Green Sanctuary

Sermon Archives

Proposed UU Midland Green Statement

The seventh principle of our religion: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

We show this respect by the way we live our lives. Our church should lead by example through its daily operations. Achieving standards of efficient use of ecologically friendly materials, operating a church that has a low environmental impact, and enhancing the connection between its members and nature.

There are several elements involved in this relationship:

1.Reduced Resource Consumption: Reduce consumption of resources (water, energy, land, natural materials) and avoid toxic matierals. By doing so, we significantly reduce our demand for natural resources and the amount of pollution produced.

2.Re-using Non-destructible materials: By finding ways to reuse items we cannot avoid using.

3.Recycling Materials: by recycling as much possible of what remains, we further reduce our demands on the natural world by limiting the quantity of resources used.

4.Selecting Ecological Alternatives. We also strive to choose the most ecologically-sound alternatives when selecting, using, and discarding products.
We recognize that every item purchased represents an increase in the use of the world’s limited resources and an increase in the amount of waste in our air, water, and landfills. When we do make purchases, we consider the life cycle of the product (the extraction of resources, manufacturing/farming practices, method of harvesting, transportation and disposal). We look for content that is used, recycled, reusable, locally produced, or sustainably harvested (or all of the above). When toxic products are involved, we look for non-toxic alternatives and consider disposal issues when such alternatives are absent.

5.Creating Healthy Environments: We are committed to maintaining healthy environments at our santuary and homes. We do so by creating an environment that is healthy to humans and other species.

The Green Committee is a standing committee composed of members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Midland, or other interested persons who have volunteered to help the organization develop effective strategies and practices to operate in accordance with a respect for the interdependent web of all existence. We recognize that “greening” is a process that is ongoing and requiring constant vigilance and adjustment to achieve harmony with the ecological systems of which we are a part. We are committed to providing updated information to the church to help sustain this ongoing endeavor.

Green Audit: The process for ‘greening’ any institution requires assessment of many areas to create an environmentally responsible system. A green audit will serve two purposes:

1) Identify: to identify areas that need ‘greening’ . The initial audit serves as a baseline measurement tool to identify areas of improvement and monitor progress.

2) Track: to create a method to track the progress made during the greening process (eg, measure the increase/decrease in green practices, and in some cases, the financial costs/savings of the programs).

3. Sustain: This audit will be a living document. It is designed to be altered to meet its objective. On an ongoing basis, suggestions derived from this audit will be presented to the church, and decisions for action will be made. The audit will be continually updated.

The standing committee has been created and will be working on the church's environmental audit.