85 youth worked together to learn about toxicity reduction (through a field trip, written materials, and a speaker) and then wrote and produced a video called “Harriette Potter and the Green Guardian” that emphasized signal words, the importance of proper disposal, and purchasing less hazardous products. The video was shown to 3000 parishioners during church services in one weekend. The priest and religious education teachers also connected the messages of the video with biblical and social teachings. After the services where the video was shown, the youth provided parishioners with written information and digital thermometers. Separate activities also engaged 600 additional youth at the church in the project. 40% of parishioners who completed an evaluation after seeing the video stated it influenced a change in their purchasing behaviors. Over 500 copies of the video will be distributed at the Washington County Fair and Woodbury Days. This project was featured on the television program Environmental Journal. View the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX_tiJrZO7Y.

As a returning grantee in 2008, Guardian Angels Church trained 38 junior high youth to teach 276 children in an area day camp how to reduce, reuse and recycle. Both groups of young people then educated their parents to make specific waste reduction commitments. A summary of these activities was posted on Facebook for Summer Stretch members, which includes over 60 churches and over 2,000 junior high participants. Project coordinators also educated church members, including setting up recycling stations with information at the back of church, which reached an estimated 5,000 people.