Sustainability
There’s a lot of talk lately about needing to be “green” and “save the planet.” But stewardship of God’s creation - following Christ’s teachings to care for the earth and all its creatures - has been a Forest Hill priority for over 30 years.
The Forest Hill Earth Care Team*, together with the Stewardship ministry, oversees conservation and sustainability practices within our building. By building on past environmental initiatives and searching for new ways to care for God’s creation, Forest Hill became one of only two churches in Ohio to be certified as an Earth Care Congregation by the Environmental Ministries department of the PC(USA).
Watch for the FHC 2012 Lenten Carbon Fast, coming soon!
Earth Care Strategy 2011-2012
Mission Statement
Care of the Earth is central to all discipleship and stewardship in our lives and is achieved through encouragement and education, enabling change within our individual lifestyle,church and greater community.
Guiding Principles
- Consciously living healthy and sustainable lifestyles
- Inspiring our church community to embrace Earth Care practices through worship, education & communication
- Enabling change in how FHC manages the building, operations and staff
- Providing thought leadership for surrounding community on Earth Care Practices
2011-2012 Goals
1. Design FHC Earth Care 2011-2010 Strategy (Essence) and Action Plan
- Explore strengths/weaknesses and identify opportunities
- Brainstorming on ideas/goals and drawing in expertise from congregation
2. Develop Earth Care Education Programs for our church community
- Adult Education (e.g., 2 week program in Fall 2011)
- Invites to adults and mid-sr. high groups.
- PreK-6th grade programs (e.g., 2 week program in Fall 2011)
3. Conduct a study & provide recommendations for Waste & Reduction, Recycling & Building Operations
- Work with local faith-based procurement team to determine opportunities
- Implement improved recycling/waste programs
- Transportation opportunities
4. Develop Earth Care programs as part of Worship Service
5. Create a portal of information to be shared across communities
*Earth Care Team members: Dave Neff, Mark Chupp, Dale Dannefer, Christina Hidek, Dave Hunter, Kemp Jaycox, Diana Johannessen, Martin Johannessen, Keith Logan, Steve Sedam, Laura Steiner
Here are some of the ways our building practices have already changed to meet our sustainable mission initiatives:
- Conducted a comprehensive energy/facilities audit with an outside consulting firm
- Increased insulation in main areas
- Installed triple-track storm window
- Installed new boilers with computer controls for increased efficiency
- Replaced paper tableware with china and silver usage in Fellowship hall
- Upgraded exhaust system for sanctuary and restrooms
- Converted 80% of lighting to fluorescent
- Replaced large kitchen appliances and cooler with more efficient units
- Established an Abitibi paper waste recycling center open to the community
- Created Abundance Acres vegetable garden to provide fresh produce to neighborhood families in need (2009)
- Switched to “green” cleaning chemicals
- Replaced playground surface with 13 tons of rubber mulch recycled from 2,000 ground-up tires (4 tires for every Forest Hill member!)
- Recycled the old bark playground mulch by re-using it to mulch the trees throughout our grounds
In addition, Pastor John Lentz and member Mark Chupp participated in the recent Sustainable Cleveland 2019 Project. Knowing the intense interest at Forest Hill for this mission, John volunteered to be part of a small group asked to write a document expressing the vision of the Sustainable Cleveland 2019 project. Read the initial draft of this statement here. You can also follow the Sustainable Cleveland Project on Facebook, and track the Sustainable Cleveland project at GreenCityBlueLake Institute.