by Michael Foust, posted Wednesday, April 22, 2009 (15 years ago)
SPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP)--Some call it "going green," but churches big and small are discovering that examining utilities usage also can translate into significant savings.
More than a year ago, First Baptist Church in Springdale, Ark., which has about 6,000 attendees on Sunday mornings, began a partnership with the company Energy Education to cut into its electric, gas and water bills -- a significant endeavor because the church was spending roughly $1 million annually on its utility bills for its two campuses in Springdale and Rogers and its private school, Shiloh Christian.
In the ensuing year, the church didn't do anything dramatic but simply tried to take common-sense approaches to saving energy: switching off lights when not in use, turning off computers when leaving for the day and paying close attention to thermostat settings, particularly Monday through Saturday. The church examined every point of energy consumption.
The result? The church estimates it saved $268,000 during the first year of its initiative, which ended in February. The figure is a "cost avoidance" calculation that uses, among other things, degree days.
The money saved is money that can be spent elsewhere, such as on missions. Read More
