For more information contact Kat Dargan, UUSE153@sbcglobal.net.
UUS:E became an officially designated Green Sanctuary in June of 2006. We are one of 50 congregations in the nation that have been certified by the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth (UUMFE), and are the first in Connecticut. The congregation has come though a long process that involved an environmentally focused evaluation of all aspects of congregational life, and the creation and completion of a 15 step action plan.
We try to incorporate “green” thinking and actions into all areas of programming at UUSE – from worship services, to adult and youth Religious Education, to recycling many types of items and purchasing recycled and earth friendly supplies, to composting and growing an organic vegetable garden. We practice energy conservation, and purchase Connecticut Light and Power’s 100% Clean Energy Option. We have also been working on plans for a new “green" addition to the building. Green Sanctuary is our way of bringing our UU Seventh Principle to life: “Respect
for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.”
The Green Sanctuary program is facilitated by the Sustainable Living Committee (SLC) which plans and promotes programs and activities at UUS:E. The committee also works with other local, state and national groups on environmental justice issues. SLC co-sponsors educational programs and encourages congregational participation in working for positive change in the wider community.
The Sustainable Living Committee meets the second Tuesday of each month from 7 to 9 P.M. in the Program Room. For information about the committee or upcoming events please click on Sustainable Living Committee (SLC)
The committee also writes a monthly article in the UUS:E newsletter entitled GREEN SANCTUARY.
The newsletter includes a Green Tip of the Month. A recent Green Tip of the month can be found to the right of this column. For some past Green tips click on Green Tips
While we are still seeking a new coordinator to be in charge of orders, the Sustainable Living Committee will ensure that we have Fair Trade organic coffee, tea and chocolate products form Equal Exchange will be available for sale on April 11, assuming we are back in the building on March 21 as planned. If you are interested in helping with the coffee project, please contact Sharon Huber or Kat Dargan.
On February 21 right after the service our own Duffy Schade will present a multimedia slide show on “Our Home, Their Home” on how to create a backyard wildlife habitat using native plants and other ecologically sound landscaping methods. We hope to share ideas to use at UUS:E as we begin to heal and nurture the landscape after our building project is complete. Come learn ideas for your own yards and to put to use at UUSE. A light lunch will be served at 1:45 and the program begins at 2:00. See the flier elsewhere in the newsletter.
ELECTRICITY!! We all use it and we all need it, but it is costly and hard on the environment. At UUS:E we have been choosing the CT Clean Energy Option for a number of years at the 100% rate, as do many of our members. Now for the first time deregulation gives us the opportunity to save money AND keep the CT Clean Energy Option. Every resident and business, church, etc is encouraged to choose a new supplier. These suppliers have been marketing their products for some time now, and it can be very confusing, BUT if you go to this site www.ctenergyinfo.com/display_rates.htm. you can see them all compared and sign up easily on line for the one you prefer. Con Edison (as Mark Reis mentioned at our service) does offer a 100% renewable option, BUT the price may be higher now than CL&P . It is national not regional wind power, and to keep the CT Clean Energy Option it would definitely cost more. According to Roger Smith it is best to use a cheaper energy supplier and keep or sign up with the CT Clean Energy Option. That way you will be paying for the cost to bring class 1 renewable energy to CT and for solar panels to your local municipality. Consider Public Power PPU or Positive Energy on the list www.ctenergyinfo.com/display_rates.htm Both companies have steady lower rates than CL&P and require no contract, but you can choose any one you like! And you can do it with your CL&P bill as well if you prefer. Contact Janet Heller for questions.
SOLAR PANELS up and running now! at Manchester High School thanks to all Manchester residents who have signed up with the Ct Clean Energy Option over the years. See the link http://siteapp.fatspaniel.net/siteapp/simpleView.jsf?eid=341331
On Feb. 24th Gene DeJoannis of Citizens For a Greener Manchester will present an evening of Solar Information. 7:00 pm St. Bridget’s school cafeteria 74 Main St. in Manchester.
Saturday, March 6 is CT NOFA’s 28th Annual Conference. This year it will be held at Manchester Community College (previously at Windsor High School). The day is full of workshops on all aspects of growing things, food, and sustainable living. Register early for a discount and come to be inspired! www.ctnofa.org
The Sustainable Living Committee meets on the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is 7 pm on February 9th at Kat Dargan’s home. All interested are welcome!
Did you enjoy getting your Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolates from Equal Exchange at our fair on November 21st? We need a few new people dedicated to helping once every three or four months for sales, and we are seeking a new coordinator to be in charge of orders once we are back in our own building. If you are interested in helping with the coffee project, please contact Sharon Huber or Kat Dargan.
Good Recycling News! For Manchester residents and other towns as well, some time in early 2010 we will be able to recycle all # 1 to # 7 plastic containers in our home recycle bins - as soon as CRRA in Hartford upgrades its equipment to detect the differences and handle the plastics. Look for upcoming information from your town.
The Sustainable Living Committee meets on the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is 7 P.M. on December 8th at Kat Dargan’s home. All interested are welcome!
For more information on the Sustainable Living Committee, Green Sanctuary, or anything in this article contact Sue McMillen, Kat Dargan, or Janet Heller via UUSE153@sbcglobal.net.
Sustainable Living Committee Course to be offered in September: "The Low Carbon Diet" Are you trying to reduce your carbon footprint? We are offering a program to help you cut 5000 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions. It involves FOUR 2-hour sessions meeting every other Thursday starting on Sept. 17. The free introductory class will be held at Center Congregational in the Youth room at 7:00 pm on Sept. 17. See ‘Hot Topics’ for more information, or check with Kat Dargan or Pam Wheeler.
SOLAR TOUR on Sunday, September 27, from 2:30 to 5:00 at three different UUS:E member homes. Come see three different types of solar system arrangements. Contact Kat Dargan for more information.
FAIR project! We are seeking to collect old wool sweaters – especially those with patterns – to create felt items made from recycled sweaters. If you have some, please give to Kat Dargan or Sue McMillen.
HELP WANTED: Do you love your fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate products? We will need a new coordinator next year when we return to our building. Sharon Huber has faithfully handled this important job for several years and will be stepping down. If you are interested in learning the ropes and volunteering to take this on, talk to Sharon or Sue or Kat.
Taste! Organic CT, the all day festival (10AM to 4PM) organized by CT NOFA that was held in past years at Topmost Herb Farm will be held this year at Manchester Community College (MCC) on Sept. 20 by the Band Shell. The festival features wonderful locally grown organic produce from your CT NOFA member farms, great food to eat, numerous workshops of practical information, children’s activities, vendors, music and more throughout the day. Come and enjoy! You can pay to come in at 10:00, stay until noon, go to church at Center Congregational, and get back in for the last few hours (with your stamp).
SAVE The dates: Oct. 15th Sacred Trust Forum 4:30 to 9:00 P.M. more info next month or at www.irejn.org.
Oct. 24th is 350 Day International Day of Climate Action. We are planning an event in downtown Manchester that day. Look for more information next month. Some numbers (such as 32 or 212 are extremely important). Do you know what makes 350 vital to life on planet earth? Check out www.350.org.
For more information on the Sustainable Living Committee, Green Sanctuary, or anything in this article contact Sue McMillen, Kat Dargan, or Janet Heller. Our next meeting will be at Kat Dargan’s on September 15th (note – this is not our usual second Tuesday! All are welcome.)
Sustainable Living Committee Course to be offered in September: "The Low Carbon Diet"
Are you trying to reduce your carbon footprint? We are offering a program to help you cut 5000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. It involves FOUR 2-hour sessions meeting every other Thursday starting on Sept. 17. Classes will be held at The Arbors, 403 W. Center Street in Manchester in the Club Room from 7 to 9 pm on Sept. 17, Oct.1, 15, and 29.
For more information about the Low Carbon Diet program go to www.empowermentinstitute.net. The class is limited to eight participants plus instructors. For more information or to register, contact Kat Dargan or Pam Wheeler. We can order your book for you.
Farmers Markets are all over this year. Two are in Manchester. The original one is on Saturday mornings from 8:30 A.M. until noon on Main St. The newest one is on Wednesday afternoons from 2 to 6 P.M. at MCC near the band Shell. More vendors offering locally grown fruits and vegetables, as well as eggs, cheese, baked goods, soap and honey and plenty of shade and music each day make this a great place to meet people and enjoy a summer afternoon AND support our Connecticut farmers!
The NOFA summer conference at UMASS is coming up soon. This three-day conference organized by the Northeast Organic Farming Association is full of great information and events, www.ctnofa.org. You can go for the whole conference and stay in the dorms or in your tent or for any day. Some of us will be going up for the day on Saturday, Aug. 8. For carpooling or more info contact Janet Heller.
Our next Sustainable Living Committee meeting will be held at Kat Dargan’s on Aug. 11, 2009 at 6:30 P.M. starting with a summer potluck supper. Old and new friends are welcome!
For more information on the Sustainable Living Committee, Green Sanctuary, or anything in this article contact Sue McMillen, Kat Dargan, or Janet Heller via UUSE153@sbcglobal.net.
We are on our way towards our new building, and what a strange sight it is looking at the landscape around UUS:E these days. So many trees are gone. The earth is all dug up, and moving equipment is rearranging the land beneath us. They are working on the new septic system and preparing the foundation for the new addition. The Memorial Garden is hanging on just behind the silt fence. We moved and saved a dozen fine mountain laurel shrubs in temporary beds for reuse in the new landscape. We salvaged many cedar trees to use as raised beds for our new vegetable garden and other landscaping. Jane Osborne is keeping a careful eye on the trees and woodlands we hope to preserve and care for as we plan our future landscaping and forest areas. And now we plan to move to our temporary home on August 2nd while cleaning out and storing all usable materials.
Our new building will be “greener” in so many ways. It will be much more energy efficient. The fiber cement siding should not need repainting for at least ten years. New energy efficient windows all around will stop the drafts. Much of the stainless steel in our new kitchen will be recycled. By mid August they should be drilling the wells for our new geothermal heating and cooling system. And that is just a start. We will have to get used to acting green in our new building.
We will also have to think about acting green in our temporary home at Center Church. In the mean time here are a few ideas. Recycled ink cartridges and cell phones with their cords should be kept in plastic bags until we move into the new building. Compostables may need to go home with you or someone with a garden. We hope to recycle our usual items and avoid throw away cups and plates at Center Church but are not yet sure what the set up is.
In the fall we expect to offer an adult education class entitled “Low Carbon Diet; How to lose 5000 Pounds” and later in the year we plan to repeat “Menu for the Future”, which a number of people expressed interest in taking. Look for more information next month.
For more information on the Sustainable Living Committee, Green Sanctuary, or anything in this article contact Sue McMillen, Kat Dargan, or Janet Heller. Our next committee meeting is July 14, 2009 at 7 pm in the Program Room at UUSE. All are welcome.
For information on current and upcoming programs and activities go to the Sustainable Living Committee
Last updated
May 2010
GREEN TIP - Ethical Eating
Make a joyful commitment to Ethical Eating for 40 days to honor the 40th anniversary of Earth Day (April 21.)
The Ethical Eating Core Team at the Unitarian Universalist Association invites us to take part in this campaign. Did you know that the world’s current consumption levels will have us raising 120 billion animals a year by 2050? This would require using more land for agriculture than exists. And even if we could, it’s unlikely the atmosphere, land and water could handle it.
If the idea of a plant-based diet scares you a little, try going to EarthSave International, www.earthsave.org. Their website is very helpful especially for those who are transitioning to -- or just trying out -- a plant-based diet. If you contribute to EarthSave you will receive a complimentary subscription to Vegetarian Times, a great resource for the novice or experienced veggie cook.
