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Table of Contents
Connecting
Your Congregation
District
President’s Column
Qiyamah’s
Corner
Ministerial
Matters
Lifespan
REmarks
Field Staff
Calendar / Save this Date!
Your Wild(e)
Trustees Report
Chalice
Lighter Update/1st Annual NC Choral Festival
A Victory for
Poultry Workers in NC!
Mind the Gap
Walking
Lightly on the Earth
Rev. Bill
Sinkford to Keynote TJD Anti-Racism Conference / TJD Young Adult & Campus
Ministry Midwinter Retreat
GLBT Issues /
TJ District Fair Share
Beacon Press
/ Reflection on FLC / Request for Proposals /A Day of Possibilities
Open
Positions / Visit Northern VA!
Resources for
Congregational Leaders
Lay
Leadership Development / The Flaming Chalice
District
Calendar |
Walking Lightly on the Earth
Newly Formed Green Sanctuary Program at Eno River UU
Fellowship
Did you know that the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)
has a Green Sanctuary Program? The five interrelated goals of the Green
Sanctuary Program are to build awareness of societal environmental issues
among UUs; generate commitment for personal lifestyle changes; build a
connection between spiritual practices and environmental consciousness;
motivate UUs to community action on environmental issues; and build
awareness of and rectify environmental injustices.
Eno River UU Fellowship’s (ERUUF) newly formed Environmental Ministry
Group is interested in facilitating ERUUF’s movement towards Green
Sanctuary status. To be recognized as a Green Sanctuary, a congregation
must carry out activities in each of the following broad “action areas”
1. Energy conservation and environmental practices.
2. Reducing, reusing, recycling
3. Church Communication
4. Religious Education
5. Worship
6. Environmental Justice
Reflecting the range of issues encompassed by the six action areas,
members of the Environmental Ministry group thus far have expressed
interest in: conducting an “environmental audit” of the Fellowship,
exploring at least partial conversion of ERUUF to solar energy, and
committing to an “Earth project of the month” (Action area #); promoting
personal lifestyle changes through ongoing and new Adult Enrichment
courses (e.g. personal finances, Voluntary Simplicity) (#2); producing a
monthly column in Current newsletter and organizing an action-oriented
table during coffee hour (#3); developing environmentally focused field
trips (#4); planning worship services that explore the environmental
teachings of diverse spiritual traditions (#5); and forging connections
with local environmental organizations.
A regular newsletter column will provide a forum to share information
about Green Sanctuary activities, as well as practical tips, legislative
updates, and environmental news from the wider community.
Suggestions on Doing Laundry More Environmentally Safe
Suggestions on doing laundry more environmentally safe (courtesy of the
September/October 2002 issue of “Sierra” magazine):
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Use eco-friendly laundry prodiucts that are plant-based
(i.e., free from petroleum-derived “sulfacants”) and fragrnace- and
chlorine-free and look for specific claims, such as “90% biodegradeable
in three days.”
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Add baking powder during the rinse cycle in lieu of
chemical fabric softeners
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In this time of drought, consider converting from a
top-loading to a front-loading washing machine (front-loaders use much
less water and soap than top loaders, and wring clothes drier.)
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Use the cold-water cycle for all but your most soiled
clothes. (86% of energy consumed by a washing machine goes to heating
water.)
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Line-dry whenever possible; when using a dryer, use the
cooler permanent press setting.
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For dry-cleaning, identify a dry cleaner using nontoxic
cleaning technology that is kinder to people, clothes and the
environment.
For more information, contact Claire Viadro at
919-967-8215 or at viadreo@mindspring.com
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