Professional Documents
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INDIANAPOLIS
The benefits of implementing an Environmental Stewardship Agenda are clear, and include: cost savings
through the more efficient use of resources and reduction of costly waste, fulfilling a moral obligation to
care for creation and the poor, improved employee and public health, a reduction of risk, and helping to
foster further educational, spiritual and economic growth within the Archdiocese.
The unique challenges and opportunities associated with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis as an organization
were evaluated as part of the development of targeted stewardship recommendations. Likewise, the
Archdiocese‟ key environmental impacts were examined - including all utility use at the Catholic Center and
Xavier building for the past two years. While not an exhaustive environmental audit, this preliminary
evaluation serves as an indicator of the full impact the Archdiocese has on the environment in the course of
its daily operations. During FY 07 – 09, for example, the Archdiocese spent an average of $17,448 per
month on employee mileage reimbursement. This represents an average of 32,965 miles driven, 1,303
gallons of gasoline burned, and 15.6 tons of CO2 emitted each month – a tremendous impact on the
environment, those vulnerable populations most affected by air pollution and climate change, and the
Archdiocese‟ financial budget.
Section 4 broadly outlines an Action Agenda for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis to greatly reduce its own
environmental impact while encouraging its parishes, schools, employees and parishioners to do the same.
The section is divided into seven main areas: (1) Energy, (2) Water, (3) Waste, (4) Land Use, (5)
Transportation and Travel, (6) Purchasing, and (7) Communication and Outreach. Comprehensive
environmental stewardship recommendations are made within each section.
Many of the recommendations outlined in the Action Agenda can save the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
money in the long term. By initially focusing on those projects that will produce a significant cost-savings
and then strategically reinvesting to support other projects, the Archdiocese‟ environmental stewardship
program can be designed as largely self-supporting. The Archdiocese can additionally make use of a broad
range of funding options to support its environmental stewardship goals. Funding options are detailed in
section 5 and include a variety of creative internal financing mechanisms, grants, rebates, and private
donations.
It is recommended that a formal implementation structure - led by an Environmental Project Manager and
supported by the input and oversight of a staff Environmental Committee - be put in place to ensure that
the Archdiocese‟ environmental stewardship efforts are successful and sustained.
Designed to begin with early action and lay a foundation for continued success, a 12-month implementation
timeline is proposed in section 6. Recommended first-year steps include: a kick-off meeting to engage staff;
sharing „best practices, with parishes and schools; establishing a formal implementation structure to drive
the effort; implementing visible, low-cost “jumpstart projects”; engaging in ongoing communication with
employees, parishes, schools and parishioners; working to formalize environmental policy and goals; and
implementing first large environmental projects. First projects have been recommended based on their cost-
savings potential and the Archdiocese‟ own priorities and needs. They include: (1) energy audits and
retrofits; (2) a campaign to reduce the amount and impacts of employee driving; (3) strengthening and
supporting a “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” ethic, and (4) supporting the completion of several planned IS projects
which will significantly reduce the organization‟s environmental impact.
Page 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................. 1
1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................... 4
1.1 Stewardship ........................................................................................ 4
1.2 Benefits .............................................................................................. 5
1.3 Values and Vision ............................................................................... 5
1.4 How to Use this Document ................................................................. 6
Page 2
WORKS CITED .......................................................................................... 74
Page 3
Archdiocese of Indianapolis
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AGENDA
1. INTRODUCTION
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis, a Roman Catholic
Archdiocese encompassing nearly 13,800 square
miles in central and southern Indiana, recognizes the A RCHDIOCESE OF I NDIANAPOLIS
1.1 Stewardship
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis continually strives to improve its stewardship of the financial and material
resources entrusted to its care. Everything about the daily operations of the offices, buildings, grounds, and
transportation of the Archdiocese – and the habituated practices of those
who use them - have an impact on the environment and the budget.
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1.2 Benefits
It is increasingly common for organizations to take a systematic approach toward reducing their
environmental impact. There is increased public demand for
D ID YOU KNOW ? organizations to “go green” as the emergence of serious
R EPLACING ONE INCANDESCENT BULB environmental problems increases the public health, species
WITH AN ENERGY - EFFICIENT CFL BULB
WILL SAVE THE BURNING OF FIVE extinction, and social justice costs of inaction. At the same
HUNDRED POUNDS OF COAL AND time, organizations are finding that they can align the broader
BETWEEN $30.00 AND $50.00 OVER issue of leaving a healthy planet for our descendents with their
THE LIFETIME OF THE BULB .
( US EPA ) own legitimate business concerns and bottom line. (Green
Purchasing).
The benefits of undertaking the strategic planning and implementation of an Environmental Stewardship
Agenda are clear:
In many cases, organizations find that the operational and economic benefits of adopting environmentally-
friendly measures actually qualify them as the most cost-effective solution while additionally meeting other
goals (Climate Action Plan).
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis will use the Environmental Stewardship planning and implementation
process as an opportunity to ensure it continues to meet its member (parishes, schools, employees,
parishioners) needs and interests.
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis will ensure the wise and efficient use of the financial, material, and natural
resources entrusted to it, with a priority given to implementing cost-saving environmental measures. The
financial need to use resources more efficiently will act as a catalyst for taking those positive environmental
steps that are squarely in line with other deeply-held values, including: fulfilling a moral obligation to care
for creation, creating an educational opportunity for schools and parishes, being an example by “walking the
talk”, taking action on environmental social justice issues, and protecting employee and public health.
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1.4 How to Use this Document
This document is intended to be used as a tool to assist the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in beginning the
process of “greening” its own operations while also encouraging and supporting parishes, schools,
employees, and parishioners in making more sustainable choices. It is designed to be as comprehensive and
practical as possible, and is organized into discrete sections that can be read together or utilized
independently as needed. These sections include:
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2. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Greening a large organization is a complex task. one township in Spencer County (Archdiocese
Like every organization, the Archdiocese of 2009 Yearbook).
Indianapolis has unique characteristics that must B Y THE N UMBERS - 2009
C OLLEGES : 2 Operating as a not-
be taken into account if its environmental
H IGH SCHOOLS : 11 for-profit
stewardship efforts are to be successful. The K-8 S CHOOLS : 60
T OTAL S CHOOLS : 73 organization, the
purpose of this section is to provide an overview
Archdiocese of
of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis as an P ARISHES : 139
M ISSIONS : 12 Indianapolis is
organization, and describe the unique T OTAL CHURCHES : 151
headquartered in
opportunities and challenges it is afforded.
T OTAL P ARISHIONERS : 226,620 the Catholic Center
Information was derived from staff interviews
T OTAL CLERGY : 290 (1400 N. Meridian
(Appendix C), and has been used to develop the
Street) and the
environmental stewardship recommendations E MPLOYEES IN C ATHOLIC C ENTER :110
E MPLOYEES IN XAVIER BUILDING : 3 Xavier Building
outlined in Sections 4 and 6. H OME -BASED EMPLOYEES IN INDY : 78
C HARITIES , AGENCIES , CYO: 374 (1435 N. Illinois
P ARISHES / SCHOOLS : 5,238
Street), both in
2.1 Overview of Archdiocese T OTAL EMPLOYEES : 5,803
Indianapolis. It
FY 07-08 B UDGET : $73.2 M ILLION
Led by Archbishop Daniel M Buechlien, the directly manages 7
(A RCHDIOCESE 2009 Y EARBOOK , J OHN
Archdiocese of Indianapolis was erected over H ANSBERRY , J ULIE S HEWMAKER ) buildings, including
175 years ago in 1834 as the Diocese of Indianapolis‟ St.
Vincennes. It was renamed the Diocese of Peter and Paul Cathedral, and directly owns 12
Indianapolis in 1898 and was raised to the status vehicles while insuring 167 additional vehicles
of an Archdiocese in 1944 (Roman Catholic). withinthe archdiocese (John Wahl, personal
communication May 29, 2009).
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is a diverse
Roman There are 5,803
Catholic employees on the
Archdiocese Archdiocese payroll,
encompassing of which 113 have
nearly 13,800 offices in the
square miles Catholic Center or
in south and Xavier Building (John
central Hansberry, personal
Indiana. With communication May
73 schools, 18, 2009). The
151 parishes, budgeted expenses
and serving of the Archdiocese
over 225,000 totaled $73.2 Million
Roman in FY 07-08,
Catholics, the excluding parishes
Archdiocese and schools (Julie
includes 11 Shewmaker, personal
Deaneries communication May
and over 38 26, 2009).
counties plus MAP OF ARCHDIOCESE OF INDIANAPOLIS (ARCHDIOCESE ONLINE)
Page 7
The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change. Launched
2.2 Opportunities
in 2006 by the USCCB and other Catholic partners,
The Archdiocese has numerous opportunities in the CCCC encourages the Catholic Community to
the form of existing resources and unique become involved in practical environmental
organizational qualities which can be leveraged to stewardship solutions as it addresses the human and
support its environmental stewardship goals. moral dimensions of climate change.
Some of these opportunities are examined below
The Catholic Climate Covenant. A program of the
and have been incorporated in the development of CCCC, the Catholic Climate Covenant was launched
recommendations later in this document. on April 22nd of
this year and
Opportunity: “Care for Creation” Movement. There
encourages
is a strong existing “Care for Creation” movement
Catholics to
among diverse interdenominational congregations
take the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and
which holds that “we are called to see the earth as
the Poor – a commitment to reduce your carbon
„good‟ and to love it as God loves all of life” footprint through prayer, learning, assessment,
(Environmental Guide). In Indianapolis this action and advocacy.
movement has been growing steadily over the
past several years. On January 31st of this year, Regional Action
more than 160 people attended the Third Green Faith in Action. Catholic congregations in Michigan
Congregation Workshop and nearly 21 percent of and Northern Indiana are partnering to create and
attendees were Roman Catholic (Green present educational resources on addressing climate
change and other environmental issues.
Congregations). This broad network of engaged
congregations and individuals can serve as a rich
Local Action
resource of information and shared experience.
Christ the King Parish. Led by parishioner Patti
Opportunity: Catholic Environmental Action. Since Cortellini, this Indianapolis congregation is a
the early 1990s there has been strong and designated “Creation Care Congregation” through
growing action from Roman Catholics in the area the Interfaith Alliance Indianapolis Care for Creation
of environmental stewardship and social justice at Committee (Creation Care Congregations).
Page 9
opportunity to take a close look at how efficiently
2.3 Challenges
the organization is using resources such as
Like all organizations, the Archdiocese of electricity and paper, and identify opportunities
Indianapolis has particular qualities which may for cost-savings.
pose challenges to implementing a new set of
policies. We examine these potential challenges in Challenge: Communications with parishes and
order to take them fully into account as we schools. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has 151
develop robust environmental stewardship parishes, 73 schools, 290 clergy and a total of
recommendations. 5,803 employees spread over nearly 13,800
square miles. By all accounts, communications
Challenge: Decentralized authority structure. The among all parts of the Archdiocese body can be
Archdiocese‟s decentralized authority structure difficult. Specifically, a standardized electronic
can make implementing organizational change communications system uniting parishes, schools,
more challenging than it might otherwise be and all employees within the Archdiocese has not
under a traditional centralized power structure. yet been implemented. This can sometimes hinder
Under Catholic Canon Law, parishes and schools effective coordination and make operations less
are autonomous over their own property, than efficient.
operational policies and purchasing decisions. The
role of the Archdiocese is to support, educate and Challenge: Internal communications.
provide recommendations to parishes, but not Communications among staff within the Catholic
direct policy (Coridan). This can sometimes make Center can also be challenging. In some areas,
operations less than efficient across the there is a lack of written policies which outline
organization, and elevates the importance of efficient organizational procedures and clearly
proactive communication and information communicate expectations to staff. An internal
sharing. structure to proactively improve policy buy-in and
compliance among staff - and allow for more
effective communication among staff from various
D ID YOU KNOW ? departments - could be strengthened and would
improve organizational efficiency.
AN IDLING VEHICLE GETS 0 MPG AND CONTRIBUTES
TO AIR POLLUTION . I N MOST CARS ANY MORE
THAN 10 SECONDS OF IDLING USES MORE Challenge: Heavy staff workloads. As a non-profit
GASOLINE THAN RESTARTING THE ENGINE . organization, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis has
responded to budget pressures by reducing staff
R EDUCE IDLING BY AVOIDING DRIVE - THROUGH
WINDOWS AND TURNING OFF THE CAR WHEN over the years. As a result many staff members
STOPPED FOR MORE THAN 10 SECONDS . have heavy workloads and may not be able to
undertake additional responsibilities effectively.
(WWW .INDYCICAP .ORG )
Page 10
3. KEY IMPACTS
As a large organization with the management of
numerous capital projects and a great number of
existing facilities and acres of land under its care,
the Archdiocese of Indianapolis utilizes a great
deal of resources in the course of its daily
operations. As such, it has an equally large impact
on the local and global environment.
Figure 1 describes select expenses made by the Archdiocese during FY 2007 – 2008. While this data is not a
perfect indicator of the amount, efficiency and environmental impact of the Archdiocese‟ resource use, it is
data that is readily accessible to staff, and serves two main purposes. First, it serves as a good indirect
indicator of the resource use and environmental impacts of Archdiocese operations. Second, it suggests
areas of high environmental impact that can be targeted for cost-savings.
Appendix E details the expenses described in Figure 1 and broadly outlines their associated environmental
impacts. Major expenses can be broken into three categories: (1) travel and conferences; (2) postage, paper
and printing, and (3) utilities. This suggests that the Archdiocese‟ major environmental impacts with the
highest cost savings potential are those associated with travel, paper, and utility consumption.
Appendix F examines the cost savings potential of environmental stewardship actions targeted to particular
areas by estimating a “reasonably expected” savings range based on the experience of others. This analysis
indicates that employee mileage, postage and utilities are areas with high cost-savings potential. Each of
these areas is more closely examined later in this section.
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Mileage reimbursement
expenses: Archdiocese
mileage reimbursement
expenses were examined for
all months of available data for
Fiscal Years 2007 – 2009
(Figure 2). During the 23
months from July 2007 to May
2009, the Archdiocese spent
an average of $17,448 per
month on mileage
reimbursement, with a range
of $4,057 in July 2007 to
$36,331 in June 2008.
Figure 2. Mileage reimbursement expenses 7/07 – 5/09
This data was used to
approximate the miles driven by reimbursed month. Carbon emissions from this driving
employees during that time and the CO2 averaged 15.6 tons per month, and a total of
emissions associated from that driving by utilizing 359.6 tons of carbon pollution were emitted
IRS mileage reimbursement guidelines during that 23 month period.
(www.irs.gov), the average fuel economy of the US
car and truck fleet (25.3 mpg, Fuel Economy In addition to emitting significant amounts of
Basics), and the amount of CO2 produced per pollutants which contribute to global climate
gallon of gasoline consumed (24 lbs CO2/gal, change, the burning of gasoline also emits the
Page 13
While it is not possible to quantitatively estimate
impacts from travel expense data with any sort of D ID YOU KNOW ?
accuracy, it is clear that business travel is a T HE AVERAGE JETEMITS ONE POUND OF CARBON
DIOXIDE FOR EVERY PASSENGER MILE TRAVELED . US
significant source of environmental impacts for BUSINESS TRAVELERS TRAVEL OVER 240 B ILLION
the Archdiocese. Environmental impacts include MILES ANNUALLY .
E NVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE B USINESS T RAVEL
the air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
from car and air travel, the water and energy use
of hotels, and the waste produced by conferences
send out approximately 1.3 tons of paper per
and meetings (Environmentally Responsible
month in outgoing mail. While the assumptions
Business Travel).
behind these calculations
Postage: Archdiocese are not realistic in real life
postage expenses were IMPACT FACT: (clearly, the archdiocese is
examined for all months of not exclusively mailing
BY ONE ESTIMATE , THE A RCHDIOCESE OF
available data for Fiscal INDIANAPOLIS MAILS OUT APPROXIMATELY 1.3 only standard weight
Years 2007 – 2009 (Figure TONS OF PAPER EACH MONTH . letters), it does give us a
4). During the 23 months ________ basis to approximate the
P RODUCING 1.3 TONS OF PAPER REQUIRES :
from July 2007 to May 3.9 TONS OF WOOD organization‟s resource
2009, the Archdiocese 14,474 K W H OF ELECTRICITY use in this area.
spent an average of A ND P RODUCES :
24,798 GALLONS OF WASTEWATER The environmental impact
$12,591 per month on
2961 POUNDS OF SOLID WASTE of producing this amount
postage. 3797 POUNDS OF GREENHOUSE
of paper is high. Producing
G ASES – THE EQUIVALENT OF NEARLY
This data was used to 8 MONTHS OF CAR EXHAUST 1.3 tons of copy paper
provide a very rough requires 3.9 tons of wood
approximation of the tons ( EDF PAPER C ALCULATOR ) and 14,474 kWh of
of paper the Archdiocese electricity, while producing
places in outgoing mail each month. Assuming 24,798 gallons of wastewater, 2961 pounds of
that all outgoing mail is of average letter weight solid waste, and 3797 pounds of greenhouse
and mailed at the standard rate, the Archdiocese gases - the equivalent of nearly 8 months of car
exhaust
(Environmental
Defense Paper
Calculator).
Additional
environmental
impacts result from
the production of
stamps, the
transportation of
paper and stamps,
and the
transportation of
mail to its final
recipients.
www.archindy.org
B UILT IN 1964
H EATING DEGREE DAYS (HDD),
21,630 S QUARE F EET A QUANTITATIVE INDEX DERIVED FROM LOCAL
70% O FFICES / 30% W AREHOUSE TEMPERATURE OBSERVATIONS .
3 E MPLOYEES WITH OFFICE SPACE
78 E MPLOYEES WORK FROM HOME
HDD INDICES REFLECT THE DEMAND FOR
ENERGY REQUIRED TO HEAT A BUILDING WITHIN
100% B UILDING CONDITIONED ; NATURAL
A PARTICULAR LOCATION .
GAS AND AC
1980 – 2003, HVAC SYSTEMS AGE RANGE A BUILDING LOCATED IN FLORIDA WILL HAVE A
LOWER HDD INDEX IN J ANUARY THAN THE SAME
40 HRS A PPROXIMATE WEEKLY USAGE
BUILDING IN INDIANA , BECAUSE HIGHER
F LORIDA TEMPERATURES MEAN IT WILL TAKE
LESS ENERGY TO HEAT THAT BUILDING TO THE
The information presented here is derived from all
SAME TEMPERATURE .
available FY 2007 – 2009 utility bills. First, the
usage and cost of each utility in both facilities is T HIS DOCUMENT USES FAHRENHEIT - BASED
HEATING DEGREE DAYS FOR A BASE
presented. Then, the energy use baseline of each TEMPERATURE OF 65F, RECORDED AT THE
facility is presented for FY 2007 – 2008 to serve INDIANAPOLIS A IRPORT WEATHER STATION .
as a yardstick against which future improvements HDD SOURCE: WWW . DEGREEDAYS . NET
can be measured. While the scope of this
Page 15
Water Use and Cost: the utility bills was also much more erratic and
spiked during the summer months. This is likely
Within its core administrative facilities the
attributed to the frequent estimation (and then
Archdiocese of Indianapolis has used an average
correction) of water use on the utility bills as well
of 12,330 CU FT of water per month over the past
as lawn care needs or other unknown seasonal
2 years at an average monthly cost of $477.44.
water needs which spike during the summer.
Less water was used at the Xavier Building (675
CU FT/mo at an average cost of $40.41/mo ),
which is smaller at 21,630 sq ft, houses
permanent offices for only 3 employees, and has
no lawn. Much more water was used in the
Catholic Center during this time (11,655 CU
FT/mo at an average cost of $437.03/mo). At
95,111 sq ft, the Catholic Center is a much larger
building which houses offices for 110 full time
employees.
Figure 6. Catholic Center and Xavier Building Water Use, FY 2007 – 2009. Page 16
Electricity Use and Cost: months and in the coldest winter months. This
reflects greater use of the building‟s two energy-
Over the past 2 years, the Archdiocese of
efficient heat pumps, which are used to help cool
Indianapolis has used an average of 120,097 kWh
and heat the building as needed by moving heat.
of electricity per month within its core
Note that the electric use of the Catholic Center is
administrative facilities at an average monthly
less in winter, as its heat pumps supplement
cost of $7,194. Less electricity was used at the
steam, its main heat supply.
smaller Xavier Building (13,175 kWh/mo at an
average cost of $1,135/mo) than the Catholic
Center during this same time period
(106,921kWh/mo at an average cost of
$6,058/mo).
Figure 8. Catholic Center and Xavier Building Electricity Use, FY 2007 – 2009. Page 17
Steam Use and Cost: the summer months when no steam is used for
heating along with winter months when steam
In Indianapolis, steam is generated from the
costs have spiked to nearly $14,000. Therms used
burning of municipal solid waste at the Covanta
generally follow HDD as expected, while dipping
Energy-from-Waste Facility where over 2,000 tons
slightly during the holiday season when the
of solid waste is processed daily, generating
building is unoccupied.
4,500 pounds of steam per ton (Covanta). While
some controversy surrounds the air pollution
issues that can be associated with Energy-from-
waste facilities, today many environmentalists
promote it as a viable renewable energy source.
Figure 12. Xavier Building Natural Gas Use, FY 2007 – 2009. Page 19
Energy Use Baseline:
Page 20
4. ACTION AGENDA
This Action Agenda broadly outlines the steps the Archdiocese of Indianapolis can take to reduce its
environmental impact and encourage its parishes, schools, employees and parishioners to do the same. This
section is divided into seven main areas: Energy, Water, Waste, Land Use, Transportation and Travel,
Purchasing, and Communication and Outreach. Comprehensive environmental stewardship
recommendations are made in each area.
There is wide variation in the types of recommendations offered - some require behavioral changes, while
others require equipment upgrades or other measures. Some will have immediate results, while some will
take longer. Recommendations cannot be implemented all at once. Section 6, “Next Steps” recommends an
implementation strategy and first actions for the Archdiocese to make steady progress toward its
environmental goals. Recommendations which can be implemented immediately at little to no cost are
marked with a green target symbol:
www.catholicclimatecovenant.org
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4.1. Energy
Most of the world‟s energy is produced from non-renewable
resources such as natural gas, oil, and coal which contribute to air,
soil and water pollution as well as global climate change. The
United States represents 5% of the world‟s population yet consumes
25% of the world‟s energy – and energy use is expected to grow
1.8% annually through 2020 (Green Action Guide). In Indiana, over
95% of electricity is produced by coal, making our state a major
contributor of
IMPACT FACT: greenhouse gas
pollution and its
Solar oven, www.wholeworldbotanicals.com
Last year the Archdiocese of Indianapolis effects - which are disproportionately felt by the world‟s
spent on average nearly $400 a day for
vulnerable and poor (Catholic Climate Covenant).
energy use in the Catholic Center and Xavier
Building. Taking steps to use less energy will
benefit the environment and free up limited Using less electricity from cleaner sources is vital to
funds that could be used to more directly protecting people and ecosystems worldwide, and
support the Archdiocese‟ mission. ensuring that our stewardship leaves a healthy planet for
future generations.
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Stewardship Step
Conserve
No 1 Energy
____________________________________________ [b] Passive Cooling
The most cost-effective way for an organization to An important way to lower energy bills is to use
use less energy is to raise employee awareness about passive forms of heating and cooling. Encourage
the importance of energy conservation, and work to employees to shut blinds when the sun shines in
improve behavioral practices, habits, and operational office windows in the summer and keep blinds open
procedures: to capture the sun‟s heat in winter. Installing
awnings and window tinting also helps reduce
cooling costs, as well as planting shade trees on the
south and west sides of facilities.
[c] Temperature controls
Set thermostats for 68 degrees in winter and 75
degrees or higher in summer. When the building is
unoccupied at night and on the weekends, turn off
the air conditioning and turn down the heat to 55
degrees in the wintertime. If employees control
temperatures in their offices, stress the importance
of respecting these temperature guidelines, and
[a] Communicate energy conservation encourage them to open windows in the summer
o Post signs reminding employees and guests to instead of using air conditioning. Controlling
turn off the lights when they leave the room. temperatures with programmable thermostats is
Post signs next to light fixtures in bathrooms, recommended (see Stewardship Step # 2 in this
offices, and other spaces that are occasionally section).
unoccupied. [d] Ensure regular maintenance practices
o Post signs reminding employees and guests to Regularly maintain all equipment and appliances to
keep exterior doors closed when the HVAC is ensure they are working as efficiently as possible
running. -HVAC system. Ensure that the HVAC system is
o Ask employees to implement “power maintained according to the manufacturer‟s
conservation” modes on their computer, and to recommendations, including changing the filters
turn off all monitors, printers and copiers at the monthly. Consider purchasing washable filters which
end of the day. Equipment continues to draw can be washed and reused.
power even when turned off, and should be -Appliances. Don‟t forget to clean and maintain
unplugged at night. Follow up with reminders appliances. Maintain an air-gap of at least 3 inches
and employee recognition. between the back of appliances such as refrigerators,
o Remind employees to turn off desk lamps, fans, freezers, and water coolers and the wall. Clean
stereos, and other electric items they may have condenser coils (or the back of the appliance)
in their offices when not in use. regularly.
o Remind employees to unplug all chargers when
the device is fully charged and when not in use. D ID YOU KNOW ?:
Charges draw current even when not plugged
A MERICAN BUSINESSES LOSE UP TO $4
into a device.
B ILLION EVERY YEAR IN WASTED ENERGY
o Limit the use of employee space heaters, hot COSTS THROUGH THE INEFFICIENT USE OF
plates, mini-refrigerators and other equipment OFFICE EQUIPMENT . W ASTED ENERGY ALSO
in offices that draw a lot of energy. Encourage CONTRIBUTES UNNECESSARILY TO LOCAL AIR
POLLUTION AND GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE .
employees to work with Maintenance staff on
temperature issues and use common equipment
G REEN A CTION G UIDE
and appliances in the kitchen or break room.
Page 23
-Air registers. Keep air registers and make sure they [b] Lighting
aren‟t covered by furniture or other obstructions. o Review overhead lighting technology – Between 25
Close heating vents in unused rooms. and 50% of energy use in commercial facilities is
used for lighting, and energy-efficient lighting
upgrades typically pay for themselves. Review
Stewardship Step Make Easy overhead lighting in all facilities to determine if
Page 24
o Install switch plate occupancy sensors – Install
occupancy sensors in bathrooms, hallways and
other areas which are not used frequently.
Occupancy sensors are inexpensive and pay for
themselves quickly.
o Consider installing additional lighting controls
such as bi-level switching, dimmers, and daylight
sensors to avoid over-lighting any area.
[c] Programmable Thermostats
Install programmable thermostats to automatically
reduce temperatures during times when building is
unoccupied. Programmable thermostats are relatively
inexpensive, have a quick payback period, and can
help save up to 20% of energy costs. Ensure that
thermostats are properly programmed - and
reprogrammed when the hours of building use
Putting Energy into Stewardship
change.
[d] Appliances and equipment
When appliances and equipment need to be
replaced, purchase an Energy Star model. It may be
cost-effective to replace older, inefficient appliances
Stewardship Step
Implement an
and equipment with more efficient models. Evaluate
this option whenever equipment is more than ten
No 3 eco-friendly IT
years old.
strategy
____________________________________________
[e] Water Heater Information Technology (IT) is a major source of
Heating water is a major energy use. Turn down energy use in an office environment. The steps
water heaters to 120 degrees (if dishwashers are in outlined below can significantly reduce energy use
use that don‟t have a heat-boosting coil, water will related to IT, as well as to help reduce the
need to be at 140 degrees to sterilize dishes), Archdiocese‟ environmental footprint in other areas:
insulate water heaters and wrap hot water pipes for o Implement a standardized email system to better
increased insulation. When building is unoccupied facilitate efficient, paper-free communications.
o Purchase energy efficient computers and power
for several days or more, turn the water heater down
supplies
to the lowest setting. Where facility hot water needs
o Extend the life of equipment as much as
are limited, consider if a “tankless” water heater
possible. Reuse or donate equipment that has
might be appropriate.
reached the end of its useful life, and recycle IT
[f] Vending Machines
hardware if it cannot be donated or used
Install energy-efficient vending machines, and/or
elsewhere.
institute a policy to unplug machines at night and on
o Put all computers on power-saving modes
the weekends.
manually or through software which can make
[g] Air ducts and steam pipes
the changes remotely:
Insulate air ducts and steam pipes to reduce heat
Sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity
loss.
Switch off screensavers
o Instruct employees to turn off inactive
equipment at night and on the weekend.
o Instruct employees to use centrally-located
printers and copiers and print double-sided by
default. Reduce number of extraneous and
inefficient copiers.
Page 25
Stewardship Step
o Utilize software and training to better enable
o
employees to edit document electronically.
Utilize software and training to enable and
No 4 Take Efficiency
Further
encourage staff to participate in web-meetings ____________________________________________
or teleconferences whenever possible to reduce
It is recommended that the Archdiocese have a
travel.
professional audit conducted each of its directly-
o Virtualize workstations and enable remote
managed facilities in order to systematically identify
access to applications through workstation
all opportunities to reduce energy use as well as
virtualization to reduce commutes and eliminate
make specific recommendations on energy-efficiency
the need for computers to be left on in the
upgrades based on financial analyses and specialized
office.
knowledge of available technologies and equipment.
o Make the network operations center as energy-
efficient as possible, enable remote access to the
If audits are to be performed, it is advisable that staff
center to save energy, and reuse waste heat from
wait until audit recommendations are provided
the network operations center if possible.
before implementing their own energy efficiency
o Reduce equipment and virtualize applications
upgrades. To date, an energy audits has not been
storage and servers in the data center whenever
conducted in any Archdiocese-owned facility (John
possible.
Wahl, personal communication). An energy audit can
o Implement hierarchical storage to the extent
be conducted by an independent third-party energy
feasible.
auditor or by a full-service ESCO company. Each
option is described below:
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis‟ Information
Services division has either already implemented or
has plans in place to implement many of these items [a] Third Party energy audit
(See Appendix D). It is recommended that Third-party energy auditors provide an independent,
implementation of these projects be prioritized for expert evaluation of a facility‟s energy use, energy
completion in the next year in order to significantly savings potential and project costs. They can provide
reduce IT-related energy use. additional services to assist staff - such as preparing
project specifications or financial analyses – but
typically do not perform building retrofit projects.
This ensures that their evaluation is an independent,
expert evaluation rather than an effort to sell
additional services.
[b] Full-service ESCO
Energy Service Companies, or ESCOs, also perform
energy audits to determine a facility‟s energy
efficient retrofit options. However, the ESCO‟s scope
of service typically also includes installing and
managing the recommended energy projects, selling
equipment and providing ongoing equipment
maintenance, and arranging for product financing –
or some combination of these services. The ESCO‟s
main interest, therefore, typically lies not with the
energy audit but in installing and managing the
recommended facility retrofits. This can be positive
insofar as the ESCO has a vested interest in the long-
term results of the retrofits (ESCOs usually specialize
in offering long-term Guaranteed Energy Savings
Contracts), but has the drawback of tying energy
Page 26
audit recommendations to future product or service [a] IPL Green Power Option
sales. Indianapolis Power and Light offers customers the
option to purchase a percentage (up to 100%) of
Based upon Archdiocese staff‟s technical expertise, their electricity from renewable sources of energy.
The additional cost to purchase green power from
preferences, and financing needs an independent
IPL represents renewable energy purchased from
third-party energy audit is the recommended
Midwestern wind farms and Indiana landfill gas
method of facility evaluation.
generation plants. The cost is currently an additional
$0.0065 per kWh. Over the past 2 years the
Stewardship Step
Archdiocese has used an average of 4650 kWh per
Purchase Green
No 5 Energy
month. To purchase 100% renewable power for the
Catholic Center through IPL‟s program, it would cost
approximately an additional $30 per month.
____________________________________________
“Green” energy is electricity supplied from renewable
sources such as solar, wind, biomass, hydroelectric
and geothermal power. Unlike fossil-fuel based
energy sources, green power contributes no or low
global warming pollutants. Choosing to purchase
green energy is an important way to reduce an
organization‟s contribution to air and climate change
pollution – especially in Indiana, where over 95% of
our electricity is generated by burning coal.
Several options are available to the Archdiocese of [b] Renewable Energy Certificates
Indianapolis to purchase green power: Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), also called
Green Tags, can also be purchased directly from
brokers who sell RECs on the open market.
DID YOU KNOW?:
[c] Produce on-site Renewable Energy
Consider opportunities to produce renewable energy
THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAS BEGUN PERFORMING
on-site at each facility. While it may meet only a
ENERGY AUDITS AND RETROFITS ON OVER 15
portion of a building‟s energy needs, auxiliary solar
MILLION SQUARE FEET OF PUBLIC FACILITIES.
or wind energy production can help defray electricity
WHEN COMPLETE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE costs while serving as an educational opportunity
CITY WILL SAVE 30,000 TONS OF CO2 and public demonstration of the Archdiocese‟
EMISSIONS, 84 TONS OF NITROUS OXIDES, 128 environmental values. Opportunities for on-site
TONS OF SULFUR DIOXIDE, AND $6 MILLION IN renewable energy production include solar, wind,
ENERGY COSTS EVERY YEAR. biomass, and geothermal technologies. Full
information on renewable energy generation options
US Mayor‟s Climate Action Handbook can be found at the US Department of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy website:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/
Page 27
Stewardship Step
Purchase Carbon
No 6
Indiana Chapter of The Nature Conservancy to
Offsets support reforestation projects within Indiana,
working with the City of Indianapolis or other
____________________________________________ organizations to support local tree-planting projects,
After calculating its carbon footprint, the or locate Indiana carbon offset projects (including
Archdiocese of Indianapolis can measure how many reforestation, afforestation, agricultural soil
tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases sequestration practices, sustainably managed forest
it emits each year, and then “offset” a percentage or projects) through The Delta Carbon Program
all of that carbon footprint by making voluntary (http://deltacarbon.org) or other regional
financial contributions to a carbon offset program. organizations.
Page 28
can be found at the US Green Building Council‟s employees regarding energy use. Establish an
website: http://www.usgbc.org/. energy-use baseline for each facility, formulate
quantitative reductions goals, track and report
progress, recognize individual efforts, and celebrate
Over the years, Archdiocese staff has done an
successes.
excellent job of incorporating energy efficiency
upgrades into major remodeling projects whenever
Consider joining EPA‟s Energy Star for Congregations
possible. For example, an energy-efficient reflective
program to utilize tools, tips, benchmark facility
roof was installed on the Catholic Center. Recognize
energy use against comparable facilities, and receive
and communicate this and other environmental
recognition.
successes.
Stewardship Step
Increase
No 8 Awareness
____________________________________________
Raise awareness among employees and parishioners
about the ways they can reduce energy use and costs
in their own facilities and homes.
[a] Support energy conservation throughout the
Archdiocese
Use outreach and education tools to educate
parishes, schools, employees, parishioners and the
community about the importance of energy
conservation, energy efficiency and the use of green
power. Communicate the stewardship steps they can
take at work and in their own facilities and homes to
reduce energy use. Provide targeted information on
rebate options and funding opportunities to support
energy conservation efforts within the Archdiocese.
[b] Notify vendors
Notify vendors that energy conservation, energy
efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources
are important to the Archdiocese. Ask them to report
how they are supporting energy conservation, and
formalize any new Archdiocese environmental
policies in their contract language.
Stewardship Step
No 9 Formalize
Practices
____________________________________________
[a] Create and implement an Energy Conservation
Policy
Formalize energy conservation practices in an
Archdiocese Energy Conservation Policy which clearly
communicates procedures and expectations to
Page 29
ADDITIONAL E NERGY R ESOURCES:
ENERGY S TAR FOR CONGREGATIONS : HTTP :// WWW . ENERGYSTAR . GOV /INDEX . CFM ? C = SMALL _ BUSINESS . SB_ CONGREGATIONS
EPA CLEAN ENERGY W EBSITE : HTTP :// WWW . EPA. GOV / CLEANENERGY /
EPA INFORMATION ON CFL B ULBS : HTTP :// WWW .ENERGYSTAR . GOV/ INDEX . CFM ?C =CFLS . PR_ CFLS
C ITIZEN ‟ S G AS ENERGY SAVER ‟ S PROGRAM : HTTP :// WWW . CITIZENSGAS . COM/ FORHOMES/ ENERGYSAVERS . HTML
Sources of Information:
(Green Action Guide, Carbon Offsets, US
Mayor‟s Climate Action Handbook, New
Energy for Cities, Putting Energy into
Stewardship, Green IT, Environmental
Guide for Congregations, Central Indiana
Clean Air Partnership, EnergyStar for
Congregations, EPA Clean Energy Website,
Climate Action Plan, Environmentally
Preferable Purchasing, Benchmarking
Toward Energy Efficiency). See “Works
Cited” for complete citations.
Page 30
4.2. Water
Clean water is an essential resource, yet only 1% of water on Earth is available for use by people ( Water
Conservation). Growing world populations are putting stress on
available water supplies, and equitable access to clean drinking
water is a major moral issue across the world. In the United States
public demand for water has more than tripled since 1950. At least
36 states anticipate water shortages within the next four years, and
it remains an essential resource we can‟t afford to waste here in
Indiana
(WaterSense).
DID YOU KNOW?
www.froedtert.com Taking steps to AN AVERAGE OF 2,906 GALLONS OF WATER IS USED
protect the quality of our drinking water supplies is DAILY IN THE A RCHDIOCESE ‟ C ATHOLIC C ENTER .
critical to the health of this and future generations. T HIS AMOUNT OF WATER WEIGHS OVER 24 TONS !
Likewise, working to actively conserve water yields many
benefits, including:
Cost savings – Water conservation efforts can reduce water and sewer costs by up to 30
percent. Cost savings in maintenance, energy, and chemical expenses are also possible.
Energy savings – When less water is used, less energy is utilized for water treatment,
pumping, and heating.
An environmental benefit – Increased water levels in local streams and wetlands preserves
habitat for native plant and animal species and also allows wetlands to continue their natural
function of filtering pollutants. Reduced air and climate pollution result from water-related
energy savings.
Public health benefits – Lower water levels lead to higher concentrations of pollutants, and
can negatively impact human health.
Less wastewater – Producing less wastewater reduces the energy needed for water treatment.
When there is too much wastewater in Indianapolis‟ combined sewer system, raw sewage
overflows into Indianapolis streams. Many overflow areas are located in central Indianapolis
neighborhoods. (Water Conservation, WaterSense, Household Water Efficiency, Putting Energy
into Stewardship).
Page 31
Stewardship Step
Focus on
No 1
Stewardship Step
Efficiency No 2
____________________________________________
___________________________________________
[a] Regularly check for and repair all leaks
A slow leak can waste over 100 gallons of water in a [a] Use green cleaning products
week, and toilet leaks can waste hundreds of gallons One of the easiest ways to keep chemicals out of our
a day. Check for leaks by periodically shutting down local rivers and streams is to use phosphate-free
all water-using facilities overnight and reading the dishwashing detergent and environmentally-friendly
water meter. If the meter advances, you have a leak janitorial products. The Catholic Center janitorial
somewhere in your facility. Fix leaks promptly and service uses green products. It is recommended that
fix small leaks by replacing toilet flappers and faucet this requirement be included in contract language.
washers as needed. [b] Dispose of chemicals properly
[b] Install water-efficient fixtures Dispose of all unwanted chemicals properly and
Replace all faucet aerators and any showerheads with never put them down the drain. In Indianapolis,
water-efficient models. Install hand nozzles on any unwanted chemicals can be disposed of at
outdoor hoses. These retrofits are inexpensive, can Indianapolis ToxDrop locations (327-4TOX).
be done easily, and typically pay for themselves Archdiocese maintenance services disposes of
within a year. chemicals properly. Ensure that all present and new
[c] Make toilets water-efficient staff is trained in and follows procedures.
Adjust flush valves or install water replacement [c] Wash cars responsibly
devices in existing toilets. For a low-cost solution, When archdiocese vehicles are washed, use a
place plastic bottles filled with water in the tank to commercial car wash that recycles water. Encourage
displace water. employees to do the same with their personal
[d] Upgrade toilets and faucets vehicles – especially those that are used for
Replace any existing automatic toilet flush systems Archdiocese business. Formalize this expectation in
that operate regardless of use with photo- a Green Fleet policy (See section 5.3, Transportation
sensor/use-based automatic flush systems. Install and Travel).
automatic hand/motion sensors on faucets to reduce [d] Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
unnecessary water use. Consider installing water- Adopt an Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
efficient toilets and urinals. approach to minimize the use of chemicals in
[e] Purchase water-efficient products buildings and grounds. IPM controls weeds and pest
When appliances wear out, replace them with a with natural measures, minimizing the use of
water-efficient model. The EPA WaterSense label chemicals wherever possible.
makes it easy to identify water-efficient products. [e] Use water-friendly land use techniques
(See section 4.6 for more information on green Protect water quality by using water-friendly land
purchasing policies) use techniques such as eliminating the use of
irrigation and chemicals outdoors, planting trees to
reduce stormwater runoff, and installing raingardens
DID YOU KNOW? : or bioswales to help remove pollutants from water,
and using rainbarrels. (See section 4.4, Land Use,
T HE AVERAGE A MERICAN USES MORE THAN 100
GALLONS OF WATER A DAY – ENOUGH TO FILL OVER
for more detailed information about water-friendly
1,600 DRINKING GLASSES . land management).
(W ATER S ENSE )
Page 32
Stewardship Step not treated for drinking, is quite suitable to be
“recycled” for other purposes such as irrigation.
No 3 Recycle
[c] Consider installing a green roof
Rainwater A green roof is specially designed to have growing
____________________________________________ vegetation on it. It helps to improve water quality by
slowing and filtering stowmwater, works to further
[a] Use rainbarrels insulate the building, and helps counteract the urban
Install rainbarrels to collect rainwater and use to heat island effect whereby urban areas tend to be
water plants, trees, gardens and landscaping. hotter than surrounding vegetated areas. This
Rainbarrels reduce non-point source pollution in increased temperature exacerbates urban air
streams by keeping rainwater on-site, and reduce pollution problems.
the use of treated water for landscaping. There are [d] Reduce pavement
many commercially available options for rainwater Eliminate or minimize paved surfaces where possible
storage and reuse. in order to reduce the amount of polluted
stormwater runoff. Pave walkways with permeable
Stewardship Step material such as gravel, woodchips, or permeable
pavers. Use permeable pavement for parking lots.
No 4 Focus on Hot
Water Efficiency
[e] Prevent erosion
Place hay bales or silt fences around construction
____________________________________________ areas to keep bare soil from being washed into area
streams and storm sewers during a rainstorm.
[a] Lower water temperature
Set water heaters to the lowest temperature needed
Stewardship Step
(110 – 120 F) to save energy.
Get a
[b] Insulate water heaters
Install insulation blankets on water heaters made
No 6 Water Audit
before 2002. Insulate the first three feet of the hot
water pipe out of the heater in all units. Consider ____________________________________________
insulating all hot water pipes, which saves energy
and allows hot water to reach the tap more quickly. [a] Water Audit
[c] Consider a “tankless” water heater Have a professional conduct a comprehensive water
Consider purchasing a “tankless” water heater to audit of existing facilities in order to detect all leaks
reduce energy use. When purchasing a new water and make recommendations customized to each
heater, choose the most efficient model possible. facility‟s specific needs. Implement all
recommendations.
Stewardship Step
No 5 Opportunities No 7 Increase
Awareness
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
[a] Choose water efficient equipment [a] Post signs for employees and guests
Take advantage of renovations and construction Post signs in the kitchen, bathrooms, and other
projects to choose water-efficient fixtures, toilets
areas where water is used to remind employees to
and appliances. Choose WaterSense-labeled
conserve water. Once employees are made more
products where possible.
aware of their water use, consumption usually
[b] Consider greywater systems
decreases.
Greywater and rainwater collection systems are more
complex than simply installing rainbarrels, and [b] Create a water conservation policy
should be considered for new construction projects. Formalize the Archdiocese‟ water conservation
Greywater is any used water that has not been mixed efforts in a written policy with quantitative targets.
with food or used in toilet facilities. This water, while
Page 33
Regularly report progress to employees, solicit
feedback, and celebrate successes.
DID YOU KNOW ? :
[c] Notify vendors
Notify vendors, especially groundskeepers and
janitorial companies, that water conservation and RAIN GARDENS ARE GARDENS DESIGNED TO
CATCH STORMWATER THAT RUNS OFF OF DRIVEWAYS ,
protecting water quality is important to the
DOWNSPOUTS , PARKING LOTS OR ROADS, AND
Archdiocese. Ask them to report how they are TYPICALLY USE NATIVE PLANTS WITH DEEP ROOTS .
supporting water conservation, and formalize any
new Archdiocese environmental policies in their
contract language. (See section 4.6, purchasing)
RAIN GARDENS ARE PRETTY WITH A
PURPOSE . THEY WORK TO SLOW AND FILTER
[d] Support water conservation throughout the RAINWATER BEFORE IT ENTERS LOCAL WATERWAYS,
Archdiocese HELPING TO REDUCE NON - POINT SOURCE WATER
POLLUTION
Use outreach and education tools to educate
parishes, schools, employees, parishioners and the ( N ON - POINT SOURCE POLLUTION )
community about the importance of water
conservation and protecting water quality.
Communicate the stewardship steps they can take at
work and in their own facilities and homes. (See
section 4.7, Communication and outreach)
Sources of Information:
(Environmental Guide for Congregations, Household Water Efficiency, Lawn Watering Tips, Non-Point
Source Pollution, Putting Energy Into Stewardship, Sustainable Event Planning Guide, Water
Conservation, Water Conservation - GreenBiz.com, Water Conservation Tips, EPA WaterSense).
See “Works Cited” for complete citations.
EPA WATERS ENSE P ROGRAM : HTTP :// WWW. EPA .GOV/ OWM / WATER- EFFICIENCY
EPA WATER E FFICIENCY TIPS FOR BUSINESS : HTTP :// WWW . EPA .GOV / OWM/ WATER -
EFFICIENCY / PUBS/ BUSINESS .HTM
Page 34
4.3. Waste
The average American produces 4.5 pounds of trash every day, up from the 2.6 pounds we each produced in
1960. With more Americans producing more waste, there has been a nearly 300% increase in U.S. garbage
over the past 50 years – 230 million annual tons by
C ATHOLIC C ENTER WASTE : 2003. Our waste doesn‟t vanish when we are finished
with it. Over half ends up in a landfill, and the rest is
Trash is collected two times per week from a incinerated, composted or recycled. Incineration and
large 2-yard container. Trash is then landfilling contribute to air and water pollution – most
incinerated or sent to a local landfill.
directly affecting those who live closest to these
facilities (Environmental Guide for Congregations).
Recycling is collected two times per month in
45 gallon tubs. (John Wahl)
Every organization can take steps to significantly reduce
Congregations)
the waste it produces. The best way to reduce solid
waste is to avoid creating it in the first place. This means purchasing more thoughtfully, reducing waste,
repairing and reusing products instead of throwing them away, and recycling where possible (Green Action
Guide).
Page 35
Stewardship Step
Prevent
No 1
Stewardship Step
Waste No 2
____________________________________________
___________________________________________
[a] Implement an Environmentally Preferable
Purchasing Program [a] Reduce Paper Use
Waste prevention starts with conscientious If the United States cut office paper use by just 10% it
purchasing practices. After all, everything that ends would prevent the emission of 1.6 million tons of
up in the Archdiocese‟ trash is likely something that greenhouse gases -- the equivalent of taking
the Archdiocese bought in the first place. Buy 280,000 cars off the road. There are many simple
reusable and durable products instead of disposable steps the Archdiocese can take to reduce paper use
ones to reduce waste, lower costs, and support other by 10% and more.
environmental goals. (See section 4.6 Purchasing). Educate employees about how they can reduce
[b] Foster a waste prevention ethic paper waste:
Challenge employees to consume less, share
o Print and copy only what is needed. Proof read
resources such as newspapers and magazines
documents on screen, and preview documents
instead of buying multiple copies, and purchase only
before printing. Use the print preview function to
what is necessary to complete a project or achieve a
spot errors before you print. If only a few pages
particular goal. Set up an “extra supply” closet so
of the document are needed, print only those
that extra office supplies and equipment can easily
pages instead of the whole report. Consider
be shared among departments. (See section 4.6 for
sharing documents with co-workers when
more information on green purchasing policies).
possible. Print only the number of copies needed
for a meeting, and don‟t make extras. (IS is
currently implementing an initiative to better
enable electronic proofreading. See Appendix D).
Did you know?:
o Use central printers and make double-sided
You can save up to 20% on your paper use
copies. All employees have access to centrally-
by changing 3 default settings on your located copiers on each floor which print and
documents: copy double-sided in a secure environment, and
also scan documents that can be securely
o Change default margins from 1 inch to emailed. These copiers should be always be used
0.9 inch. This is hardly noticeable and by employees in order to minimize paper,
makes the document about 10% shorter. energy, and printing costs. Training is available
to all employees on how to use copiers. Consider
removing inefficient printers.
o Use a compact font such as Times New
Roman and reduce the default size to
o Post or route internal memos and
11.5 points. This decreases the
announcements instead of printing them
document length by about 5%
o Use electronic communications whenever
o Change the default line spacing from possible. (IS is currently working on several
single-spaced to 0.95, making the initiatives to improve capabilities for electronic
document about 5% shorter. communications. See Appendix D).
Page 36
1.25" to 1" and use a space-efficient font like o Reduce the use of plastic bottles by using
Times New Roman. This, alone, can reduce the pitchers of water with glassware for meetings
amount of paper you use by up to 8%. and offering bulk water dispensers.
o Print addresses directly on envelopes instead o Provide mugs and glassware for guests. Set up
of using labels a washing system for guest glassware whereby
staff volunteer sign up to “do the dishes” 1 day a
month. Keep an updated sign over the sink
o Don‟t do double mailings to try to qualify for
indicating the money saved on Styrofoam cups
bulk mailing rates.
since the program began.
[c] Reduce Waste in the break room o Replace paper towels with air driers. If this is
Purchasing products that are later thrown away not not immediately possible, ensure that recycled-
only adds to the local landfill, but is like throwing content paper towels are purchased.
away money. Purchase durable products for the
break room, and encourage employees and guests to
do the same.
o Use reusable air filters rather than disposable
for all air circulation systems.
Page 37
Stewardship Step
Page 38
o Make recycling more convenient by providing
employee desk-side recycling bins, recycling bins
in break rooms, and additional recycling bins on
each floor. As a rule, a recycling bin should be
offered next to each large trashcan as an
alternative. If this is not possible, signage should
be posted indicating where the nearest recycling
bin can be located.
o Review what materials are recycled. And
consider expanding the formal recycling
program to include additional plastics,
cardboard, toner cartridges, batteries,
electronics, and other waste.
Stewardship Step
o Shop around for recycling rates and services
in order to ensure the Archdiocese is still getting
the best services at the best rate. Look for
No 5 Compost
vendors that will purchase certain materials if
____________________________________________
dropped off, and negotiate with vendors who are
usually willing to be flexible. More recycling
[a] Compost yard and food waste
leads to less trash. Reevaluate your recycling and 25% of all municipal waste is organic matter such as
trash service needs annually. yard waste and food. When landfilled, the anaerobic
o Consider Abitibi. Explore placing an Abitibi decomposition of this waste produces methane, a
Paper Retriever recycling bin in the parking lot. It powerful green house gas. While methane at
takes up very little space, will generate a small Indianapolis‟ landfill is captured and burned for
revenue stream, and encourages the community energy, its capture is not 100%. Setting up a simple
composting program can keep organic materials out
to become involved in the Archdiocese recycling
of the landfill and produce a rich organic fertilizer for
efforts. Be willing to ask them to negotiate on
the lawn and landscaping. It also makes a great
terms.
project to share with children at schools and
o Talk up your recycling program to employees. parishes. Children like to contribute their own food
Make sure bins are labeled and employees know scraps, watch how it decomposes over time, and
what can be recycled where. Engage employees then use it in a garden to grow food and plants that
in measuring the program‟s success and keep it attract wildlife … and produce more waste for the
fun and rewarding. compost pile.
[b] Recycle e-waste and other toxic materials
Electronics contain potentially harmful substances Stewardship Step
and should be kept out of the landfill where they can Conduct a Waste
contaminate water supplies. Batteries, compact
floursecent bulbs (CFLs) and other flourescent bulbs
No 6 Assessment
should also be disposed of properly to prevent
mercury and other toxic substances from seeping ____________________________________________
into groundwater. Information Services currently
recycles electronics through the City of Indianapolis [a] Waste Assessment
ToxDrop program. It is recommended that all Have a staff member or professional conduct a
employees, agencies, parishes and schools be comprehensive waste audit, in order to identify the
advised that CFLs, batteries, electronics and other types and amounts of items are thrown away at a
toxic materials should be recycled through ToxDrop particular facility. An audit can be performed by
or a similar program. examining purchasing records, doing a facility walk-
[c] Recycle construction and demolition materials through or examining and sorting waste. An audit
When demolition and capital projects occur, every will help target waste reduction goals and strategies
effort should be made to reuse, donate or recycle as well as establish a baseline against which future
demolition and construction materials. progress can be measured.
Page 39
Stewardship Step
WASTE RESOURCES:
INDIANAPOLIS RECYCLE AND R EUSE G UIDE : HTTP:// WWW. KIBI .ORG/ RECYCLE/ RECYCLE _ REUSE_ GUIDE . HTM
INDIANAPOLIS RECYCLING PROGRAMS : HTTP :// WWW .SUSTAININDY .ORG / SOLID- WASTE - AND- RECYCLING . CFM
INDIANAPOLIS TOX D ROP: HTTP :// WWW .SUSTAININDY .ORG / TOXDROP .CFM
EPA R EDUCE , REUSE , RECYCLING P ROGRAM FOR B USINESS : HTTP :// WWW . EPA. GOV / EPAWASTE/ WYCD / OFFICE . HTM
EPA S OURCE R EDUCTION P UBLICATIONS : HTTP :// WWW . EPA .GOV/ MSW/ SOURCPUB .HTM
E ARTH 911 M ATERIAL R EUSE G UIDE : HTTP :// BUSINESS .EARTH 911. COM/ GREEN -GUIDES/ MATERIAL -REUSE/
Page 40
4.4. Land Use
The loss and degradation of natural habitats worldwide are a
significant threat to biodiversity (World Resources Institute). The
way in which land is preserved, developed and managed as a
resource also has significant environmental impacts related to
energy use, waste generation, water and air quality and local
wildlife (US Mayors Climate Action Handbook). Importantly, our
connection with land also has a profound impact on the human
spirit and quality of life. Green spaces – sometimes just a tree or
small urban courtyard – are needed places to relax, recharge, and
reconnect (Environmental Guide for Congregations).
Page 41
Stewardship Step
The following recommendations regarding water- The following recommendation regarding water-
efficient irrigation practices are offered: friendly mowing practices is offered:
o Don‟t irrigate if possible, and never water your o Mow at 3 inches with a mulching mower and
lawn or irrigate during times of drought.
leave clippings in place. Lawn clipping provide
o Irrigate using collected rainwater if possible and
nutrients for the lawn, reduce the chance of soil
use downspouts to distribute rainwater over the
lawn and gardens to increase natural irrigation erosion, and keep organic waste out of the
o Irrigate in the early morning or during the landfill where it produces methane gas, a potent
coolest part of the day. Don't water on windy greenhouse gas.
days. [c] Use mulch
o Set sprinkler systems to water the lawn or Mulch around trees, shrubs, and in landscaping beds
garden only – not the sidewalk or street. to conserve water by allowing water to absorb better
and reduce evaporation. Mulch also protects water
quality by covering bare soil. Dirt which is not
covered by plants can more easily erode during a
rainstorm, polluting local water. Consider using
leaves, grass clippings or other vegetative material
for mulch, which will eventually self-compost and act
as an organic fertilizer.
[d] Apply compost
Compost is a great fertilizer and retains moisture in
the soil – helping to conserve water. Additionally,
finding another use for your organic waste through
composting helps reduce waste and greenhouse gas
emissions and is a healthy alternative to commercial
fertilizers – further helping to preserve water quality.
Compost can be applied in landscaping beds and to
top-dress lawns. Collect all yard waste except grass
clippings to be composted and reused. Limbs and
wood waste can be chipped and used for mulch.
[e] Create water-efficient landscaping
Use native plant species in your landscaping, which
are appropriate for the climate and require less
water. Consider xeriscaping - landscaping with
Page 42
native plants which requires very little or no water to
maintain.
[f] Landscape to reduce storm water runoff and
attract wildlife
Landscape to encourage water to run into the ground
rather than neighboring streets, sidewalks and storm
sewers. This reduces non-point source pollution,
helps protect local water quality, and keeps water
out of Indianapolis‟ combined sewer system which
overflows raw sewage into local streams during
heavy rains.
o Plant and properly maintain trees. Plant trees
around parking lots and buildings. Trees reduce
stormwater runoff and support water quality.
They can also reduce energy use by shading
buildings when planted in strategic sites,
improve local air quality, and help to remove Butler University Prairie – www.butler.edu
global warming pollutants from the atmosphere.
little mowing, maintenance or watering – further
Maintain trees with regular, correct pruning.
helping to conserve water and protect air quality
Never “top” trees (cut the tips off of main
from lawn mower emissions. Prairies, which can
branches), which shortens tree life.
also be planted in relatively small urban areas,
o Install a rain garden. Rain gardens are
attract local wild life, are pleasant greenspaces,
landscaped areas that are designed to infiltrate
and can serve as excellent education tools when
rainwater. These gardens collect rainwater
planted on school grounds.
runoff, filter it and then slowly release it into the
o Create riparian buffers. Plant dense strips of
ground - helping reduce soil erosion and local
native trees, shrubs and groundcovers next to
water pollution. Rain gardens are typically
streams, lakes and ditches. In order to protect
landscaped with deep-rooted native plants and
water quality, lawn should not reach to the edge
can attract local wildlife. They make excellent
of a body of water. Instead, a riparian buffer
learning resources at schools. Making a rain
should be created to stabilize the soil and to
garden is not difficult, and there are many
slow and filter run-off.
readily available resources to assist.
o Plant a prairie. Larger land areas can be seeded [g] Sweep sidewalks
with native prairie plants or grasses. These Clean outdoor sidewalks and walkways with a broom
deep-rooted plants help water infiltrate on-site, rather than hose.
protecting water quality, and also require very [h] Protect driplines
In facilities without gutters, spread gravel or plant
grass under the dripline to prevent soil erosion and
better allow for water infiltration.
[i] Eliminate or reduce fertilizer and pesticide use
Protect local water quality by eliminating or reducing
the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Utilize an
Integrated Pest Management system to minimize
chemical use, and use native plants and apply
compost to further reduce the need for fertilizer and
pesticide use. Whenever possible use organic,
biobased, or slow release fertilizers and
biopesticides instead of conventional pesticides. Spot
treat whenever possible and purchase only the
amount of fertilizers and pesticides you need and
can use for a specific treatment. Dispose of all
unused fertilizers and pesticides properly.
Indianapolis Cultural Trail – www.indyculturaltrail.org
Page 43
Stewardship Step
Manage Land for lumber for outdoor benches, signs and decks.
No 2 Waste Reduction o Consider using rubberized asphalt, which
incorporates recycled tires, for walking and
running paths.
____________________________________________
o Use landscaping edging made with recycled
plastic.
[a] Reduce maintenance needs
Adopting land use practices that reduce the
need for landscaping and lawn maintenance
also reduces waste. The following
recommendations are offered to reduce
grounds maintenance needs:
o Select slow-growing native species that
require little maintenance.
o Minimize site and soil disruptions
whenever possible.
o Cluster buildings and structures to
maximize open space and minimize the
need for formal landscaping beds.
o Keep as much natural area as possible –
minimize lawn areas.
Recycled plastic picnic table – www.britichrecycledplastic.co.uk
[b] Use durable, recycled products
Purchase items that will last longer for outside use. o When using concrete, specify high-performance
Whenever possible, use recycled materials. concrete which is much more durable and can
o Use durable plastic lumber made from recycled contain fly ash from trash incinerators and other
bottles and bags rather than pressure treated recycled materials.
[c] Reuse and Recycle unneeded items
Whenever possible, reuse unneeded items to keep
them out of the waste stream:
o Return wooden pallets whenever possible. The
wood from non-returnable products can be
reused for other purposed or chipped for mulch
o When replacing an outdoor structure, take it
apart to reuse or recycle all possible materials
such as metal, wood, shingles, concrete, or
pavement.
o When reconfiguring landscaping or removing
trees and shrubs from facility grounds, healthy
plants can be given to employees or an
organization that can use them.
o When moving soil, reuse it on the grounds.
Creating berms or mounds adds visual interest
to landscaping and can serve as a windbreak.
o Recycle bedding trays, plant containers, and all
other recyclables.
[e] Reclaim land
o Whenever possible, reclaim wasteland and turn it
into a valuable natural area such as prairie,
wetland or forest which support air and water
quality goals while attracting local wildlife and
providing a valuable greenspace for employees
and the community to enjoy.
Low maintenance landscaping
www.louisvilleky.gov
Page 44
Stewardship Step
No 3
Stewardship Step
Adopt Energy
Reduction Practices No 4 Connect with
Nature
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
[a] Reduce facility energy needs
Strategically plant trees and other vegetation outside [a] Garden for wildlife
and around buildings to maximize shade and Whenever possible, make land use choices that
insulation, reducing indoor heating and cooling
attract and support local wildlife and biodiversity.
needs. Protect trees and other vegetation during
Planting native species, preserving open space and
construction. Replace any trees that are damaged or
natural areas, and creating rain gardens and prairie
removed.
plantings all help maintain local biodiversity. They
[b] Reduce emissions
o Use hand or electric tools and equipment also directly work to improve air and water quality,
whenever possible to reduce emissions. Consider improving the environment for all of us.
using electric lawn mowers, or reel lawn mowers [b] Encourage employees to connect with nature
for small areas. Being in natural spaces helps people to relax,
o Perform regular equipment maintenance to recharge, and reconnect. Providing simple
reduce emissions and increase efficiency. greenspaces such as a small courtyard with a bench,
o Use solar powered or high-efficiency lighting for flowers and a bird feeder can improve employee
illuminating walkways, parking lots and outdoor health and well being. Creating pleasant natural
signs spaces in a hectic urban environment or helping to
[c] Minimize use of fuel and petroleum products create a raingardens, prairie plantings or native plant
Use biobased fuels and lubricants for equipment landscaping that attract wildlife can be an enjoyable
whenever possible. project that helps coworkers connect with nature and
each other. Encourage employees to bring green
plants into the office. It helps improve indoor air
quality and provides a daily connection with nature.
Sources of Information:
[c] Review cemetery land use practices
(World Resources Institute, RMI, Water
Flanner and Buchanan performs the day-to-day
Conservation, Lawn Watering Tips, maintenance of Archdiocese cemeteries. Their land
GreenScapes, US Mayor‟s Climate use policies are unknown (John Wahl, personal
Protection Handbook, Environmental Guide communication). The Archdiocese has a large
amount of cemetery land, and the practices used in
for Congregations, Reduce Waste). See
their management have a great impact on the
“Works Cited” for complete citations. environment. It is recommended that the
Archdiocese become familiar with Flanner and
Buchanan‟s standard land use practices and work
with them to develop and implement
environmentally-friendly land use policies.
L AND U SE RESOURCES:
M ARION C OUNTY S OIL AND WATER C ONSERVATION D ISTRICT : HTTP:// MARIONSWCD . ORG
I NDIANA L OW -WATER LANDSCAPING FACTSHEET : HTTP :// WWW . INDYZOO . COM / PDF /X ERISCAPING . PDF
S USTAINABLE URBAN L ANDSCAPE I NFORMATION S ERIES (U OF M E XTENSION ): HTTP://WWW . SUSTLAND . UMN. EDU
I NTEGRATED P EST M ANAGEMENT R ESOURCES (M ICHIGAN STATE U NIVERSITY ): HTTP://WWW . IPM. MSU. EDU
EPA GREEN S CAPES W EBSITE: HTTP :// WWW . EPA . GOV / EPAWASTE / CONSERVE / RRR / GREENSCAPES / PUBS . HTM
EPA C OMPOSTING W EBSITE: HTTP :// WWW . EPA . GOV / WASTE / CONSERVE /RRR /COMPOSTING / INDEX . HTM
Page 45
I NTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF A RBORICULTURE : HTTP://WWW . ISA- ARBOR .COM
4.5. Transportation and Travel
Transportation and business travel are major contributors to air
pollution and global climate change. 20% of US greenhouse gas
emissions come from cars – 350 million tons in 2003 (Environmental
Guide for Congregations). The Archdiocese of Indianapolis, alone,
contributes an average of 15.6 tons of CO2 per month from
reimbursed miles
driven, and spent
DID YOU KNOW? over $500,000 last
T HE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR IS ONE OF THE year on business
LARGEST SOURCES OF U.S. CARBON EMISSIONS , AN travel. This
IMPORTANT GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTANT . POOR
represents a major environmental impact from car and
INDIVIDUALS AND NATIONS , THOSE LEAST ABLE TO
RESPOND , ARE THE ONES MOST AFFECTED BY GLOBAL airplane emissions, hotel water and energy use, and
CLIMATE CHANGE . waste produced at business meetings and conferences
(US M AYOR ‟ S CLIMATE P ROTECTION H ANDBOOK ) (Environmentally Responsible Business Travel).
CATHOLICCLIMATECOVENANT . ORG )
Numerous tools are available to reduce the Archdiocese‟
transportation-related impact on the local and global environment. Proactively working to reduce work-
related travel and employee commutes while encouraging more efficient and environmentally-friendly forms
of travel not only reduces global warming
pollution and protects local air quality, but can
also result in significant cost savings. If just 5%
of the $530,863 spent on Archdiocese travel last
year, for example, is saved through efficiencies
and alternatives the resulting cost savings is over
$26,000.
This section outlines the many steps the Archdiocese can take to reduce travel, transition to more
environmentally-friendly forms of travel, and empower
others to do the same. Recommendations are presented
DID YOU KNOW ? :
as “Stewardship Steps”, or sets of related actions. Not all
recommendations can be implemented at once. Section F UEL EFFICIENCY IS REDUCED 1% FOR EVERY 3 PSI
THAT TIRES ARE UNDER - INFLATED .
6, “Next Steps” outlines a recommended implementation I T IS ESTIMATED THAT 1.2 BILLION GALLONS OF
strategy, while steps which can be implemented FUEL WERE WASTED IN 2005 AS A RESULT OF
DRIVING ON UNDERINFLATED TIRES .
immediately at little to no cost are indicated with this
green target symbol: US D EPARTMENT OF E NERGY
Page 46
Stewardship Step
surrounding neighborhood. Consider keeping a
Reduce Miles
No 1 couple of bicycles on-site that can be borrowed
Traveled by employees for meetings, and make the
workplace bike-friendly by providing bike racks
____________________________________________ or other storage, and a shower facility if
possible.
Last year the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
spent $209,000 to reimburse employee
mileage and nearly $11,000 on fuel costs
for the 12 vehicles it owns. Working to
reduce the total miles driven for
Archdiocese business will save significant
costs and reduce harmful air and global
warming emissions.
[a] Challenge employees to drive less
Launch a “drive less” campaign aimed at:
(1) educating employees about the
environmental and cost impacts of their
car travel on behalf of the Archdiocese,
(2) providing information and tools to
reduce driving, and (3) challenging
employees to reduce the miles they drive
by 10% or more, whether they are driving
Archdiocese-owned vehicles or their own
cars on Archdiocese business. Institute a
system to track miles traveled, report progress on
reduced driving, and celebrate achievements. o Use public transport.
Encourage employees to use IndyGo instead of
driving whenever possible. Ensure that bus fare
Many tools are available to reduce the miles traveled
is included as a reimbursable expense, and share
for Archdiocese business. Share the following
this information with employees. Provide
mileage reduction tips with employees: employees with clear instructions on how to use
the IndyGo system, and route maps for common
o Walk or bike. destinations. Have a “bus day”, hosting field trips
Encourage employees to walk or bike to close with groups of employees traveling to common
destinations instead of driving. Provide maps to destinations so that employees become more
common walking/biking destinations and familiar and comfortable with the bus system.
emphasize that walking or biking cuts fuel costs, o Share Rides
is good for the environment, improves health, Encourage employees to share rides to common
and enables employees to connect with the destinations whenever possible. Set up a
common calendar or other system whereby
employees can post their travel needs and find
D ID YOU KNOW ?
ways to share transportation.
o Plan trips
A CCORDING TO THE A MERICAN A UTOMOBILE
Encourage employees to plan their trips so they
A SSOCIATION , IT COSTS AN AVERAGE OF 54.0 CENTS PER
can link several meeting or errands together
MILE TO OPERATE A CAR - INCLUDING GASOLINE ,
rather than making a separate trip for each travel
MAINTENANCE, INSURANCE , AND DEPRECIATION
need. Encourage employees to think before
driving: Do I really need to make this trip? Can I
(C ENTRAL I NDIANA C OMMUTER S ERVICES ).
walk, bike, ride the bus, or share a ride instead?
Can I combine it with another trip later?
Page 47
On the highway drive the speed limit, use cruise
Stewardship Step control, and use air conditioning to reduce air
Reduce resistance and improve gas mileage. (When
No 2 emissions
driving under 40 mph it is better to roll the
windows down to cool off). Drive in overdrive
____________________________________________ when possible to reduce engine speed, conserve
fuel and reduce emissions.
In addition to reducing the total number of miles [b] Don‟t idle
driven, fuel use and air pollution can also be reduced Idling gets you nowhere. An idling vehicle gets 0
by taking simple steps to “drive smart.” Small mph, wastes costly fuel and contributes to
changes in driving habits add up and can improve greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, and
fuel efficiency by one third. The following guidelines public health issues such as asthma.
can help significantly reduce the Archdiocese‟ o Limit warm-up
contribution to air pollution, in addition to saving on Cars warm up faster when they are moving. Limit
fuel costs for Archdiocese-owned vehicles. Share how long you idle your car to warm up – even on
the following emissions reduction tips with cold mornings - to 30 to 45 seconds. It is not
employees: necessary for vehicle performance, and burns
costly fuel.
[a] Increase fuel efficiency when driving
o Avoid drive-thru windows and heavy traffic
Adhering to the following “eco-driving” guidelines
Vehicles idle unnecessarily in drive-thru
will save on fuel use and air pollution.
windows and heavy traffic. Choose to park your
o Unload extra weight
car and go inside – lines are often shorter,
Carrying extra weight in your car lowers fuel getting you on your way more quickly. If
efficiency unnecessarily. Remove unneeded or possible, avoid rush hour traffic. Leaving a bit
forgotten items, and reduce drag by removing earlier or later, or taking a less-traveled route
ski racks and roof-top carriers when they are not can save gasoline and time.
being used. o Turn off car when waiting or stuck in traffic
o Use correct tire pressure Idling your
Invest in a tire pressure gauge and make it a engine for
more than 30
habit to check your tire pressure every time you
seconds
fuel up. Underinflated tires work harder and
burns more
reduce fuel efficiency. Gas mileage can improve
gasoline than
by about 3% just by keeping tires properly it takes to
inflated. restart the
o Perform regular maintenance engine. Turn
Perform regular, preventative maintenance on off the engine whenever you are stopped for
your vehicle. Regular maintenance, tuneups, and longer than half a minute.
oil changes improve gas mileage and can reduce o Adopting a “no idling” policy Consider adopting
a formal “no idling” policy for Archdiocese-
emissions by more than half. Use the
owned vehicles and cars driven for Archdiocese
recommended motor oil and replace air filters
business. “No idling” policies can lead to
regularly. Regular maintenance also reduces
significant cost-savings for Archdiocese-owned
waste by extending the life of your vehicle. vehicles and contribute to improved local air
o Drive conservatively quality.
Aggressive driving practices such as exceeding o Establish “no idling” zones
the speed limit, “reving” the engine, and Consider establishing posted “no idling” zones
accelerating quickly can significantly reduce fuel near drop-off and loading areas of Archdiocese
efficiency. Accelerate slowly and smoothly, and facilities. No idling zones help to educate others,
obey the speed limit. Driving at 75 mph uses 30 reduce localized air pollution – especially
percent more fuel than driving 55 mpg. important in areas with children – and show the
o Practice eco-driving on the highway Archdiocese‟ commitment to protecting the
environment.
Page 48
[c] Prevent other emissions Stewardship Step
Green the
Vehicle-related air pollution can occur even when the
car is turned off. Gasoline fumes react with No 3 Commute
pollutants, creating ground-level ozone and smog. ____________________________________________
Help lessen pollution from gasoline fumes by
following these tips: Nearly 25% of all car trips that Americans take are to
o Don‟t top off the tank and from work, making a significant contribution to
“Topping off” the gas tank allows gasoline fumes air pollution and global climate change. With nearly
6,000 employees across Indiana, the Archdiocese of
to escape and contribute to air pollution.
Indianapolis has a significant environmental impact
o Tighten your gas cap
related to the employee commute – and a significant
Gasoline evaporates easily and contributes to air
opportunity to reduce that impact.
pollution. As much as 30 gallons of gasoline per
[a] Encourage and enable employees to green
year can evaporate when a gas cap is not fully
their commute:
tightened.
o Utilize tools from Central Indiana Commuter
o Fuel up when its cool
Services (CICS)
During the summer months, think ahead and
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is a participating
plan to fuel up during cooler parts of the day - employer in Central Indiana Commuter Services
early in the morning or in the evening. This helps (CICS) (www.centralincommuter.net). Proactively
prevent gasoline fumes from heating up and educate employees about the numerous tools
creating smog. available to them through CICS to green their
o Maintain air conditioning system professionally commute - including carpool/vanpool services,
Air conditioning refrigerants are potent global and emergency rides home for registered
warming pollutants. Repair air conditioning leaks commuters using any alternative form of
immediately, and have your air conditioning transportation. Recognize and celebrate those
system professionally maintained by a service employees who use alternative forms of
that recovers and recycles the refrigerant rather transportation to get to work.
than releasing it into the atmosphere. o Carpool/Vanpool
Encourage employees to carpool or vanpool to
work. Central Indiana Commuter Services (CICS)
offers carpool and vanpool services to central
Indiana commuters, and will provide an
“emergency ride home” (a free taxi ride home in
case of emergency) to registered Archdiocese
employee commuters if needed. Consider
creating an Archdiocese-sponsored carpool
program depending upon future employee
interest and need. Consider creating one or more
“green transit” parking spaces in a prime location
reserved for carpools and hybrid vehicles.
Recognize employees who carpool or vanpool to
work.
o Walk or bike
Encourage employees to walk or bike to work,
and remind them that bike racks are available on
IndyGo buses. Make the workplace bike-friendly
by providing bike racks or other bike storage,
and a shower facility if possible. Encourage
employees to participate in Indianapolis‟ annual
bike-to-work day
(www.pedalandpark.org/bike2work.htm), and,
consider sponsoring an Archdiocese bike-to-
Page 49
work day. Encourage employees to become o Provide commute-planning support
registered bikers with CICS in order to qualify for Offer employees support in planning their commute
an emergency ride home if needed. Recognize by providing maps and transit route and schedule
employees who walk or bike to work.
information and other services
o Public transport to facilitate the use of commute alternatives and
Encourage employees to take public transit to mitigate the impacts of road construction.
work. The Catholic Center is located on a bus Consider offering employees access to real-time
line and taking an IndyGo bus is a convenient commuter services such traffic congestion, accident
and affordable way to get to work. Provide and weather information to aid in daily route
employees with information on IndyGo routes planning.
and commuting services and encourage them to
become registered commuters with CICS in order
to qualify for an emergency ride home if needed.
For facilities that are not on a transit line,
consider providing shuttle transportation from
transit sites in the morning and afternoon.
o Offer commuter incentives
The IRS allows employers to offer tax-free
commuter benefits designed to act as financial
incentives to encourage the use of public transit
and vanpools. These benefits are under Qualified
Transportation Fringe Benefits provisions, and
can be provided as employer-paid (a direct
commute subsidy, on which the employee pays
no taxes), employee-paid (employee pays no
taxes on transit or vanpool commute expenses),
or as a tax-free shared expense. Consider
offering a “parking space cash-out option” for
employees working at facilities where parking is
paid. This benefit would allow employees to give
up their paid parking space in exchange for tax-
free commuter benefits of the same value.
o Offer flextime/telecommuting
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has a
compressed 4-day work week for employees at
the Catholic Center and Xavier Building. This
policy, alone, cuts the environmental impact of
the employee commute by 20%. Consider
Stewardship Step
adopting a formal telecommuting and flextime
Purchase eco-
policy aimed at reducing commute-related
environmental impacts even further. When No 4 friendly cars
feasible, allowing employees to work from home,
and/or schedule their hours to avoid rush hour ____________________________________________
traffic reduces both the number of commute
miles, and emissions produced when waiting in [a] Make green purchasing decisions
heavy traffic. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis currently owns 12
cars and insures over 167 cars throughout the
Archdiocese. When cars need to be replaced, take
their future fuel and environmental costs into
account by considering their total life-cycle cost.
Page 50
Stewardship Step
No 5
employees and parishioners to do the same by Reduce Business
providing targeted information on environmental and Travel
cost impacts, along with up-to-date tools for
selecting the right green vehicle for its intended ____________________________________________
purpose.
[a] Use electronic communication
Information on efficient car models, technology, and
Reduce business travel by using teleconferencing,
alternative fuels change quickly. Before making a
purchasing decision, research up-to-date internet communications such as skype, or web
alternatives through the US EPA‟s comprehensive conferencing whenever possible. While this will not
Green Vehicle Guide (www.epa.gov/greenvehicles). completely replace the need for face-to-face
Alternatives include fuel-efficient gas-powered meetings, these forms of electronic communication
vehicles, clean diesel vehicles, hybrid and electric can be highly effective when meeting attendees have
cars, and cars that run on alternative fuels such as met previously and are in groups smaller than 10.
compressed natural gas (CNG), ethanol, propane, p- You can share access to computer screens, see
series fuel, and biodiesel (which can be produced
reactions through web cams and easily add new
from used cooking oil). New technologies such as
plug-in hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles are
likely to be commercially available in the next few D ID YOU KNOW ?
years.
[b] Retire older, inefficient or underused cars T HE NUMBER OF MILES DRIVEN EACH DAY HAS INCREASED
Consider retiring older, inefficient, or under-used BY 70 PERCENT SINCE 1980. I NCREASED TRAFFIC
vehicles and replacing them with less-polluting CONGESTION COSTS 6.8 BILLION WASTED GALLONS OF FUEL
models. This may be the time to invest – car prices EACH YEAR NATIONWIDE .
are currently quite competitive and the federal
(www.indycicap.org)
government has recently launched a new Car
Allowance Rebate System (or “Cash for Clunkers”
program) granting a $3,500 - $4,500 credit on new, people to meetings. These forms of electronic
efficient vehicles when an older, inefficient model is communications can also be used to facilitate
traded in. It is recommended that the Archdiocese
telecommuting. It is recommended that Information
investigate if it has vehicles that could be eligible
Services evaluate and choose electronic
under the program. More information can be found
at: www.cars.gov. communications systems options. One electronic
communications systems are identified, information
should be shared with employees and a training
system implemented. Include call-in information on
all meeting requests.
[b] Formalize the travel-approval process
Human Resources is currently in the process of
formulating and implementing a formal policy and
process for approving business travel. This will have
an important impact in reducing business travel that
may not be necessary, and in seeking alternatives
such as inviting a speaker to the Archdiocese rather
than sending multiple employees to hear the same
speaker. It is recommended that this process
incorporate a formal mechanism to determine if
electronic communication is a viable alternative, and
then work with Information Services to provide and
train employees in the use of the chosen technology.
Page 51
Stewardship Step Stewardship Step
No 6 Green Business
Travel No 7 Formalize
Practices
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Stewardship Step
Offset
No 8 Carbon
____________________________________________
Sources of Information:
(Green Action Guide, Greening Fleets, US
[d] Plan green meetings Mayor‟s Climate Protection Handbook,
When hosting an event, look for opportunities to use New Energy for Cities, The EcoDriver‟s
electronic forms of communication whenever
Manual, Commuter Choice, Green
possible, use double-sided printing for handouts
and promotional materials, provide recycling, Business Initiative, Environmental Guide
minimize disposables and promote the use of public for Congregations, Green IT, Earth
transportation. 911.com for Business, Central Indiana
Clean Air Partnership, Reduce Waste). See
“Works Cited” for complete citations.
Page 52
TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES:
EPA G REEN V EHICLE G UIDE: HTTP :// WWW . EPA . GOV / GREENVEHICLE /
DOE A LTERNATIVE F UELS AND A DVANCED V EHICLES DATA C ENTER : HTTP :// WWW . AFDC . ENERGY . GOV /AFDC /INDEX . HTML
E CO DRIVING USA: HTTP :// WWW . ECODRIVINGUSA . COM /#/ BE -AN - ECODRIVER /
LOCAL RESOURCES :
C ENTRAL I NDIANA C OMMUTER S ERVICES : HTTP :// WWW .327 RIDE . NET /
E MPLOYEE C OMMUTING I NFORMATION : HTTP :// WWW . INDYCICAP . ORG / EMPLOYEE - COMMUTING . CFM
B USINESS F LEET I NFORMATION : HTTP :// WWW . INDYCICAP . ORG /3- FLEET -INITIATIVES . CFM
I NDIANA B IOFUELS P UMP L OCATOR M AP: HTTP ://WWW . IN . GOV /OED /2367. HTM
Page 53
4.6. Purchasing
The environmental impacts of every organization relate directly to the products it purchases and uses.
Purchasing decisions are central to the impact an organization has on every other aspect of environmental
stewardship - energy use, water quality, waste generation,
land use, transportation, and even communication and
outreach (Green purchasing). Green or Environmentally
Preferable Purchasing (EPP) is the purchase of products and
services that have “a lesser or reduced effect on human health
and the environment when compared with competing
products that serve the same purpose.” (US EPA).
is an item that saves energy or can be used in place E NVIRONMENTAL G UIDE FOR C ONGREGATIONS
of a large quantity of disposable products.
The purchasing decisions of a large organization like the Archdiocese can have a significant market
influence – helping to support the market for recycled-content goods (encouraging more recycling) and
driving down the price of “green” products which
ultimately makes them more accessible to smaller
organizations (Green purchasing).
Page 54
Stewardship Step
Office paper has a high impact on the environment
Purchase to
No 1 Reduce Waste
and should have 30% post-consumer content or
more, and preferably processed without the use of
____________________________________________ chlorine or bleach. Recycled-content papers have
become competitively priced in the past years.
Page 55
detergent or one that is biodegradable or Stewardship Step
biocompatible. Purchase to Protect
[b] Choose natural or less toxic alternatives for No 3 Natural Resources
pest control in conjunction with the use of an
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system to reduce
____________________________________________
the use of toxic chemicals in buildings and grounds.
Detailed information from the EPA on IPM and
[a] Buy recycled content or tree-free paper
associated products can be found at: Purchase paper made from the highest-possible
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ipm/ recycled content (30% post-consumer content,
[c] Purchase organic foods minimum) and consider tree-free paper made from
For meetings and events, purchase organic foods sources such as bamboo, oat, wheat, rice, and
that are locally grown. If possible, utilize produce recycled denim and currency.
grown organically in a parish or school community [b] Buy environmentally-sound plant products
garden. This is especially meaningful if those Buy items made from environmentally
receiving the food helped to plant the produce and
responsible ingredients, such as organic produce
cared for it by applying compost they created from
and sustainably harvested wood
repurposed food waste. School children typically find
participating in this type of hands-on earth
stewardship project very meaningful.
[d] Consider chemicals before each purchase D ID YOU KNOW ?
Many products contain chemicals that can lead to
poor indoor air quality and affect employee health in M ORE THAN HALF THE PAPER PRODUCED IN THE U NITED
other ways. Consider how toxic a product is in use S TATES COMES FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN FORESTS , THE
and disposal before buying and look for less-toxic
REGION CONTAINING THE GREATEST BIODIVERSITY IN THE
alternatives. Many kinds of plywood and particle
CONTINENTAL U.S.
board can emit formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.
( WWW . TREECYCLE. COM )
Other common products that can emit formaldehyde
or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are carpeting,
adhesives, plastics and paint.
Stewardship Step
Purchase to
No 4 conserve water
____________________________________________
Page 56
given need. Consider hybrid, electric and alternative
D ID YOU KNOW ? fuel vehicles (See Section 4.5 for more information).
[b] Purchase electric or hand tools when possible
N EW ENERGY - EFFICIENT REFRIGERATORS , DISHWASHERS , Avoid gas-powered tools such as lawnmowers and
AND CLOTHES WASHERS USE ABOUT 30% LESS ENERGY trimmers. Purchase electric or hand-powered
THAN MODELS MANUFACTURED 10 YEARS AGO . CONSIDER whenever possible.
REPLACING OLDER , INEFFICIENT APPLIANCES IN THE [c] Purchase local products whenever possible
KITCHEN OR BREAK ROOM . Each product purchased has “indirect” environmental
costs from the fuel use associated with the transport
(R OCKY M OUNTAIN I NSTITUTE ) of raw materials and final product. Try to choose
products that are locally grown or manufactured.
Stewardship Step This not only helps the environment, but also helps
boost the local economy.
No 5 Purchase to
conserve energy Stewardship Step
____________________________________________ Work with
[a] Purchase Energy Star Appliances and
No 7 vendors
Equipment ____________________________________________
It costs more money to operate an appliance over its
lifetime than to buy it. When replacing appliances [a] Communicate Green Purchasing needs to
and equipment, choose EPA-labeled Energy Star
vendors
products when available and select the smallest,
Let current and potential vendors know that the
most energy-efficient model which will meet your
Archdiocese is concerned with the life cycle
needs. Choosing energy-efficient appliances and
environmental impacts of the products it buys and
equipment not only benefits the environment, but
the companies that manufacture and sell them.
also can mean a significant cost-savings over the life
of the equipment.
[b] Purchase energy-efficient light bulbs D ID YOU KNOW ?
Don‟t purchase incandescent light bulbs which waste
90% of their energy to produce heat. Instead, M ANY PRACTICAL RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST IN
purchase compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) for CHOOSING ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PRODUCTS
spotlights, desk lamps and other appropriate INCLUDING E CO -L ABELS AND EPP G UIDEBOOKS .
fixtures. Appropriate energy-efficient bulbs should
be purchased for the overhead lighting system. CFLs E CO - LABELS ARE USED TO PROVIDE A CLEAR SYMBOL THAT
and other fluorescents contain small amounts of A PRODUCT IS DEEMED “ ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE ”
mercury and must be disposed of properly. AFTER HAVING BEEN EVALUATED ON MULTIPLE
ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA . E CO- LABEL CRITERIA ARE NOT
REGULATED IN THE US, SO CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN THAT
Stewardship Step
PRODUCT CERTIFICATION CRITERIA IS TRANSPARENT AND
Purchase to
No 6 conserve fuel
ROBUST .
Page 57
Establish clear lines of communication and ask departments. The purchasing department should
suppliers for information and suggestions. This can work closely with product end-users to select any
be done systematically through administering a new products and evaluate their effectiveness and
vendor survey. value for future use. Centralizing the purchasing
[b] Incorporate environmental criteria in service process will also significantly strengthen efforts to
contracts develop and implement a green purchasing policy
Work with vendors to incorporate environmental which successfully meets the Archdiocese‟
criteria into existing service contracts wherever environmental and cost-saving goals
feasible. Clearly spell out environmental criteria and [b] Work with vendors to negotiate term-contracts
expectations in new contracts. Based upon the potential buying power of the
[c] Integrate environmental aspects in purchasing Archdiocese‟ 73 schools and 151 parishes, it is
documents recommended that the Archdiocese approach
Modify any standard specifications or bidding vendors about negotiating low-cost term contracts
documents to include environmental and life cycle for common green products. While this buying power
costing criteria is not guaranteed, it is worth opening discussions to
[d] Request sample products explore possibilities.
Environmental purchasing does not mean [c] Work to establish a pilot Indianapolis Green
compromising on product quality or performance. Purchasing Consortium
Staff who will be utilizing the product may be wary of Work with local Archdiocese parishes and schools, as
trying something new. Work with vendors to get well as green congregations of other denominations,
sample products for staff to test and share feedback to establish a pilot green purchasing consortium in
on before buying larger quantities. order to negotiate lower prices for common green
products. Begin by focusing on one or two products,
solicit feedback, and communicate and build on
Stewardship Step successes.
Leverage Buying [d] Collaborate with the Catholic Purchasing
No 8 Power Network
Over 60% of the products purchased throughout the
____________________________________________ Archdiocese are purchased through the Catholic
Purchasing Network. It is recommended that the
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis purchases a large Archdiocese of Indianapolis approach and offer to
work with the Catholic Purchasing Consortium on
quantity of goods to support its daily operations.
beginning the process of incorporating
Leveraging this buying power to the greatest extent
environmental criteria into some of its product lines
possible can enable the Archdiocese to help drive
and offering some environmentally-preferable
down prices for green products, making them more product alternatives. This will not only offer a
accessible within the organization and to consumers potential cost savings to the Archdiocese on green
in the larger community. products, but also has the potential to make an
[a] Centralize Archdiocese administrative incredible reduction in the environmental footprint
purchasing associated with Catholic purchasing across the
nation. Purchasing staff within the Archdiocese of
In order to leverage the purchasing power of the
Indianapolis is involved with the Catholic Purchasing
Archdiocese‟ 113 employees within the Catholic
Consortium‟s governing board and may be in a good
Center and Xavier Building, it is recommended that position to help explore these opportunities.
purchasing procedures be centralized through the
Archdiocese purchasing office. Significant cost-
savings can be achieved by purchasing large
quantities of green office products (and other
commonly used products) such as recycled-content
office paper which can then be distributed among
Page 58
Stewardship Step
Formalize Green
No 9 Purchasing
Practices
Sources of Information:
(New Energy for Cities, US Mayors Climate Protection
____________________________________________
Handbook, Green Business, Earth 911 for Business, EPA
EPP Website, NYC WasteLess Website, Green Action Guide,
[a] Develop and implement a Green Purchasing Green Purchasing, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing,
Policy Environmental Purchasing Policies 101, Premier,
Formalize green purchasing practices in an California Climate Action Network, Green IT, Group
Archdiocese Green Purchasing Policy which Purchasing). See “Works Cited” for complete citations
establishes and clearly communicates purchasing citations.
procedures and environmental purchasing criteria to
employees. Engage staff in creating procedures to
apply environmental and life cycle costing criteria to A PRODUCT OR SERVICE ‟ S L IFE C YCLE C OST IS THE
purchasing decisions. Establish baseline information
OVERALL ESTIMATED COST FOR THE LIFE OF THE PRODUCT
on current purchasing practices, formulate
OR SERVICE , INCLUDING :
quantitative green purchasing goals, track and report
progress, and celebrate successes.
DIRECT AND INDIRECT INITIAL COSTS
[b] Support Green Purchasing decisions
The Archdiocese‟ Purchasing Department currently + ONGOING OR PERIODIC OPERATIONS AND
parishes, schools and within the Archdiocese‟ core + PRODUCT DISPOSAL COSTS
(G REEN P URCHASING )
Page 59
GREEN PURCHASING RESOURCES:
EPA G UIDE TO E NVIRONMENTALLY P REFERABLE P URCHASING : HTTP :// WWW . EPA . GOV / EPP
EPA G REEN PURCHASING D ATABASE : WWW . EPA . GOV / EPP / DATABASE . HTM
US G ENERAL S ERVICES A DMINISTRATION GREEN PRODUCTS G UIDE : WWW . PUB . FSS . GSA . GOV / ENVIRON /INDEX . HTML .
E NVIRONMENTAL D EFENSE F UND : P APER AND P ACKAGING I NFORMATION AND R ESOURCES FOR C ORPORATIONS :
HTTP :// WWW . EDF . ORG / PAGE . CFM ? TAG ID=1439
C ATHOLIC R ELIEF S ERVICES F AIR T RADE C OFFEE: HTTP :// WWW . CRSFAIRTRADE . ORG / COFFEE _ PROJECT /INDEX . HTM
ECO-LOGOS:
G REENER CHOICES. ORG: E CO LABEL W EBSITE : HTTP :// WWW . GREENERCHOICES . ORG / ECO - LABELS
MBDC: "C RADLE TO C RADLE " C ERTIFICATION : HTTP :// WWW . MBDC . COM /
Page 60
4.7. Communication and Outreach
Clearly communicating to employees the importance of working together to reduce the Archdiocese‟
environmental impact (while also reducing costs) is critical to the successful implementation of the
Archdiocese‟ Environmental Stewardship Agenda. In fact,
employee engagement and partnership is the central ingredient
of a successful program (US Mayors Climate Action Handbook).
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has over 5,800 employees, more than 225,000 parishioners, and nearly
25,000 school children. It therefore has a profound
opportunity to help bring about an enormous collective
DID YOU KNOW?
benefit to the environment by helping Indiana Catholics
P ROGRAMSWHICH ACTIVELY ENGAGE TEACHERS AND to tread more lightly on the earth at work, home, school,
STUDENTS AS PARTNERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL
and church. This is an opportunity that can be realized
STEWARDSHIP CAN BE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL .
with effective communication and outreach tools.
B EINGGOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT CAN
BE VERY INSPIRING TO STUDENTS , STAFF AND THE This section outlines the many communication and
COMMUNITY - AND PROVIDES REAL - LIFE LEARNING
MATERIALS FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS .
outreach tools the Archdiocese can utilize to educate and
engage its employees, parishioners, parishes and schools
in environmental stewardship. Recommendations are
presented as “Stewardship Steps”, or sets of related actions. Not all recommendations can be implemented
at once. Section 6, “Next Steps” outlines a recommended implementation strategy, while steps which can be
implemented immediately at little to no cost are indicated with this green target symbol:
A RCHBISHOP BUECHLEIN
“C ATHOLIC S CHOOL VALUES ”
A MERICA , 4/24/99 ( PAGE 8)
Q UOTED AT : HTTP :// WWW . NCRLC . COM / BISHOP -
STATEMENTS - WEBPAGES /INDIANA . HTM
Page 61
Stewardship Step
Page 62
Stewardship Step
Archdiocese‟ intent to encourage and support the
efforts of parishes and schools to green their own
operations.
No 3 Communication and
outreach with
[b] Engage parishes and schools as partners parishioners
Engaging parishes and schools as partners and ____________________________________________
motivating them to begin the process of greening
The daily choices that every individual makes have
their own operations is key to successfully increasing
an impact on the local and global environment – and
the efficiency of resource use throughout the on the people most affected by environmental
Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Consider creating a spot contamination and climate change. Small impacts
on the Archdiocese‟ webpage, a regular Criterion from daily choices add up. With over 225,000
article or monthly e- parishioners – each of whom
newsletter in which impacts the environment in their
parishes and schools home, car and work – the
can highlight their environmental footprint under the
Archdiocese‟ scope of influence is
environmental efforts
large, as is the opportunity to
and share
encourage and assist parishioners
experiences and in reducing their environmental
resources with one impact.
another across the [a] Introduce “Care for Creation”
Archdiocese. Introduce the concept of “Care for
[c] Provide tools to Creation” to parishioners through
green facilities and the Criterion, website and other
use stewardship as means. Share what “Care for
Creation” is all about, and
an educational
communicate its value to the
resource Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Share
Provide Archdiocese the steps the Archdiocese is taking
Schools and Parishes to green its own operations, and
with clear and easy to the results of those successful
follow “tool kits” to actions in terms of money saved
begin the process of and environmental impacts averted.
greening their own
[b] Provide education and tools.
facilities. Additionally
Develop and distribute tips and
provide tools to
support the use of “toolkits” for individuals to reduce
environmental their environmental impact at
stewardship as an home, in the car, and at work.
educational resource and opportunity for spiritual Provide a space on the Archdiocese website for
growth. individuals to share information and resources on
their efforts to go green, and provide a regular
Provide parishes and schools with needed
Criterion column written by a parishioner on
information and make technical support available as
greening their lifestyle. Host “Low Carbon Diet”
they begin implementation of their own
workshops for employees and parishioners and
environmental programs.
consider developing targeted “toolkits” through a
Find and celebrate existing environmental efforts “Green Team” approach, based on implementing
within the Archdiocese, such as Indianapolis‟ “Green change through community support and fellowship.
Deanery”, and consider sponsoring friendly Solicit suggestions from parishioners on what tools
competitions among parishes, schools, parishioner they would find helpful to support their greening
homes, or departments within the Archdiocese to efforts, and work with them to implement their
recognize and encourage environmental successes.
ideas.
Page 63
Stewardship Step Stewardship Step
Communication and Use eco-friendly
No 4 outreach with the
wider community No 5 communications
tools
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis can play a role in [a] Electronic Communications. Use electronic
informing and encouraging the wider Catholic, communications such as email, e-newsletters, and
interdenominational, and secular communities to interactive websites instead of paper whenever
reduce their environmental impacts. possible. Prioritize implementing a standardized,
Communications strategies can include: using the accessible email communication system with all
website, Criterion, electronic communications and schools and parishes. Begin forming a parishioner
other media to motivate and inform; sponsoring or email list serve so that information can be sent via
participating in an environmental fair open to the email and e-newsletter. Offer parishioners the option
public; the development and use of environmental of an electronic subscription to the Criterion instead
stewardship educational materials; publicizing of a paper one.
successful steps the Archdiocese has taken to reduce [a] Recycled or tree-free paper. To really “Walk the
its environmental impact; and others. Talk” when paper is needed for “Care for Creation”
[a] Larger Catholic Community – Share successes, communications, it should be printed on the most
resources, and “lessons learned” with Catholic sustainable paper possible ( tree-free or high
Agencies and other Diocese just beginning the recycled content, processed chlorine-free) with an
process of improved environmental stewardship. eco-friendly ink (such as soy-based ink). Be sure to
Seek “lessons learned” from others that may have offer a place where brochures or flyers can be
similar experiences. collected and reused or recycled.
[b] Local interdenominational community – Share
information and resources with the local
interdenominational “Green Congregations” Sources of Information:
community. Learn from the experience of others, (Green Action Guide, US Mayor‟s Climate
and seek ways to support common efforts such as Protection Handbook, Climate Action Plan, Green
working to build a Green Purchasing consortium to Purchasing, Environmentally Preferable
make green products more accessible. Purchasing, Environmental Purchasing Policies)
[d] Local community – Share information with the
local community through the Archdiocese‟ website, See “Works Cited” for complete citations.
While some environmental initiatives can be implemented at little or no cost, others require significant up-
front capital. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has the opportunity to make use of a broad range of funding
options to support its environmental stewardship goals, including: financing strategies such as Guaranteed
Energy Savings Contracts, internal financing options, pension fund investments, and bonding initiatives;
grants; rebates; and private donations.
Despite these results, financing Energy Efficiency projects through a formal Guaranteed Energy Savings
Contract with an ESCO is not a recommended financing mechanism for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
Indiana law restricts formal Guaranteed Energy Savings Contracting to public entities, and ESCOs typically
charge a premium interest rate for guaranteeing energy savings.
Page 65
investment in energy efficiency upgrades can reduce a facility‟s energy costs by up to 30%, potentially
providing a sizeable return on investment. (EnergyStar for Congregations).
Another funding option which can be explored is a targeted bonding initiative. The Archdiocese of
Indianapolis has a Moody‟s Credit rating and can issue tax-exempt bonds. Funds can also be made available
for green building projects by the sale of underused facilities, saving money and making more efficient use
of space in Archdiocese core facilities in the process. While it is beyond the scope of this document to give
specific financial advice, it is recommended that this and the other internal financing mechanisms presented
here be further evaluated for suitability as viable financing mechanisms for Archdiocese environmental
stewardship projects.
Page 66
environmental stewardship efforts. The original funding to establish the revolving loan fund can come from
re-prioritized existing organizational funds, a special bonding initiative, investment fund monies, grant
monies, private donations, or a combination of funding sources.
While no government grant opportunities are currently available, potential opportunities – including state
funding for energy efficiency projects, and an Indianapolis Green Building Fund - are outlined in Appendix
G. Appendix H lists private grant-making entities known to financially support environmental initiatives. It is
recommended that development staff further research the funding opportunities available through these
public and private grant-making
entities, and pursue appropriate
prospects.
Page 67
6. NEXT STEPS
The Action Agenda presented in Section 4 comprehensively outlines steps the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
can take to reduce the environmental impact of its own operations, while encouraging similar actions among
its parishes, schools, employees and parishioners. Not everything can be implemented at once. This section
outlines a strategic approach to begin implementation of the Archdiocese‟ Environmental Stewardship
Agenda, and ensure that that its implementation is successful and sustained. Included are recommendations
on a strategic implementation strategy and structure, as well as specific recommendations on next steps
over the next 12 months.
1. Jumpstart Projects. Take early action by implementing some first “jumpstart projects” that are
inexpensive, easy, and visible. This will launch the Archdiocese‟ environmental efforts with concrete action,
build momentum among staff, and create successes that can be built upon. Recommendations for first
projects include:
Page 68
o Reduce energy use in Archdiocese-managed facilities by taking easy steps such as caulking
around windows and doors and weather-stripping. Ensure that all incandescent bulbs have been
switched to CFL bulbs, and install low-cost occupancy sensors and programmable thermostats in
appropriate locations throughout Archdiocese facilities.
o Reduce water use by installing inexpensive faucet aerators and checking regularly for leaks.
o Post stewardship signs reminding employees and guests to turn off lights when not in use,
conserve water, and place recycling in the appropriate receptacles.
o Provide staff with desk-side recycling bins, and remind them of which items to recycle and where
they are collected. If bins cannot be purchased, provide employees with an attractive Archdiocese
office paper recycling sign which can be affixed to a suitable repurposed box.
o Send out a short monthly e-newsletter to regularly update staff on environmental efforts, share
information, solicit feedback, recognize employees, and celebrate successes.
2. Implementation Structure. It is recommended that the Archdiocese of Indianapolis put a formal structure
in place to ensure the successful implementation of its environmental stewardship goals. It is recommended
that this structure be formed both by a committee comprised of key staff – an Environmental Committee, or
staff “Green Team” – and by an Environmental Project Manager charged with leading the effort and
overseeing the details of each particular project - including formal policy development, project planning,
implementation, ongoing project management and results tracking.
This structure ensures that projects are successfully implemented in a timely and professional manner, while
allowing for critical staff collaboration and communication.
Including key staff input in the planning, implementation and
feedback process is important for several reasons. First, it develops
staff buy-in and allows for considerations from across the
organization to be taken into account as specific projects are
developed and implemented. Second, it puts a formal process in
place for inter-departmental staff communication, oversight, and
problem-solving. Finally, it utilizes key staff expertise as a critical
implementation resource but does so in a way which is highly
respectful of their time and principal responsibilities.
Page 69
3. Internal Planning. It is recommended that, with input and oversight from the Staff Environmental
Committee, an Environmental Project Manager lead the internal planning effort to prioritize actions for
implementation, formalize environmental policy, gather full baseline data on current practices, and set
quantitative goals.
4. Project Implementation. Once first projects are agreed upon, implementation can begin at any time. It is
recommended that an Environmental Project Manager lead the implementation effort in close collaboration
with key staff, and with the oversight and feedback of the Environmental Stewardship Committee.
5. Results Tracking and Assessment. When implementation is underway, project results should be tracked
regularly against baseline data to gauge if the project is on track or if its approach should be modified. It is
recommended that progress be regularly reported to the Staff Environmental Stewardship Committee and
employees, and additionally shared with Archdiocese parishes, schools, and parishioners. If a project is not
on track to meeting its goals, the Environmental Coordinator and Staff
Committee – with additional staff feedback as appropriate -should
assess the program, evaluate why it may not be working as planned,
and adjust their approach as needed.
It is recommended that the following steps be taken over the next 12 months to begin implementation of
the Archdiocese‟ Environmental Action Agenda, and ensure that that its implementation is successful and
sustained:
1. Hold a kick-off meeting to brief staff on the Archdiocese environmental agenda. Include information on
projects that have already been implemented along with their estimated cost savings and environmental
impact. Recognize employees who are taking initiative, and invite all employees to collaborate and build
upon this success.
2. Share “best practices” information with Parishes and Schools to encourage efforts to green their own
facilities. Communicate the goals of the Archdiocese environmental agenda with parishes, schools and
parishioners through the Criterion, an e-newsletter, or other appropriate means.
3. Implement small “jumpstart projects” immediately and then periodically to introduce the Archdiocese‟
environmental initiatives, create visible successes, and build and maintain momentum among employees,
parishioners, parishes and schools. Appropriate jumpstart projects - those that are low-cost, relatively easy
to implement, and visible - are listed in the previous section. Recommendations marked with the green
target symbol throughout Section 4 are also potential jumpstart projects.
4. Establish a formal implementation structure to ensure that the Archdiocese‟ environmental efforts are
successful and sustained. It is recommended that the effort be led by an Environmental Project Manager
Page 70
working in collaboration with a staff Environmental Committee to provide input, oversight, and coordination
across departments.
5. Work to formalize an environmental policy to adopt a vision statement and clear goals, institutionalize
environmental practices, and clearly communicate expectations to employees. This can be a longer-term
process which takes place parallel to project implementation.
6. Implement first large environmental projects. It is recommended that the Archdiocese work to implement
its first 4 large environmental projects over the next 12 months. The following projects are recommended
based upon their cost-savings potential - along with the Archdiocese‟ organizational values, preferences,
and needs
It is recommended that the Archdiocese of Indianapolis have independent third-party energy audits
conducted of the seven facilities it directly manages, as well as a corresponding financial analysis of
the proposed retrofit projects. While many energy-efficient updates have been made in Archdiocese-
managed facilities over time, no facility has been fully audited previously. Energy audits will provide
an independent, expert evaluation of each facility‟s energy use, energy savings potential and project
costs. Building retrofit projects can then be coordinated independently by in-house staff. It is
recommended that the Archdiocese closely evaluate funding options (Section 5) and determine the
best strategy to invest in energy efficiency projects across the Archdiocese.
It is also recommended that an energy use policy be developed for staff to clearly communicate and
formalize expectations regarding energy conservation measures that should be taken in the
workplace. Each facility‟s energy use should be tracked and regularly reported to employees.
Page 71
and (4) challenging employees to reduce the miles they drive by 10% or more - whether they are
driving Archdiocese-owned vehicles or their own cars on Archdiocese business.
Working to reduce the total miles driven for Archdiocese business, and improving the way cars are
driven will result in significant savings and reduce harmful air and global warming pollutants. It is
recommended that a system be instituted to track miles traveled, report progress on reduced driving
(in terms of miles reduced, environmental impacts averted, and costs saved), and celebrate employee
efforts.
It is additionally recommended that efforts already underway through the Human Resources
Department to implement employee travel approval standards be prioritized for completion in 2009
and specifically incorporate environmental considerations [Section 4.5, Steps 1 and 2].
Launch a “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” campaign aimed at (1) educating employees about the
environmental benefits of waste prevention, reduction and recycling, (2) providing information and
tools to assist employees in making purchasing and disposal choices that reduce costly waste and
increase recycling rates, (3) focusing on reduction of paper waste and postage costs through
double-sided printing, electronic communications and other means, (4) reviewing and strengthening
recycling programs at all Archdiocese-managed facilities, and (3) challenging employees to reduce
waste and increase recycling rates. It is recommended that a system be instituted to track the
amount of waste generated and recycled, regularly report progress to employees, and celebrate
employee efforts. [Section 4.3, Steps 1,2,3,4,6,7]
The Information Services Department has several projects underway in implementation and planning
phases that can significantly reduce the organization‟s paper and energy use. Fully outlined in
Appendix D, projects include better facilitating electronic communications among employees,
workstation and server virtualization, setting computers to minimal power settings, increasing the
thermal efficiency of the network operations center, and implementing Snag-it 9.1 and ServerCheck.
It is recommended that these projects be prioritized for implementation within the next 12 months,
and results tracked and communicated to employees. [Section 4.1, Step 3]
7. Proactively establish ongoing two-way communication and engagement with employees, parishioners,
parishes and schools regarding environmental efforts within the Archdiocese. [Section 4.7]
Page 72
Figure 16. Archdiocese Environmental Stewardship Action Agenda Implementation Timeline.
Page 73
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New Energy for Cities: Energy Saving and Job Creation Policies for Local Governments. The Apollo Alliance.
June 2009. <http://www.apolloalliance.org/downloads/resources_new_energy_cities.pdf>
Non-Point Source Pollution. City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works, Clean Stream Team. June 2009.
<http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPW/Environment/CleanStream/Help/Businesses/Pages/non-
point.aspx>
Putting Energy Into Stewardship: ENERGY STAR Guide for Congregations. Energy Star, United States
Environmental Protection Agency. December, 2007.
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/small_business/congregations_guidebook/Cong_Guide.pdf
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Sustainable Event Planning Guide. Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee Greening Initiative. Fall 2008.
<http://www.greenprintdenver.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/sustainability-guide.pdf>
United Nations Brundtland Commission. Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development:
Our Common Future. 1987, Accessed June 2009. <http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm>
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Climate Change Justice and Health Initiative. June 2009.
<http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/climate/>
US Mayors Climate Action Handbook. Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI). 2006.
<http://www.icleiusa.org/action-center/planning/climate-action-handbook>
Water Conservation. Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce Green Business Program. June 2009.
<http://www.indygreenbusiness.com/index/GoGreen/WaterConservation.asp>
Water Conservation Tips: A 10-Step Approach for your business. Long Beach Water Department. June 2009.
<http://www.lbwater.org/pdf/conservation/Tips_Bus.pdf>
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APPENDIX A: BEST PRACTICES FOR PARISHES AND SCHOOLS
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis recognizes the importance of caring for God‟s creation by making careful
and efficient use of the Earth‟s resources, and has begun a process aimed at reducing the environmental
impact of its daily operations.
Taking steps to use resources more efficiently and reduce costly waste not only helps the environment, but
also saves money, improves human health and quality of life, can serve as an important educational and
spiritual resource, and is an important part of caring for one another – especially the poor and vulnerable
who suffer most from negative environmental impacts.
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis supports the efforts of its Parishes and Schools to reduce the environmental
impact of their own facilities and operations, while encouraging students and parishioners to do the same at
work and home. The following are steps that can be taken to Care for Creation:
3. Update Lighting
Make simple lighting updates to save energy and money. Replace all incandescent light bulbs with compact
fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. CFLs last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use two-thirds less energy,
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and will save $30 over the life of each bulb. CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury – be sure to dispose
of them properly. If linear fluorescents are used for overhead lighting, switch to T-8 lamps and electronic
ballasts, which use 30% less energy than older T12 tubes with magnetic ballasts.
4. Conserve Water
Take simple steps to use less water by installing low-cost aerators on faucets and low-flow showerheads,
placing filled plastic bottles in toilet tanks to displace water, and eliminating or limiting lawn watering. Using
less hot water saves energy. Save even more energy by lowering the water heater to 120 degrees, wrapping
it in an insulating blanket if it is less than five years old, and insulating hot water pipes.
4. Drive Less
Driving less for school or parish business means fewer emissions and lower fuel costs. Encourage the use of
mass transit, walking or biking to close destinations, and sharing rides whenever possible. To improve gas
mileage, make sure that vehicles are maintained regularly and that tires are inflated to the recommended
pressure.
4. Plant a Tree
Trees absorb carbon dioxide, reduce air and water pollutants, provide shelter for birds and other wildlife,
and can help reduce energy costs by shading buildings. Trees, plants, and natural areas also remind us of
our connection to God‟s creation, help us relax, and are good for the human spirit. Planting trees and
landscaping with low water requirements beautifies grounds while helping to reduce environmental impacts.
www.catholicclimatecovenant.org
Indianapolis Green Congregations Website:
Catholic Coalition on Climate Change. www.ikecoalition.org/Green_Sanctuary/Green_Sanctuary.htm
www.catholicsandclimatechange.org/
NCEA: Ensuring a Healthy Environment:
www.ncea.org/departments/nabccce/EnvironmentalConcerns.asp
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APPENDIX B: STAFF PRIORITIES
A meeting of Archdiocese administrative leadership staff* was held May 6, 2009 at which participants were
asked to prioritize (and add or remove is necessary) seven organizational priorities:
Attendees were also given the opportunity to discuss priorities during subsequent individual meetings held
during May and June 2009. Individual staff priorities are listed below:
Top 2 priorities – Budget Issues and Moral Obligation. Addressing budget shortfall is short-term need,
incorporating other values is long-term benefit. Good example: direct deposit instead of printing paychecks.
Sometimes can have more efficient/cheaper result without sacrificing quality
Everything comes under umbrella of “Meeting Member (Parish/Schools/Members) Needs and Interest”. Key
questions are: are we doing the right things? Are we doing them as cost-effectively as possible? Are we
meeting the needs of the people we serve?
“Walk the Talk”: Lead by example, while still meeting all member needs
Taking care of customer needs: other things under that umbrella: social justice, moral obligation, walk the
talk, education.
BUDGET of departments, and support and help the parishes. Be good stewards of dollars. Employee
education is very important
Have done many things thus far such as switching to LCDs. There are better ways to leverage technology
such as having email company-wide.
Concerned with building energy consumption, number of buildings and how space is used
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Staff Priorities - Values statements from individual staff interviews
We can potentially use Environmentally Preferable Products even if they cost a bit more because it is
important. It is important to describe the environmental impacts in a way that is easily understood.
“reduce/reuse/recycle” – believe in more efficient use of resources. Work toward becoming more efficient
while still achieving goals – being conscious of how use resources and how environmental impact plays into
that. Minimizing inputs and minimizing waste (Chemicals are different issue) – using resources more
efficiently.
VISIBILITY is key. There are little things happening, but need to be known/visible. We also need to save
money
The Archdiocese as an environment that respects the whole person - Mission as church, Care about people
There is a value in being green, as it relates to hiring and retaining good people. Shows that we “practice
what we preach”
Key question: “Are we doing the right things in the right way?”
I see this initiative as potentially saving jobs. It reduces inefficiencies and appeals to donors, who what to
see the organization living its values
We need to „walk the walk‟ by leading by example with win-win decisions making.
Would like to see a heightened sense of understanding from ALL employees that it‟s the little things that
matter. Ultimately, they are the ones flipping light switches, throwing recyclables into the correct bin.
Culture shift/ education: adjusting their office temperature and deciding when an open window would
provide an equivalent (or better – fresh air!) benefit to their working environment.
* Archdiocese administrative leadership staff attending May 6 meeting, and participating in subsequent
individual meetings:
Eric Atkins, Director of Management Services
Ed Isakson, Director of Human Resources
Stephen James, Director of Purchasing
Tom O‟Drobinak, Director of Information Services
Julie Shewmaker, Controller
Jeff Stumpf, Chief Financial Officer
John Wahl, Associate Director of Management Services
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APPENDIX C: INFORMATIONAL STAFF INTERVIEWS
Archdiocese staff interviewed:
1. Describe your professional role with the Archdiocese and the department you lead.
2. How do you see your area fitting in with the Archdiocese‟ overall Environmental Stewardship Strategy? How
can you be most effective in this role?
3. Where would you like to see the Archdiocese Environmental Programs in 1 year? In 5?
4. What inherent challenges are there for the Archdiocese to meet its environmental goals? For your
department?
5. What inherent opportunities, assets, and resources exist within the Archdiocese to meet its environmental
goals? Within your department?
6. Describe any existing environmental practices. What has made them successful? Is there anything that
could be done to strengthen these practices?
7. Describe any environmental practices you‟ve tried to implement that haven‟t been successful. What were
the stumbling blocks?
8. What do you consider the key indicators for success in your area that we can begin collecting baseline data
on?
9. What would you most like to see come out of this process of Development of Environmental Stewardship
Strategy?
10. What environmental projects would you like to see prioritized over the coming year? What makes this a
priority?
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APPENDIX D: INVENTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES
Archdiocese of Indianapolis - implemented environmental practices
Water and Purchasing: Environmentally-friendly cleaning products are used in the Catholic Center and
Xavier Building, and is required by the contract with cleaning company (John Wahl, personal
communication May 29, 2009).
Waste: Recycling Program at Catholic Center includes office paper, newspaper, aluminum cans, and
plastic. It is collected throughout building at a central location on each floor. Program has been in
place for the past 4 to 10 years. (John Wahl, personal communication May 29, 2009)
Waste: Information Services recycles all electronics like cell phones and computers at the closest city
ToxDrop locations where hey break down the entire computer and its components into individual
materials such as plastics, metals, glass and precious metals to be recycled. Keeping electronics out of
the landfill is important to reduce water pollution. (Tom O‟Drobinak, personal communication June 11,
2009)
Land Use: Environmentally-friendly grounds maintenance practices are specified in contract. Turf grass
is not irrigated, grass clippings are mulched on-site, and grass is mowed at 3.5 inches (John Wahl,
personal communication May 29, 2009).
Purchasing: Eco-friendly products purchased:
Recycled ink cartridges (outside of HP contract).
Cleaning supplies
Trying to promote use of ionized water for cleaning, though no takers yet.
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Archdiocese of Indianapolis - implemented environmental practices
Communication and Outreach: Use of electronic communications which reduces paper use, postage
costs and travel (Various staff interviews, May - June 2009)
Purchasing has website that is utilized for communications with parishes and schools
Accounting submits electronic billing statements, pay stubs, and W2 forms
Archdiocese Deposit and Loan Fund has electronic monthly statements
Electronic delivery of Human Resources information
Direct deposit of paychecks
Electronic surveys used to solicit feedback from staff on IS training classes and HR Travel
policy.
Remote computer access available from home - “Go to My PC”
Financing Strategies: Archdiocese investment policy strictly prohibits investing in companies that are
repeatedly cited for polluting the environment. (Jeff Stumpf, personal communication May 13, 2009).
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Archdiocese environmental projects in planning or early implementation
Energy: Information Services is in acquisition and deployment of VMWare for server virtualization. This will
allow for the use of fewer servers, which will save space and energy (Tom O‟Drobinak, personal
communication June 11, 2009)
Energy: Information services is in acquisition and deployment of workstation virtualization which allows log-
in to occur directly at he server level, saving on PC hardware and energy. It will also allow employees to work
remotely without leaving their computers on overnight. (Tom O‟Drobinak, personal communication June
11, 2009)
Energy: As part of implementation of new fire suppression system, will increase thermal efficiency of
the network operations center by sealing holes, adding door sweeps, and plugging any existing gaps.
(Tom O‟Drobinak, personal communication June 11, 2009)
Energy: 7 energy efficiency projects are planned in Archdiocese parishes and schools for 2009:
1. St. Charles, Bloomington: New boiler and HVAC system for school 2008/2009
2. Holy Trinity, Indianapolis: Bockhold Hall roof replacement with added insulation Spring
2009
3. St. Denis, Jennings County: New church energy efficient windows Summer 2009
4. St. Thomas Aquinas, Indianapolis: New church boilers & air-conditioning Spring 2009;
5. St. Thomas Aquinas, Indianapolis: New energy efficient lighting for church-summer
2009
6. St. Philip Neri, Indianapolis: New school HVAC w/boilers and air-conditioning-Summer
2009
7. St. John, Indianapolis: New church boiler-Summer 2009
(Eric Atkins, personal communication April 21, 2009)
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Archdiocese environmental projects in planning or early implementation
Communication and Outreach: Information Services is working on several initiatives to improve staff‟s
ability to utilize electronic communications
1. Currently working on making email list of priests and principals accessible to secretary
heads and agency directors in a public folder to better enable electronic communication.
2. Implementation of Exchange 2007 begins July 1 and will be implemented by the end of
August 2009. It is expected to allow for standard email addresses to be made available
through the Archdiocese email system. If this is not possible, there are other
alternatives that could allow for a global email list such as email-forwarding systems.
3. Archdiocese has capability to eventually ask parishioners for email addresses and use
this for widespread electronic communicaiton.
(Tom O‟Drobinak, personal communication June 11, 2009)
Waste: Information Services is in acquisition and deployment of Snag-it 9.1, including training classes.
This is a screen capture software solution that works in all applications, across dual-monitors and can
scroll down capturing long web pages not currently visible. The goal is lessen the need to print out
hard copies (Tom O‟Drobinak, personal communication June 11, 2009)
Energy: Information Services in acquisition and deployment of ServerCheck monitoring solution to monitor
Network Operation Center equipment. This uses nearly 30 times less energy than monitoring software
running on a standard system. (Tom O‟Drobinak, personal communication June 11, 2009)
Transportation and Travel: Beginning process of formalizing a centralized Travel Policy and Approval
Process for seminars/conferences/meals through Human Resources Office. (Ed Isakson, personal
communication May 18, 2009).
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APPENDIX E: SELECT EXPENSES AND IMPACTS – FY 2007 - 2008
Percent of Percent of
Category SubCategory Cost (12 months) Major Environmental Impacts
Category Total
Travel Mileage $209,000 39% 9.9% Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated
with the burning of fossil fuels for car and air travel
Fuel $10,863 2% 0.5%
Water quality impacts from fuel and oil spills
Travel $311,000 59% 14.8% Air pollution, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions
associated with utility use in hotel and conference
subtotal $530,863 100% 25.2% facilities
Meals and Meals, Beverages $130,000 32% 6.2% Air quality, water quality and greenhouse gas emissions
associated with the chemicals and fossil fuels used to
Seminars and Entertainment grow, store and transport food and beverages. Some
choices have less environmental impact
Conferences and
workshops
Postage Postage $167,000 100% 7.9% Air pollution, water pollution and use, biodiversity
impacts and greenhouse gas emissions associated with
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Percent of Percent of
Category SubCategory Cost (12 months) Major Environmental Impacts
Category Total
paper production
subtotal $167,000 100% 7.9%
Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated
with transport of mail
Paper and Office Paper (over 2.4 $16,000 12% 0.8% Air pollution, water pollution and use, biodiversity
impacts and greenhouse gas emissions associated with
Supplies Million pages) the production of paper, toner and other office supplies
Printing and Printing and $586,000 100% 27.8% Air pollution, water pollution and use, biodiversity
impacts and greenhouse gas emissions associated with
Advertising Advertising the production and transport of paper and inks for
printing and transport of printed product
subtotal $586,000 100% 27.8%
Solid Waste Recycling costs $840 21% 0.0% Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated
with handing and transport of solid waste
Expenses
Air pollution, water pollution, and greenhouse gas
Shredding costs $1,200 30% 0.1% emissions associated with final disposal of waste
Utilities Electric $99,500 58% 4.7% Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated
with the burning of natural gas and fossil fuels for
4% 0.3% electricity. In Indiana, over 95% of electricity comes from
Water $6,500
the burning of coal.
Steam $54,000 31% 2.6% Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the
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Percent of Percent of
Category SubCategory Cost (12 months) Major Environmental Impacts
Category Total
Gas $12,500 7% 0.6% burning of solid waste for steam. While the relative
environmental impacts are somewhat controversial,
some environmentalists prefer the burning of solid waste
as a renewable resource.
subtotal $172,500 100% 8.2% Relative conservation associated with water use.
Indiana’s clean drinking water resources are finite and
need to be managed appropriately and conserved.
Cell Phones Cell Phones $105,000 100% 5.0% Environmental impacts associated with the production,
use and disposal of cell phones. The relative impact
may be positive, however, if the use of cell phones
subtotal $105,000 100% 5.0%
allows for increased efficiencies and reduces
unnecessary travel.
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APPENDIX F: COST SAVINGS POTENTIAL
Based upon preliminary Archdiocese budget information (Julie Shewmaker, personal communication March 23,
2009) and the prior experience of other organizations, the following table provides conservative estimates of the
cost savings potential of select sustainability initiatives targeted to each Category.
“Low range” estimates are conservative projections of what savings can reasonably be expected within a
12 month timeframe for each project.
Not all projects can be implemented within the first 12 months. Rather, preliminary efforts must be
prioritized based on cost-savings potential and other values.
“High range” estimates represent possible results from the successful implementation of robust
sustainability projects. These results typically take longer than 12 months to achieve.
This preliminary analysis does not include all potential cost savings and revenue generation. For instance,
there is significant additional cost-savings potential in the areas of travel, printing, workshops, shredding,
and others not included here. These require a more in-depth analysis to accurately estimate.
Figures are based upon the prior experience of other organizations and are intended to estimate broad
cost-savings potential only. Actual cost savings achieved will depend upon the timing, type, and quality of
sustainability project implementation.
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APPENDIX G: POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) began to infuse $787 billion of public funding into the
economy in spring of this year. It is estimated that over $100 billion of this funding is targeted to support
energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs growth. Funding is being distributed through direct grants,
formula grants, loans and loan guarantees, tax incentives and discretionary allocations. Fund allocation began in
early 2009 and will continue through early 2011. Select funding opportunities related to the ARRA and other
sources are listed below. New ARRA funding opportunities are announced on an ongoing basis, so it is a good
idea to keep on top of grant opportunities as they become available.
No federal grant opportunities are currently open to non-profit entities. The following sites can be monitored for
appropriate grant opportunities as they are announced:
DOE ARRA Website http://www.energy.gov/recovery/funding.htm
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APPENDIX H: PRIVATE ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT-MAKING ENTITIES
Local Foundations Website
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W.C. Griffith Foundation
Trust
Cinergy Foundation http://www.museumsusa.org/vendors/info/1259131
Select National
Foundations
Clinton Climate Initiative http://www.clintonfoundation.org/cf-pgm-cci-home.htm
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APPENDIX I: REBATES AND TAX INCENTIVES
Rebate or Incentive Comments
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Published for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis by
This document is available through the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for non-commercial use.
Please send corrections and comments to Anna Jetmore-Vargas (ajetmore@newdayindiana.com)
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© 2009 The Newday Group, LLC. All rights reserved.
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