A resource for faith-based organizations as they transition to sustainable energy and zero GHG emissions

Post-Conference Evaluation

Conference evaluation forms ( Word Version) ( PDF Version) were provided at the end of the conference.

14 attendees responded. Their comments (PDF Version) are appreciated and summarized below:

Interfaith Green Building Post-Conference Evaluation Responses – 2019

Attendee Feedback Summary

  1. Goals
  2. “Government level action was treated as irrelevant”; “Needed to promote more political action to change policies to protect environment.[i]
  3. Need to reach more Jewish people as well as Muslims, African Americans, Native Americans
  4. Extend scope of conference to include consideration of: 
    1. Churches that use gas-fired boilers for heating with hot water,
    1. Why it is important to transition from GMO’s to organics
  • Most Useful
  • Keynote – Dr. Scott Denning (3)
  • Brett KenCairn’s talk – Restoring our grounds and zero waste
  • Closing challenge by Rev. Sawtell
  • Thursday pre-conference workshop; coverage of a variety of options -solar, geo-thermal (2)
  • Examples, steps, systems, human element; hearing experience of many; the process used by First Universalist; member funded financial strategies; emphasis that churches large and small can take action; being in the facility and seeing the passion and hard-won expertise of the green first team
  • Learning about the Interfaith community
  • Least Useful
  • All was useful (2)
  • Friday afternoon – there was some repetition
  • The Pre-conference workshop was great but ran through info very quickly
  • About an hour too long
  • Tech $ info; Details of ground source system
  • Challenges
  • Overcoming the natural conservative movement of those placed in positions of responsibility (i.e. Boards, Committees with Stewardship of faith bodies)
  • Topics for Further Discussion
  • Regenerative land use
  • Converting to all-electric power
  • Learning to lead from the position in the congregation, not a member of clergy or Board
  • Single-family homes, apartments
  • How best to get additional churches /places of faith involved
  • Alternative funding
  • Geothermal info (2)
  • Trash, etc. perhaps covered by other concurrent sessions
  • Political action needed
  • Topics to Add / Delete
  • More Networking Time
  • Soils Regeneration – CO2 sequestration through regenerative agriculture
  • Social Media?
  • Yes – to get the youth involved
  • Email
  • Have symposium content available ASAP
  • Not Facebook.  Maybe Twitter
  • Follow up meetings, webinars, etc.
  • Annual Conference; Make this symposium content available in other cities in Colorado
  • Follow up is important (2)
  • Sharing videos of sessions (2)
  • Partnering with a church that has “been there” would be helpful for those who are beginning the process
  • Steering Committee  (Five attendees expressed interest)
  1.  Other Comments / Suggestions
  2. Include a wider range of Faith-based groups & cultural backgrounds and political angles (2)
  3. Add module on water-energy nexus.  Saving water saves energy & vice versa
  4. Good conference – Thanks (5); Very complete coverage of many topics; Great job on the affordability of the symposium; Appreciated the emphasis on doing the right thing for creation 
  5. Need to promote more political action to change policies to protect the environment (2)
  6. Offer overnight hospitality or a block of affordable rooms reserved nearby.

Thanks to everyone who provided “post-conference evaluations.”   The Conference Steering Committee will review these thoughtful comments and attempt to respond to as many of them as possible in future events.  

[i] EndNote Response:  The Interfaith Green Building and Grounds Conference was intended to complement an earlier “System Change, not Climate Change” Conference held in Sept 2018 that did focus on political action and a “top-down” response to the climate crisis.    The April Conference was designed to focus on the individual and organizational response to climate change working from the “bottom-up.”   The April Conference planners and facilitators did not adequately reinforce the importance of and need to continue the “top-down” reform efforts while concurrently working from the “bottom-up.”   And there must be pressure from all sides that represent all conceivable perspectives.  

We (faith-based organizations and others who are aware of the climate crisis) have the ability and moral responsibility to act NOW, even without government action or political changes in policies. 

[When we think through it, because of separation of church and state principles of this country, there is little likelihood that near term government action is going to spend taxpayer money to help faith-based organizations stop their GHG emissions. ]

The laws of Nature do not respond to human intentions, thoughts and talk about climate change.   Nature does not respond to legislation or changes in environmental policies.    The only thing that Nature responds to is an actual reduction in GHG emissions that can be measured (e.g. tonnes of CO2 eq ).    

This recent conference was designed to:  1) identify if we as individuals or as members of a faith-based organization were in any way responsible for GHG emissions.   2) if so, how much?, 3) develop a plan (including a funding approach) to stop burning ancient hydrocarbons as our source of energy, and 4) help others to do likewise?