Welcome to Unitarian Universalist Society East
Sunday Services at 9:00 and 11:00
Sustainable Living & Climate Action
UUSE is committed to ongoing efforts to save our planet through green action. We are a certified Green Sanctuary.
Green Sanctuary News
Green Sanctuary News
Are there Democrats/Liberals/Progressives in “RED” States??
Sometimes, we who live in a “blue” state on the East Coast may think that “red” states don’t have any “blue” voters. Let us remember that an organization that popped up in Nebraska, called Bold Nebraska and led by Jane Kleeb, successfully stopped the Keystone XL Pipeline! More recently, this group has worked in many other states to help stop CO2 pipelines from North Dakota, Mississippi, Texas, Iowa, Illinois, and more. For more information, go to this website. https://pipelinefighters.org/ Another YouTube video featured a speech by Justin Pearson, the young Democrat legislator from Memphis, Tennessee. His speech at a meeting of Netroots Nation in New Orleans about fighting for our climate should make everyone stand up and cheer! We hope you’ll listen. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDFSULSCYYg
Our Children’s Trust
Back in 2015, a group of young people, with the aid of a legal team, sued in court, saying that their future lives were in jeopardy due to the continued use of fossil fuels and the destruction of Earth’s forests and more. They have been stonewalled at the federal level since then, but at the state level, there are many extraordinary young people that are still fighting for the future. The latest case in Montana has won in the Montana State Court. Find more info at https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/
Earthjustice has had some wins lately, such as: Court Reaffirms Protections for Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, Reinstating Sustainable Farming and Agriculture Grants, a Win for Building Electrification in New York. Check out their website here https://earthjustice.org/
We thank those who came to our Climate Café on September 14th
We showed ten films from 4 continents in 2 hours, exploring the artistic and human response to Climate Change. The films were produced by artists from countries around the world. The Festival was introduced by Honorary Judge Bill McKibben of Third Act.
Equal Exchange
Did you know the coffee we happily drink after services comes from Equal Exchange? This Fellowship Coffee Blend is ground coarse for use in percolators. Be sure to stop by our table on the 2nd Sunday of every month to get your chocolate, tea, and coffee, and know that your purchases are supporting small, sustainable farmers across the world.
In Memoriam:
We remember Robert Redford, who died at the age of 89 on September 16th. Not only do we remember him as a great actor and filmmaker, we especially remember his
advocacy for Climate Justice issues. Thank you, Robert Redford!
Go Solar!
The Sustainable Living Committee is thrilled to report that UUSE has contracted with Connecticut solar provider, Savkat, to resume our popular solar program! Savkat has agreed to donate $25 to UUSE for every appointment and $1,000 for every signed solar contract. The program begins immediately, and is available to all UUSE members, family, and friends. Just tell them you were referred by UUSE!
We will be hosting several informational sessions with our Savkat representative on Sunday mornings during coffee hour to answer any questions congregants may have. If you're interested in learning more about getting solar installed, you can make an appointment at this time.
Already know you want to reduce your carbon footprint by installing solar? You can contact our Savkat representative, Jordan Bernstein, right away! His contact info is below.
Thank you for caring about our planet!
Jordan BernsteinLead Manager
203.441.7961
Schedule a Meeting
Green Actions You Can Take
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Join our ecological landscaping team
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Help with recycling and composting
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Help sell "Fair Trade" coffee, tea, and chocolate after Sunday services
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Help with the annual organic veggie garden
About the Green Sanctuary program
UUSE has been a certified Green Sanctuary congregation since the spring of 2006. The Green Sanctuary program was developed and begun by the UU Ministry for Earth for UU congregations. The program at UUSE was led by the Sustainable Living Committee with approval and involvement of the policy board, staff, various committees and the full congregation. Goals and projects were developed in four different areas: worship, religious education, sustainable living and social/environmental justice. Our Action Plan for 2005 included 15 different projects, heavily focused on our response to global warming. It included implementing recommendations from an energy audit, starting our children’s organic vegetable garden program, starting recycling and composting programs, working with other state and local organizations on common goals, and much more. The congregation-wide support and success of the program led us to seek out the greenest way we could afford to implement our planned building and expansion project.
Between 2007 and the spring of 2010 we were deep into the planning, fundraising for and implementation of our building project. The Growth of the Green Sanctuary Program allowed it to become a project of the UUA. And by 2011 we were encouraged to apply for Re- accreditation. Our application for Re-accreditation included various projects in the areas of worship and celebration, religious education, sustainable living, and active environmental justice efforts, such as helping to pass CT’s first environmental justice law, working with local groups to start school and other community gardens and to help low-income residents benefit from CT’s Home Energy Solutions program. We documented all the work done in the UUSE building project including energy conservation work, the geo-thermal system and eventual solar panel system, and Energy Star certification with a 98% score in 2013, as well as various ecological landscaping projects. On February 17, 2013 we received the notice we were awarded Green Sanctuary Recertification. We were encouraged to continue our efforts to become a net zero facility and continue with our outreach and advocacy work.