Green Sanctuary

Cross-posted from Beacon Broadside

Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis
Americans see water as abundant and cheap: we turn on the faucet and out it gushes, for less than a penny a gallon. We use more water than any other culture in the world, much to quench what’s now our largest crop-the lawn. Yet most Americans cannot name the river or aquifer that flows to our taps, irrigates our food, and produces our electricity. And most don’t realize these freshwater sources are in deep trouble.

Blue Revolution exposes the truth about the water crisis-driven not as much by lawn sprinklers as by a tradition that has encouraged everyone, from homeowners to farmers to utilities, to tap more and more. But the book also offers much reason for hope. Award-winning journalist Cynthia Barnett argues that the best solution is also the simplest and least expensive: a water ethic for America. Just as the green movement helped build awareness about energy and sustainability, so a blue movement will reconnect Americans to their water, helping us value and conserve our most life-giving resource. Avoiding past mistakes, living within our water means, and turning to “local water” as we do local foods are all part of this new, blue revolution.

Reporting from across the country and around the globe, Barnett shows how people, businesses, and governments have come together to dramatically reduce water use and reverse the water crisis. Entire metro areas, such as San Antonio, Texas, have halved per capita water use. Singapore’s “closed water loop” recycles every drop. New technologies can slash agricultural irrigation in half: businesses can save a lot of water-and a lot of money-with designs as simple as recycling air-conditioning condensate.

The first book to call for a national water ethic, Blue Revolution is also a powerful meditation on water and community in America.

Listen to Cynthia Barnett on the Joy Cardin Show.

Read an excerpt of Blue Revolution on Scribd.

Purchase a copy of Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis

We urge folks to help stop the Keystone XL pipeline by signing onto this petition.  It encourages head of the EPA, Lisa Jackson, to reject the State Department’s review of the Keystone XL pipeline which has most recently been called “corrupted by bias, lobbyist influence and conflicts of interest.“  The New York Times posted an article questioning whether or not the State Department Reviewers had a conflict of interest.  If you are more of a visual person check out this image of possible corruption.

Help us stop the Keystone XL pipeline and avoid what NASA climate scientist James Hansen has coined as “essentially a game over for the climate.”  Sign the petition today! And ask your friends, neighbors, and fellow UUs to sign the petition too!

After a congregation has achieved Green Sanctuary Accreditation I always encourage them to “begin to assemble a “scrapbook” which shares information about your Green Sanctuary movement – congregations create these in many different way; some use their applications, some include orders of service, newsletter columns, fliers about special events, and pictures, some write storybooks about the journey, and some come up with new ideas that we’ve never seen before.”

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick took this task to heart.  Sandi Smith-Gill sent me an email encouraging me to take a look at the “just finished Green Sanctuary pictoral history – which started as a project to send for the reception at the GA, but ended up taking 3 months to finish.”  I opened their scrapbook and was impressed by the amount of time and effort that was put into pulling it together.  I was equally impressed with how well they did at sharing lots of information and showing that lots of people from the congregation had been involved in the project.

I don’t expect all scrapbooks to look like this, each is individual and unique.  And I encourage you to look at what they’ve done for inspiration for projects as well as what a scrapbook might look like.  I have a feeling that the UU Congregation of Frederick will have a printed version of this book in their congregation for many, many years.

At least six UUs were at the Lincoln, NE Tar Sands Public Hearing on Tuesday, September 27th.

Vicki Pratt reported that “There were many, many more statements against the pipeline than those testifying in favor. Those in favor were corporate lawyers with prepared statements, Tea Party/Anti Tax people, and a union rep  in a suit. The unions (Laborer’s International Union of North America) bussed in people from Illinois, Iowa, and Oklahoma.  Local ranchers and the other locals against spoke from the heart.  The State Department reps had to be impressed by the passion of the  love of  the land and fear of contaminated drinking water.”

The pro-Keystone XL Pipeline were in Orange and the anti-Keystone XL Pipeline were in Nebraska red.  “Red vastly outnumbered orange.”

Ken and Helen Deffenbacher both testified urging the State Department to veto the Keystone XL Pipeline.  Ken wrote “mine is more lawyer-like, while Helen’s is more “spiritual.”  Prior to her testimony, various speakers had been cheered or booed by one side or the other–things had gotten border-line disrespectful.  When she spoke in a measured, soft cadence, it seemed a little like a sermon.  You could hear a pin drop, and people seemed to be hanging on every phrase.  She is not  comfortable with public speaking, but decided to go ahead and speak in  a somewhat raucous situation–she said later that she was doing for our grandkids.”

Read more for Ken and Helen’s statements read more »

Press Release, Pam Fine, UUS:E Communications Committee

(Sept 29, 2011, Manchester, CT)

The Unitarian Universalist Society: East (UUS:E) Meetinghouse of Manchester, Connecticut has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR certification, which signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.  UUS:E is the first house of worship to receive ENERGY STAR certification in the state of Connecticut.

Earning the ENERGY STAR is part of a long process and commitment that UUS:E has made to environmental stewardship. In 2006 UUS:E was accredited as the first Green Sanctuary Congregation in Connecticut through a program now administered by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). When it came time to expand, UUS:E was determined to do so in as green a way as possible. UUS:E earned two grants for energy efficiency and geothermal heating and cooling by following top standards in the renovation and building project. The building was dedicated on September 19, 2010. UUS:E is now in candidacy for Green Sanctuary Re-accreditation through the UUA by following an Action Plan to further its Earth ministry.

“UUS:E is pleased to accept EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said UUS:E president Jo Anne Gillespie. “Through this achievement, we have not only significantly lowered our energy costs, but also demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship, in keeping with the Unitarian Universalist principle of respecting the interdependent web of existence of which we are all a part.”

Buildings that earn EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.  UUS:E improved its energy performance by carefully managing its energy use and by making major energy efficiency improvements to the Meetinghouse during a major renovation in 2010.

“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to protecting our environment,” said Jean Lupinacci, Chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch. “From the boiler room to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their buildings more efficient and earning EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification.”

To earn the ENERGY STAR, UUS:E took the following actions during its recent renovation:

• Designed the building to incorporate multi-use space whereby rooms, including the sanctuary, were designed for multiple uses to minimize the increase in size of the building.
• Installed a geothermal heating, cooling, and hot water system, reducing energy use by 30-40% versus the best conventional systems
• Included extensive insulation in new building walls and utilized high efficiency windows.
• Installed energy efficient lighting and light controls in all rooms
• Use of ENERGY STAR appliances
• Installation of paddle fans in the sanctuary
• Training for key employees in the use and management of the new geothermal heating/cooling system

EPA’s ENERGY STAR energy performance scale helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a 75 or higher on EPA’s 1-100 scale may be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification.

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $18 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 34 million vehicles.

For more information about UUS:E, see http://www.uuse.org; for further information concerning ENERGY STAR, contact Jim Adams (ounpuu.adams@comcast.net); for further information concerning Green Sanctuary, contact Janet Heller (janet.heller@snet.net).

In mid-September UUs were invited to participate in various State Department “Public Meetings following the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Keystone XL Pipeline.”  These meetings were held in Port  Arthur, TX; Topeka, KS;  Glendive, MT; Lincoln, NE; Austin Texas; Pierre, SD; Atkinson, NE; Midwest City, OK; and ended in a final State Department Meeting in Washington, DC on Friday, September 7th.

Rev. Craig Roshaven, UUA Witness Ministries Director, wrote “Tar Sands action held a rally outside but the action was in the hearing room and there was nothing to do but listen. There were a few angry outbursts, lots of cheering and applause, some booing. Some of the speeches were inspired and inspiring. One Nebraska rancher was slow of speech  but made a very impassioned and effective statement. The first 2 hours were the most interesting, but since all those speakers had to line up before 5:30 a.m. they were the most motivated and prepared.”

Despite being able to speak, Craig prepared a statement and was able to submit it to the State Department.  Here’s his statement.

“We are deeply concerned with the risks the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline would pose.  If this pipeline were to be constructed, it would risk the contamination of significant U.S. fresh water resources, accelerate global climate change, and threaten the health of people living downstream from the Tar Sands and the way of life of indigenous people.

In the first book of the Bible, human beings were given dominion over the earth. Some interpret this God given “dominion” as a license to use our planet’s living and natural resources in selfish and short sighted ways.  But dominion can also be interpreted as a special responsibility for our planet, its people, its living creatures, its natural features and its precious resources. Construction of the Keystone XL pipeline would be irresponsible. The pipeline would have an adverse effect on our planet, its resources, and its people.

The people in First Nation communities in Northern Alberta are already experiencing serious health problems because of Tar Sands oil production. In addition to the threat to their health, it threatens to destroy their entire way of life. They are not expendable and neither is the loss of their way of life.

Construction of this pipeline along its proposed route would endanger the Ogallala aquifer, the largest fresh water aquifer in the country.  The fresh water in that aquifer is irreplaceable.

The decision on whether to approve the pipeline needs to take into account the threat it presents to our water,  the danger posed by global climate change, and the human rights of the people whose health and livelihood are most threatened by the production of Tar Sands oil and its transport by pipeline.

As people of faith, we are called to be responsible stewards of our planet and its fragile web of life.  This requires us to respect and care for the God given gift of our living planet and the interdependent web of life upon which we all depend.

As people of faith, we share a commitment to justice for all of God’s children.  In light of these concerns and commitments, we ask you to disapprove the construction of this pipeline.

Rev. Craig C. Roshaven, Witness Ministries Director
Unitarian Universalist Association”

The folks from Food and Water Watch recently contacted the UUA to let us know about an important anti-fracking action in Trenton, New Jersey.

What is fracking?

“Fracking (aka, hydraulic fracturing or industrial gas drilling) is a dangerous way of getting oil and gas and a shortsighted energy strategy. It’s poisoning our air and water and on its way to jeopardizing the health of millions more Americans.  We can find a better way—one that protects our health and gives us clean, safe energy sources that never run out.” — Earth Justice

“Relatively new drilling technology, high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing, now makes it possible to reach natural gas reserves that underlie much of the state of Ohio.
Commonly referred to as “horizontal hydrofracking” or just “fracking,” deep-shale natural gas drilling uses high-pressure injection of water, sand, and chemicals to release the trapped gas.
The environmental and health impacts from high-volume, horizontal hydraulic fracturing in other states are shocking and well documented, with a significant number of spills, blowouts, leaking wells, and other accidents and releases of contaminants.” — Ohio Environmental Council

If you want the positive spin on fracking you can visit Energy Tomorrow. NOTE that this is information from American Petroleum Institute who will reap all of the benefits of natural gas extraction while placing all the risk on the American public and the interconnected web of life.

Fracking, much like the Tar Sands, that have most recently been featured on this blog, will only continue our country’s reliance and dependency on oil and gas detracting attention from developing renewable energy resources.  Fracking is an environmental justice issue mostly because it puts the risk on people especially people who have historically been oppressed and marginalized.

“The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) is meeting on Monday, November 21, 2011 (note: this is a change from the original date) to vote on whether or not to allow fracking in the Delaware River Basin, which spans parts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.”

In response to this Food and Water Watch and their supporters and networks will are planning a massive demonstration rally prior to the vote “to show commissioners that people are opposed to fracking.”

You are invited to join the demonstration rally – take your 350.org signs, your congregational banners, Standing on the Side of Love swag, etc to show that as a person of faith, you oppose fracking.  Food and Water Watch is arranging for buses and vans to bring people to Trenton, NJ.

If you can’t make the rally on Monday, November 21st sign the online petition to stop fracking in the Delaware River Basin.

An excellent resource about fracking is the film Gasland by Josh Fox.

Credit: Josh Lopez, tarsandsaction

Guest Author, Jerome Wagner
Jerome is a member of the UUA-supported Globalwarming email list

On Tuesday August 23, 59 of us were arrested (most for the first time in their lives) in front of the White House. We were participating in the Tar Sands Action, which is aimed at incenting President Obama to deny permits for expansion of a pipeline. This was the second time this year that I was arrested for what I classify as global warming responses; the first arrest was in April, when 21 of us were arrested for a sit-in at the Department of the Interior.

This second arrest was both harder and easier than the first one. It was harder because I knew for weeks ahead of time of the pending action and that I would likely be risking arrest there. I had friends and family to tell and explain it to, some of whom, including my youngest daughter, had strong misgivings to my being arrested again. From that perspective, this was a choice made very deliberately.

It was also an easy choice. We were being led by example, by a leader for these times, in a movement for these times. That leader – Bill McKibben – was with us at evening trainings and at morning send-offs. He was there in the media, arguing for a rethinking of our energy system. It was easy to respond to Bill’s call.

This Tar Sands Action focused on one portion of the climate change problem. That being said, though, the opportunity to highlight the decision, for both the public and the President, was unique and very well chosen.

Credit: Shadia Fayne Wood, tarsandsaction

In reflecting on how participation affected me, two instances jump to mind. Towards the end of the Action, a panel discussion was held in a local restaurant. A young lady – an indigenous native of southwestern Canada, where the extraction occurs –gave a slide presentation of the impacts of tars sands operations on her way of life. As she started to talk about impacts on wildlife migration, her voice broke. I could not see her, but imagined that she was actively choking back tears. That sadness was so tangible, her pain so palpable: to not see the large flocks of birds or the packs of caribou moving across the landscape…

The second instance involves a young indigenous man, again from the Tar Sands mining area. He repeatedly challenged us to look at our individual lifestyles – at all the plastics we use, at all the fossil-fuel based energy we use in our lives – and to associate those back to the points of extraction or of processing; and to consciously consider the real, full costs of our lifestyles, on cultures, ways of life, landscapes, eco-systems, people, the environment.

It is humbling to be involved in an issue which is profoundly affecting many already. It is intimidating to be among people who have been activists all their lives, or who know so much more than I do. It is still hard to maintain hope.

But the people encountered and the sense of doing something constructive are enriching and empowering.