This blog is part of the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Charlotte, North Carolina’s on-going exploration of how our congregation can make a difference through direct action in support of social justice – in this case, through action to support environmental justice and ecological stewardship.
The blog’s purpose is to allow members of the church’s Environmental Justice Focus Group to have an extended discussion of environmental justice, equity and sustainability. We will be presenting our findings to the congregation in March 2008. Before taking action, however, we want to consider the different sides of this complex question, and try to educate ourselves about environmental challenges.
The current focus, in mid-February, is creating an effective presentation. We have decided that the UU “Green Sanctuary” program is an ideal framework and starting point for what we would like to do.
You may leave a comment on this page, or on the “discussion blog” (as our interactive page, posting to the “discussion blog” will be much more like a “real” blog).
To explore various issues and check out some of the information we’ve found (great resources!), please click links that interest you in the right hand column under “Index”.
If you have any questions, please email me at dboekelheide@yahoo.com.
If you would like to leave a general comment or questions, please do so here under “leave a comment”.
I am checked in…thanks !
Thanks for this, Don. Hope to spend some time with this and the Green Sanctuary listserv this afternoon.
Roger
Thanks to my 11 year old I’m connected!
I am looking forward to exploring the blog
resources!
Our thanks to your 11-year-old – they will inherit what we leave behind us. I’m glad we’ve got one with some computer smarts!
OK — I’m finally checking out our blog! This is a nice start and now that I’ve got it bookmarked, I’ll come back and start contributing. Thank you Don.
Hey guys. I’m feeling a bit dim at the moment…I thought the list of churches was to the left but I can’t find it. Help, por favor!
oops…to the right…
Eureka! Found the list – amazing what a cup of coffee can do for the brain cells
Coffee is good – welcome, Kym and David.
Remember to check out other parts of the blog, especially the “Discussion Blog” (lame name, good content)
Check out this website, with two takes on environmental justice.
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/discoveringwherewelive/index.shtml
Here’s an article about high efficiency lighting from the NY Times; part of this was in the Observer last weekend.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/garden/10lighting.html
Ed, did you see the interesting exchanges on this in the Green Sanctuary email list?
Following a response from Nancy, who is leading the Green Sanctuary initiative at my former church, First Unitarian Society of Schenectady (NY). They are a little bit ahead of us, but not much. I have asked her to keep in touch as their efforts develop; we can swap ideasm going forward.
Ed Stokes
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We’ve been working on it since Jan 06. We keep busy doing lots of environmetnal stuff. The certification process seems very slow. We just got our welcoming letter into the candidacy program. We submitted our application last June. Between the UUMFE office moving and LOTS of congregations submitting applications, it took longer than expected. Have you gotten started?
Nancy
I like the survey posted in the GS manual – some members may find that they’re already doing these things, which may drum up some enthusiasm about the Environment.
http://uuministryforearth.org/files/CedarsUU_GSAudit.pdf