1. If you are serving drinks, ask everyone to bring their own mug or glass. Don’t provide single use plastic water bottles. Instead have pitchers of water available. If beverages in glass bottles or aluminum cans are being served, please make sure they get recycled.
2. If serving snacks, avoid single-use containers of chips, cookies, etc. as they are a waste of packaging.
3. If you can’t use real dishes and glasses, purchase biodegradable or recyclable cups and utensils. Avoid Styrofoam cups and containers as they can’t be recycled.
4. Bring a bag to collect recyclables as not all rooms at Sacred Heart have a recycle container. Dump what you collected in the recycle container behind church or bring it home to recycle.
5. Ensure all lights are turned off when the meeting is over.
6. Go paperless whenever possible. Email agendas and/or plan on presenting to reduce the amount of paper. If you must print something, print double-sided.
Our Mission
At Sacred Heart Valley Park, we will continuously improve our sustainability
practices through prayer, education, and action to ensure a healthier place
to live now and in the future.
The Sacred Heart Sustainability Ministry (also known as the Green Team, [email protected]) originated as a sub-committee of the Peace and
Justice Commission of Sacred Heart was and continues to be inspired by Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the Environment – Laudato Si. Since it began, the committee
has focused on the following activities:
Activity | Status |
Encourage Sustainable |
· The Ladies Club uses real flatware and china at funeral luncheons · The Knights of Columbus regularly cleans up a section of 141, installed LED lights in the church and school, and is using “real” flatware & expanding recycling efforts at fish fries. · School collects and recycles markers · Home and School raised funds for new water fountains with refillable water bottle stations |
Audit of Parish Utility Bills | Identified inefficiencies, errors in billing, etc. resulting in an estimated $2,000 in savings so far |
Audit of Trash and Recycling | Identified underutilized recycling and removed one unused dumpster |
Add Recycling Cans for |
Four cans will be placed in high-use areas around the parish with signage for use |
Hosted Mike Roberts; Sustainability Fair |
Nearly 100 people attended, added new members to Green Team and Green Brigade |
Plastic Bag Collection for Trex Bench for Parish |
Earned one bench and worked on the next one. Will continue to collect plastic for foreseeable future. |
Hosted a Laudato Si prayer service |
Good attendance and feedback – watch here. |
Green Team Tips in Bulletin | Ongoing |
Green Team Members:
Karen DuBrucq, Chair; Members Patti Anderson, Jane Burle, Karen Rothery, Kathy Sandknop, Jeff Schulenberg, Tim Pendleton, Paula Godar, Mary Marino, Jim Lovell, Pat Snyder, Michele Jackson, Courson Henderson, Mary Cooley, Linda Campbell, Joyce Timmons, Deb Schaefer, Jeff Reiter, Kathryn Menke, Marilyn Stapleton (attend monthly meetings, spearhead sustainability initiatives)
If you have ideas or would like to join us in our efforts, please contact Us at [email protected]. The Green Team meets every third Wednesday of the month.
Green Brigade Members:
Ann Haffner, Janet Gardner, Joyce Timmons, Karen Dunne (do not attend meetings, but help out at events as time permits)
For more information, email Karen Dubrucq at [email protected].