Green Initiative Team Updates!

1. Accomplishments

A. The Memorial Garden – walls cleaned, pavers reset and new benches installed. Work to correct the drainage problem from the sanctuary roof is under contract to be completed soon.

B. Under the magnolia behind the sanctuary – concrete and stones removed, wood chips placed, new picnic tables, much more inviting and being used.

C. Area to the right of the path to the labyrinth – cleared, invasives reduced, three river birches planted, a native meadow with a walkway planned.

D. Area past the Fahs House parking lot – dirt pile spread, seeded and straw placed, vines and invasives pushed back.

E. The Rain Garden has been cleaned up and is functioning as it should. This work was done by Wellspryng and they are now professionally maintaining it..

F. The Dubois Road end of UUCA – thicket and one dying tree cut down, the center area cleared, plantings planned to make it more usable.

G. Twenty native trees planted by the Anne Arundel County Tree Troopers program, just last week.

H. Community Solar information program led to a number of signups and some donations to UUCA from Community Solar.

I. The Outdoor Club has re-started.

J. A pollinator garden was just established by the walkway from the sanctuary to the Fahs House.

2. Ongoing efforts

A. Grounds / landscaping work of the Learning Our Land (LOL) group.

B. UULM continues to promote environmental legislation.

C. ACT has joined with other community organizing groups to promote programs at the state level, which will benefit the environment and all Marylanders.

3. Opportunities

A. Start a Green Lifestyle group within UUCA, with a focus on participating in Outdoor Club walks, diet for health and a healthy planet, reducing plastics, and fighting climate change (other focuses are welcome too).

B. With changes in federal law that encourage solar power, we may be able to get solar panels on UUCA with no upfront cost and a 20-year guarantee of lower rates. When this was addressed in the past it was felt that we don’t have enough sun, however, a new assessment indicates that we do now.

4. Green Sanctuary Re-Accreditation

A. Our Congregational Profile and Opportunities Assessment have already been approved by the UUA!  Now comes the Action Plan, which has 3 parts:

1. Mitigation, which means reducing the causes of climate change.  We’ve already done geothermal and improved insulation.  If we can accomplish getting solar panels on UUCA, we should have this requirement in hand.

2. Adaptation / Resilience.  Adaptation refers to reducing vulnerability to the harmful effects of climate change.  Resilience refers to maintaining the capacity of systems to function in the face of climate change stressors.  The harmful effects include increased heat and flooding issues, and refugees needing help.  We have just planted 20 trees to help with canopy cover, a small step to help with heat and carbon capture.  Flooding is not an issue on our property, but participating in plans to mitigate flooding is possible through Anne Arundel County’s General Development Plan and state legislation / UULM.  We are already helping a refugee family, although climate change was not directly the cause of their refugee status.

3. Environmental Justice, which refers to working with those most affected by climate change.  Our best opportunity may be to work with ACT and its partners in the state to help those most affected in Maryland.  Working with the UU Ministry for Earth (at UUMFE.org) is another opportunity.

5.  Action Items – please review these and let me know which ones you want to participate in:

A. Participate in Learning Our Land sessions, which involve working on our grounds from 9 AM to 11 AM on the third Saturday of every month (this month’s is on this Saturday the 22nd).

B. Participate in UULM’s Climate Change Team on Maryland legislation.  (www.UULMMD.org)

C. Help establish a Green Lifestyle group at UUCA.

D. Help with the possibility of solar panels at UUCA.

E. Participate in Outdoor Club walks.

F. Participate in ACT activities, looking for environmental action opportunities.

G. Help with Green Sanctuary Re-Accreditation.

H. Work with the youth / faith formation classes to engage them in these efforts.