Seeking a Professional Facilitator

Seeking a Professional Facilitator

The Sustainability initiatives at St. Francis are off to a strong start and Fr. Jim has asked the team to move it to the next level.  We are preparing for a "2013 Sustainability planning session" in late January and are in need of a facilitator.  If you can help please contact Scott Wright    (734-821-2121)  swright@stfrancisa2.org

Better Buildings for Michigan Program Extended!

Better Buildings for Michigan Program Extended!

Are you considering improvements to make your home warm, comfortable, healthy and energy efficient this winter? Clean Energy Coalition and St. Francis have identified four local energy specialists that have met the high performance requirements of the Better Buildings program. The specialists are: Chelsea Lumber, Ms. Green Construction, Meadowlark Energy and Pro Energy. They are offering $50 assessments to show you ways you can make your home more energy efficient. Enrollment in the Better Buildings has been extended to March 31, 2013 or until funds run out.

Sustainability Team Accomplishments List

Sustainability Team Accomplishments List

written by Kelly Gauthier, Dec 12, 2012.

Our accomplishments in the past six months...

• Established a core team, and then added new members from the Time & Talent survey (I)
• Created a logo and tagline for Sustainability Project (I)
• Held individual meetings with some key parish and school staff to explain the project and see how their dept/area fits in (I)
• Announced the Sustainability Project to the parish in the July 8th Forum, including a highlight of the theological foundations (II)
• Added sustainability petitions to the mass, beginning in December (II)
• Produced 14 Forum articles between July and December (III)
• Learned about organic farming with a parish "field trip" to an organic farm (III)
• Scheduled a workshop at the parish Common Conference in January (II, III)
• "Greened" coffee and donuts by replacing Styrofoam and plastic with compostables -- and composting them (IV)
• "Greened" the school's 60th anniversary party by replacing Styrofoam and plastic with compostables (IV)
• Began "greening" the PAC kitchen (IV)
• Provided educational resources to the school, which are currently being reviewed (II, III)
• Scheduled a teachers' Professional Development day in March that will be dedicated to the topic of integrating sustainability into the curriculum (II, III)

Shopping Made Sustainable

Shopping Made Sustainable

We are called to be good and faithful stewards over all creation. The

connection to preserving air and water seems obvious. Stewardship over all creation however really does mean All Creation! Even those items shaped and produced by human hands through our God given talents are on the list. Take shopping for example. Its connection to sustainability is relevant all year long but particularly applicable right now.

There are only 9 days until Christmas. Many of us are still browsing, knowing we need that perfect gift for Uncle Pete or Aunt Rose. Does sustainability factor into our shopping decisions? In short, yes, it should be a consideration.

Ron Kramer from our Sustainability Team has compiled a wonderful list of questions for consideration by shoppers. They apply on Christmas Eve in the shop around the corner or on any other day of the year. Ron's list comes from the book Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic.

Before you buy, commit to reviewing this checklist:

• Do I (or does my gift recipient) really need it?
  
• Can I really afford it?
  
• Will it enrich the quality of my life or of others?
  
• Is it worth the time and money to store, clean, and otherwise maintain?
  
• Could I borrow it from a friend, neighbor, or family member?
  
• Is there anything I already own, which I could possibly use instead?
  
• Are the resources that went into making it renewable?
  
• Is the product socially and environmentally friendly?   (Not made with
  
• sweatshop or child labor? or from virgin timber?)
  
• Can I recycle it?  Or, will it clog a landfill?
  

As an alternative, buy used items or ask that gifts given to you be donations to your favorite charity.