Across New Mexico, houses of worship are discovering that caring for creation isn't just a value to preach about. Caring for creation is something congregations can act on, one rooftop and one boiler at a time.
That's the heart of Project HOW. And the "why" behind it comes down to six connected truths our faith communities are living out.
- Faith calls us to respond to the crisis at hand. Across traditions, stewardship of the Earth isn't optional; it's a responsibility passed down through generations. When a congregation swaps fossil fuels for renewable power, it isn't simply an operational upgrade. It's a tangible act of protecting the world we're handing to our children.
- This work protects our neighbors' health. Fossil fuel combustion doesn't stay contained to a power plant or a boiler room. It moves into the air we all breathe, and it lands hardest on children, elders, and those already living with chronic illness. Every congregation that shifts to clean energy is doing something quietly protective for the whole community around it, not just for its own building.
- Good stewardship is also financially wise stewardship. Renewable energy investments lower utility bills over time, and that savings doesn't just sit in a ledger. It frees up resources that congregations can redirect toward ministry, service, and the people they exist to serve.
- A just transition means good jobs, close to home. Choosing clean energy isn't only about emissions. It's an economic choice, one that supports local, dignified work and strengthens the communities congregations are rooted in.
- Resilience is becoming a form of ministry. Solar paired with battery storage means the lights can stay on when the grid goes down. That's not a small thing in a state that increasingly faces extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and unpredictable outages. A house of worship with resilient power can become a literal safe haven for its neighbors when they need one most.
- And underneath all of it: this is an act of love. Choosing renewable energy is a moral choice as much as a practical one — a way of turning belief into visible, felt action for neighbors, for the Earth, and for generations not yet born.
Project HOW exists to help make that choice easier. Through free energy audits, technical guidance, financing support, and a growing network of over 80 covenant partners, NM-IPL walks alongside congregations at every step, from a first conversation to a fully realized resilience hub.
Every house of worship's path looks different. Some will start with an energy audit. Others will move straight to solar. What matters is taking the first step.
Learn more about Project HOW ➡️
Ready to start your congregation's HOW journey? Get Started Now ➡️
