We take seriously the call to be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Sustainability takes many forms at the Catholic Ecology Center but all of which flow from our faith in God.
We have converted several acres of lawn into high diversity pollinator prairie. We are annually planting native trees and continue to remove invasive species. We also have an educational butterfly garden highlighting 54 native species.
Clare Gardens grows organic produce through careful soil stewardship and organic best practices. Composting on-site of all food scraps. Sustainability education is at the core of what we do. Learn More HERE
We have taken care to ensure that materials purchased, like furniture, for use in the Catholic Ecology Center were either reclaimed or made from recycled materials. Our Holy Hen House was built using reclaimed, salvaged and recycled materials.
Our purchase of the Catholic Ecology Center land ensured this amazing property would not be turned into subdivisions. We routinely monitor wildlife populations and ecosystem health including water quality.
With buildings ranging from 10-50 years old, we are working diligently to upgrade and increase efficiency of lights, appliances and utilities. We are moving to all LED bulbs and fixtures. We are also featuring a green roof and grey water system in our new building addition
The Catholic Ecology Center is installing a 14kW solar array on the main CEC building addition. Geothermal heating and cooling systems will be used both in the new addition and existing main building.
CEC Executive Director Joe Meyer was named a Notable Leader in Sustainability in 2023 by BizTimes Milwaukee.