Greening Spirit

Rt Rev John Privett, Bishop 1876 Richter St Kelowna, BC v1y 2m9 250 762 3806 http://kootenay.anglican.org

In December of 2003, Diocesan Council agreed to accept the Green Parish Accreditation program for the Diocese of Kootenay (revised from the Diocese of New Westminster and the Provincial Synod of BC & Yukon) which included Area I Energy Conservation and Environmental Practices, Area II Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, Area III Church Communication, Area IV Religious Education, Area V Worship & Liturgy, and Area VI Environmental Justice. Through the work of the Diocesan Eco-Justice Committee, parish audits have taken place in some parishes in the Central Kootenays, and two parishes in the Okanagan were recipients of professional energy audits by ScantTech Environmental Engineers with the financial assistance of the Provincial Environmental Task Force. Some workshops have been held in Kootenay and Okanagan regions of the Diocese with more being planned. At the Diocesan Synod held in October of 2006, a motion was passed stating that the goal of a reduction of 2% energy consumption be set for all parishes of the Diocese over the next three years, and that results be presented at the 2009 convening of Diocesan Synod. Educational information is being distributed electronically to all parishes through the Kootenay Contact newletter and articles to be submitted to the Diocesan newspaper, The Highway. The Diocese is also sponsoring one individual to represent the Diocese at the Environmental Justice Camp being held in May of 2007 at the University of Victoria. A report of presentations at this event will then be distributed to all parishes, through Eco-Justice Committee workshops, Diocesan newsletters, parish and regional visits. The Diocese has also raised concerns to the Provincial Government with regard to uranium exploration and mining in the central kootenays and the negative effects on the environment.