Green Sanctuary Task Force, UUI

return to main page

UUI Green Sanctuary Action Steps Being Developed

Area One: 2 activities involving worship, spiritual practice and/or community celebration

1) The church will present four (4) Sunday Worship Services during the year dedicated to the environment. Services to include: Earth Day, a guest speaker to give a sermon on environment issue, and two additional services that will be prepared by the Worship Associates.

2) The UUI Fine Arts Committee will sponsor a month-long congregation wide art exhibit with a theme of "It’s Great to be Green". An emphasis will be made on recycling and reusing materials as well as welcoming photography related to environmental issues. Music during this month will emphasize environmental themes.

Area Two: 4 religious education programs activities

1) UUI’s adult religious education will develop and deliver courses on environmental awareness issues such as peak oil, global warming, and sustainable living. Some ideas to consider include: an evening film series such as The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil, Our Synthetic Sea, An Inconvenient Truth, Kilowatt Hours, and/or The End of Suburbia as catalysts for further discussion and action.

2) Youth Religious Education will develop and offer an enhanced Interdependent Web of Life curriculum emphasizing sustainability, recycling and other environmental concerns.

3) Encourage everyone in our church and nearby UU churches to read the same book at the same time -- One Book, One Church. The ultimate goal will be to position ourselves to lobby successfully for having the Marion County Public Library choose the same book for the annual One Book, One City program for the city of Indianapolis.

4) Form earth community discussion group(s). Proposed idea is to discuss The Great Turning by David Korten.

Area Three: 2 activities addressing environmental justice issues, one of which is a year-long project involving the entire UUI congregation and collaborating with one or more groups in the broader community

1) Prepare a list of age-appropriate reading materials for youth on environmental issues such as endangered species, changing seasons, climates, etc. The list will be delivered to the UUI children’s library and the UUI School 43 and School 83 tutoring program. Encourage use of suggested books by UUI tutors and parents and when donations are made to School 43 and School 83.

2) UUI will work in partnership with Improving Kids’ Environment, a local not-for-profit, to present a workshop at the 2006 Spirit & Place Festival. We will present an overview of the UUI experience with the Green Sanctuary program and work to create an ongoing network for faith-based communities considering or embarking on similar paths.

Area Four: 4 activities covering elements of sustainable living, including at least 1 energy conservation action

1) Engage in efforts to reduce waste in the church and surrounding community. Proposed ideas include: serve as a location for recycling less obvious recyclables like batteries, ink cartridges, cardboard or fluorescent bulbs; reduce church use of non-recyclables like paper plates, plastic cups and utensils; increase church usage of recycled materials

2) Assist members and friends of the church on their personal and household journey to sustainability. Proposed ideas include: Develop a quantifiable way of measuring the household journey to sustainability on a year-to-year basis; present each household with a packet of ideas, products, resources, and information; accumulate the net result of each household’s sustainable practices on a periodic basis; Provide sustainable ideas in each issue of our church newsletter; Foster deep conversation about trade-offs in sustainable living.

3) Reduce the environmental impact of energy and water use in our buildings. Proposed ideas include: Purchase green electricity; Use energy more efficiently – thermostat settings, lighting, solar gain, natural ventilation, insulation, furnace and AC efficiencies, refrigeration, air infiltration, storm widows, etc.; Install water economizing fixtures in all buildings, Install solar cells for generating electricity.

4) NEW: Develop a plan to generate a positive environmental impact from our  property. Proposed ideas will include carbon  sequestration, water retention, landscaping to minimize the need for chemicals, petroleum use, and paid maintenance. We want to give serious consideration to creating a place of beauty and serenity in future years. Our children would like to have a portion of the property designated as a wildlife sanctuary.

(NOTE: The following former Action Step 4.4 has been replaced by the new step 4.4, but this item is still under  consideration for future  development in part or in whole, as possible.) Develop plans to turn one of our buildings into a LEED in Energy and Environmental Design certified building. Proposed steps include: Study and understand LEED certification; Evaluate the changes that would be necessary to convert one of UUI’s buildings to a LEED certified building; Develop the cost and plan for making the conversion; Keep the congregation informed of process and about how ideas for LEED certification may be applied to the home and workplace.