The Green Sanctuary Program is a UUA project which has the mission of affirming and promoting the Seventh Principle of the UUA, “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” You can find more information about this UUA project at UU Ministry for Earth org. As a first step in this project for All Souls UU Church, the Social Action Committee provided access to a survey – Our Ecological Footprint – An Environmental Assessment and Survey. Through a series of questions covering everything from recycling to energy and water usage to food and earth justice, this survey was both informative and thought-provoking. It provided an opportunity to do two things. First, you could assess your own personal or household ecological footprint. Second, you could provide information back to the Green Sanctuary Sub-Committee about topics about which the respondents wanted to learn more. During the term of the survey, nearly 40 people from the church responded and the results were indeed interesting. More on this at a later date.

The newest version of the Green Sanctuary Manual is now available online. It can be downloaded at http://www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/greensanctuary/index.shtml .   The manual is 120 pages – the first half is the actual manual and contains lots of pictures of congregations engaging in Green Sanctuary projects, the second half is appendixes which contain congregational examples of different parts of the Green Sanctuary applications.

The UUA is in the process of reviewing resources for Green Sanctuaries including green books and films.
Currently, you can find reviews of Children’s Books on the Green Sanctuary web pages at http://www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/greensanctuary/index.shtml. Check back in the future for films, additional books, and websites.

UUMFE: International Day of Climate Action-October 24, 2009. UU Ministry for Earth invites UUs to join with us in prayer, meditation, action, and celebration on October 24, 2009, in our collaboration with 350.org in a day of action for climate justice. Groups around the globe will call on the world’s leaders to commit to decreasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in Earth’s atmosphere to below 350 parts per million, the stable and safe upper limit for the world’s people, creatures, and future generations. Bill McKibben, co-founder and director of 350.org, has specifically called for UU involvement;
watch the 45-second YouTube video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd_L21Xyhbo.
For more information about the International Day of Climate Action, visit the UUMFE website: http://www.uuministryforearth.org/350.htm. We have included ideas for events your congregation can organize, links to our partner organizations, and a registry for our collaboration with 350.org. Let us know what your congregation is planning! Also, please register at 350.org and sign the “Interfaith Call for 350.”

The “Environmental Justice Collaborative Newsletter” will be published monthly. Signup at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1272/t/4696/signUp.jsp?key=1357 to receive the newsletter in your inbox.  It is also available online at www.UUA.org