Green Sanctuary
The Green Sanctuary Program provides a path for congregational study, reflection, and individual and collective action for today’s environmental challenges – including climate change and environmental justice.
AUUF received accreditation as a “Green Sanctuary” congregation from the Universalist Association (UUA) in 2013.
A Green Sanctuary is a congregation that lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating a sustainable life style for its members as individuals and as a faith community: choosing to live in a way that nurtures life, builds relationships, and rejects material consumption of comfort as the sole determinant of happiness.
Goals of the Green Sanctuary Program are:
- To generate commitment for sustainable lifestyle changes as a fellowship and in our personal lives.
- To raise awareness of environmental and environmental justice issues and to provide motivation for taking action.
- To build a connection between spiritual practice and environmental consciousness.
The AUUF Green Sanctuary Committee provides leadership for a number of environmental activities including
- Helping AUUF members and the AUUF as a congregation adopt more sustainable and less energy-consuming practices, including use of compact fluorescent and/or LED lighting, use of either reusable or recyclable products, the avoidance of disposable plastic and paper, use of non-toxic and earth-friendly cleaning materials and other products, and continuing efforts to recycle and compost as much as possible.
Helping AUUF develop a “greener” campus, including use of native plants and removing non-native, invasive plants, when appropriate.- Providing opportunities for AUUF members to purchase organic and Fair Trade coffee and chocolate (which also provides the coffee for the coffee-time following Sunday services)
- Conducting one or two lay-led Green Sunday services during the year.
- Offering an environmental film series, usually once a month.
- Conducting occasional adult RE reading/discussion groups.
The AUUF Green Sanctuary Committee is an informal group of volunteer members. All AUUF members and friends are invited to join the committee. Please share ideas with Green Sanctuary Committee members at any time during the year.
For more information please contact our Green Sanctuary Chair at green@auuf.org.
UU Ministry for Earth
AUUF is also a member congregation of the national UU Ministry for Earth, which is an independent non-profit organization whose purpose is to inspire, facilitate, and support personal, congregational, and denominational practices that honor and sustain the Earth and all beings. We affirm and promote the seven principles of the UUA, including: “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.”
