German churches repent for green sins in bid to cut carbon footprint

And God said: “Let there be light,” and there was light (Genesis). And the vicar saw the light, and dimmed it (Instructions from the ecclesiastical environmental management committee).

Shocked by the revelation that church buildings are responsible for an annual 18 million tonnes of carbon emissions -- about 3 per cent of the energy-related total in Germany -- religious leaders are cracking down on prodigal parishes.

"One of the good things about this environmental campaign is that it is creating a new parish culture ... Everyone in the church community has an idea as to how we can save energy and can chip in." - Father Klaus Breyer, cleric/green orgainzer