Living Water, Sacred Earth: Reframing Household Efficiency as Creation Care

On September 3, fourteen staff members and two sisters gathered with Green Calgary and ENMAX to learn about household energy and water conservation.

The timing could not be more fitting. Every September, faith communities worldwide enter the Season of Creation, a dedicated time to reflect on our responsibility as stewards of the Earth.

This year’s theme, Living Water, invites us to see every drop not merely as a line item on a utility bill, but as a precious, life-giving gift to be cherished.

Water and energy are deeply entwined. In Alberta, the vast energy required to treat, heat, and pump water through our municipal systems comes with a heavy carbon footprint. When we let taps run unnecessarily or leave leaky fixtures unaddressed, we do not just waste a resource, we place extra strain on our watershed and atmosphere.

During the workshop, Judi from Green Calgary and ENMAX representatives Carrie and Sid highlighted how small, intentional actions directly protect these shared gifts:

Guarding the Taps: Simple tools, like five-minute shower timers and low-flow WaterSense fixtures, help us honor water as a sacred, finite resource. Taking advantage of local rebates to upgrade older fixtures ensures our daily routines leave a lighter footprint on local rivers.

Mindful Warming: Heating water accounts for nearly 14% of a typical home’s energy use. Wrapping copper pipes in simple foam insulation and turning down hot water tanks slightly keeps warmth where it belongs, saving energy while treating heated water with care.

Tending the Home: Sealing drafts around windows, placing foam gaskets behind electrical plates, and using power bars to eliminate idle "phantom" power are acts of gentle caretaking. They keep our living spaces comfortable and healthy while easing our demand on the power grid.

Caring for creation is ultimately about relationships: how we relate to the planet, to our neighbors who share these resources, and to future generations. Choosing floating utility rates or adopting low-cost home habits may seem like practical, ordinary chores. Yet, when done with intention, these small acts become a living practice of stewardship.

For those who wish to go deeper, a second workshop will take place on Tuesday, September 15, from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, featuring Judi from Green Calgary and two ENMAX representatives. Together, we will continue exploring how modern technologies, from heat pumps to solar options, can help our community live in greater harmony with the earth.