1. Is the Meeting concerned that human interaction with nature be responsible, guided by a reverence for life and a sense of the splendor of God's continuing creation?
2. Are decisions of the Meeting and its committees relating to the uses of property, goods, services, and energy made with sensitivity toward the environmental impact of those choices?
3. How does your Meeting learn about environmental concerns and then act in the community on its concerns?

1. In what ways does your Meeting relate its vitality as a spiritual community with stewardship of the earth?

Some advices to consider:


• Discuss ways in which environmental protection and respect for the earth are spiritual issues and relate directly to Friends testimonies of Peace, Simplicity, Stewardship, Equality.
• Participate in interfaith and community efforts to create a local environment that everyone can enjoy.
• Provide a forum where people can learn about and support their mutual environmental interests and projects.
• Utilize your newsletter and First Day and Adult classes to foster awareness of our responsibility to our environment.
• Provide experiences that teach about the world God created, not just man's world of concrete, steel and plastic.
• Hold Meeting for Worship outside occasionally.
• Discuss the issue of taking care of what we have, in contrast with getting more.
• Purposefully share your Meeting's space with others.
• Monitor and respond to proposed legislation and other political actions - taking an advocacy role to support that which promotes sustainability and oppose that which will negatively affect our ecology or result in environmental injustice especially to people of color and/or people with little political power.
• Consider taking a position in favor of reducing consumption of resources by the affluent before asking the citizens of less affluent regions or countries to reduce their populations.
• Be aware of the impact of our market economy on the environment and support changes in tax policies that foster sustainable resources management.


2. Has your Meeting considered an environmental property audit?
1. How does your Meeting work to reduce waste and its impact?

Some advices to consider:

• Consume less; avoid disposables; use reusable dishes, glasses, utensils, linens where possible.
• Where you can't re-use serviceable items, recycle all that you can. Compost kitchen and yard waste rather than discarding or using a garbage disposal.
• Purchase products with the highest recycled content available even if they cost more.
• Minimize water usage. Reduce toilet tank volume, fix leaks promptly; avoid leaving water running when doing dishes.
• Avoid buying hazardous materials (oil-based paint, disposable batteries, pesticides, cleaners that contain caustic substances). If a supply exists dispose of them properly.
• Avoid the use of chlorine both in bleached products and in cleaning products.


2. Is your Meeting doing all it can to reduce energy use?

Some advices to consider:


• Encourage the increased use of bicycles, walking, car-pooling, and mass transit by your members. Arrange car-pooling in association with Meeting activities whenever possible.
• Ensure your building is well insulated. Consider an energy survey. Call Interfaith Coalition on Energy 215-635-1122.
• Service your heating system annually to ensure it is operating at maximum efficiency. Maintain interior space temperatures as low as possible when buildings are not occupied. Timed temperature controls can permit the building to warm in advance of arrival of staff, members, or other users.
• Set your hot water heater at the minimum temperature necessary (usually about 110 degrees). If your Meeting uses a dishwasher, 180 degrees is recommended to sanitize dishes.
• Turn off lights in unoccupied or naturally lit rooms. Purchase energy efficient light bulbs for areas where lights will remain on for several hours at a time.
• Select the most energy-efficient (person-powered, if possible!), good quality equipment and appliances. Maintain all records so equipment can be repaired and life extended.


3. How does your Meeting attend to the environmental degradation associated with energy and chemical intensive agriculture and many commercial food products?

Some advices to consider:

• Make an effort to use foods, wherever possible, that are locally grown, unprocessed, and organic.
• Consider the environmental degradation caused by large-scale meat and dairy operations, and encourage a vegetable and grain based diet, free of refined sugars and preservatives, when planning Meeting events.
• Consider participating in community-supported agriculture to encourage local, organic farming.
• Purchase products that are biodegradable, non-toxic, not animal-tested for kitchen, bathrooms, lawn/garden.


4. Does your Meeting use sustainable practices for its lawn and garden maintenance?

Some advices to consider:

• Maximize natural habitat, using native plants (which require minimal maintenance and watering and provide cover and food for animals), while minimizing the amount of lawn in order to reduce run off and the need for watering, mowing, chemicals, and fertilizers.
• Where appropriate, plant native shade trees for the benefit of future generations.
• Avoid using impermeable surfaces for parking areas to reduce run-off and aid in the recharge of groundwater.
• If a stream flows across your Meeting's property, test the water and continue to monitor its quality.


3. Is your Meeting looking to the ecological concerns of its local municipality/county?

Some advices to consider:

• Be aware of the ecological issues in your community and be prepared to participate in their solution.
• Participate in stream-bank restoration efforts within your watershed.
• Support regional and county-wide land-use planning that saves open space, reserves greenways, and shifts development from a pattern of sprawl to clustered villages.
• Support efforts that lead to the revitalization of urban areas.
• Support tax strategies that support sustainable farming practices, and preservation of farmland.

Hollister Knowlton
240 East Evergreen Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118-2823

Hollister Knowlton