As our latest conservation effort, The Wethersfield Interfaith Green Committee, in conjunction with The Wethersfield Green Summit Committee and The Town of Wethersfield, is sponsoring a town-wide Conservation Challenge.

From March 1, 2010 through May 31, 2010, Wethersfield residences, businesses, municipal buildings, faith congregations, and schools will have the opportunity to participate in the Green Summit III Conservation Challenge.  The goal of this Challenge is to reduce electrical consumption and water usage by ten percent by Challenge participants. 

Faith leaders at Temple Beth Torah, St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Trinity Episcopal Church, Church of the Incarnation, Sacred Heart Church, First Church of Christ of Wethersfield, Wethersfield United Methodist Church and Corpus Christi Church were individually contacted and invited to participate. Suggestions were given as to how this program could be incorporated into the faith congregations, bulletin notices were offered to the faith congregations for use in their publications, a prepared Conservation Challenge brochure (created by one of the Interfaith Committee members) and an Environmental Resource List (see below) were included with the faith community participation invitation letter.

The Challenge kicked off with Educational Forums that presented the details of the program.  The Educational Forums were held Wednesday, January 13 and Thursday, February 11 from 7:00 – 9:00 PM in the Town Council Chambers at the Wethersfield Town Hall, 505 Silas Deane Highway.  Over 150 residents attended each of the sessions.

Forum attendees learned how to save 10% on electrical and water usage, learned about free or discounted energy audits, and received information from Northeast Utilities about financial incentives and grants available to residents and businesses.  The first 500 participants to sign-up for the Challenge will receive from Northeast Utilities a conservation kit that includes (among other things) CFL bulbs, LED night light, freezer thermometer, foam sealant to seal up air leaks, a door sweep, child safety caps, shower timer, and a coupon from MDC for two free rain barrels. At the conclusion of the three-month Conservation Challenge, awards will be presented to the registered participants who reduce electrical and water usage the most over the three-month period.

The following link is directed to the Conservation Challenge website http://greensummitwethersfield.org/

We encourage all congregants to participate in the Conservation Challenge!!!!