Page 16 - C.A.L.L. #38 - Summer 2014

Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration: The Tuscon, Arizona-based nuns have
been using small-scale solar power for a number of years; their newest array powers
much of their facility.

Deer Park Monastery: This Buddhist
“mindfulness center” in Escondido,
California, started running on solar power in
2008, and has three installed arrays.

Carmel of the Most Holy Trinity: Within the
Notting Hill neighborhood of London, these
Carmelite nuns replaced an aging gas boiler in Engineering students install solar
their Victorian-era convent with a solar hot panels at DC Franciscan
water system. t

Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America: Electrical engineering students
from the Catholic University of America installed a solar energy system to power the
Franciscan brothers‘ greenhouse heaters.

Gaden Jangtse Norling College Monastery: Originally founded in Tibet, and now
located in India, this Buddhist monastery has used solar hot water systems for over 20
years. The original solar heaters were replaced in 2008.

Kauai Aadheenam: The monks at the Hawaiian island of Kauai’s Hindu monastery
installed a solar power system last year in order to gain “partial independence from the
Island’s diesel-generated power grid.”

Monastery of Our Lady in the Desert: Yep, the US Southwest in well-represented on
this list (which makes total sense!). Another Benedictine organization, these sisters had
a solar air heating system installed just last year.

Mount St. Mary’s Abbey: Here’s the story that got me thinking about this topic.
These Cistercian nuns in Wrentham, Massachusetts, needed a source of income that
supported their aging population. With 500 acres of land, leasing the space to a solar
energy company met the sister’s financial needs and their religious values. They also
make candy…

Rumtek Buddhist Monastery: In collaboration with WWF’s Sacred Earth Program,
these Buddhist monks have not only installed their own solar hot water heaters, but
developed environmental guidelines for religious communities in the Himalayas.
Buddhism has strong beliefs for food systems that encourage sustainability and

compassion, including organic farming, which these monasteries advocate.

Stanbrook Abbey: Another Benedictine community with deep roots in Northern

England, the sisters at the new abbey have implemented a wide-ranging sustainability
plan, which includes solar power.

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