How Chattanooga churches are making changes to go green

At the Fujitsu factory in Japan, a significant decline in demand for semiconductor computer chips meant the company had large empty factory space sitting unused. A new business approach allowed them to dually address both the need to evolve their business model with a global decline of viable agricultural space needed to grow the world's food. Now, the factory houses indoor vegetable gardens, soil free and less resource-heavy than traditional farmland.

With the prices of solar technology dropping and the opportunity to save drastically on energy usage and costs, businesses and organizations across the country are investing more in solar infrastructure for their buildings and facilities. The Better Buildings Initiative of the US Department of Energy is helping by providing guidance and documenting effective approaches and financing for renewables installations - from hotels, to schools, to big box retail.

In Uganda, religious leaders and anti-gay individuals have been very vocal against the LGBTI community and have disowned many LGBTI religious leaders. This has led some of these leaders to publicly come out and advocate for others and speak of their own experiences, showing the possibility of being LGBTI and religious.

The consumption of meat and dairy has long been deemed a leading cause of climate change, yet production continues to rise. To contribute to environmental sustainability, Dale Vince – owner of the U.K.’s Forest Green Rovers soccer team – has achieved the status of having the world's first carbon neutral team. From vegan-only menus to a solar-powered grass-cutter, the organization is bringing light to this topic in front of a new audience.

Solar power is a great advancement for renewable energy, but traditionally relies on connecting to a grid in order to function correctly. So when hurricanes hit Puerto Rico, even those with solar panels lost access to electricity. A micro-grid offers an alternative solution, however, by relying on battery power.

Portland-based NGO, Micah Challenge USA, uses scripture to reach Evangelicals about climate change. The organization partners with legislation-making initiatives, travels to Christian colleges, and contacts national and local leaders urging them to join the Climate Solutions Caucus. Underpinning every initiative is a core strategy: climate change is causing people to suffer, especially those that are experiencing poverty, and as Christians, they are called to help the poor and end their suffering.

Pennsylvania law is preventing a Philadelphia neighborhood from converting an empty lot into a solar farm, but community members are working to fight against this by citing neighboring states that are seeing positive impact from similar projects. One such project is in Massachusetts where shared solar energy systems is helping to offset "80 percent of the power needs of a nearby assisted living facility, an affordable housing development, a family-owned hardware store and a non-profit serving those with disabilities."

A grass blend formulated specifically for northern Utah’s environment uses at least 30 percent less water than typical turf.

Persons Marginalized and Aggrieved in Kenya works with religious leaders over the course of many years to build empathy and understanding towards the LGBTQ community. Faith leaders are often not immediately aware of the goal, but PEMA’s continuous and carefully orchestrated engagement allows them to gradually build relationships, hear personal stories from real people, and learn to preach tolerance. PEMA has worked with 619 religious leaders, 246 of which are currently active, and runs a Training of Trainers program where “converted” religious leaders train their colleagues to increase LGBTQ acceptance.

As building developers in Kenya design new structures that are more environmentally friendly and sustainable, they can look to the Garden City Mall in Nairobi as a successful example. This mixed-use development with shopping, residential, and office spaces uses solar energy, which helps cut energy costs by over 30 million shillings each year. The mall also was the first in the region to receive an international green building certification.