Green Committee

Green Committee Memebers

Green Sanctuary Update

  Read UCN's Green Sanctuary Application (PDF)

RECYCLING WORN OUT CLOTHING

Most people know of the many places to donate used clothing that they no longer wear. Great options in our area are St. Vincent de Paul and Family Sharing. But what can we do about clothes that are stained and/or truly just worn out?

Converting them to rags is one great idea. Another is to donate them to a place that will recycle the fibers into
other items. According to the September 2, 2011 online version of the Lake Country Reporter, some Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul donation centers will take worn out clothes and sell them to a secondary market for reuse (always best to call in advance to make sure). In addition, the USAgain boxes you see around the area will accept worn out clothing for reuse in such things as mattress pads, rags, and insulation.

To find a box near you, visit their website at www.usagain.com. According to this site, 11.2 million tons of textiles are sent to landfills every year. There is a better way. We can do our part by making sure our worn out clothes can be used yet again!

Vision

Our congregation will be a leader in environmental sustainability

Mission

Unitarian Church North seeks to heal and preserve the natural environment for our and future generations of all living things by increasing the sustainability and minimizing the negative ecological impact of UCN, our members, and our communities.

Meeting Schedule

The Green Committee meets every first Wednesday of the month (unless otherwise noted in the email announcements) at 7:00 p.m. in the James Reeb room. ALL are welcome to join us!

Bike to Church
History

As a relatively new committee, the Green Committee grew out of a Barn Banter held in the spring of 2007. Coordinated by then Minister Elena Rigg, this meeting drew thirty-six people and demonstrated the desire for involvment in environmental issues both within our congregation and beyond. The Barn Banter brainstorming session generated many ideas and much enthusiasm. This general meeting was followed-up with summer meetings where a vision and mission were created. On September 10, 2007 the UCN Board approved the Green Committee as a standing committee.

Since that time, the Green Committee has been busy! Below are a few things that the committee has worked on in the past or continues to work on.

  • Vegetable garden
  • Built a compost bin, held workshop on how to build one
  • Installed mug rack in the fellowship hall and encourage the use of non-disposable cups during coffee time
  • Worked with Sunday Service Committee on reducing the numbers of Orders of Service printed each Sunday
  • Established an ongoing monthly column in the Northliner, called “Green Corner,” covering a wide variety of “green” topics
  • Posted signs to encourage wise water use in all bathrooms and in the kitchen
  • Encourage the use of real dishes at church fellowship functions
  • Coordinated an interactive carbon footprint workshop
  • Bonfire/Earth Day celebration
  • Hosted a local food talk by local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers
  • Established UCN as an in-season drop-off spot for two area CSA farms
  • Coordinated a silent auction of a CSA share with the proceeds going to the UCN general operating budget
  • Conducted a walk-through energy audit of the church
  • Coordinated three Walk, Bike, Carpool to Church Day events
  • Offered multiple Northwest Earth Institute courses, including Voluntary Simplicity and Choices for Sustainable Living
  • Offered The Amazing Journey adult education course
  • Coordinated recycling efforts at UCN
  • Increased UCN's green library
  • Hosted Sid Syam’s presentation on Spirituality and Nature Future

Currently the Green Committee is focused on obtaining the Unitarian Universalist Association’s “Green Sanctuary” designation. This process will integrate “green” thinking into all aspects of the church community. This is a very ambitious and exciting project for our congregation. Stay tuned….there will be much more to come!

Learn more about the UUA Green Sanctuary Program on the UUA's website. And don’t hesitate to contact anyone on the Green Committee for more information.