How Green is Our Church? A Progress Report

The TJMC Environmental Concerns Committee is attempting to answer that question as we begin our analysis of an Environmental Audit of our “green” policies and practices conducted recently. This summer Sharon Baiocco completed interviews with church leaders for the first-ever Environmental Audit, and she is spearheading a publicity campaign to build awareness and commitment to the Green Sanctuary goals. Look for the report in future issues.

Five “Green Themes”: Simplify, Conserve, Recycle, Advocate, and Buy and Eat Local will be the focus of this year’s efforts to raise awareness of environment concerns and the Green Sanctuary program within the church. Discussion questions on each theme are being distributed to Covenant Group leaders and other committees and groups within the congregation. In connection with our first theme, “Simplify,” Deborah Judson-Ebbets, TJMC Environmental Concerns Committee Chair, is accepting sign-ups for a Simplicity Circle Covenant Group she will be forming in January.

Deborah reports that since the Committee formed in 2006, the group has met some major goals. “We have achieved a line in the church budget, have developed a core of committed committee members, presented numerous outreach programs, led a church service, joined the Ministry for the Earth, and publicized our efforts,” she said. She thanks the congregation for a successful Social Action collection, to Laura Wallace for raising money to “green” the church by selling compact fluorescent light bulbs, and to Arthur and Mickey Meyer, who have assisted Martha and Ralph Smith collect many bags of plastics 3-7 to be recycled in Culpeper. Thanks also to Mark Judson-Ebbets for creating our web page, and to Elaine Kraus, professional organizer and UU whose booklet on recycling in Charlottesville is on our Web site and soon will go to press. Thanks also to Glenn Short and Sharon Baiocco, who presented a Faith in Action talk on global warming.

Sharon asks, “Whatever our findings from our audit, will we be content with the status quo?” The Green Sanctuary Program of the UU Ministry for the Earth invites UU congregations to examine and step-up their environmental policies and practices by completing activities in four different categories: Worship, Religious Education, Environmental Justice, and Sustainable Living. The Environmental Concerns Committee hopes to lay the groundwork for TJMC to become a certified Green Sanctuary through the UU Ministry for the Earth, a national program descended from the 7th Principle Project.

Much work lies ahead. We need the congregation to embrace this program wholeheartedly. The committee believes that we currently have completed eight of the 12 activities that are required, but we will have to repeat them when and if we apply for Green Sanctuary candidacy. We will have to form a church-wide ongoing committee, and the Board of Trustees may be asked to consider new policies incorporating sustainability into decision-making.

How strongly are we committed to our 7^th Principle? The Environmental Concerns Committee believes that the Green Sanctuary process can empower us, individually and collectively. If you agree, you can sign up for our “Friends” e-list or join us at an Earth Friendly Friday program or a committee meeting on the second Wednesday of each month in the church parlor.