Green churches

Faith and the Common Good (FCG), a national organization that encourages inter-faith action on social and environmental concerns, has recently received funding from the Ontario Power Authority’s Conservation Fund.

FCG’s Greening Sacred Spaces Phase II program was one of seven conservation-related projects chosen from 11 applications; the projects will receive almost $1.5 million from the Fund.

FCG’s project builds on the success of an earlier project by piloting the development of a “package deal” of energy conservation services for faith communities that want to become “green,” including energy audits and retrofits. (Some Anglican churches have already used FCG services; for more information, see FCG’s Web site, faith-commongood.net)

The Ontario Power Authority launched the Conservation Fund in 2005 to help finance electricity reduction and conservation education projects in the province.

Three rounds of funding will be awarded by the Fund this year; the application deadline for the next round of awards is Sept. 6. More information can be found at www.powerauthority.on.ca/cfund.