In May 2005, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis embarked on the important and daunting task of becoming a Green Sanctuary: a church whose members truly live with “respect for the interdependent web of which we are a part”. We recognized that Earth's systems are in peril from human activities, and that as people of faith, we face a moral and spiritual crisis of utmost importance. If, as Rev. Michael Dowd suggests, we are the living manifestations of the stardust formed at the beginning of the Universe, we have a "cosmic loyalty" or duty not only to minimize our negative impacts on other manifestations, but also to open the minds and hearts of as many people as we can to this profound insight. Thus, our goal was and is to learn to live in harmony with nature by focusing on theological, spiritual, and ethical aspects of human activities that affect the health and sustainability of our living Earth and then to make changes in our lives that will bring ourselves and our church, closer to the goal of sustainability.
In order to become a Green Sanctuary, the church was required to form an on-going oversight committee, do an extensive audit of the church's buildings, grounds, and practices, and develop twelve projects within the subject areas of worship, religious education, sustainability and eco-justice. All members of the congregation had to be involved in one or more projects and the church had to reach out to other churches and groups and involve them in an on-going eco-justice project. Once the church completed its projects, the congregation voted unanimously in November 2006 to submit a report documenting the completion of the Green Sanctuary requirements and requesting that the UUME bestow the designation “Green Sanctuary.” The report was completed and submitted in January 2007. While the intensive work of meeting the requirements of the GS program had been met, the congregation also realized that there is much yet to be done. At the November 2006 Congregational meeting, those present unanimously approved the following statement regarding the church's Green Sanctuary work:
We understand that the action-plan that we completed was just the beginning of our work to integrate environmental awareness, sustainable practices, and environmental justice into our church community, our personal lives, and our wider communities. We have continued to work on these issues and plan to do so, until Earth herself is once again a healthy Sanctuary for all.
In February of 2007, the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth (UUME*) declared our Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis a Green Sanctuary.
Since 2007, the Green Sanctuary Committee has continued to provide the church and broader community with classes, concerts, lectures, and various projects.
- Judy Moores and Lynne Nittler, Co-Chairs of the GS Committee, March 2008
PS. We hope that you will explore the many links and PDFs listed below that explain the work that we have done and document the projects we have completed. We are happy to have you use our materials to make your own place of faith or other group a “Green Sanctuary.”
1. UUCD Green Sanctuary: Process
- UUA Statement of Conscience on Global Warming
- Why did the UU Church of Davis work to become a Green Sanctuary?
- Charter of the Green Sanctuary Committee
- Action Plan of Projects to become a Green Sanctuary
- Energy and other Audits of the Church
- Application to Become an Accredited Green Sanctuary
- Letter to Green Sanctuary from the UU Ministry for the Earth
2. UUCD Green Sanctuary: History
2005-2006 (PDF)
2006-2007 (PDF)
2007-2008 (PDF)
2008-2009 (PDF)
3. UUCD Green Sanctuary Resources and Tools
- Green Cleaning Tips (PDF)
- Giving Gifts the Green Way! (PDF)
- Give Green; Buy Local! (Posted Dec 2009) (PDF)
- 101 Things You Can Do to Make the World More Green
- Even-walk Service
- Bioregion Resources
4. UUCD Green Sanctuary Projects
* Green Sanctuary Food Covenant: Eating For a Healthier Planet
- Food Letter & Covenant
- Power of the Plate
- Benefit Yourself and the Earth
- Action Tips and Resources
- Local Produce in Season
- CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture)
* A Green Idea: The Low Carbon Diet, Lose 5000 Pounds and Feel Great!
- Letter to the congregation and Green Ideas
- Low Carbon Diet Worksheet and Feedback Form
- Carbon Footprint Calculator
* Clean Air Sunday: Walk, Bike, Carpool . . . .
- Clean Air Sunday 2006
- Clean Air Sunday 2007
5. Green Sanctuary-Related Links:
City of Davis Low Carbon Diet Challenge
http://cityofdavis.org/pgs/lowcarbondiet/
The City of Davis, CA challenges its households to lose 5,000 pounds of Carbon emissions. Davis Low Carbon Diet is a citywide program designed to help households save energy and make a real, measurable difference in the fight against global warming. The program provides households with a menu of actions to lose those carbon pounds. Each household will structure their diet according to what works for them.
Davis Recycling
www.davisrecycling.org
Recycling in the City of Davis
Empowerment Institute
wwww.empowermentinstitute.net
The Empowerment Institute publishes David Gershon's Low Carbon Diet books and provides a web-based carbon footprint calculator.
Freecycle
www.freecycle.org
The Freecycle Network™ is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is run by a local volunteer moderator (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by clicking on the region on the left. You may then go directly to your local group by clicking on "Go To" or you may immediately joing by clicking on "Join." It will generate an automatic e-mail which, when sent, will sign you up for your local group and send you a response with instructions on how it works. Can't find a group near you? You might want to consider starting one (click on "Start a Group" for instructions). Have fun!
The Freecycle Network was started in May 2003 to promote waste reduction in Tucson's downtown and help save desert landscape from being taken over by landfills. The Network provides individuals and non-profits an electronic forum to "recycle" unwanted items. One person's trash can truly be another's treasure!
Northwest Earth Institute
www.nwei.org
The NWEI provides adult course curricula that encourage participants to explore their values, attitudes, and actions through discussion with others. The courses are organized around three key principles including an earth-centered ethic promoting individual responsibility for the earth, the practice of engaged simplicity to enrich life and reduce personal impact on the earth, and a dedication to living fully in place and protecting the unique bioregion in which they live. Topics include Global Warming: Changing CO2urse, Menu for the Future (on Food), Voluntary Simplicity, Choices for Sustainable Living, Discovering A Sense of Place, and others.
Stop Junk Mail
bayarearecycling.org/junkmail
Reducing junk mail gets clutter out of your mailbox, frees up your time, and helps protects the environment. It takes 17 trees to make a ton of paper. That means nearly 100 million trees get used for junk mail every year in the U.S.
UU Ministry for Earth
www.uuministryforearth.org
(formerly the Seventh Principle Project) is an affiliate organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
YEEP - Yolo Energy Efficiency Project
www.city.davis.ca.us/yeep/residential.cfm
Yolo county, along with its partner cities, provides energy efficiency rebates for Yolo County residents and businesses. YEEP is a program administered by the City of Davis and implemented by the Valley Energy Efficiency Corporation (VEEC) on behalf of Yolo County and the incorporated cities.
*The UUME, an affiliate organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), sponsored the congregation-based Green Sanctuary Program through June of 2008, when the program was transferred to the UUA for administration www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/greensanctuary/index.shtml. The Green Sanctuary Program provides a framework for study and reflection and encourages individual and collective action to help heal the Earth. While about 50 churches in the United States have been certified in 2007, the UUCD was the second church in California to become a Green Sanctuary. As of May 2009, there are 96 certified Green Sanctuary Churches across the U.S. and several more in process. Updated 6/09