Article by Kip Coerper, organist and choirmaster for St. James’ Episcopal Church in Skaneateles and 2021 GreenFaith Fellow. He will offer reflections on climate justice and caring for God’s creation in this space in the months ahead.
How do we care for God’s creation to leave it better than we found it? Do you recycle? Reuse? Drive an efficient vehicle? Use public transportation when possible? Have you had an energy audit done on your home? Do you eat sustainably produced food? This month’s “Green Corner” article will share ways we, in CNY, can address cleaning our environment and become climate champions.
- Greening USA is a Syracuse-based organization that promotes Twelve Steps to Sustainable Communities. Go to their website (greeningusa.org) to learn about the ways we can become better stewards of God’s creation.
- There is much talk about reducing our carbon footprint. You are encouraged to determine your own carbon footprint with a carbon footprint calculator: carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
- Have you considered getting a free energy audit on your home? Check energysaverscny.com/get-a-grant, or do your own audit here: energy.gov/energysaver/home-energy-assessments.
- HeatSmart CNY is a campaign offering homeowners the possibility of saving energy and money by installing new revolutionary state-of-the-art electric heat pump technologies: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/Clean-Heating-and-Cooling-Communities/Campaigns/HeatSmart-CNY
- A surprising way to reduce carbon in the atmosphere is regenerative farming. Regenerative farming actually sequesters carbon in the soil, increases the nutrients of topsoil, prevents runoff of topsoil, reduces or eliminates chemicals in farming which poison our waterways and lakes, and provides healthier food for animals and humans. Two local regenerative farms are Tap Root Fields in Skaneateles and Elderberry Pond in Sennet.
- Finally, it is imperative that we divest from fossil fuels, which our government still irresponsibly subsidizes. To understand this problem, visit https://polluters.exposed/, or consider signing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty at https://fossilfueltreaty.org. If you’re looking to divest from fossil fuels in your own investment portfolio, CNY company Hansen Associates can help you with that decision: hansensadvisory.com.
To go deeper with Twelve Steps to Sustainable Communities and many of the suggestions above, view a recording our October 12th “Creating Sustainable Communities” event at cnyepiscopal.org/2021/10/recording-caring-for-gods-creation-creating-sustainable-communities. Local experts offered practical resources for creating sustainable, climate-change-responsive communities in Central New York. Presenters included Peter Arsenault (Greening USA of Syracuse), Frank Moses (Skaneateles Lake Association), Chris Carrick (CNY Regional Development Commission), and Ben Coerper (Wild Harmony Farm).