Saturday, May 26, 2007

Vatican Goes Green

Leading the way on the environment is part of leading the way on the faith.

Going green: Vatican expands mission to saving planet, not just souls
By Carol Glatz and Alicia Ambrosio
Catholic News Service


VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Expanding its mission from saving souls to saving the planet, the Vatican is going green.

A giant rooftop garden of solar panels will be built next year on top of the Paul VI audience hall, creating enough electricity to heat, cool and light the entire building year-round.

"Solar energy will provide all the energy (the building) needs," said the mastermind behind the environmentally friendly project, Pier Carlo Cuscianna, head of the Vatican's department of technical services.

And that is only the beginning. Cuscianna told Catholic News Service May 24 that he had in mind other sites throughout Vatican City where solar panels could be installed, but that it was too early in the game to name names.