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Global Warming - What Individuals and Congregations Can Do, and What the ELCA Is Doing

• What individuals can do
• What congregations can do
• What the ELCA is doing

Printer-friendly version of 2-page global warming "take action" section (pdf)

What individuals can do
You can take action, in your home, church and community, to reduce global warming emissions by reducing your energy use—changing from conventional bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps; weatherproofing your home, and buying more energy-efficient appliances and fuel-efficient cars. The Department of Energy offers excellent consumer guides to saving energy. Tax credits and other programs may even be available to help pay for energy-efficiency upgrades or the installation of renewable energy systems in your home (check out the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency).

You can become a "zero emissions" supporter by calculating your annual emissions of global warming gases (www.environmentaldefense.org has a good calculator) and then buying emissions "credits" to offset your individual emissions. These "credits" support renewable energy development and other projects that reduce global warming emissions (Environmental Defense has a list of projects that they have evaluated on their Web site).

In your community, you can support local agriculture through farmers' markets and community-supported agriculture (CSAs). Most food travels long distances to reach our plates and those travels require a significant consumption of fossil fuels. Find a farmers' market or CSA in your community with the Local Harvest searchable database.

In some communities you can choose to buy electricity from renewable sources like wind or thermal energy, which do not generate any emissions of global warming gases; check with your local utility company to see if buying renewable energy is an option for you. To find out if green power is available in your state, check the Department of Energy's clickable map.

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What congregations can do
Connect with an "Interfaith Power & Light" (IPL) organization in your state. Visit the Regeneration Project's Web site to find out if your state has an IPL organization. IPL works with congregations to offer energy assessments, consultation on energy efficiency steps, and provide support for forming congregational "Earth Care" or "Green Teams." The Web of Creation's Green Congregation Program also has resources to help in forming such teams. Another source of information on reducing your energy use (and other environmental impacts) is the ELCA Environmental Audit Guide.

Consider organizing a carpool for congregation members, to share rides to worship or to congregational events and meetings. Every gallon of gas saved helps make a difference!

Congregations can take steps to reduce their energy use (and, as an added bonus, their utility bills!) by making more energy efficient choices. Changing light bulbs may seem like a small step, but if every household in the United States replaced just five conventional light bulbs with compact florescent lights, it would keep more than one trillion pounds of greenhouse gases out of our air—equal to the emissions of more than 21 coal-burning power plants. Think of what could happen if every ELCA congregation in American replaced their conventional light bulbs with energy-efficient lights! Find out more about compact florescent lighting from the government's Energy Star program.

Congregations can also save money and help care for God's creation by making better choices when they replace appliances and heating and cooling systems. Energy-efficient appliances, furnaces and air conditioners can save thousands of dollars in utility bills while keeping tons of carbon dioxide out of our atmosphere. The Environmental Protection Agency has an excellent guide to help congregations reduce their energy use. Reducing energy use is not only good for the environment, but also good for your congregation's bottom line!

Congregations can help prevent global warming when they make decisions about remodeling or adding on to church buildings. "Green" buildings are built with care for the environment in mind, using environmentally-friendly and often money-saving techniques that also can reduce emissions of global warming gases. Find out more about green buildings from the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program and the National Green Building Council.

State and federal tax credits and grants may be available to help your congregation install energy-efficient building upgrades or to install solar panels or other renewable energy systems. Local utility companies often have programs that may help to defray the costs of these projects. A good resource for finding out what's available in your state is the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency.

In some communities you can choose to buy electricity from renewable sources like wind or thermal energy, which do not generate any emissions of global warming gases; check with your local utility company to see if buying renewable energy is an option for your congregation. To find out if green power is available in your state, check the Department of Energy's clickable map.

The National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Programs have announced their 2008 Earth Day Sunday resource, focusing on global warming. Copies will be available February 1, 2008. To obtain a copy visit www.nccecojustice.org . To pre-order a copy contact the Eco-Justice Program office at info@nccecojustice.org or 202-481-6943.

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What the ELCA is doing
In 2003, ELCA Corporate Social Responsibility published an issue paper on global warming and climate change.

On Earth Day 2005, Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson confirmed our church's commitment to addressing global warming. You can read his Earth Day letter on the ELCA Web site.

In January 2007, Minneapolis Area Synod Bishop Craig Johnson testified before the Minnesota State Legislature about the moral and human impacts of global warming. Watch the testimony here.  (This is a 2 1/2 hour unedited video.)

In February 2007, three ELCA college presidents signed the "American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment," a pledge to take a leadership role in addressing global warming. Two presidents who signed as members of the commitment's "Leadership Circle" are Dr. Richard L. Torgerson of Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, and Dr. Loren J. Anderson, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash.

In April of 2007, Southwestern Minnesota Synod Bishop Jon Anderson wrote an editorial for the Minneapolis Star Tribune urging people to take action on climate change.

In a written message for Earth Day, April 22, 2007, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), discussed the effects of global warming on people living in poverty and urged Lutherans to respond with advocacy and action.
Read the letter
Read the ELCA News story
Download a bulletin insert

The "Called To Be a Public Church: 2008 ELCA Voting and Civic Participation Guide," released November 6, 2007, features an issue brief and questions for political candidates about global warming.

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Back To What Can You Do

• Learn more
• Advocate for change
• Make changes in your life and your community

Back to Introduction

Back to Background

• What is global warming?
• Hasn’t the earth’s climate changed before?
• What are the impacts of global warming now and in the future?

Printer-friendly version of the global warming fact sheet (pdf)

February 2007