Wanted to provide an update to all regarding certification as a Green Sanctuary. Because of the inability to raise funds, we will not go forward with any proposals with converting the power to solar.

According to President Mary, we will be deciding a third major social justice project for OCUUC. There will be a larger, more comprehensive conversation throughout the church on this in the next few months.

In the mean time, this blog will continue to provide information and resources on green options.

As I mentioned in the last post, we can get all the projects done except for the one major environmental justice project working with another congregation or collaborative organization.

My preference for a major environmental justice project is tied toward another goal of Green Sanctuary - to quit carbon energy as the church's energy source.

It is never going to be cheaper, more cost effective, and get a faster rate of return on our investment than right now with solar. There are excellent federal and state credits to purchasing a solar panel system. Plus, there's a new law in California called AB 920. That law says that starting on January 1, 2011, if you produce more power than you consume in your solar array, the utilities must do one of two things. One, they must pay you back at market wholesale prices. Or they can roll over your account with credit (like they do with cell phone minutes).

We would not be the first UU church to go solar. But we might be the first church in Orange County running entirely on renewable energy. Enjoy the video below.



I had a friend of Charlie and Birdie Reed's to come out to the church to provide an assessment. He works for Greenway Solar and did a nice job with coming up with a report/proposal. If you'd like to see a copy of the proposal, leave a comment and I'll get one off to you.

The Bottom line is this. For the cost of the investment, we get the following:

• We make our own clean, green energy forever at OCUUC.  
• We make a 1046% return (over 10 times!) on our investment over 30 years.  
• We live out our seventh principle.  
• Once the system is paid off, we then work with the Finance Council and the Board to come up with some sort of arrangement similar to Loose Plate.  
• This allows us the financial resources to work with another organization or other congregations on a major collaborative project toward environmental justice.
• We have a positive cash flow, at the very latest, in seven years, based on historical averages.

This proposal is already in front of the Finance Council today. How they come up with the cost is something I will leave in their capable hands. But I would love to hear all of your thoughts as well.

Since the reactivation of the Green Sanctuary committee in 2008, a few of us have attempted to wrap our arms around the certification process. We have committed that OCUUC become a UUA-certified Green Sanctuary as soon as possible.

Green Sanctuary is based on a framework of four focus areas:
• Worship and celebration
• Religious education
• Environmental justice
• Sustainable living

The Green Sanctuary Committee has done the legwork of compiling an assessment of the Congregation.

Becoming a Green Sanctuary then requires an action plan and executing that plan. A little history to note - OCUUC came very close to doing this (thanks to the good work of Karen Urbano) around 2004 or 2005.

Of course, we would love to hear your ideas and thoughts in making OCUUC greener or add to this program. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. Here's what it takes to become certified:

At least 2 programs in Worship and Celebration. Our Water Communion Service, the robust services and work of CUUPS, and prior Earth Day celebrations in our congregation qualify us for three.

At least 2 programs in Religious Education, one for children and one for adults. I am certain that RE has taught at least one class in sustainability. They have led the efforts in our recycling programs. Adult Programs? We might have to work on this.

At least 4 programs in Sustainable living, including at least one energy conservation activity. Our bookstore sells organic, fair-trade, Equal Exchange coffee. We have done the due diligence in the past with switching to compact fluorescent lightbulbs. OCUUC uses the bare minimum in energy consumption, a fact I have verified with Southern California Edison. (FYI, OCUUC uses about 25000 kilowatt hours per year for everything.) We have a fairly low-impact, low-water usage grounds around the complex. We might have four here, perhaps even a fifth. There's a little room for improvement here, largely due to the fiscal pressures we have all faced. It would be fantastic to buy dye-free, sustainable, recycled paper for the Order of Service, but it's pretty pricey compared to what we get at Office Depot.

And finally, at least 2 programs in Environmental Justice, one of which is a major, ongoing collaboration with another congregation or another organization. This is where OCUUC fell short in 2005. The UUA defines environmental justice as "Protecting natural systems and nonhuman communities is one form of this justice. Environmental justice is also concerned with the ecological health of human communities-especially disadvantaged, oppressed, and indigenous communities-and with building relationships to create a larger impact."

Tall order. But I do know that Pat McCully's excellent work with Circulo de Amigas is helping save some of the rainforest in Jinotega, Nicaragua. I can't think of a program that better defines the text above.

We, therefore, need one major ongoing collaborative program. I have one in mind and will include it in the next post. This program will be proposed to the Finance Council coming up this April 15. It's a program that pays for itself, does a tremendous amount of environmental good, and helps us get the word out that OCUUC is a congregation serious about sustainability and environmental justice.