Welcome to Unitarian Universalist Society East
Summer Services at 10:00AM Only
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
Thanks to all of you who wrote postcards, called or sent emails to your state legislators and Governor Lamont to help pass important climate and environment bills. All of our efforts helped to bring significant success on bills we supported. The big Climate Protection bill HB 5004, which we’ve been trying to pass for three years, did pass both houses and was signed by Governor Lamont. SB9 the Climate Resiliency bill also passed and has been signed into law. It includes amending the state water plan to include climate issues. The controversial housing bill 5002, not as of this writing signed into law, has important environmental aspects to it such as transportation-oriented housing. The big Energy Bill SB4, which had issues we were worried about, did protect solar incentives for now, and net metering was not ended. A number of other important bills were successfully passed. You can see the results of many bills on CTLCV’s website watchlist https://www.ctlcv.org/watchlist.html. However, there are other important bills and efforts that need improvement and further action next year.
SAVE THE DATE!
Sunday, September 14, at 2:30 we are showing the CLIMATE FUTURES FILM FESTIVAL right here at UUSE. Ten award-winning films from four continents explore the human and artistic response to climate change. These short films use various artistic ways, through drama, documentary, humor, and stunning animation, to express human feelings about climate change – hope and cynicism, denial and grief, rage and heartbreak, resilience and resolve. There will be tables and people to talk with working on these issues to give us ways to take action. Come early!
For more information about the festival see https://www.climatefuturefilm.com/
Coming this fall:
Elders Climate Action https://www.eldersclimateaction.org/. This organization will be one of several groups promoting SUN Day September 20-21. They are highlighting solar and wind power. We’ll be learning more about this important event.
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.