Honoring "The Blue Green Hills of Earth":
Earth Day 2006
A Sample of Congregational Activities in Observance of Earth Day 2006
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Amherst has become the first church in New York State to purchase 100% wind energy for its church buildings. "We believe in respect for the interrelated web of all existence," said Gemma Lanthier, Chairperson of the congregation's Board of Trustees. "By buying wind energy to meet our electric needs, our church is trying to make a difference. We are giving real expression to our heartfelt concerns about the world." A special Green Fund was established after a detailed energy audit was prepared. "I am proud to be a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Amherst as we act to improve the environment and promote a better energy future for us all," said congregation member Walter Simpson. "In light of the threat of global warming and climate change, we all need to take steps now to kick the fossil fuel habit – and I think religious organizations need to step up to the plate and demonstrate leadership," Simpson added. "We hope that our decision to buy wind energy will motivate other Western New York religious congregations and organizations to join us in this endeavor," said Lanthier. "We stand by ready to share our energy audit with other congregations and to assist in other ways. We are also hopeful that our example will encourage other Unitarian Universalist congregations across the state, region, and nation to take action for clean energy." Contact uuamherst@adelphia.net  for more info rmation.
In August of 2005, members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pueblo joined other groups (secular and religious) in a caravan along Colorado 's "Uranium Trail" to call attention to the state's heavy participation in the nuclear industry. The goal of the caravan was to increase awareness and to educate the public about the social and environmental costs related to uranium and the nuclear industry. The caravan ended in Canon City , site of the Cotter Mill, which has a long history in the uranium refining process. Contact Rebecca Booher for more info rmation.
This congregation is holding its "Green Faire" on Sunday, April 30 from 12:00 Noon to 3:00 p.m. The event will feature games and crafts for children, healthy lunches, "No Sweat (shops)" clothing, green cleaning supplies, and much more as well as exhibits on hybrid and electric cars, information about socially responsible investments, organic horticulture, local library resources, recycling, and area environmental groups and parks. The event is sponsored by the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Summit County Solid Waste Management Authority, as well as members of the congregation.
A Speaker's Room will offer short presentations on topics such as "Greening Your Home," "Dams of the Cuyahoga," and "Cooking with Organic Foods," and live music will be performed through out the day. Contact: Nancy King Smith .
Recently Unity Temple switched to geothermal technology to heat and cool their building. Also called ground source energy or geoexchange, the environmentally friendly technology uses wells, pumps and a series of pipes to harness the Earth's thermal energy to heat or cool a structure. "I really believe Mr. Wright would approve of this," said Keith Bringe, executive director of the Unity Temple Restoration Foundation. "He was the father of organic architecture – the whole idea of buildings fitting into the landscape. One of his greatest inspirations was nature, so he'd favor technology that complemented the environment instead of working against it." For more info rmation contact office@unitytemple.org .
Focusing on sustainable and local foods, this Earth Day will feature a speech by a local professor who will address the spiritual connection between growing food and having a sense of place on the land. Afterwards there will be a lunch served using all local ingredients, and a video called "The True Cost of Food" will be shown. There will be a directory available of local products and home grown music to eat by! For more info rmation, contact Sam Jones .
Central Coast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Waldport, OR
In March, Central Coast UU Fellowship hosted a forum on ecology of the local coastline, and specifically on preservation of seaweed (in light of a recent decision to allow seaweed harvesting). The program, "Our Valuable Seaweeds," was presented by Gayle Hansen, Associate Professor at Oregon State University. An expert on North Pacific marine algae, Hansen will provide an introduction to Oregon 's seaweeds and discuss their ecological role in the near-shore environment and their economic use. Currently, Oregon Parks and Recreation is assessing whether to allow commercial harvest of these valuable marine plants. Contact mardus@charter.net for more info.
Members of the Unitarian Universalist Society: East in Manchester, CT, have been working with the Connecticut Climate Coalition for two years. Two members testified and a number of other members attended the hearings that led to the passage of the Connecticut Climate Change Action Plan 2005, a 55-step plan of action led by the Governor's Steering Committee on Climate Change, the CT General Assembly and members of the CT Climate Coalition. Janet Heller writes, "As coalition members we support the implementation of the various portions of the comprehensive plan by testifying, writing letters and attending hearings. Recently we have supported the Clean Diesel and Clean Car Bills. We have worked on legislation to protect farmland and open space and to promote the Clean Energy option now offered through our power company, CL&P. In response to this effort, the policy board at UUS:E recently agreed to purchase the 100% Clean Energy option, and at least 50 UUS:E households have also signed up for clean energy. This promotes the development and use of renewable energy such as wind, landfill gas, and small hydro. One UUS:E family, through a CT incentive program, has put in a large solar installation and is at times selling power back to the electric company. One of our members has been on the CT Climate Coalition Education Committee, which organized a conference for CT's insurance and financial services companies on global warming issues. She also co-led a local public event with the coordinator of the CT Climate Coalition on what people can do about global warming and climate change.
"UUS:E members support local and local organic food and farms, part of the CT Action Plan as it saves considerable energy over conventional long distance food. The CT Climate Action Plan covers many areas of living and working in CT. It is similar to the many steps in our own Green Sanctuary Action Plan which will be featured in our Earth Sunday service and follow up events. Our application for accreditation in the Green Sanctuary Program sponsored by the UU Ministry for Earth will be submitted this month, and we hope to continue as partners in the process of working for a sustainable future for our world, our congregation and our children. Contact: Janet Heller .
To honor Earth Day, First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI will be having a bicycle fair. May is Bicycle Month, but after a long winter, they often need tuning up! Both bicyclists and bike shops will be participating, and there will be displays for all ages, terrains, and tastes. People can share stories, and maps of the various bicycle trails in the city, county, and state will be provided.
On April 23, Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church will be holding an Earth Day Fair from 12:30 to 3:30. There will be a labyrinth demonstration, booths featuring info rmation from Interfaith Power and Light, exhibits of hybrid cars, children's activities, and more. Earlier that day, children will be spending their religious education time cleaning trash from the banks along the Potomac River. Marty Hayden, Earthjustice's vice president of policy and legislation, will be speaking. Hayden represents Earthjustice on Capitol Hill where he has played a key role since 1995 in blocking attempts to eliminate environmental protections for all National Forests and promoting more protection for pristine forest lands, such as Alaska 's Tongass Ra info rest and all roadless forests.
Contact: Nance Cedar .
During the Earth Day weekend Sunday Service, YRUU volunteers will be distributing automobile tire air pressure gauges to attendees, along with flyers explaining the importance of maintaining proper tire pressure (to save gas and reduce our dependence on oil). These gauges and info rmative flyers are courtesy of Savannah Walters . Thos in attendance will also learn how other "Pump 'em Up" events can be sponsored. After the service, the congregation will view a video of James Lovelock's "Gaia Hypothesis" which illustrates "...the independent web of all existence of which we are a part." Spirit of Life UU is presently engaged in entering into a Reconciliation Ecology Partnership with Brooker Creek Environmental Preserve. Contact: Rob Serenbetz .
The Green sanctuary Committee/Environmental Task Force of River Road Unitarian Church is celebrating its Fourth Annual "Earth Day" with "April is Earth Month at RRUC!" Activities will occur throughout the month of April.
Activities include ground cleanup, Potomac River cleanup, a coffee discussion series, an environmental expo, raptor presentation, and two religious services with an environmental theme, feature Rev. Ginger Luke. The sermon will be on the topic "The Threat of Global Warming." In addition, the Environmental Task Force will present a Board member a $100 certificate for "Clean Energy," bought through the Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light groups. At the end of the service native turtles that were injured will be blessed before they are returned to their native habitat.
For more info rmation, contact Suzanne Clarke , co-chair of ETF/GS Committee.
Earth Day activities at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax in Oakton, VA include a vesper service, "Seeking Solace in Nature," presented by members of our Green Sanctuary Committee on April 7th. Festivities on April 23 will feature a sermon by the congregation's minister, Mary Katherine Morn, entitled "Reverence and the Web," booths in the commons area between services telling of the wildlife habitat on the church grounds, and how the congregation can take steps toward becoming a green sanctuary, energy efficiency suggestions including sale of energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs and more. After the second service, the congregation plans a "Glacial Me lt, Ice Cream Social." During this time the congregation will be trying to raise peoples' consciousness about climate change and the role of fossil fuels in bringing this about, as well as helping people estimate their footprint on the planet. Contact: Nancy Byrd .
The congregation's Earth Day events will include a lecture and Question &Answer period on " Minnesota 's Energy Future: Clean, Local and Renewable? Laws, policies, and utility programs that can increase the winds of change" featuring J. Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director at Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy. There will be a special collection to reduce FUS' greenhouse gas emissions and begin purchasing clean, renewable, wind-generated electricity to power our building. During social hour, participants will be able to sign up for Xcel Energy's WindSource program will be available. The congregation's goal is to prevent 14,000 lbs of CO2 emissions a month by signing up 25 households to buy $4.00 of clean wind-generated electricity per month.
The Neighborhood UU Church of Pasadena CA will be hosting a premiere on April 21st of the film Nobelity: A look at the future through the eyes of Nobel laureates  . Contact: Peter Eisenhardt .
The congregation's Tuesday night movie series will feature the environmental films "Kilowatt Hours," and "Nobelity: A look at the future through the eyes of Nobel laureates." During the showing of "Kilowatt Hours," the congregation will sell energy saving devices to contribute to the fund the Ministry for Earth needs to match the grant the congregation is eligible to receive to fund production of a church version of the movie.
The congregation's Forum speaker will be Dr. James Sheppard, on "The Real Environmental Crisis: We Have Me t the Enemy and It Is Us." Dr. Shepard is a professor of philosophy, ethics, and public policy at the University of Missouri Kansas City. April 23 will also be "Sustainable Transportation Sunday" for the congregation. In newsletter articles, announcements in services, inserts in two orders of service in April, and activities at the coffee hour, the congregation will promote carpooling, biking, walking, or taking a bus to church. Contact: From Terry Wiggins .
As a Certified Green Sanctuary congregation, Beverly Unitarian Church has taken a number of steps to improve its energy efficiency, including installing many compact fluorescent light bulbs and purchasing a new, energy efficient boiler. The congregation contributes $75 per month to Community Energy, the administrative arm of Interfaith Power and Light, to subsidize bringing wind energy into the ComEd power grid, in an amount roughly equal to the electric power that our church draws off in the average month. For more info, contact Allan Lindrup .
While the congregation community has done well in accomplishing the technical issues of being a Green Sanctuary, Sally Breen reports, "we have now committed to strengthening our understanding of 'deep ecology.' Most of us are reading Lester Browns' "Plan B-2," and we are highlighting the most important segments. After we finish, we will take the marked up books to our legislators' offices and ask for a time to meet with them once they have had time to read the books. Some of our members will be attending a state-wide conference sponsored by Peace Action Maine, "Sustainable Maine." One of us will be part of a workshop on Green Sanctuary." Contact: Sally Breen .
In June 2005, MVUUF collaborated with 5 UU congregations to create Me tro UU Social Justice Alliance environmental subcommittee and participated in Minnesota interfaith environmental group (C3) Congregations Caring for Creation. For more info rmation, contact info@mnvalleyuu.org .
In November of 2005, the congregation celebrated "Buy Nothing Day," in response to environmental impact of consumerism. "The point is to decrease our consumption of new materials," said Joanne Steele, who helped organize the Saturday exchange. Inside the congregation's meeting hall were tables of used toys, kitchen utensils, cups, dishes, saucers, computer equipment, skis and snowboards. In a house on the compound along Sawkill Road were clothes and books. All the items were donated – and they could be exchanged for other items, depending on individual tastes and wants. But "Buy Nothing Day," which has been conducted worldwide for twelve years and has been active in Kingston for the past two years, is also an exercise in restraint. Participants are urged not to buy anything for 24 hours. "We're ripping off our children and grandchildren when we consume the way we do," Steele said. "This is not sustainable. It's deadly." Contact revlin23@aol.com for more info rmation.
As part of becoming a Green Sanctuary Church – the first one in the metro New York area – this congregation engaged in a two year program of having their Earth Charter endorsed by the congregation. This happened in June with a vote of 59-5. Now the challenge is to have the Earth Charter principles applied to worship, budget, buildings, etc. and have them adopted in this second phase of the program. Under the leadership of the congregation's Green Sanctuary Committee and with cooperation of the Metro NY UU Network, an Earth Charter-based Sustainable Communities Consultation is being planned for Friday April 21, 2006 where 75-100 leaders in government, business and civil society are asked to engage in value-based planning for sustaining futures for the metro NY area. The Green Sanctuary Committee has also submitted this model of regional planning for funding a similar consultation in the Gulf Region after the devastation of Katrina. Contact info@ccny.org for more information.
This congregation is working on a variety of initiatives ranging from deploying use of a battery, fluorescent bulb and computer recycling programs to removing invasive species from area forest ecosystems. The Green Sanctuary program also offers educational opportunities for members and the wider community about issues such as wind-powered electricity generation and the effect of under-inflated tires on gas mileage. A discussion series on "Voluntary Simplicity" is being held, looking at ways for people to reduce their general consumption without feeling deprived. "Such discussions are one way in which the Green Sanctuary group aims to solve the puzzle of how to get more information out to people about what they can do to help the environment," said Melissa Warner, co-chair of Olympia Brown's Green Sanctuary.
In May, Green Sanctuary asked the congregation to participate in Sustainable Transportation to Worship Month by finding alternative ways to get to church. The goal was to reduce the amount of gasoline used and the amount of greenhouse gas produced. Some folks biked, others walked and some took the bus or carpooled, resulting in more than 100 alternative trips to church. Not a bad turnout for a congregation of 340 people! The results were a savings of 425 miles (or about 16 gallons of fuel) and 400 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the committee calculates. In addition to their connections with the nationwide Green Sanctuary program, the Olympia Brown group is also working with other faith-based environmental groups in this area including the Eco Justice Center (run by the Racine Dominicans) and members of the local Green Congregation program, a group of Lutheran and Methodist churches which are organizing their own environmental action groups. mail@obuuc.org for more information.
This Earth Day, children in the congregation will adopt slash pine trees and plant them on the Holton Eco-Preserve. After the planting, each child who has adopted a tree will have ongoing responsibilities: checking on the health of the tree; giving the tree enough water, but not too much; checking on how fast the tree is growing compared to the other trees; etc. And like any proud parent they should show off their tree to others. Children will also design and paint an Earth Day pennant which will fly between the flagpoles. Email DPART31@aol.com for more info.
The congregation is hosting an interfaith "Energy Cost Reduction Workshop" with a local Baptist church. The target audience is property and building committee leaders of churches, schools and businesses in the Delaware Valley area. Practical advice on how to save energy costs will be given by Andy Rudin, who has given hundreds of similar workshops around the country. Over lunch two expert panelists will discuss Green Building and Solar Roofs. Table displays from Solar Roof Companies, "Green" Builders and models of their designs, and demonstrations of "Greening And Cleaning" non-toxic cleaning products for industrial use are also planned.
At the same time the congregation will be displaying an art show for the month of April by an award winning area artist whose ironic work depicts environmental degradation from big business, whether it's genetically engineered agriculture or buildings that destroy the watershed and animal habitats. On April 23rd, the congregation's speaker, Chad Tolman, will be available after the service to present information on "The Threat of Global Warming – Science, Ethics and Response." Tolman has been involved for fifteen years in researching climate change and, from his UU church in Wilmington , has started a group called "Citizens Alarmed about Global Warming." Contact: Don Kane .
The congregation's youth group is volunteering to work at Dunbar Cave State Natural Area for Earth Day on April 22. Says Beth Robinson, "We are supporting 'The Friends Of Dunbar Cave' by helping to haul and spread mulch on the hiking trails. The mulch was made by recycling Clarksville residents' Christmas trees. UUFC members and friends have been supporting this annual event for several years." Contact: Beth Robinson.
The congregation's Earth Web Group will present the Earth Day service on Sunday, April 23, offering a play written by Doug Stewart , a UU from Santa Fe. The play, entitled "Mother Earth vs. World's People: Perhaps the Most Important Trial in the History of Civilization," presents an historic trial in which Mother Earth brings charges against World's People for "acting in ways to cause her grievous personal harm and limit her inherent civil rights to a fruitful existence." As the trial judge notes, "a serious charge, indeed!" Contact: Marilyn O'Boyle .
—Prepared by Audra Friend , UUA Office of Congregational Advocacy
Honoring "The Blue Green Hills of Earth": Earth Day 2006
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