As a Green Sanctuary-accredited congregation, First Parish has made a commitment to respect and care for our planet Earth.
At First Parish coffee hours and events, we use
- cloth napkins
- fairly traded organic coffee and tea
- real dishware
- real silverware
In our kitchen, we use
- non-toxic, responsibly sourced cleaning products
- chlorine-free, plant-based dish detergents
- eco-friendly hand soap
In our restrooms, we use
- essential oil-based air freshener
- reusable cloth towels
- eco-friendly hand soap
- paper products made from 100% recycled paper
In our sanctuary, we use
- programmable thermostat
- projection of service components (music, readings, graphics) to reduce paper and printing
Throughout the church, we use
- green (solar) electricity
- energy efficient light bulbs
- eco-friendly cleaning products
- practices that reduce waste of resources (natural light, use of both sides of paper, water conservation)
First Parish recycles paper, cardboard, and Styrofoam and hosts a community-wide metal recycling drive annually.
We encourage individual members to support these practices in church and to strive to incorporate them into daily life.