WHAT: The Green Lions is the environmental group at St. Mark’s.

We believe that human choices have a profound effect on the world’s climate and web of life, including people’s access to water, food, and a healthy environment.  The Green Lions strive to support the St. Mark’s community in efforts to respond to the environmental crisis in our corporate life, our homes, and in the world.

The main goals of the Green Lions are to:

  • Educate and inspire our community to act in ways that sustain God’s creation.
  • Encourage St. Mark’s to model wise use of the Earth’s resources to support a world in which all can thrive.
  • Lead St. Mark’s in taking actions to reduce climate change and to foster connections to protect the Anacostia River.

If you would like to get involved, have your e-mail address added to the Green Lions Google group, or just learn more, please send us a request.

In recent years, the Green Lion have:

  • Tested the gas stoves at St. Mark’s to ensure toxic fumes were not present.
  • Sponsored a St. Mark’s garden clean-up for families with young children to celebrate Earth Day.
  • Invited D.C. Director of Energy and the Environment to St. Mark’s to explain how District leadership is addressing climate change.st-marks-church-dc climate-march-banners-2017
  • Participated in the Climate March on the National Mall carrying posters made over several Sundays after services. Posters and climate change information was posted on a bulletin board in Baxter Hall for six weeks in April-May (see the photo above).
  • Screened the first film in the National Geographic “Years of Living Dangerously” series about climate change, followed by a discussion and information on personal actions.
  • Sponsored a solar workshop open to parishioners and neighbors interested in purchasing a home solar system and group buys.
  • Provided green tips to the church bulletin to suggest things parishioners can do to save resources in our daily lives.
  • Developed a policy for using non-toxic cleaning products, identified appropriate products and cost-competitive sources, ordered some products, and coordinated with the St. Mark’s maintenance contractor for their use.
  • Served as a resource to the Vision 2020 renovation project on sustainability practices and alternatives; view this list of green features of the renovation.
  • Offered a short course based on ideas in the The Green Boat, by Mary Pipher.