Adjust Text Size:

   
  [+] 
  [-] 
  [reset]

In the end, you have got to be happy with who you are.
— Carly Fiorina

Unitarian Universalists: The Uncommon Denomination

Visit the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations website

Green Sanctuary Task Force, UUI

Imagine for a moment a church community that has a fundamental, bottom-line commitment to living in harmony with the earth.

With the authorization by the church membership to develop the Green Sanctuary project, UUI now has a golden opportunity to achieve this lofty, yet realistic, goal.

Survey: We're Getting Greener

UUI has made great progress since we started the Green Sanctuary program in 2006. A survey of church members and friends in the initial year and again in 2008 document that progress.

Read on.....

Read more...

Sharing Nature & Ecology With Children: A Bibliography

If you have children or grandchildren... if you teach or tutor children... if you're related to children—or if you just KNOW some children—the following list of age-appropriate reading materials for youth can help you make them more aware of today's environmental issues. They cover such topics as endangered species, recycling, water and other resource conservation, changing seasons and climates, and much more, all geared to children's varied reading levels.

Here's an idea: Use the list to help you choose green-themed birthday gifts, holiday gifts, or no-special-reason gifts. It can also provide a guide for borrowing books from the library.

Here's an another idea: Why not buy one or more of the books on the list for the UUI library so all of our church youth can read and enjoy them?

Also, if you have some favorite children's books about the environment, please contact anyone on the Green Sanctuary Task Force about them because...this bibliography is intended to be a growing body of work.

Thank you. And happy reading.

Read more...

Green Sanctuary Earth Points Pledge and Possible Earth Points

UUI Green Sanctuary Earth Points Pledge
You Can Make a Difference Now!

UUI’s goal is to have as many households as possible earn at least 365 Earth Points between Earth Day 2007 and Earth Day 2008

Take the pledge:
I commit that during the next 365 days, I will take action to reduce my impact on the earth’s natural resources, increase my own and others’ awareness of our impact on the natural world, and otherwise actively practice environmental stewardship at home and at work. I recognize that even small actions can make a difference.

Read on to learn why we are doing this and what your pledge can mean to you, UUI...and the world.

And...check out the list of ways you can earn Earth Points over the next year.

Read more...

UUI's Earth Points Program: Internet URLs

There are many ways you can participate in UUI's new Earth Points Program, to help us reach our ultimate all-church goal while you live a more "green" life at home and at work. Two suggestions: (1) Start by referring to the Earth Points Check List, which shows many ways to earn "green" points during the program. Then (2) for ideas and help with the "green" projects that you wish to undertake, refer to some of the many internet sites on the subject. To get you started in your search, the Green Sanctuary Task Force offers the following starter list of URLs.

For example: Are you interested in recycling? Energy efficiency? Transportation? Educating yourself and others? Taking care of the outdoors? Reducing water use?

Check out these great sources of information that are just a finger click away:

Read more...

UUI Green Sanctuary Action Steps Being Developed

The comprehensive Green Sanctuary Program, which the UUI congregation has authorized a special Task Force to develop and implement, requires us to document completion of 12 activities in four focus areas. Following is our present list of planned activities for each of these four areas, along with early ideas for steps that may be included.

The Task Force will welcome your comments and/or suggestions about these activities. In addition, you can participate further by volunteering to be a lead coordinator or participant to help implement one or more of these action areas. The names of the Task Force members are listed elsewhere on this web site. Contact any one or all of them in person, by phone or via e-mail at uui-green@uui.org with your ideas and to volunteer your services to the greening of UUI, your home and your community.

Read more...

Recycling: Where YOU Can Do It

Do you know where--and what--you can recycle in the Indianapolis area? Just as important: do you know WHY we should all recycle?
Fact: in 2004 Indy's citizens recycled more than 17,000,000 pounds of recyclable items. The result: for every ton of steel cans recycled, we don't need to use 2,500 pounds of iron ore; 1,400 pounds of coal; and, 120 pounds of limestone. It also means not having to spend the energy equal to powering 18,000,000 homes for 12 months!
And that's just one small example. So, join this growing trend and recycle whatever you can.

Here's where to do it:

Read more...

Making UUI a Green Sanctuary

The Beginnings
As a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, UUI covenants to affirm and promote the seven basic principles and purposes of the UUA. The Green Sanctuary project was born from the seventh of these principles:
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
We strive to do this by focusing on the theological, spiritual and ethical aspects of human activities that affect the health and sustainability of the living earth.

Project Goals

As the UUI Green Sanctuary project develops and matures in the months and years ahead, all members and friends of UUI will be asked, and given every opportunity, to participate in the goals of the program.

Read more...

Project Leadership

Task Force members were selected to represent all of the various areas of UUI. If you have questions and/or suggestions about environmental issues in any or all of these church areas, please contact the Task Force representative for the specific area...or, indeed, any Task force member. Contact information available on next page.

Read more...

Do You Know?

...facts of interest about environmental issues

Read more...

Action Tips -- Transportation

If you must drive, here are some ideas that will benefit everyone. You'll be amazed at how much money you can save and how many pounds of carbon dioxide (CO₂) you can avoid releasing into the atmosphere in a year of driving. Most of these tips are simply common sense, but actions we too often don't think about, or do.

Read more...

Action Tips -- Home

Simple--and often inexpensive, reasonably priced or FREE--actions in the home can also help in the greening of America.

Read more...

What's Next?
Please check back from time to time for updated information about the UUI Green Sanctuary project. We will continually add news, suggestions, ideas, case histories, and much more to help enhance your personal participation, as well as UUI's, in the Green Sanctuary project.
Share your Action Tips in the Green Sanctuary Forum.

Get the Green Sanctuary Task Force newsfeed!