Pine Street Eco Team

The team's creation was a direct result of an initiative identified in Pine Street's Strategic Plan for the years 2007-2012, "On the Journey, Seeking God's Call."
 In Goal 8 of the Missional Church section of the plan members are challenged "to respond to environmental concerns that affect our world locally, nationally and globally through worship, seminars and projects."
In answer to this task, and because we are called (in the Bible) to be stewards of the earth God provided, the Eco Team was created (as a subgroup of the Mission Committee).

THE LINK TO ECO-NOTES THAT INCLUDES NEWS FROM THE PC(USA) ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTRIES
http://presbyterian.typepad.com/ecojourney/2010/06/june-edition-of-econotes.html

Dauphin County Recycling Center
Actions taken and suggested  by the Strategic Plan
actions taken by the church to reduce energy use
sustainability issues and food
The Green Center of Harrisburg
Green Center Open House & Green Living Fair flyers

Dauphin County's Recycling Center to Be Open this Saturday
Dauphin County's electronics recycling center will be open this Saturday
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. County residents are urged to drop off their old
computers, printers and other recyclables.
While the recycling center is also open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., it is only open one Saturday a month. The center will also be open
Sat., Nov. 7 and Dec. 5.
Located off S. Cameron St. near the Steelton-Harrisburg border, by the site
of the Harrisburg Incinerator, the Dauphin County Recycling Center (DCRC)
<http://t.lt01.net/m/0fbGd2gtp6hO4e8J2q-SwJJtBnAnjqMFIvK1Z1hPba6uzWe79w>
offers a convenient drop-off location for old computers, televisions,
answering machines, cellular phones, copiers, pagers, radios, CD players,
printers, print cartridges, telephones, typewriters and compact fluorescent
light bulbs. The center also offers confidential paper shredding for $5 per
box.
Since its grand opening nearly six months ago, the DCRC has collected a
significant amount of unwanted electronics and other recyclables. As of
August 6, the facility has collected 76.1 tons of recyclables. Residents and
businesses have discarded 899 televisions, 845 monitors, 764 central
processing units (CPU), 2,380 peripherals and 435 other items, such as
microwaves.
Dauphin County residents can recycle their electronics for free. All
in-county businesses and out-of-county residents and businesses are charged
a small fee for each electronic recyclable item.
For more information, please call the recycling center at (717) 982-6772.
 

A plan is only as good as the action taken to bring it to fruition.

Actions taken and suggested  by the Strategic Plan initiative include:

1. Develop a yearly worship service focused on faith, citizenship and environmental justice.  (Item 8F)

Action taken:
*Earth Day worship Service at 8:30 and 11:00, Sunday, April 19, 2009. Participation was by youth and adults with sermon by Seminarian, Lorrie Cooney.

2. Provide educational seminars and/or Sunday School programs on environmental ministry.  (Item 8G)

Action taken:
* A program by Professor Don Brown of Penn State dealing with the possible consequences of climate change and our ethical responsibilities as Christians was presented on January 18, 2009.

* Two Sunday School environmental stewardship programs presented to Jr. and Sr. High youth.

3. Develop an annual or biennial intergenerational service project directed toward a specific environmental concern.  (Item 8H)

Action taken:
* In the latter part of 2007 an energy audit was conducted by the church. Roger Olsen met with Peter about efforts underway to reduce energy use by the church and Boyd. Details of this effort may be found below.

* An Earth Day stream and highway clean-up with 18 people participating took place Saturday, April 18, 2009. There were 18 bags of trash collected. Lunch was supplied by the Mission
Committee.

* Two summer Sunday School programs on food choices and organic gardening are being planned for August, 2009.

* The office staff is currently taking action to reduce the use of paper by the church.

* Recycling containers have been placed in McCormick Hall and the Gathering Space.

* Alkaline household batteries will no longer be recycled. They were initially of concern due to small amounts of
mercury, but now the mercury has been eliminated. They can safely be discarded in normal household trash.

The team goal is to continue the response to the challenges in our strategic
plan with actions relevant to the needs of Pine Street Church. Please help us continue to identify these needs by placing your suggestions for action in the box marked, Eco Team on the mission table in the Gathering Place. We will keep you apprised of our progress through PSL and our website. Better yet, join us in our efforts-all ages welcome!
Contact Bonnie Peckham or Ella Poland for information.

The following is a summary of the actions taken by the church to reduce energy use in the Church and Boyd buildings as per recommendations of the
energy audit of March 2007:

1. Concerning electric usage in the church, the new lighting upgrade added
900 watts of power in each of our 14 chandeliers. Outside we are installing a total of 2,400 watts on the 3 lighting standards. These upgrades will obviously amount to a greater use (and cost) of electric energy.

2. Concerning recycling cans (not aluminum) from DDB, we could look into this but additional costs would be involved. Who would crush them, where would they be stored, who would dispose of them etc. etc. We now pay June, hourly, to take the DDB waste cardboard up the Harrisburg Waste Paper on 7th street. Habitat picks up our aluminum cans.

3. Concerning setback thermostats, we have them at many locations, both
buildings, except for steam heat control in individual offices. To drop temperature settings much lower than 60 degrees involves more time to bring temperatures up to 70 degrees. The church has a steam system, not forced
air, and space volume is huge so substantial fluctations in temperatures take a long time to happen. Peter does not feel that dropping to a lower
"off use" temperature is economically viable. Concerning Fellowship Hall,
the energy study showed a temperature range of 70 degrees to 63 degrees.
Peter feels that is reasonable based upon use of the space. Again, Peter doesn't see that turning down the thermostat during off-use times will
involve much in savings.

4. Session at their 3/17/09 meeting fielded a number of complaints about how cold the sancturary is. Peter now starts the heat at 4:00AM (instead of 5:00AM) and has reset the thermostat to 72 degrees instead of 70 degrees. Hopefully this will help (but will also cost more money in fuel).

5. Concerning refrigerators in Boyd and the Church, we did have an improperly functioning refrigerator in the church....Peter repaired it. Of
the two refrigerators in the church, one basically is used very seldom and accordingly has been unplugged. One in the Boyd that was not working has been removed. The second refrigerator in Boyd belongs to the taxpayers of Pennsylvania....it appears to be operating satisfactorily.

6. A comment was made at the eco-team meeting about the Church ice maker
which runs continually and is very seldom used. I did not specifically ask Peter about that machine. I think the basic question is can the machine be put on a "vacation" cycle or similiar in order to reduce electric use (we will look into this).

7. Peter has unplugged a number of water coolers to save refrigeration
costs.

8. Ceiling fan operation in the sanctuary has been modified in order to save power.

9. Peter has recommended we do not install a clock thermostat for the church
steam valve....building will get too cold in the winters.

10. To reduce the size of the church water meter would cost roughly $15,000 and result in a savings of $2,900 yearly, a 6 year payback. Trustees stopped talking about this when they heard the cost involved to do it.

11. Peter is in the process of replacing LED "Exit" sign inserts. Disposal is a significant item because of radium in the fixtures.

12. Peter has reduced lighting in many common areas (hallways, etc.) to save
power.

13. In Boyd Peter did not turn off the 3/4 HP circulator on the heating system. This decision was based on discussion with Leggett our HVAC contractor.

14. Lighting fixtures in Boyd have had tubes removed to reduce power consumption.

15. The soda machine at Boyd was not removed because of convenience to staff and people using the facility and because of the light....nice for the entrance.

16. Reducing water meter size at Boyd was not given much consideration because of the upcoming need to sprinkler entire building with Boyd
renovations.

17. Peter did install a clock thermostat on the Boyd boiler.

18. We did not reduce lighting in Diana and Elaine's office at Boyd.

19. Gym incadescent lamp replacement will be accomplished with the Boyd renovations.

Any questions, please contact me at housedoctr@att.net
<mailto:housedoctr@att.net>.
Roger Olson

Below is a link to Pennsylvania's Energy Independence website about the new Solar Energy Rebate Program

http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/energindependent/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=545926
 

On August 9 and 16 Pine Street presented 2 adult forums on
sustainability issues and food. The forums were presented by Sarah
Brylinsky, Jenn Halpin and Meghan Reedy of the Center for Environmental and
Sustainability Education at Dickinson College. Incorporated in the
presentations was some information that bears repeating:
Eating in a more sustainable way does not mean eating more salad!
What it does mean is thinking about the impact your food has on your body,
your community, and the living systems or animals you eat. It also means
considering the packaging of our food, the way it was raised and the
possiblity that toxins may enter our body in the process. Also to be
considered is whether, though cheaper, processed foods are good for our
long-term health. The average American supermarket has 43,000 products. The
average food product travels 1,500  miles to get to a grocery store.
Transporting food accounts for 30,800 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each
year.

Navigating through our modern world and living with environmental awareness
heeds Christ's call to live with integrity as we dwell within God's good
creation.

If you would like more information about the resources used for the
presentations and/or just more information in general there follows a list
of books and websites that you will find helpful:
Deborah Madison, 'Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from
America's Farmers' Markets'
            Alice Waters, 'The Art of Simple Food'
Mark Bittman, 'Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating,
with more than 75 recipes'
Michael Pollan, 'In Defense of Food'
Michael Pollan, 'The Omnivore's Dilemma'
Barbara Kingsolver, 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle'
Thomas Berry, 'The Dream of the Earth'

Green Center of Harrisburg-1426 North Third
St.

The Green Center continues to host free public seminars this month. On
Tuesday, July 20th, Waste Management will be at the center from 6:30 - 8 pm
to discuss recycling. Then, on Saturday, July 24th, Daflure Heating and
Cooling will be at the center from 9:30 - 11 am to discuss Solar PV
installations for Residential Applications.

Registration is encouraged at: www.greencentralpa.com
<http://www.greencentralpa.com> or by call 221-1300 x 1477, or by responding
to this email.

Hope to see you at the Green Center!
Julia
Executive Director
Green Center of Central PA
--
Julia P. Knight, P.G., LEED® AP