Home Energy - Next Steps - Pros/Cons

Home Energy - Next Steps - Pros/Cons

Like many parents, Kathleen worries about losing her home and what it would mean for her children. Kathleen’s neighbors share the same concerns.  Where will they live?  What will they eat?  How can they make a new life while facing an uncertain future? These friends gather frequently, and often talk about climate change.

Kathleen and her friends are our neighbors, sharing the Catholic faith, the Earth, and the atmosphere. They’re losing their homes because of too much greenhouse gas (GHG) in the atmosphere. These neighbors live 8000 miles from Ann Arbor on the Carteret Islands of the South Pacific. Their homes are only a few feet above sea level. Ocean levels are rising because the Earth’s temperature is rising. Salty ocean water contaminates drinking water and kills crops as it washes across the island.  Some of the excess GHG is mine, some is yours.  We released it into the atmosphere.  It wasn’t a malicious or deliberate act.  We can, however choose to do something about tomorrow’s GHG.    

Last June, Meadowlark conducted an energy audit at our home, and we acted on recommendations for air sealing and insulation.  August warmth immediately demonstrated the value of these additions, keeping our upstairs noticeably cooler. Moving from cooling to heating season made the improvements less obvious. Nearby friends made the same improvements and had similar observations, saying they weren’t sure the investment had been worth the effort.

Climate change is both subtle and formidable; data often reveals detail not readily apparent to our senses. Curiosity led me to read my utility meters and collect daily outside temperature information. Knowing the data would provide an answer on the insulation’s value, I compared last winter to this winter. The results were gratifying.

As of February 14, we’ve used 11% less natural gas to heat our home than last winter. Adjusting for this winter’s colder temperatures, the reduction reaches 18%. The improvement isn’t obvious because the thermostat remains set at 66 degrees, just like last winter. Our furnace, however, doesn’t have to operate as often because we sealed air leaks and added insulation!

The 18% improvement means we’ve reduced GHG emissions to the atmosphere by 1,111 pounds. That’s good news for Kathleen in the Carteret Islands and everyone around the globe! Secondly, using less gas for my home’s heating reduced energy costs by $80 this year.

Habitat for Humanity is keenly aware of the benefits associated with energy efficiency. They strive to achieve Energy Star ratings for the homes they build or remodel. Their concern with saving energy emphasizes its importance to everyone on Earth. Equally concerned are the dozens of St. Francis parishioners (including Fr. Jim!) who have requested energy audits for their homes.

The Better Buildings for Michigan program remains available to parishioners until March 31.  Request a $50 energy audit from any of our 4 approved local contractors, Chelsea Lumber (734-475-9126), Ms. Green Construction (877-466-7473), Meadowlark Energy (877-652-7578) and Pro Energy (734-827-1003), and please act on the recommendations! 

As the Body of Christ, we serve one another by caring for all our neighbors, regardless of the distance to their home.  We share one warming planet.  Energy efficient solutions in your home serve neighbors worldwide.    Continue using the sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM  Sustain a House … Help a community.   Visit: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Building Communities & Buying Locally

Building Communities & Buying Locally

Mary Griggs is a local Habitat homeowner who recently paid off her mortgage.  She and her eight children have been happy in their home for almost 20 years.  She says, “Our home felt right as soon as we walked in.  ….despite the inevitable skinned knees and broken hearts of growing up, our lives here would be happier than we’d ever known.”  She expresses deep gratitude to all the volunteers and donors who made her home possible.

Habitat improves the lives of their partner families and has a positive impact on the community.  Decent homes keep a neighborhood strong (especially when renovating empty foreclosures), and Habitat provides additional economic benefits.  In the last year alone, Habitat homeowners paid over $200,000 in taxes to Washtenaw County.  And while some building materials are donated through national corporate partnerships, many are purchased from local vendors.

Why Buy Locally?

Local businesses are an important part a community’s unique character.  And because local business owners live in the community, they are invested in its future.  According to the National Federation of Independent Business, 91% of small business owners volunteer or donate to local causes.  And economic studies have shown that for every $100 spent at a chain store, only $12 circulates back into the local economy; that same $100 spent at a local business re-circulates $45 into the local economy.

Supporting local farmers means you’re getting nutritional produce – fruits and vegetables lose nutrition when shipped hundreds (or thousands) of miles.  It also reduces the carbon footprint involved in transportation, and gives you a chance to know the farmers.

Fair Trade

Finally, buying locally helps ensure your money isn’t contributing to slave labor, unsafe working conditions, or other international human rights violations.  If you do purchase items that are made internationally, look for the Fair Trade Certified™ logo. 

The nonprofit certifying agency, TransFair USA, travels to producer sites at least annually to see that producers get a fair price for their goods, and work in healthy and sustainable conditions.  TransFair also ensures that certified farms have no child slaves working their fields.

The fair trade system guarantees that producers get the financial and educational support to meet their living needs, improve their communities, grow their businesses, and farm with environmentally-friendly practices.

Who knew that our decisions about how we spend our money could have such tremendous implications?   (Written by Kelly Gauthier for inside the FORUM March 3rd. 2013.)

Enjoy using the sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM  Sustain a House … Help a community.   Visit: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

The Greenest House is the One Already Built

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The Greenest House is the One Already Built 
Total HOME Energy Use = operations energy + products energy 
By Bonnie Bona, Project Manager with Clean Energy Coalition, Ann Arbor 

We know how much we pay for energy from our utility bills. We adjust controls to
keep our interiors comfortable. We use lights and appliances. These personal
decisions determine your home’s “operations” energy.

Do you know the energy used to build your home? 

 When we think about reducing energy waste, we typically don’t consider
the energy used to extract raw materials and to design, manufacture, ship and sell a
product. All the energy embodied in building products and in their assembly during
construction make up your home’s “products” energy.

 When built, 100% of a home’s energy is expended for the construction. Over
the years maintenance is performed and improvements are made, adding to the
original embodied energy of the home. It takes more than 15 years before the
energy used to operate the home will equal the accumulated embodied energy in
the building. Even after 50 years 25% of a home’s total energy use is still in its
embodied energy.

 Now consider the additional energy required to replace an existing house. What
does it take to demolish a home and process the discarded materials? Or to
deconstruct it and repurpose or recycle the materials? When considering the
embodied energy in a new home, we have to include the “products” energy from
the original building and its demolition. Additionally, will the new home be
smaller or larger than the one replaced?

 Finally, consider lightening the carbon footprint of an existing home.
Architecture 2030 suggests we reduce energy use in existing buildings by 50% by
2030. The 2030 Challenge makes the case for smart investments and decisions that
eliminate energy waste and counter rising energy costs. ReGreen provides
technical advice on whole-home improvements for comprehensive savings and
deep-retrofit projects targeting savings of 50-90%. The City of Ann Arbor created
a2energy, a website with tips to start saving now and ideas for digging deeper each
year.

 The greenest house is the one with a strategic plan for making regular
investments that integrate energy efficiency into all maintenance and improvement
projects.

• architecture2030.org (Architecture 2030, The 2030 Challenge)
• regreenprogram.org (ReGreen created by ASIC & USGBC)
• a2energy.org (City of Ann Arbor)

Enjoy using the sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM  Sustain a House … Help a community.   Visit: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Shelter - We Serve One Another

“As the Body of Christ, We Serve One Another”

(Written by Steve Lavender for FEb 24, 2013, Forum Cover)

 I’m participating in the Rotating Homeless Shelter at St. Francis during Lent. Through this experience, my Lenten journey becomes a road shared with others. We walk together, anticipating an Easter season of gratitude.

With over 100 adult volunteers and hundreds of grade school students, I supported the Shelter Week in 2012, and I look forward to it again this year.

As we offer transportation, food and overnight support, we, adult volunteers, have an opportunity to spend time with our guests, twenty-five men staying for seven consecutive nights during the Lenten season.

Evenings in the gym provide these men an occasion to share a bit of their story, an opportunity to momentarily forget a piece of their story or perhaps a chance to see their story in a new and different light. During snack time, some men will quickly choose a snack and return to their sleeping space on the gym floor. Others however will spend snack time talking with parishioners. We often find that volunteers come to the shelter expecting only to serve snacks and beverages to our guests. Volunteers leave having served these men much more than food. Their greatest service was time and attention. In return our guests offer perspective, insight and always a sincere spirit of appreciation.

You are invited to join me!   Please consider volunteering in support of this year’s Rotating Shelter program or any of the other service opportunities available at St. Francis. Isaiah reminds us that through service, our “light shall break forth like the dawn”. As the Body of Christ, we are called not to be served but to serve one another.

Continue using your sack and activities calendar for our LENTEN PROGRAM
Sustain a House – Fight Poverty… Help a family … Help a community.   Learn more at: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  
Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013
Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Habitat - We Serve One Another

“As the Body of Christ, We Serve One Another”

(Written by Chuck Yonka for the FORUM Cover on Feb 17th, 2013.)

From my training as an athlete and as a member of the United States Marine Corp, I have learned to work as a team player and not to leave any team members behind. This attitude has carried over into the volunteer activities that I have been part of in the community through my church. There are times when I have been able to serve more than other times.

When I was young, I helped my dad build different sections of our cabin in the woods, along with my brothers. I did not have any skills but started to learn by doing. As part of several volunteer programs I have continued to learn more about rebuilding homes.   The first few Habitat for Humanity Houses I worked on were led by Steve Polgar.  I enjoy learning and helping others to learn.   Since retirement, I have taken classes to help me understand the whole process of building.

For me, the volunteer work I do is helping someone to get a home and helping me to learn new skills.   Also, it is a pleasure to get to know and help our partner family.

Chuck Yonka, Habitat House Leader

Volunteer!  Sign up to help on St. Francis Parish website, “Sign-up Forms”.

Participation in our parish LENTEN OFFERING Sack and Activities Calendar will unite us as the Body of Christ in serving one another.  Together with the Vivas family, our partner family, we will Sustain a House – Fight Poverty, Help a family... Help a community. All money collected will go to sponsor our Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley 2013 Catholic House at: 2143 Merrill, Ypsilanti 48197, (near the area of Ypsilanti High School).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Andrea and Hosanna are the Vivas family!  

       We were born in Venezuela which is a beautiful country in South America and we speak Spanish.  We have been living in Michigan for 7 years. 

       At the beginning of our time here in Michigan things were a little difficult for us because we were living in a new country and didn’t speak English. However, step by step we were able to learn the language and adapt to our new home. I have a full time job as a Spanish translator at the University of Michigan Hospital. I am also attending school part-time.  

      Andrea, my daughter, is in 7th grade and she is a very smart 12 year old.   We have always desired to have our own home, but we also understood it could take a while for us because of our economic situation. However, Habitat has been the light at the end of the tunnel!  Through Habitat we will be able to purchase our own affordable home.   Andrea and I are very thankful for the opportunity to work with Habitat.

Sustain a House – Fight Poverty… Help a family … Help a community.   Learn more at: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

Lenten project Introduction: Habitat for Humanity

(This Lenten Project Introductory article is written by Karen Shellie for the Feb 10 FORUM inside.)

LENTEN OFFERING

Sustain a House – Fight Poverty

Help a family … Help a community

“As the Body of Christ, We Serve One Another”

Our 2013 Lenten project will raise money for the Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley (HHHV) 2013 Catholic House.  We hope that you will also consider volunteering to help with the construction!

HHHV envisions a world where everyone has a decent place to live.  Habitat homes currently provide safe, decent, affordable housing for 150 adults and 269 children in Washtenaw County.  Since its founding in 1989, HHHV has completed 78 new construction homes, 4 recycled homes, and 41 rehabs.  Three homeowners have completely paid off their mortgages.

(Photo: The Vivas-Linares, partner family for the 2013 Catholic House)

In 2008 HHHV shifted focus from new construction to rehabilitation.  This benefits our community by renovating foreclosed homes.  So far, 39 of the 41 rehabs have been completed.  And 100% of the homeownership projects over the next two fiscal years will be rehabs.

HHHV also cares for the earth.  100% of the local homes that HHHV rehabilitated in the past two fiscal years have achieved 5-star Energy Star ratings!  During the Lenten season, we will highlight Habitat's environmentally friendly practices.  Many are things that we can do in our own lives.

Habitat is best known for their Home Ownership Program:

How Does It Work?

·         Using volunteer labor and donated money and materials, HHHV builds simple, decent houses

·         In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest 200 hours of labor into building their house and the houses of others

·         Homes are sold to partner families with a 0% interest mortgage

·         Monthly mortgage payments are used to build more Habitat houses

How Are Partner Families Selected?

·         Families that need an affordable, decent home qualify based on: their need, their willingness to be partners in the program, and their ability to repay the loan

·         Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing families

How Can I Volunteer or Donate?

·         Use the Sustain a House LENTEN OFFERING sack (attached in this FORUM) please Return Contributions on Palm Sunday, March 31, 2013, to St. Francis of Assisi Parish.  Learn more at: StFrancisA2.com/lent

·         Visit:   h4h.org     Call:  (734) 677-1558    See our: Catholic-Habitat.blogspot.com/

Did you know that HHHV does more than just build houses?

HHHV has a Critical Repair & Weatherization Program:

·         After an energy audit, 22 homeowners in the Gault Village neighborhood in Ypsilanti Township prepared for winter by putting in insulation, replacing outdated furnaces and water heaters, sealing areas where air was flowing in, and installing programmable thermostats

·         Homeowners contributed sweat equity and will repay a portion of the cost of repairs with a 0% interest loan over six years

HHHV provides Credit Counseling:

·         Habitat's credit counselor pulls a family's credit report and reviews it with them – for 80% of those served, this is the first time they have seen their credit report

·         The credit counselor helps the families establish affordable payment plans to eliminate debt, as well as a healthy monthly budget

·         The credit counselor can help families address mistakes on their credit reports

·         206 families received credit counseling in 2012, most of whom were not in the home-ownership program

HHHV participates in the Washtenaw Housing Education Partners, a collaboration of local governmental agencies, funders, and housing developers that provides educational services to current and future homeowners in Washtenaw County. 

The HHHV Executive Director serves on the board and funding review team of the Washtenaw Housing Alliance, a group of 20+ local agencies that work together to address the issues of affordable housing and homelessness.

HHHV operates the Re-Store on Jackson Road, which sells new and gently used building materials, furniture, appliances, and everything you need to update or furnish your space.  It's open seven days a week and helps to fund HHHV programs.

Please join us this Lent in supporting Habitat's efforts to provide affordable and earth-friendly housing and create sustainable communities in Washtenaw County!

Use the Sustain a House LENTEN OFFERING sack (attached in this FORUM, February 10, 2013) please Return Contributions on Palm Sunday, March 31, 2013, to St. Francis of Assisi Parish.  Learn more at: StFrancisA2.com/lent

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices. 

2013 Prayers of the Faithful - Lenten Season Petitions

Prayers of the Faithful – Lent 2013 

Petitions for the Prayers of the Faithful at Masses  during the Lenten Season.

“As the Body of Christ, We Serve One Another.”

• May we set an example of mercy and generosity by becoming involved in efforts to assist those in need
• For the poor, the homeless, and the addicted, may we not turn away from them, and instead may we earnestly attempt to lighten their load
• For those who provide loving and compassionate care to the ill, the poor, the homeless, and the abused, we thank you Lord
• For those suffering from illness, disability, homelessness, poverty, or hopelessness, may they trust that God will not abandon the work of His hands, but will share their joy and pain
• O Lord, help us to end the suffering of the poor and bring healing to all of your creation
• For the economically poor of our world—the homeless, the hungry, those without healthcare or education—that we may respond to their needs and work toward the elimination of poverty
• Strengthen us to continue seeking an ever more just society that acts in harmony and interdependence with all creation
• Help us to create a community that promotes justice and respect for all people, especially the most vulnerable
• For the desire to give all that we are and all we have as an offering to God
• May we have deeper compassion and love for the weak, the broken, and the least of our brothers and sisters
• For the parishioners who volunteer in our church and community, sharing their gifts, that they might discover a deeper relationship with God through their service
• That God will inspire us to live the life of a committed disciple through the sharing of our time and our abilities
• That our sharing of our time, talent, and treasure will be a sign our faith, as well as our commitment to help those in need

• That we may reverence the Earth and work toward the sustainability of life and toward universal recognition of the fundamental right to water (NOTE: Use this prayer on Holy Thursday.  Our collection will benefit Water Missions International.)

Some Environmentally-Themed Prayers

• May we join with the Church around the world to aid environmental refugees with our prayers, our financial support, and our advocacy to reduce environmental destruction
• That we will protect our shared waters and atmosphere, and sustain the earth's natural systems upon which all life depends
• That we may be ever better stewards of God's creation –our shared water, air, and soil—protecting the Earth for future generations
• That we and our leaders may work to lessen the harmful effects of the changing global climate on the poor and vulnerable in our cities, coastal areas, and in developing nations

Our Lenten Activities Calendar 2013  

Our PRAYERS of the Faithful Petitions During Masses 2013

Our ARTICLES, all tie into Habitat for Humanity's sustainable practices.