Catholic Green Initiative

This came through my Google Alerts. There are many reasons to go green including those based on religion. One of the first investors in Chicago Climate Exchange was a church. I wrote earlier about Islam's Green Initiative. Turns out that Vatican was going green as well. I wish it was publicized more.

Perpetual Energy Systems and the Diocese of San Jose Activate Six Solar Energy Installations

erpetual Energy Systems (PES), a national power purchase agreement (PPA) provider/financier of solar powered renewable energy systems, and the Diocese of San Jose (Diocese), in conjunction with MBL-Energy (MBL) and Photon Energy Services (Photon), today announce the activation of six distributed solar energy installations, consisting of an aggregate nameplate capacity of 886 kW DC. The systems are projected to generate an estimated 1.4 million kilowatt hours of clean energy in its first full year of operation, representing 70 percent of each site’s individual energy needs.

The systems are hosted by the Diocese on five parish/school combinations, including Holy Spirit, Holy Family, Saint Christopher, Queen of Apostles, Saint Lucy as well as Gate of Heaven Cemetery. As part of the Catholic Green Initiative of Santa Clara County, the Diocese entered into a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with PES to host the solar installations requiring no capital outlay from the Diocese or its parishes. Under the PPA, the Diocese will purchase clean solar energy produced by each installation at a predetermined, fixed rate. All operations of the system will be assumed by PES.

Catholic Green Initiative of Santa Clara County Announcement

Everywhere we turn these days, we are reminded of the need and desire to be "green." Cities, counties, states and nations are calling us to better care for our planet. Almost 15 years ago, the United States Catholic Bishops issued a statement entitled Renewing the Earth: A Invitation to Reflection and Action on Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching, calling all people of faith "to examine how we use and share the goods of the earth, what we pass on to future generations, and how we live in harmony with God's creation."

Catholics around the world have already initiated many innovative ecological projects that have highlighted the need for all of us to live more sustainably and to leave a lighter "ecological footprint." In response to this call to ecological stewardship, I have formed The Catholic Green Initiative of Santa Clara County under the direction of Father Brendan McGuire, Vicar General, Special Projects.

This team includes the Presentation Retreat and Conference Center, Santa Clara University, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, and the Diocese of San Jose. We will work collaboratively to bring all Catholics of our local Church together with a single "green" vision. This team will identify and encourage "green initiatives" here in our own Valley of Saint Clare and they will ask all Catholics of Santa Clara County to make a difference in an organized and sustainable way.

This initiative will start with a Town Hall Meeting on February 7, 2009 with our guest speaker - Mr. Dan Misleh, Executive Director of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change. The gathering will focus on the theology of stewardship, how stewardship is central to our Christian heritage, and why it must be a Catholic concern. It will include breakout sessions discussing how we can act in environmentally-conscious ways. All attendees will be asked to commit to action determined by the collective voice of this group. This event is by invitation-only and will be limited to a maximum of 100 attendees. Formal invitations will be coming shortly via another email.