, CA Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 40% carbon reduction As part of their Earth Stewardship mission, Church of the Brethren in ...
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Flagstaff Federated Community Church

Flagstaff, AZ Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 50% carbon reduction Solar power has slashed the cost of electricity at Federated Community ...
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St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church

Dover, MA Gold Certified Cool Congregation, 50% carbon reduction St. Dunstan’s in Dover, Massachusetts can be very chilly in the winter ...
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30% CO2 Reduction – Green Medallion

Niles Discovery Church

Fremont, CA This small congregation that is part of both the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples ...
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St. Thomas ELCA Lutheran Church

Bloomington, IN Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction St. Thomas Lutheran Church has an ongoing commitment to Creation Care, and ...
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Central Union Church, Honolulu, HI

Honolulu, HI Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction Central Union Church, a historic landmark church in Honolulu, decided to become ...
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Emmanuel United Methodist Church

Laurel, MD Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction Emmanuel United Methodist Church is operating on 100% renewable energy, without solar, ...
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First Unitarian Church of Cleveland

Shaker Heights, OH Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction A large canopy over First Unitarian's parking lot provides shade over ...
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Salvisa Christian Church

Salvisa, KY Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction Salvisa Christian Church is a small, rural Green Chalice congregation, worshipping in ...
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Westminster Presbyterian Church

Knoxville, TN Certified Cool Congregation, 30% carbon reduction Electric power usage has a tremendous impact on our carbon footprint, especially ...
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20% CO2 Reduction – Blue Medallion

Aldersgate United Methodist Church

Lincoln, NE Aldersgate United Methodist Church earned recognition as a Sacred Grounds winner in the Cool Congregations Challenge for their ...
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People’s Church of Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo, MI People’s Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan, a Unitarian Universalist Society, has set a goal for themselves to reach zero ...
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St. John’s United Church of Christ

Lyons, IL St. John’s Church Council and their Green Facilities Team reduced their worship facilities carbon footprint by 20% or ...
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Bethany Lutheran Church

Cromwell, CT Seeking to improve its environmental stewardship through meaningful and relevant action, Bethany Lutheran Church has reduced the carbon ...
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Genesis of Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI Genesis of Ann Arbor house of worship is shared by Temple Beth Emeth and St. Clare's Episcopal ...
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Brackett Memorial United Methodist Church

Peaks Island, ME Certified Cool Congregation, 20% carbon reduction Brackett Memorial United Methodist Church is located on Peaks Island in ...
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