Greening Islington!

The projects undertaken this past summer each had a “greening” component as Islington United looks for practical and tangible ways to “live with respect in Creation” as The New Creed calls us to do.

The painting of the Church Office and the renovated washrooms is a case in point. We used one of the “greenest” brands of paint on the market with very low VOCs – volatile organic compounds. They are water-based paints but contain no latex. The paints are not only environmentally friendly but they’re extremely good quality, too.
The renovation of the washrooms not only included the use of low VOC paint but seven new low-flush toilets were installed to reduce our water usage. These new toilets will help us reduce costs and will take much less water from the environment.

This summer we took major strides in energy conservation with the replacement of the fluorescent lights with new lower-energy equipment. The quality of the lighting in hallways, meeting rooms and offices is improved dramatically and yet the new lights use much less energy. And Islington qualifies for a grant to help cover the costs of the replacement.

Islington United has joined the Green Awakening Network and this summer participated in an energy audit to set a base line for our energy use. From statistics and costs incurred in 2008 we will have an understanding of our current energy usage. With each improvement we make we will be able to demonstrate what energy and cost savings we are achieving. Green Awakening Network is a group of congregations of The United Church of Canada in the City of Toronto. They have come together to share ideas and experiences, in partnership with others, on how to respond to the challenge of climate change and how to reduce our “carbon footprint.”

Join the Green Team
If you are interested in being a part of Islington’s own “green awakening”, please contact Carole Bennett, Stewardship Administrator at or Steve Tower at:

You can read about what other churches are accomplishing by checking out the Green Awakening website.