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 Waste Audit: Taking out Less Trash On (date), the (name of institution) worked with GreenFaith to conduct a waste audit to identify ways it could reduce the amount of trash it produces. “We literally took a close look at what we’re throwing out,” said (name of ordained leader/leader of institution). “We want to reduce the impact our institution has on creation, and the members of this institution have responded well to this important message.” On the day of the audit, GreenFaith and representatives of (name of institution) analyzed the contents of trash from different zones within the facility – offices, kitchen, classroom space, and meeting rooms. Volunteers poured the contents of the trash bins out onto a large tarpaulin and separated the trash into different categories of waste – paper, food waste, cans and bottles, metal, and other types of trash. “Some of it smelled pretty ripe,” said (name of volunteer). “But it was absolutely amazing to see how much of our trash can be recycled. We found that we could eliminate over 50% of our waste stream by recycling more aggressively and by changing some basic consumption habits. Plus, our teenagers loved pouring out our trash (if spoken by a teenagers: “it was actually fun to pour out the trash”) to see what was actually there.” GreenFaith is now working with (name of institution) to implement the audit recommendations. “We’ve found that the average religious institution can reduce their solid waste flow by at least 50% if they recycle aggressively and change some basic consumption patterns,” said the Rev. Fletcher Harper, GreenFaith’s Executive Director. “Less trash means less garbage going to incinerators and landfills, which means cleaner air, water and land. We hope that other institutions will follow (name of institution) lead and work to promote environmental protection as a religious value.” GreenFaith is an interfaith environmental coalition based in New Jersey. Founded in 1992, GreenFaith works with institutions from a range of religious traditions to deepen their relationship with nature and to take action for the earth. “ Our religious traditions command us to be good stewards of the earth,” said Harper. “GreenFaith knows that care for the environment can bring people of diverse faiths together to create a future where the earth and all life flourishes. Our programs make this happen every day.” For more information about GreenFaith, see www.greenfaith.org.
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