Our Care for Creation…In Steps
As we enter this new season, we have many opportunities for sharpening our skills and abundant support for our care for God's amazing creation. From pollinator gardens, to waste management, heat pumps to solar, insulation to impermeable surfaces, we can see creation and its climate with eyes wide open. The goal is to provide information, education, and opportunity with activities and studies to pursue during Lent and bring to organizational practices.
In this article, we will provide a variety of topics and approaches, most specifically directed at congregations.
The following, however, is local, an organization I participate in. It is holding an event that covers creation care concepts, oriented towards small/medium businesses. Please share this with small business owners, and with church people who are interested in how to approach the many aspects of creation care facing our organizations.
This week's timely highlighted opportunity:
Free Sustainability Plan Workshop for La Crosse Small Businesses and Organizations
The City of La Crosse and the Climate Alliance for the Common Good are offering a free workshop to help small businesses and organizations in La Crosse develop sustainability plans that are affordable, support a sustainable business model, and often save money. This workshop is tailored to the region in which we live and work.
Thursday, January 18, 2024 Noon to 3:00 pm. South Ballroom A at the La Crosse Center.
Hear local experts in the fields of energy, building infrastructure, landscaping, transportation, and food waste. An entire segment of the workshop will be devoted to the variety of incentives and rebates available to help companies pay for the transition to sustainable practices and equipment.
A light lunch will be provided; register on Eventbrite or go to the Climate Alliance website and use the Upcoming Toolkit Workshop link. Registration is limited to 25 participants.
This hands-on workshop is based on the free-to-download La Crosse Small Business Toolkit on Sustainability and will give participants the tools to leave the session with a sustainability plan draft unique to their organization. The toolkit, and companion tools, are available on the website of the La Crosse nonprofit Climate Alliance for the Common Good--www.climatealliancecg.org. With support from area businesses and La Crosse Community Foundation, the nonprofit developed the toolkit to make it easy for small businesses and organizations to create and implement sustainability plans specific to their organizations.
The workshop features expert speakers, covering topics that include:
Reducing energy demand in buildings/businesses - David Boehn / Trane Technologies (retired)Adopting renewable energy/solar: Aaron Benson / Solar ConnectionsLandscaping and water conservation: Judson Steinback / Coulee Region EcoscapesLimiting transportation emissions (commuting, electric vehicles): Adam Schwartz / Wisconsin Clean CitiesReducing waste, including food waste: Brandon Knudtson / 7 Rives Recycling
Financing, incentives, and rebates: Paul Draggseth / Focus on Energy
Get started on your business sustainability plan:Tom Schlesinger/Climate Alliance for the Common Good
Questions? Contact Pastor Janet Wollam: 608 738 5505
