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Putting together your church strategy
The Diocese is currently developing strategy guidelines to help Incumbents, PCCs and other governing bodies draw up realistic and measurable actions for their church, office or parish. Meanwhile, there is a wealth of information and project ideas available to help you get started straight away; that way once the Diocese has it's strategy together, you can already have the actions in place and look very smug!
Each part of the Diocese needs to address environmental issues through a written policy, agreed actions and a summary of progress in their annual reports. The Diocese requires diocesan bodies and encourages parishes to include the following in their policies:
- Purchasing sensitively - including the reduction of both consumption and waste
- Developing awareness and celebrating positive action
- Incorporating environmental concerns into worship
- Sustaining the natural environment - including biodiversity and the imaginitive use of sites with environmental and other potential
- Seeking the highest achievable environmental standards in all new and refurbished buildings
- Supporting the demands for social justice both locally and globally
- Making socially responsible investments
- Building Partnerships that support environmental and sustainable actions
- Encouraging individuals to make environmental concerns an integral part of their life and work
All actions need to have targets, be challenging and measurable.
Resources for the development of this strategy
Example church environmental policy >>
Environmental action plan >>
Diocesan Environmental Policy >>
Environmental Policy (leaflet format) >>
Useful links
Carbon Fast; reduce your emissions this Lent!
Shrinking the Footprint
Official CofE environmental strategy website
Become energy efficient
Switch to green energy
Generate your own renewable energy
Offset carbon emissions
ecocongregation.org
Excellent site for resources and ideas
futerra Sustainability Communications
Handbook for churches on how to be green with practical advice, communication tips and lots of pictures!
Core commitments
- As a diocese, and as part of our commitment to the Church of England’s initiative “Shrinking the Footprint”, to reduce carbon emissions by a minimum of 10% in each three year period- To locate and provide resources to develop awareness and support action by the church as a corporate body and by its individual members.