For Ginger Vanderveer, it all started with a light bulb.
“Some years back, we had a fundraiser selling energy-saving kits at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Oak Park, Ill.),” Ginger remembers.
This was the first project for the congregation’s newly formed Green Team and, as a member, Ginger was happy to do her part. She had no idea how purchasing a kit would change her life.
Ginger began using the bulbs at home and says, “I was hooked on the immediate savings from the compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs in the kit.” So was Good Shepherd.
“We stated adding bulbs in high-use areas at church and pre-programmed our thermostats. The savings in the first year (2001) were over $1,000.”
That was how Ginger discovered that caring for the environment makes good business sense.
Excited by how effective and affordable the CFL bulbs were, Ginger shipped a boxful to her sister, who was maintaining Northside Valley, the family’s estate on the island of St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands.
Northside was Ginger’s childhood home. Her sister rented the seven villas on the property to local business people.
“[Those bulbs were] our first eco-friendly endeavor at Northside,” says Ginger, but it wasn’t their last. By November 2007, she had transformed the estate into an eco-friendly resort with the help of her brother Philip.
The villas, built over 40 years ago by Ginger’s father, are tucked under the shade of luxuriant native trees. They benefit from the cooling Caribbean trade winds thanks to generously sized windows and high ceilings.
Guests compost, recycle, conserve water and help out with local beach cleanups, all while enjoying St. Croix’s tranquil beauty and Ginger’s green hospitality.
When she’s back in the States, Ginger remains an active and enthusiastic member of the Good Shepherd Green Team.
The Team’s verdant prairie garden in front of the church, lush with native plants and frequented by butterflies and hummingbirds in the summer, has become an Oak Park landmark.
Ginger believes that garden is the Team’s greatest success. She also feels that it’s “a symbol for all that we need to treasure in the environment” and a sign of God’s presence in the community.
“The generosity of the garden is like God’s love: always growing, always providing.”
“It’s also an energy saver in ways that are not so obvious to the naked eye. The roots of the plants go as deep as five feet, thereby sinking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the earth. This helps keep our building cooler. The roots also filter and absorb water when it rains, saving energy for the water reclamation utility...”
Members are excited about saving money in challenging economic times and freeing up funds for other vital programs at Good Shepherd.
Ultimately, going green isn’t just about the money for Ginger. An eco-friendly philosophy is also a remarkable tool for evangelism and a way to make God’s love more tangible and concrete for visitors.
“[Newcomers] are intrigued by our devotion [to the prairie garden],” she says. “Many walk in to see what type of congregation would be so bold as to love a prairie garden.
“When nonmembers see how much love we give to the environment without expecting anything in return, they realize we can give that same love to them. They become eager to be a part of that community.” Good Shepherd is eager to welcome them.
-Marianne Griebler
Associate Director for Marketing-
Member Communications and Storytelling
ELCA Communications Services
“Some years back, we had a fundraiser selling energy-saving kits at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Oak Park, Ill.),” Ginger remembers.
This was the first project for the congregation’s newly formed Green Team and, as a member, Ginger was happy to do her part. She had no idea how purchasing a kit would change her life.
Ginger began using the bulbs at home and says, “I was hooked on the immediate savings from the compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs in the kit.” So was Good Shepherd.
“We stated adding bulbs in high-use areas at church and pre-programmed our thermostats. The savings in the first year (2001) were over $1,000.”
That was how Ginger discovered that caring for the environment makes good business sense.
Excited by how effective and affordable the CFL bulbs were, Ginger shipped a boxful to her sister, who was maintaining Northside Valley, the family’s estate on the island of St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands.
Northside was Ginger’s childhood home. Her sister rented the seven villas on the property to local business people.
“[Those bulbs were] our first eco-friendly endeavor at Northside,” says Ginger, but it wasn’t their last. By November 2007, she had transformed the estate into an eco-friendly resort with the help of her brother Philip.
The villas, built over 40 years ago by Ginger’s father, are tucked under the shade of luxuriant native trees. They benefit from the cooling Caribbean trade winds thanks to generously sized windows and high ceilings.
Guests compost, recycle, conserve water and help out with local beach cleanups, all while enjoying St. Croix’s tranquil beauty and Ginger’s green hospitality.
When she’s back in the States, Ginger remains an active and enthusiastic member of the Good Shepherd Green Team.
The Team’s verdant prairie garden in front of the church, lush with native plants and frequented by butterflies and hummingbirds in the summer, has become an Oak Park landmark.
Ginger believes that garden is the Team’s greatest success. She also feels that it’s “a symbol for all that we need to treasure in the environment” and a sign of God’s presence in the community.
“The generosity of the garden is like God’s love: always growing, always providing.”
“It’s also an energy saver in ways that are not so obvious to the naked eye. The roots of the plants go as deep as five feet, thereby sinking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the earth. This helps keep our building cooler. The roots also filter and absorb water when it rains, saving energy for the water reclamation utility...”
Members are excited about saving money in challenging economic times and freeing up funds for other vital programs at Good Shepherd.
Ultimately, going green isn’t just about the money for Ginger. An eco-friendly philosophy is also a remarkable tool for evangelism and a way to make God’s love more tangible and concrete for visitors.
“[Newcomers] are intrigued by our devotion [to the prairie garden],” she says. “Many walk in to see what type of congregation would be so bold as to love a prairie garden.
“When nonmembers see how much love we give to the environment without expecting anything in return, they realize we can give that same love to them. They become eager to be a part of that community.” Good Shepherd is eager to welcome them.
-Marianne Griebler
Associate Director for Marketing-
Member Communications and Storytelling
ELCA Communications Services
Reprinted from Seeds for the Parish
We should get all our light bulbs changed to CFL in the sanctuary. Let the members of the church able to purchase a bulb for the sanctuary, like the Easter lillies.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great idea - we'll talk about this at our meeting - thank you!
ReplyDelete