Earth Stewardship
OUR PURPOSE
The mission of the FVPC Earth Stewardship Committee, as adopted in December 2021 is as follows: The Earth Stewardship Committee at FVPC seeks to educate and engage our church community in the mission of earth care.
The current FVPC Vision Statement includes the following: Care for God’s creation through education, sustainable practices and worship.
Implementing these two statements defines the purpose of the Earth Stewardship ministry at FVPC.
If you have questions about the Earth Stewardship Ministry at FVPC, please contact Jeff Mengler.
EcoWalks
Our Earth Stewardship Team sponsors quarterly EcoWalks, led by a naturalist, in accessible locations in local forest preserves. Our EcoWalks are designed as intergenerational experiences and generally take place on Saturdays. The locations for our 2026 EcoWalks are:
Les Arends Forest Preserve for our Winter EcoWalk
Big Rock Forest Preserve for our Spring EcoWalk
LeRoy Oaks Forest Preserve/Horlock Prairie for our Summer EcoWalk
McKee Marsh/Blackwell Forest Preserve for our Fall EcoWalk
The Earth Stewardship Events calendar button will take you to the dates and more info on these walks - which will be posted as soon as these details are available.
Styrofoam, Plastic Bag and Bubble Wrap Recycling
STYROFOAM RECYCLING INFORMATION
Our Earth Stewardship team sponsors a monthly Styrofoam, plastic bag and bubble wrap recycling event at FVPC on the first weekend of the month.
Clean plastic bags and bubble wrap are recycled. Please turn the bags inside out, to assure there are no receipts, etc., in the bag. Place smaller bags inside a larger bag. Remove any plastic shipping tape from bubble wrap.
Hard Styrofoam packing material (#6) and clean foam food containers are welcome. As the #6 Styrofoam breaks up easily, please break it down to make more space in the collection bin. No straws, plastic, paper, soft flexible packing foam, packing peanuts, or other materials, please. If you have questions about our monthly recycling, contact Jeff Mengler.
To see the monthly recycling dates, click on the calendar button at the top of this page.
PLASTIC BAG AND BUBBLE WRAP RECYCLING INFORMATION
The container just inside the front entrance vestibule for continuous plastic recycling is accessible whenever the church building is open. Check the poster on the front of the container for instructions. Questions? Contact Harrison Schneider.
Landscaping Plan
Our congregation is moving toward a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to the care of the church landscape. We are working on a five-year plan for landscape care that will reduce maintenance costs over time as well as be more eco-friendly. Opportunities for your input on our landscaping plan will follow a proposed series of landscape workshops titled “Sustainable with Style, ” planned for Spring 2026 at FVPC.
In our “Sustainable with Style” workshops, we will discuss how we can provide functional, outdoor spaces so that our landscape becomes a resource rather than a burden. We will be learning about how to conserve our natural resources, and how we can reduce air and noise pollution.
Some of our landscaping plan changes have already taken place, both subtle and more obvious. Click here to read more about this and see photos of our progress!
Questions? Contact Karla Lynch.
Pollinator Garden
Have you visited our Pollinator Garden yet? It’s adjacent to the Great Hall, at the east end of the building.
Begun in Fall 2023, our Pollinator Garden is a work in progress, with FVPC members, friends, children and youth making it happen. Pollinator insect populations are declining globally, so our Pollinator Garden plays an essential part by providing food sources for pollinators.
The Pollinator Garden was recently expanded, with children reseeding the garden during Sunday School on October 5. Watch them in action!
Click here to read more about our Pollinator Garden and what you can do to help our vital pollinators.Questions about our Pollinator Garden? Contact Jeff Mengler.
Green Tip
The Earth Stewardship Team regularly publishes a Green Tip e-newsletter full of helpful information. To be added to the mailing list for the Green Tip, along with other FVPC e-newsletters, please email the church office.