OCUUC Green Sanctuary

Certification Update

2010-08-31T18:36:00.000-07:00

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.

Upcoming Event: Master Gardeners of Orange County Seminar - Saturday, September 25

2010-08-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Master Gardeners of Orange County will host their 8th annual Gardening Seminar on Saturday, September 25, 2010 from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. It will be held at:

Huntington Beach Central Library
7111 Talbert Ave | Huntington Beach, CA

I know that, in the past, a number of Members have wanted to learn more about zero water landscaping and composting. This is an excellent opportunity to learn from the best!

Online registration can be found here. The cost is $37 for the day. I may attend and then, from what I've learned, have a follow up session back at OCUUC later in the year.

UU Church of Fresno "Building a Theology of Ecology"

2010-08-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

From the UUA Green Sanctuary blog...

UU Church of Fresno invites members on a Spiritual Quest “Building a Theology of Ecology”
Posted by Robin Nelson

The UU Church of Fresno offers year-round Spiritual Quest Groups, small lay-led weekly discussion meetings participants delve deeply into Unitarian Universalist principles or covenant. They work together to learn right relationships, deep listening and communication skills as they grow together on their spiritual journey.
As a part of their Green Sanctuary process, Linda Mack, a member of the church, prepared a new Spiritual Quest curriculum called “Building a Theology of Ecology.” The curriculum was designed to foster the development of a theology of ecology, helping people to articulate their emotional and spiritual connection to the earth, the meaning they find in life that sustains their hope, and the moral responsibility that impels them to action. Linda put together eight sessions, beginning with an introductory session, explaining the process, deep listening, and a covenant of right relationship, with the question to be considered based on the 7th Principle. The topics she developed were “Awe and Wonder”, “Sense of Place”, “Simplicity”, “Wild Nature/Human Nature”, “Environmental Justice”, “Technology/Ecology” and the concept of “Evo/Devo”. Each sessions’ curriculum included a chalice lighting, topic introduction, readings, questions, and closings. This curriculum was then offered to three Spiritual Quest Groups at the church.

Plug-in Hybrid Prius at OCUUC

2010-08-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

We were greeted in the parking lot this morning by a plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius, thanks to new OCUUC member Bethie Lear-VanderYacht. This vehicle made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show back in December, 2009. Frequently asked questions about it can be found here. Thanks for sharing, Bethie!

Death Gyre in the Gulf

2010-08-05T19:07:00.000-07:00

Karl Burkart brings us this incredible, awful report.
'Death Gyre' in the Gulf
Firsthand accounts and leaked photos of a secret BP processing facility -- possibly for dead animals -- point to a massive cover-up in the Gulf. An exclusive report.

http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/blogs/death-gyre-in-the-gulf

'Green Revolution' Resolution Passes at General Assembly

2010-06-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

Originally Written By Sonja L. Cohen
June 27, 2010 at 1:04 pm

GA delegates voted Sunday morning to accept a proposed “Green Revolution in Religion” Business Resolution submitted by the Ballou Channing District. The resolution states, in part, that:
This General Assembly calls upon the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association to make a special effort in the year 2011 to participate in the Association’s continuing work for environmental justice, environmental stewardship, biodiversity protection, and environmental restoration. We ask member congregations to reflect on the religious teachings and experiences that inspire Unitarian Universalists in this important work.
Delegates met to discuss and amend the resolution during a brief miniassembly Friday afternoon. One amendment, which inserted the words “and ecosystem” after the word biodiversity in line 1036, was incorporated. A second amendment, to immediately follow line 1038, asked the GA Planning Committee to develop a major discussion about the religious roots of environmental justice concern; it was not incorporated.
The full text of the resolution (without the added two words) appears on page 32 of the Final Agenda. You can also view a PDF of the “Green Revolution in Religion” Resolution.
UUA Moderator Gini Courter explained that the Resolution was submitted by a district on a timely basis but was lost over the summer due to a flaw in the process, which is why the board placed it on the agenda now.
Eva Marx, trustee from the Ballou Channing District, speaking on behalf of the UUA Board of Trustees, said that the Resolution requests three things: That our member congregations reflect on the religious teachings and values that inspire us to do this work; that the president of our Association report on our progress and make recommendations for future actions at the 2011 General Assembly in Charlotte; and that our congregations support the Green Sanctuary Program, and that a history of the Green Sanctuary Program and our Association’s work for environmental justice be presented at the 2011 General Assembly. “In keeping with our Seventh Principle,” Marx said, “Unitarian Universalistss are committed to environmental issues and many of our congregations are already working with environmental themes. This resolution calls for our Association to increase its leadership and support.”

No to Paper, No to Stamps, Yes to Savings

2010-06-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

We held our Annual Meeting on Sunday. Once again, the fiscal situation is not the best.

One small, but significant step, is making a voluntary commitment to reducing our use of paper and stamps from OCUUC. This means receiving all communication via email or the web and having a copy of the Order of Service emailed to you.

If you are interested, please let Mike Harmanos know. We already have five OCUUC members who have made a greener choice.

Why "Our" Coffee is the Best

2010-06-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to post about the coffee we serve from Equal Exchange for some time. To me, it is the best deal going. The coffee we all share on the patio after services is 100% organic and 100% fair-traded with farmer co-operatives from coffee growing regions around the world. The coffee is at least 45% shade grown, and this is a major step in a direction toward caring for the Earth. The shade grown process is somewhat expensive to the co-ops themselves, who would have passed it along to us. But they are working on it.

The Colombian Blend (which we drink on Sundays) and the French Roast blend are available at the OCUUC bookstore immediately. It is $9 per 12 ounce container. Compare that to Peet's, Starbucks, or even Mother's Market when not on sale for organic, fair-traded coffee, and you won't find a better deal. See Birdie Reed to purchase some or leave a check with Sarah Jones in the office to buy some.

What you may not know is that there are 15 different blends available in 12 ounce packages available through our bookstore and a little bit of coordination. Additionally, if you are a serious, every day coffee drinker like your author, you may want to consider buying a 5 pound bag. Buying through the church helps support the church financially, makes a serious commitment to the environment, and provides you an excellent cup of coffee. To me, that's a win-win-win sort of deal.

Gulf Coast Disaster Response

2010-05-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

Gulf Coast Disaster - Action and Links

VENICE, La. - Workers at a decontamination site in Venice, La., bundle oil containment boom after it was replaced by clean boom and cleaned, May 4, 2010. The boom is to be transferred to a staging area where it will be put back into service using one of the many boats fighting to mitigate the effects of the uncontrolled discharge of oil that was a result of the Deepwater Horizon incident. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick Kelley.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.en

UU Ministry for Earth joins its voice to the many Unitarian Universalists, environmental groups, aid organizations and others who are horrified and concerned about the disaster unfolding in the Gulf from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. We encourage our members and congregations to commit to actions that will provide assistance to those who are and will be injured by the spill and to efforts to lessen the environmental consequences of the disaster.
In addition to the oil spill off the Gulf Coast, 29 coal miners lost their lives in an explosion in a West Virginian mine. We encourage our members and congregations to continue to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, to reduce the risk of such future disasters and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by reducing consumption.
We also encourage engaging in advocacy to demand policies that provide stronger protections and that hold the polluters accountable. UUSC has compiled talking points and a link to send a statement to BP CEO Tony Hayward. To support legislation that reduces oil dependency and prohibits expansion of dangerous practices such as off-shore drilling and mountaintop mining, Green For All has provided talking points and a link to send a message to President Obama and our senators.
In partnership with other UU organizations, we encourage you to follow the information from the Washington Office for Advocacy (WOA) and UU Service Committee (UUSC). Join UUSC telling BP to take full responsibility for the oil drilling disaster and not to exploit local workers.
The following list of suggested actions is adapted from the Washington Office for Advocacy’s Inspired Faith, Effective Action blog entry, contributed by Rev. Melanie Morel-Ensminger, minister of the First UU Church of New Orleans.
Here are some concrete ideas for things that can be done, right now, right away, to have a positive effect on the spill clean-up.
1. Collections of hair clippings from barbers and salons and fur clippings from pet groomers has been proposed to assist in helping with containment booms to soak up the oil. Matter of Trust is coordinating donations of old hosiery, pantyhose, stockings, clipped hair, and fur from pet groomers. You can also call your hair solon and dog groomer and request that they save all hair and fur for this important cause. Keep apprised as to whether this is a viable solution.
2. If you are financially able, you can contribute to help the people who are hurt most. A fund has been set up by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund, to collect money to benefit local communities at www.gnof.org. (Additionally, Oxfam America is collecting donations.
3. If you are able and willing to, you can volunteer to help, being sensitive to the fact that volunteers should not replace paid jobs for people on the Gulf Coast. In-person volunteers can register with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, or through the Sierra Club. Recovery from this, as from Katrina, will be a marathon, not a sprint. We will need a lot of help for quite some time to come.

4. If you live or visit near the Louisiana-Mississippi coast, and need to report damaged wild life or shoreline, these are the numbers to call: for oiled wildlife 866-557-1401; for damaged coastal areas 800-440-0858.

5. Write and call your elected officials at the federal level. Demand clear procedures for emergencies in the Gulf. Demand accountability for when inevitable accidents happen. Demand immediate federal aid for the coast line, the wild life, and the human communities affected by such disasters.

Finally, we can all pray/meditate/send good thoughts when gathered in our faith communities. We can support and comfort each other in our rage and grief over this new disaster. We can use the work of our hands and the power of our minds to make this better and prevent its recurrence.

If you know of sermons or congregational statements or actions regarding the oil spill, please make them available to UU Ministry for Earth (mailto:office@uuministryforearth) and we will post them.

Some Climategate Conclusions

2010-04-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

Interesting and wanted to share. Kudos to FactCheck.org as a generally reliable source of truth-seeking.

Sorry to have not been in touch with you recently.

Some Climategate Conclusions

Earth Hour is Saturday, March 27, from 8:30 to 9:30 PM

2010-03-26T23:44:00.000-07:00

Earth Hour is a global event organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature, also known as World Wildlife Fund) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. Lights out from 8:30 to 9:30 tomorrow night, March 27!

You can find out more at the official Earth Hour website, www.myearthhour.org

The Story of Bottled Water

2010-03-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

Hat tip to Reverend Karen on this one. Yesterday, March 22, was World Water Day. The good folks at "The Story of Stuff" tell the story of manufactured demand—how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows from the tap. Great food for thought. Enjoy!

The Major Project

2010-03-21T23:42:00.000-07:00

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.

The UUA Green Sanctuary Certification Process

2010-03-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

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.

Some of the Greenest Homes in the World

2010-03-12T11:15:00.001-08:00

From Fast Company, a magazine at the cutting edge of innovation. Just a neat article that I wanted to share. Enjoy!

http://www.fastcompany.com/pics/worlds-greenest-homes

350 - A Big Number

2010-03-03T15:26:00.000-08:00

Back on October 24, the entire world celebrated the International Day of Climate Action. Worldwide, people concerned about climate change brought attention to one big number - 350.

Why this number? It comes from the research of NASA scientist James E. Hansen, who posited in a 2007 paper that 350 parts-per-million (ppm) of CO2 in the atmosphere is a safe upper limit to avoid a climate tipping point. The current record level is 389 ppm of CO2, an almost 40-percent increase from the pre-industrial revolution level of 278 ppm. In 1988 the Earth's atmosphere surpassed the 350 ppm mark, while global CO2 emissions per capita rose.

It's been four months since the International Day of Climate Action.

Since then, the leaders of the world tried to address this issue in Copenhagen, Denmark. Most agree that the summit failed to do much of anything. Their inaction has not stopped efforts of awareness and grassroots mobilization. In fact, the UUA has polled all congregations regarding issues of energy, peace, and justice. They say that Nations fight with each other to control natural resources. Energy use is essential for human survival. How can Unitarian Universalists help all people, in all nations, to secure an adequate supply of energy that is safe, affordable, and sustainable? How can we prevent energy conflict while promoting energy justice?

Most importany, how can we along the Orange Coast move forward in a positive directon? Your humble author believes our congregation should quit carbon as an energy source. This can be done with renewables today. What do you think?

News and Thoughts About Climate Change/Global Warming

2010-02-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

Tom Friedman in today's New York Times provides some timely food for thought and I wanted to share.

Here are the points he likes to stress:
1) Avoid the term “global warming.” I prefer the term “global weirding,” because that is what actually happens as global temperatures rise and the climate changes. The weather gets weird. The hots are expected to get hotter, the wets wetter, the dries drier and the most violent storms more numerous.
The fact that it has snowed like crazy in Washington — while it has rained at the Winter Olympics in Canada, while Australia is having a record 13-year drought — is right in line with what every major study on climate change predicts: The weather will get weird; some areas will get more precipitation than ever; others will become drier than ever.
2) Historically, we know that the climate has warmed and cooled slowly, going from Ice Ages to warming periods, driven, in part, by changes in the earth’s orbit and hence the amount of sunlight different parts of the earth get. What the current debate is about is whether humans — by emitting so much carbon and thickening the greenhouse-gas blanket around the earth so that it traps more heat — are now rapidly exacerbating nature’s natural warming cycles to a degree that could lead to dangerous disruptions.
3) Those who favor taking action are saying: “Because the warming that humans are doing is irreversible and potentially catastrophic, let’s buy some insurance — by investing in renewable energy, energy efficiency and mass transit — because this insurance will also actually make us richer and more secure.” We will import less oil, invent and export more clean-tech products, send fewer dollars overseas to buy oil and, most importantly, diminish the dollars that are sustaining the worst petro-dictators in the world who indirectly fund terrorists and the schools that nurture them.
4) Even if climate change proves less catastrophic than some fear, in a world that is forecast to grow from 6.7 billion to 9.2 billion people between now and 2050, more and more of whom will live like Americans, demand for renewable energy and clean water is going to soar. It is obviously going to be the next great global industry.

Another Green Thing We're Doing Right - Recycling

2010-02-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

How could I forget this one? The high school students in RECY collect recyclables to learn more about how products are made, why recycling is important, and where waste goes. Thanks to Merrie Lee Wooten for coordinating this project. Recyclables can be dropped off behind the sanctuary next to the kitchen door. Thanks!

* No child was recycled in the making of this photograph

Helpful Green Links

2010-02-12T09:50:00.000-08:00

I wanted to include four helpful links to other organizations.

The Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth is a handy resource for UU green issues. They've been around for a long time, but are just building up their online resources. (Our little Green Sanctuary site has a blog and they don't, for example). For updated events, and if you are on Facebook, they have a nice Facebook page. Nancy Loughrey, our long-time friend Karen Urbano, and Mike Harmanos are fans.

The Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment (OCICE) educates, raises awareness and empowers people to actively protect and preserve creation through responsible stewardship. OCUUC member Carole Thomas is a member of the board of directors. They had a fine event for the International Day of Climate Action on October 24, 2009 (United Nations Day).

Bolsa Chica Conservancy is a non-profit, non-political organization whose mission is to advocate the restoration and preservation of the Bolsa Chica Wetlands through public outreach, participation, education and leadership. I know that a few of our OCUUC members have participated in their events. They are doing excellent, necessary work right in our backyard.

The Orange County Renewable Energy Society is the local chapter of the American Solar Energy Society. The Chapter's primary focus is to increase the intelligent use of solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies in Orange County. OC Renewables has a monthly meeting at the Duck Club in Irvine with speakers and networking of solar advocates here in Orange County. Mike Harmanos is a member of this new organization.

Green Things We're Doing Right at OCUUC

2010-02-12T09:42:00.000-08:00

Charlie prompted me to come up with a few things we're doing right at OCUUC.

• Buying shade grown, organic coffee
• Using coffee mugs and other permanent cups, dishes, and utensils
• Using compact fluorescents throughout the congregation
• Promoting compact fluorescents
• Incorporating earth-centered, environmentally important messages into the service and into religious exploration

What else? Let's focus on the positive!

Welcome!

2010-02-10T21:38:00.000-08:00

Orange Coast UU Church is in the early stages of becoming a Green Sanctuary. This means that we have made a commitment toward answering the call to individual and collective actions in response to environmental challenges.

In order to become a Green Sanctuary, we as a congregation must put together a program of three events apiece based in four focus areas, for a total of 12 programs. These focus areas are, as follows:

Worship and spiritual practice
Religious education for our children
Environmental justice
Sustainable living

Within these four focus areas, Green Sanctuary encompasses the whole of congregational life.

This format allows members, friends, and just about anyone to express their views and comments here. What does it mean to you to have OCUUC as a Green Sanctuary?