1. Celebrate Member's Actions
Leaves of Change
This is fun a way show what all families of the congregation are doing to respond to global warming.

Step 1: Using recycled brown paper or cardboard, make a trunk of a tree and branches and post in a prominent part of your congregation- like your social hall.
Step 2: Have members of the congregation fill out “leaves” with what they have done to save the planet or what they plan to do.
Step 3: Post leaves on the tree

Remember to make a goal for the number of members you would like to participate. Take a photo of your tree and email it to Allison.

Green Living Challenge
Thanks to our friends at Immanuel Church on the Hill in Alexandra, VA, we have a great way to assess how much CO2 individuals are saving at home. The Creation Stewardship Committee developed a Green Living Challege tally sheet and a one-page explanation sheet. Feel free to adapt for use in your congregation. Remember to set a participation goal - for example, Immanuel Church is trying to get 100 members to participate!

2. Community Examples
Zero-Trash Coffee Hour/ Kiddush
For Earth Day go zero-trash. Break out those nice dishes and coffee mugs. Have your green committee offer to wash them, or recruit some new volunteers. You never know where you can make new friends. Don’t have dishes? Ask everyone to bring in their own mug for Earth Day. And you never know, you can even become like All Souls Unitarian - now zero-trash every week - read about it.

BACKGROUND: The U.S. produces 245 million tons of waste each year. Much of our trash ends up in landfills and negatively effects low income communities. By reusing items like mugs and plates and by recycling, we save energy and global warming gases. Paper made from recycled resources uses 64% less energy than those made from original resources.

Give the Gift of Energy Efficiency
Being the green community you are, everyone has probably already changed to CFLs. However, there are still many members of our community who can not afford to buy these money-saving wonders. By buying CFLs for low income families, you will help each family save an average of $10 per month, which they can immediately spend on other necessities like food and medicine. Set a goal and purchase your discounted CFLs from www.shopIPl.org. Either distribute them to families with whom you already work or give them to GWIPL and we will help them find good homes.

3. Earth Month
April's already underway, but you could have an Earth Month of activities this summer or plan ahead for next year. Towson Presbyterian Church's Earth Month includes

• a stream cleanup;
• an interfaith discussion on theological underpinnings for our call to environmental stewardship;
• a briefing on poverty, peace and earth stewardship by Presbyterian Washington Office staffmember Leslie Woods;
• an Earth Day service.
  Download a flyer with their activities to use in brainstorming for your own community.

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