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BARK RIVER -- Lately, a lot of people have been more environmentally conscious, as well as looking for ways to save a little green of their own.  For one church, however, they're taking things to the next level.

The land out behind the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Bark River looks like just a giant 12-foot deep hole, but after workers are finished, it's going to give them the greenest source of heating around--geothermal energy.  Workers are placing lengths of pipe into the ground, where they will convert water into geothermal energy to heat and cool the church.

The use of geothermal energy has been around for nearly thirty years, but the process has become more popular recently since it has no harmful impact on the environment--plus, it's cheap to maintain after it's been installed.

"It's strictly an electric process, a refrigeration process, so your gas bills are nonexistent anymore," said Dennis Andrist, who works for Zeratsky Extreme Heating and Cooling.  They are the contractors installing the system.

The church will be the first one in the Upper Peninsula to utilize geothermal energy, replacing their old forced-air units and saving on their monthly bills as well as the environment.  Parish members feel that the benefits are worth the unsightly construction and initial cost of installation.

"They see this as a tremendous boost for them and also a way of cooperating with nature," said Father Mark McQuestin.

They may be the first, but they don't want to be the last church to get a little greener.

"I'm going to encourage the Bishop to make it almost a requirement for anyone trying to put in a new heating system," McQuestin said.

The church doesn't plan on stopping there, either.  They have already been discussing the use of solar and wind energy to power the facility in the future.