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Cool Congregations

Cool Congregations

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ABOUT COOL CONGREGATIONS

Across the country, people of faith are making changes in their homes and places of worship to prevent global warming through our Cool Congregations program. Our unique stewardship program helps congregations reduce the carbon footprint of their facilities and engages their members in reducing their carbon footprint at home. The program educates, inspires, and saves money too!

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Cool Congregations Program Resources

Cool Congregations has everything you need to help your congregation become a Cool Congregation: start up kits, calculators, a certification process, and a challenge that awards $1,000 in 5 categories. You can also offset your remaining emissions by planting trees through Interfaith Power & Light’s faith-based programs.

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Start Up Kits

Use IPL’s kits for congregations to reduce the carbon footprint of your congregational facilities.

Congregational Calculator

Our calculator is specially designed for congregations.

Household Calculator

Reduce your congregants carbon footprints with our household calculator.

Certification

Apply to become a Certified Cool Congregation at different levels with a 10% reduction in carbon emissions to begin.

Challenge

Enter the annual Cool Congregations Challenge to win $1,000 in 5 categories: Energy Saver, Renewable Role Model, Sacred Grounds, Community Inspiration, and Cool Planner.

Plant Trees

Plant and protect trees in the Global South to offset your remaining carbon emissions.

The Cool Congregations Challenge

2019 Cool Congregations Challenge Winners
Winners of the Cool Congregations Challenge are united by their commitment to address climate change by reducing their carbon footprint and inspiring their members and communities. Winners were selected from five categories: Energy Saver, Renewable Role Model, Sacred Grounds, Community Inspiration, and Cool Planner.

Check them out!

EMBODYING OUR SPIRITUAL VALUES IN OUR BUILDING Congregation Kol Emeth, Palo Alto, California won the 2020 Cool Congregations Planning Award for their new net zero energy worship facility and zero waste plans. They had outgrown their aging building that had failing systems such as heating and cooling that were costly to maintain. They wanted to embody their spiritual values in constructing a new building that avoided waste of energy and resources, inspired their congregants, and provided for greater involvement with the local community. The entire congregation of 1200 rose to the challenge and raised $25 million in record time and the building is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020. The new building has been designed to embody the spiritual beliefs and religious practices of the community, as well as to support learning and celebrations for all ages. The site and building will maximize daylighting, capture water for irrigation, support solar electricity production, encourage EV and bike commuting, and use other green building principles. They expect to save approximately $66,000 in energy costs once the new building is completed. The congregation has also committed to zero waste inspired by their religious beliefs to avoid waste, (Baal Tashchit) which in the modern era is expressed in sustainable practices. The leadership team has met with the City of Palo Alto and the waste hauler to get advice on green purchasing, waste sorting and other measures to reduce consumption, and to ensure that waste is either composted or recycled as fully as possible. The educational staff will work with students and families to encourage zero waste practices as part of the congregation’s values. They hope to inspire their congregants towards more sustainable living in their homes and workplaces. They also hope to inspire other faith communities to orient themselves in affordable, doable ways towards embodying care for the Earth as a central religious value.

2019 Cool Planner – Embodying our Spiritual Values in our Building

Sacred Ground - Aldersgate Gardens and Nature Based Playground

2019 Sacred Ground – Aldersgate Gardens and Nature Based Playground

2019 Renewable Role Model - Solar for the Next Generation

2019 Renewable Role Model – Solar for the Next Generation

New bespoke LED sanctuary lighting

2019 Energy Saver – Fulfilling the Paris Pledge with Persistence

2019 Community Inspiration Winner – Inspiring members to make changes at home

2019 Cool Congregations Runners Up

2019 Runners Up

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