Here at Ipswich Road we try to be as Eco-friendly as possible

Examples of things we have done :

• Installed air conditioning units to give heat, thus doing away with many electric heaters. This cut our electricity consumption by about 50% so also cut our CO2 output.
• Installed PV (solar) panels’ in 2012 which also helped cut our electricity use and helped the country cut its CO2 output.
• Had all cavity walls insulated which again reduced our heating need.
• Installed double glazed UPVC windows and fire doors throughout the premises, which helps keep the heating bill down, eliminates the need for repainting which in turn results in savings to the environment by not needing paint to be produced to maintain the old wooden windows.
• Heating is on timers so it  cannot be left on accidentally.
• Toilet lights are on timers so they only come on when needed.
• All light bulbs in the Sanctuary, halls, coffee bar and toilets are LED
• Hand wash sinks have sensors to use to save wasting water.
• We also save rain water for use in the garden and make full use of the council’s recycling, garden waste and food waste services.
• We have cycle racks outside
• We  have a bird box with a URC symbol on!
• We are working to make the garden even more wildlife friendly and have one section purely for wildflowers etc
• We support Third World countries affected by climate change through our ’cause for the month’ programme.
• Care for the environment is regularly part of our Sunday worship, Messy Church and in our groups
• We hold an annual Climate Sunday service
• Hymns, Church notices are on screens, newsletters are emailed and available as paper copies for those needing them
• We are a Fair Trade Church and try to use fairtrade goods when possible
• Our toilets are all “Twinned”
• We have a clothing recycling bin in our car park for community us and the church is paid money for every kilo of clothing collected
• We have drawers at church where people can deposit dental accessories, make up, bras, crayons/pens etc and spectacles for recycling
• There is also another for the plastic bags/biscuit wrappers used in the building which we can take to supermarkets
• When re roofing the church roof, we added extra insulation
• We have an Eo Group which meets bi-monthly to see how we can better develop our Eco credentials
• We also ensure at least one article in the monthly newsletter
• We have held a couple of cafe church services using care for the environment as a theme.