Commission on the Environment

Who We Are

Caring for Creation is Loving our Neighbor

The Commission on the Environment (COE) of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California brings together clergy and lay leaders committed to caring for God’s creation as an expression of our Baptismal vows and our call to love our neighbors. Our main work is helping congregations reduce their carbon footprint and move toward carbon neutrality by 2030. We provide a simple four-step process—forming a Green Team, completing a carbon-footprint assessment, undergoing an energy-efficiency evaluation, and creating a project plan—along with guidance on funding these efforts. We also offer resources for worship and study, support climate-justice advocacy, and share practical tools for parishioners to reduce their environmental impact at home.

The Episcopal Covenant to Care of Creation spotlights several aspects of this journey to love creation.

Stance of the Episcopal Church

As we are called by God to care for creation, The Episcopal Church supports policies that protect the natural resources that sustain all life on Earth. The Church calls for policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainable energy, encourage the safe and just use of natural resources, and support communities impacted by a lack of environmental stewardship and environmental racism.