Green Committee Corner Sustainability; Climate; Global; YoUU!
Team: Amanda Maclean, Christina Cervantes, Diana Keohane, Diane Morris, Nancy Kaelin, Rebecca Gore, Steve Davis
If you are interested in being part of this TAKE ACTION GROUP, email: green-committee@uuchelmsford.org
We meet once a month on Sundays.
Green Tip: Join Us!
Green Sanctuary 2030: Mobilizing for Climate Justice Launched in 2023
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 Statements:
“The First Parish Chelmsford Green Committee wants to feel joyful, safe, and connected by building a thriving, aware, and inclusive community in harmony with Mother Earth by 2050, because we believe everyone deserves to share in Earth’s abundance. This is hard because we must dismantle & reimagine harmful systems quickly while facing political and economic resistance. But if we find a way to do this, it will mean we’ve learned again to live interwoven with our planet’s well-being, and sparked a brighter path for other communities and future generations.”
“Earth is our home. We are Earth too, but we have 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.”
Here are some highlights of the 2024-2025 year:
This year, your Green Committee has made meaningful progress on several environmental and community initiatives:
* We hosted an invigorating Climate Justice Revival workshop and worship service in April, along with an Earth Day Fair during social hour, engaging our congregation in climate action and education, along with our share-the-plate partner, Mill City Grows.
* We screened two film series, “The Week” and the UUA’s “Climate at the Intersections”, which sparked thoughtful discussions and deepened awareness around climate justice, the facts of climate change, and interconnected issues.
* We coordinated tours of the Black Earth Composting operations in Groton, as well as the Nuclear Power Plant at UMass Lowell.
* We successfully transitioned the church to power down electronics during the week when not in use for worship services, reducing our energy consumption.
* Our team hosted a table at the town’s Holiday Prelude, and volunteered at the Chelmsford Fall festival, offering outreach and visibility within the wider community.
* A recycling bin has been added to social hour, complementing the existing compost bin and supporting our commitment to responsible waste practices.
* We continue to investigate the church’s heating system, which currently only regulates the first floor, and are also exploring the feasibility of adding solar panels with battery backup storage to further our sustainability goals.
* Following the UUA’s Green Sanctuary 2030 program, we will continue to engage our workshop participants, the congregation, and community partners in assessing opportunities for collective climate justice actions in the upcoming year.
We are grateful for the support of the congregation and look forward to continuing our work in the year to come!
Resources we love:
Chelmsford Library of Things: All of the “things” available for checkout from the Library, including tools!
Tyngsborough Library of Things
Fix-It Clinics in Tyngsborough, Chelmsford, and Westford
Mill City Grows: Local vegetables, cooking classes, and more for the Merrimack Valley
April 2025 Earth Day Climate Revival Message
