S.A.V.E.

St. Anthony’s Values the Environment

Our Mission

S.A.V.E. (St. Anthony’s Values the Environment) is a lay-led parish committee, grounded in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ encyclical, whose purpose is to help create a more sustainable local environment through prayer, study, and action. Through education and practical actions, S.A.V.E seeks to inspire parishioners to reflect upon and, where possible, make lifestyle changes that ensure that future generations will live in a more sustainable and equitable world.

St. Anthony’s is the first parish in our diocese to submit a Laudato Si' Action Platform Plan. To view our plan and others’, click the link and scroll down to Search. Under the “Sector” filter, select “Organizations and Groups.” S.A.V.E. appears in the top row.

Join Us

S.A.V.E. welcomes parishioners who share Pope Francis’ vision that people are part of one family where the Earth is our common home; where all are invited to protect God's creation for future generations, embrace a lifestyle change for their own good, and to take care of people who are poor and more vulnerable.  For more information, please contact us.

Scroll further for info about Fairfield’s Separate Glass Recycling Program, and the history of the committee.

Fairfield’s Separate Glass Recycling Program

Did you know that the Town of Fairfield has a separate glass recycling program?

Why a separate glass recycling program, you might ask—I just put any glass in with my other recyclables. The reason that the town offers this program is that it saves the town money (and taxpayer money). Town residents with a Beach/Dump sticker can bring their glass bottles/food and beverage containers to the Transfer Station and put them in the container marked GLASS. This separated glass is either sent to Urban Mining, where it is crushed into a high end concrete additive, which lowers its CO2 content, or sold to glass recycling facilities which contributes to a circular economy. The Town saves money by eliminating the trucking costs and tipping fees (over $130/ton) for single stream recycling.

So, start separating your glass bottles and food and beverage containers and deposit them at the Transfer Station. The planet will thank you!

Our History

S.A.V.E. began when a group of St. Anthony parishioners, who had participated in a virtual presentation, “Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream,” in the spring of 2021, chose to stay involved in efforts to protect the environment. After several meetings, the group decided to focus on promoting recycling efforts and educating themselves as well as making other parishioners aware of environmental concerns. In May 2021, the group chose the name S.A.V.E. to identify their continuing efforts.

Actions

Since its inception, S.A.V.E.’s efforts have included:

  • creation of the Resurrection Vineyard Garden, an on-campus, flourishing vegetable garden with produce donated to the Thomas Merton Family Center in Bridgeport

  • weekly bulletin inserts to educate parishioners about recycling and environmental concerns

  • research and recommendation of products designed to reduce household plastic

  • establishment of a weekend parish drop-off bin for recycling plastic bags and film

  • sponsoring two Fairfield Street Clean-Up Day campaigns

  • creation of a parish liturgy marking the end of the 2021 Season of Creation

  • joining the Catholic Climate Covenant coalition and registering as a Creation Care Team

    (Read the Laudato Si' Action Platform Plan)