Green Committee Corner Sustainability; Climate; Global; YoUU!
Team: Amanda Maclean, Christina Cervantes, Diana Keohane, Nancy Kaelin, Rebecca Gore
If you are interested in being part of this TAKE ACTION GROUP: green-committee@uuchelmsford.org
Green Tip: Join Us!
Food Waste Collection Program
Black Earth Compost at the church to divert food scraps from church and community events and the nursery school program. Diverting food waste This program not only significantly reduces the waste we send to landfills, but also serves as an educational tool for our congregation (and also for the nursery school kids!) about the benefits of composting and soil health.
Earth Day Celebrations in April:
Earth Day Special Worship Service: Earth Day (or approximate date) reflects on protecting the earth we all love.
Earth Day Fair: The fair features booths of eco-related interest/issues; E.g. Chelmsford Climate Action Team, Homeworks Energy (no cost home energy assessments), Resources and information on sustainable living, climate advocacy, Green Sanctuary 2030* process are provided. Activities include: Outdoor and virtual reality experience and Free fun projects for our youth and adults.
Pollinator Garden Tea Party: informative presentation about pollinator gardening, planting around the yard, and goals of pollinator gardens.
Looking forward to 2024-2025…
The Green Committee is excited to continue it’s journey with the upcoming phases of Green Sanctuary 2030, and finding new opportunities for the congregation to live up to the call of environmental and community stewardship in the face of a climate crisis. We extend an invitation to join us as we partner with our community.
*Green Sanctuary 2030: Mobilizing for Climate Justice Launched in 2024
Our first major initiative, launched in October 2023 was beginning participation in the UUA’s Green Sanctuary 2030: Mobilizing for Climate Justice program. This ambitious program is designed to be completed in phases, with the ultimate goal of transforming our church into a model of sustainability and an active advocate for climate justice and community resilience by 2030.
Green Committee Statement:
“Earth is our home. We are Earth too, but have we forgotten? We cannot tolerate misinformation, despair, and inaction when it comes to the health of our dear planet home. We’ve seen how devastating and unsustainable climate chaos can be and we want to be prepared, to do our part to restore balance with mother Earth, and to foster local resilience. We wish to serve our congregation, community, and future generations by inspiring individual and collective actions, rather than remain comfortable. We are compelled by love and experience to extend our empathy, compassion, and resources especially to those who do not have the income, literacy, and/or fluency in English to prepare.”
We were also invited to revisit some of the church’s recent highs and lows, such as:
- + Accessibility and gender neutrality improvements to the church building;
- + Strong refugee and immigrant support;
- – Post-COVID attendance, programs, and activities are down, and volunteer capacity seems nearly maxed.
We were challenged to research and explore:
- The historical realities of oppression locally;
- The current realities of systemic racism locally (as part of the larger UU reckoning).
And we were asked to think about our local community’s climate risks, such as:
- In the event of a climate disaster, which of your neighbors might lose their homes?
- When the grid fails, who is at risk of the deadly combination of power outages and extreme heat?
In May of 2024, we completed and submitted our “Phase 1” application for the Green Sanctuary program to the UUA. Phase 2 will involve assessing the opportunities we have for work in the areas of: Congregational transformation, mitigation, community resilience, and justice.
