04-09-15-GS-Accreditation-Application

Application for Green Sanctuary Certification Congregation Information Date April 2015 Congregation First Parish Bedford (FPB) Unitarian Universalist Address 75 The Great Road, Bedford MA, 01730 Website: www.uubedford.org Green Sanctuary contact: Michael Akillian Address 10 Old Mont Vernon Rd Amherst NH 03031 Phone 603 465-1343 Email mike.akillian@gmail.com Minister or Congregation Leader John Gibbons Congregation Profile First Parish in Bedford (FPB), Massachusetts has the honor and responsibility of being housed in the historic Meeting House on the Town Common The Town of Bedford was created in 1729 because the residents of this area felt the journey to church in Concord or Billerica was long and arduous Included in their petition was this lament, "In the extreme difficult seasons of heat and cold we were ready to say of the Sabbath, 'Behold, what a weariness is it.'" Thus, to waylay the weariness, the First Parish in Bedford was established The original meetinghouse, built as a spiritual home for the original parishioners, suffered significant damage in the "Great Gale" of Sept 1815 Our current meetinghouse replaced the original in 1817, using many timbers from the destroyed predecessor In 1830, theological differences between the Trinitarians and the Unitarians in the Parish led to a split into two separate churches The Trinitarians moved down the street to establish a new congregation Unitarians retained the meetinghouse, the communion silver, and the name The resulting congregation continued the traditions of seeking new answers to old questions – social, theological, justice, and the human condition There were waves of relative prosperity and strong membership alternating with times of scarceness on both accounts The parish was served by a long array of ministers with limited tenure, with a core of members to carry on the name and mission of the congregation In a time of very low membership in the fifties, the congregation faced the possibility of disbandment Notwithstanding our situation, First Parish survived, and in the early sixties voted to join the new organizational body known as the Unitarian Universalist Association Ultimately, the Parish recovered and grew after calling a series of committed and inspired ministers: David Weisbard, Jack Mendelsohn, and, now, Senior Minister, John Gibbons First Parish has maintained the Unitarian Universalist heritage of creativity and innovation We have continually worked towards UUA goals such as Fair Share and Fair Compensation Several of our parishioners have worked for UUA headquarters in such fields as Religious Education, Ministerial Development, Fair Compensation, Partner Church, and UUA history Most recently the First Parish was awarded the UUA honor of being a “Breakthrough Congregation” accompanied by a cover story in the UUA World Although not without some growing pains, we have transitioned from a fellowship congregation to a 383-member parish offering two Sunday services We are currently staffed with a full-time Senior Minister, a Parish Minister, Director of Religious Education, a Parish Administrator, as well as several part-time staff members (intern minister, bookkeeper, choir director, music director, volunteer coordinator, and sexton) Lay leadership is a strong and vital tradition in the life of the church We pledge to be a good neighbor and an active participant in public life within and beyond Bedford Due to opportunities of our comparative privilege and homogeneity, we seek to learn from others in face-to-face encounter We create opportunities for service, we initiate compassionate actions for social justice, and we join with others who are already engaged Inspired by our vision of community – local and global – we aspire to shape our culture and enlarge common ground Congregational Vote The following vote was taken at a Special Meeting of the Parish on November 4, 2012: to see whether the congregation will approve an application for Green Sanctuary Candidacy: MOTION: To see whether the congregation will approve pursuing Green Sanctuary certification (The motion was made by Janet Powers and seconded Art Smith.) DISCUSSION: Because First Parish is committed to the UUA’s 7th principle, Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part, members of the congregation have been working on Green Sanctuary-related issues for three years Many practices that are already in place can be included in this application Today’s decision is to embark on a candidacy process that will take about two years to complete Some $6,000 remains in the congregation’s Green Sanctuary fund If big-ticket items are needed in order to complete First Parish’s application, the committee will come back to the parish for a vote Two Green Sanctuary action plans are focused on kids – publishing Earth Circles is part of the RE action plan, and additional project ideas are welcome VOTE: Unanimously Approved on a voice vote UU Identity and Spirituality Ours is a community that honors the worth and dignity of all living things and interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part Our worship services, community activism, and programs help us celebrate these connections, as well as those to the wider worlds of nature and human society So our Green Sanctuary work has been built on a framework of purposefully contributing to helping sustain a vital and vibrant environment in which all things can flourish and coexist The Green Sanctuary project has served as a coalescing catalyst through which, what might have been diffuse environmental activities and interests, have become a more unified way of working in community We have shared our time, talents and treasure to accomplish discrete projects through which we have explored and crafted stronger shared spiritual bonds and galvanized them into productive engagement in environmental efforts that have taken on a more sustained life of their own even after the identified GS projects have been completed The input we received from parishioners that helped shape the projects we have undertaken as part of our candidacy can be found in the appendix to this document ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROJECTS EJ-1 Project Title: Fresh Food for All Assessment Results we are responding to: Primarily this project addresses our desire to help local low-income families gain access to fresh, organic food The project has been an intergenerational effort and environmental education for the kids Also, the project removed an area of native shrubs that were not thriving to create a productive and ecologically sustainable landscape Project Description: Junior Youth Group (JYG) to Create a Vegetable Garden for the Bedford Pantry Project Action: The Junior Youth, with the help of several adult volunteers, created a vegetable garden in our back and south facing churchyards with the aim of providing fresh produce to our local food pantry The Junior Youth replaced foundation plants around the church with a vegetable garden that yielded over 150 pounds of fresh food for the local food pantry Outcomes: We have completed two full seasons The first season we did not grow enough of any single vegetable to donate to our pantry so we shared with the youth workers and FP employees (who greatly appreciated the fresh food) The second season we expanded our growing area and focused on a few crops We delivered 5-20 lbs of produce a week to the food pantry for eight weeks Produce included kale, collards, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes and squash We also grew edible flowers and sunflowers to brighten the neighborhood and feed the birds Project Timeline: 2012: First Parish RE program, Earth Circles, converted foundation plantings on the south side of the church to a vegetable garden (approx 640 sq ft.) 2013: JYG cultivated garden (640 sq ft.) to donate to Bedford Food Pantry, unfortunately we did not produce enough to deliver 2014: JYG expanded garden (total 750 sq ft.) and modified plant list yield: approximately 100-150 pounds of food to the pantry Next Steps: We will continue with this garden indefinitely and are discussing plans for further expansion and perhaps operating it as a free CSA to a few local families in need The pantry gets lots of fresh local produce from a large farm near by and so while our offerings were appreciated, they could perhaps have a larger impact if focused on a smaller population Lead: Janet Powers EJ-2 Project Title: Earth Justice Film and Book Series Project Description: The Green Sanctuary Committee along with another FPB committee and outside organization conducted several film screenings, common book readings, and group discussions on Environmental Justice to promote education, dialogue and motivation to get more people active and involved in related issues Project Timeline: Completed during the FY13-14 church year Action: We chose The Economics of Happiness for our first film and screened it jointly with our Peace and Justice Committee and with another group, Transition Town Bedford We created posters for the event and distributed them around the community We promoted the film to church attendees via the Parishioner (the church newsletter), and the electronic Anno List Other films screened included Inequality for All, Do the Math Tour, and a film about toxic chemicals Our committee chose The Green Boat: Reviving Ourselves in Our Capsized Culture for a common read We purchased multiple copies and sold them during coffee hour, encouraging parishioners to buy them as gifts for the holidays Screening and discussion of Do The Math film.       Book discussion of The Green Boat Outcomes: About 30 people attended the screening of The Economics of Happiness The screening was followed by a lively discussion about the economies of localization and various lifestyles that may or may not lead to happiness The other films had smaller attendance, but still generated lively discussions Two book discussions were held: The first, which was led by a local librarian, was held during the day with modest attendance The common read was also adopted by the FP Women’s Book Group and a parishioner held a book discussion in her home About 20 women attended the event, which generated a more personal discussion regarding each person’s history of personal/political involvement in environmental issues, what they were currently doing, what prevented them from becoming involved in global warming/ climate change issues, and how they might become more engaged in the issues The event created a stimulating conversation that resulted in interest in choosing additional books related to the environment for the following year All told, about 80 people participated in these programs, and a number of them have reported that they have become active in a range of local and national environmental issues Lead: Carol Reynolds EJ-3 Project Title: Sunday Bus Service for First Parish and Other Local Churches, and Addressing the Causes of Homelessness (This project was added after the original candidacy application was submitted It began with a focus on providing transportation accessibility to people limited in their mobility around town [retired people living in a retirement community and recently homeless families living in a local motel under state support] and broadened to explore and confront causes of homelessness through partnerships with those families and many other organizations around the state.) Assessment Result we are responding to: Some members of the congregation were either unable to attend Sunday services due to transportation challenges or simply preferred a less energy-intensive option than bringing their own cars to church In addition there was a real need to reduce parking demands around the church and to encourage alternative methods of getting to church besides just biking and walking, which were already actively encouraged (First Parish installed additional bike racks in 2014) Project Timeline: Initial bus service started in 2010 and has expanded each year since then The homelessness initiative began in 2014 Both are ongoing projects Project Description and Action: First Parish has implemented a bus service using a local bus company as a contracted operator to provide Sunday scheduled bus service from several locations in Bedford to First Parish as well as St Michaels Roman Catholic and St Paul’s Episcopalian churches Initially, we partnered with a local retirement community – Carleton-Willard Village, home to hundreds of retirees – to offer bus service to First Parish Then we added pick-up/drop-off stops at other churches Subsequently, we added stops at a local hotel that is currently housing homeless families as part of a state emergency response to a severe housing shortage in the Boston area This enables people at the retirement community and hotel to attend the church of their choice at no cost to them, and cuts down on traffic Most recently, we have provided the option of having the bus pick other people up at their residences Printed schedules and the bus driver’s cell phone are posted at various locations for more ad-hoc, on-demand service when needed FPB worked with other area churches and a retirement village to launch a bus service so people who otherwise might not have been able to can attend religious services As more parishioners engaged with recently homeless families who had moved into the community and were living in the motel under state subsidy, we came to learn that there have never been more homeless families in Massachusetts than now (Each night, nearly 3,100 families are in shelters and 1,850 more families are in motels with great risk to their children’s health and development.) One of those motels, which is in Bedford, houses families whom we initially reached out to to provide local transportation We came to see that many factors contribute to the manner in which people can become marginalized Through networking and outreach, we connected with Advocacy Network to End Family Homelessness & Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries, Episcopal City Mission, Citizens Housing & Planning Association (CHAPA), Mass Coalition for the Homeless, UU Mass Action Network Together, we sponsored the Eleventh Annual Forum on Family Homelessness on March 1st, 2015 and hosted the event at First Parish The program included sessions on:      Homelessness Comes To Bedford: How A Community Responds: Ann Guay and Sue Baldauf, Bedford Housing Task Force (Sue is a member of FPB and heads Bedford’s Youth and Family Services) Secure Jobs Partnership: Providing families with resources to obtain and maintain employment: Sher Omerovic, Jewish Vocational Services, Greater Boston Eliminating Barriers To Employment: Jessica Cohen and Connie Martin, Secure Jobs Program, Community Teamwork, Inc., Greater Lowell Challenges of Mass Homelessness Programs and Key Advocacy Issues for 2015: Exa Mendez, Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate, Mass Coalition for the Homeless How State Government Can Help: Comments from area lawmakers The forum, which was very well attended, was also supported by the following organizations from around the state: C T Douglas Elementary School, Acton; Citizens Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA); Domestic Violence Services Network; Habitat for Humanity Lowell; Homes for Families; Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts; Jewish Vocational Services; League of Women Voters of Concord Carlisle; League of Women Voters of Sudbury; Mass Coalition for the Homeless; Open Table Inc.; South Middlesex Opportunity Council; and local faith communities including: Episcopal City Mission; Homelessness Task Team of the Mass Conference UCC; Metropolitan Boston Association of the United Church of Christ: Unitarian Universalist Massachusetts Action Network; Concord/Carlisle: First Parish in Concord, Social Action Community; Holy Family Parish; St Irene's Catholic Church; Trinitarian Congregational Church; Trinity Episcopal Church; Acton: Church of the Good Shepherd; First Parish Church of Stow and Acton Social Justice Council; So Acton Congregational Church; St Matthew's Methodist Church; Boxborough: Boxborough UCC Community Church; Maynard: St Bridget Parish; Sudbury: St John Evangelical Lutheran Church; Sudbury United Methodist Church; First Parish of Sudbury; Lincoln: First Parish Church; Bedford: First Church of Christ UCC, First Parish UU in Bedford, St Paul’s Episcopal Church; Wayland: First Parish in Wayland Social Action Council; Lexington: First Baptist Church; Pilgrim Congregational Church UCC; Unitarian Universalist; Hancock United Church of Christ; Lexington United Methodist Church; Winchester: First Church Congregational; Arlington: Calvary United Methodist Church: Cambridge: University Lutheran Church; Framingham: Edwards Church UCC; Wellesley: Wellesley Congregational (Village) Church Outcomes: Bus Service: Ridership has grown at a steady clip (as many as a dozen riders on any given Sunday), and this service is now relied on as a given by many – a real sign of success It has brought new people to our worship and RE services and enabled some parishioners living at Carleton-Willard to continue participating in our church community in a way that was not previously possible Next steps are to seek ways to expand the service further and also to investigate the possibility of securing a more passengerfriendly, low-floor vehicle to make it easier for passengers to board and disembark Homelessness: A number of First Parishioners have continued to expand working relationships with some of the above-named organizations and have worked to help the new Bedford families become oriented to and integrated in life in Bedford First Parish is also actively engaged with lobbying and advocacy for state and federal legislation to address income inequality, unemployment, the absence of a living wage for low-income employees, and other causes of poverty and homelessness Also, people working on the Fresh Food for All Project have been talking with organizers of these families and others who maybe interested in growing vegetables for their own use We hope to have some of them participate in this year’s growing season Lead: John Gibbons WORSHIP AND CELEBRATION PROJECTS WC-1 Project Description: Sunday Services focused on the Environment Assessment we are responding to: Provide more connection with nature, commit to more environmental sermons, promote earth-centered practices, and perhaps develop more ways to show our connection to nature within the Meeting House walls Project Description and Action: Our plan called for four services dedicated to our connection and the improvement of the environment We actually accomplished more:  Hospitality (Laura 10/6/13)  Blessings of the Animals (Lisa/Megan 10/13/13)  Earth Based Spirituality (Ken Langer 11/3/13)  Eco-friendly Technology in Underprivileged Societies (Amy Smith 11/10/13)  Honoring the Earth (Laura 3/30/14)  Hope (Bill Schulz 4/13/14)  Always Rachel (John 4/27/14)  Music Sunday/Nature (Brad 5/4/14) Intern minister Laura Fell Scholten leading an Honor the Earth service Project Timeline: began 2013-14 church year, but it is our intention to commit to at least four environmentally based services per year indefinitely Outcomes: Although the staff agreed to the four services, these services were not created merely to fulfill our plan; they were created to fulfill the passions of the ministers and congregation about the environment and our connection to nature These services came from the heart—a true reflection of FPB becoming a “Green Sanctuary” and were well attended and well received by parishioners Lead: John Gibbons WC-2 Project Title: The congregation will have at least six outdoor/earth-based services, activities or special events that celebrate our “Connection to Nature.” Assessment we are responding to: In our survey, many parishioners identified connecting with nature as something they would like to more of as part of our church services We did already hold some outdoor services: “Singing up the Sun,” “Ingathering” (yearly outdoor opening service), and town-wide interdenominational gatherings for Easter and Earth Day Celebrations But more were desired Project Description and Action: For each of the past 14 years we have celebrated our return to FPB in September with an outdoor service on the lawn called “Ingathering” We sing up the Sun on the Winter Solstice at Fawn Lake each December We participate in an interdenominational Easter Sunrise service at Fawn Lake We held a celebratory “Almost Spring” woodland walk straight into the woods behind our Meeting House In 2013-14, we held four Earth-Based Spirituality classes and two rituals celebrating the Winter Solstice and Embolic Singing up the sun Rest stop on a Sunday nature walk Project Timeline: 2013-14 church year, we continue to commit to at least four outdoor activities/services per year Outcome: Ingathering is a community-wide celebration (typically of about 200 people), but most of these events are smaller, more intimate groups of a dozen or so people who connect deeply with nature and each other during these services Both types of events are key elements of FP Lead: This is a community wide effort, and many different parishioners and staff have led these programs WC-3 Project Title: Celebrating the Universe Story (creation based on science) Based on The Universe Tells Our Story Series by Jennifer Morgan: Born with a Bang, From Lava to Life, and Mammals Who Morph (This project was added after the original candidacy application was submitted.) Assessment Results we are responding to: this projects touched on several goals we have been working towards – connecting the congregation with nature, intergenerational projects, environmental education for adults and children and perhaps, not articulated in our initial application but nonetheless important, is cultivating a sense of awe and wonder in how our universe has evolved from the original Big Bang to the present day Project Description and Action: About six years ago, we used Jennifer Morgan’s Born with a Bang children’s book to celebrate the winter solstice We created a giant beaded timeline, little beaded timelines for the parishioners and our minister read portions of the book out loud as a sermon To honor Darwin’s birthday last year, we created an intergenerational musical celebration based on the second book, From Lava to Life, as a full Sunday service, replete with dancing dinosaurs, eukaryotes, trilobites, worms, jellyfish and more The production 10 Our second event was the Apple Festival – a very well attended public event on the Common With our containers for silverware, compost, compostable bowls, bottles/cans and trash, we were able to have hundreds of people recycle hundreds of pounds of material The third event was our Annual Church Auction Since the food was mainly appetizers we had little compost but lots of recyclables and some trash Once again the use of silverware eliminated consumption of plastic spoons and forks This was another opportunity to reinforce the habit of recycling We have also created a clearer, more prominent system for daily recycling within FPB, including easily identifiable containers, and consistent signage We have blue baskets in all rooms for recyclables, and in the kitchen we have a compost barrel for coffee grounds and appropriate food, a paper and cardboard container, a bottle/cans receptacle, and two trash cans People have gotten used to the designations, but we still have to remove and replace some articles With the future presentation by the town’s recycling coordinator we hope that Parishioners will more automatically seek the appropriate containers for their discards We will continue these practices into the future Outcomes: Over 900 people attending our annual church events have recycled over 500 pounds of material And, on an ongoing basis several hundred parishioners each week recycle materials on Sundays and at other church events throughout the year We have had a number of parishioners report that they have instituted similar recycling efforts at home Lead: Carol Reynolds and Sandra Ferreira SL-3 Project Title: Church Lighting Conversion to LED’s and CFL’s Assessment Result we are responding to: The opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint of the church and thus save energy and money Project Description and Action: FPB has implemented energy-efficient lighting conversions throughout the church Over the past year and a half, we systematically replaced over 65 incandescent lights inside and outside the church building with CFL (compact florescent light) or LEDs (light emitting diodes) to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions, and electricity costs For the LED’s, we have only used dimmable bulbs with a rating of 2700k or warmer to ensure that the look of the LEDs remains very close to the look of the incandescent bulbs being replaced, thereby keeping the ambiance of the building warm and inviting We have also used the Parishioner newsletter to inform parishioners on how to move to LED bulbs to encourage greater adoption rates for more energy efficient bulbs in their homes All but the bulbs of a few chandeliers have been replaced (currently, there are no replacement options for the chandelier bulbs that replicate the look of the current lighting) 18 First Parish has saved over $720 per year by converting to high-efficiency lighting Project Timeline: 2013-2014 Outcomes – First Parish has reduced its power consumption by almost 4,000 watts We estimate that the amount of kWh’s saved in the course of a typical church year is in the neighborhood of 4200 kWh or an energy savings, based on current NStar rates, of around $720 per the year Lead: Robert Dorer SL-4: Storm Windows Assessment Result we are responding to: Our original energy audit recommended improving insulation and adding storm windows As we discussed the potential for adding AC to the sanctuary, there was further call from the congregation to reduce heat/cool losses through the windows Project Description and Action: To add storm windows to the historic sanctuary to conserve energy and increase comfort Project Timeline: September 2013-Summer 2015 Outcomes: There has been much discussion as to how best conserve energy at FPB (not always a lot of agreement) This has led to the formation of a recent task force that is directly responsible for researching, getting quotes and making recommendations regarding energy conservation and an overhaul of our HVAC systems We are now awaiting installation of a prototype storm window (summer 2015) to determine its feasibility along with associated costs to retrofit the entire church Lead: Karl Winkler 19 SL-5 Project Title: Rain Barrels Assessment Result we are responding to: For the past 10 years, FPB has been committed to gardening in an ecological manner As a result, our predominently native plantings have required no irrigation once established However, when we removed the foundation plantings to convert some land to food production, our need for water increased To stay true to our policy of minimal impact, we decided to install rain barrels to accommodate our increased need Project Description and Action: First Parish has reduced its reliance on water for its vegetable garden by collecting, storing, and recycling rainwater The original plan was to use several 50-gallon rain barrels to collect rainwater rather than use municipal water to water the First Parish vegetable garden Instead, First Parish worked with a local Eagle Scout to construct a 500-gallon a rain barrel from a used olive-oil shipping container donated by one of our parishioners The rain barrel was set up, screened, and located adjacent to the garden Additionally, we added a heavy layer of mulch to the garden to reduce water evaporation Project Timeline: Fall 2012 – Spring 2013 planning and Historic District Approval Summer 2013 Construction Outcomes: The rain barrel has become the sole source of water used for our vegetable garden, thereby saving hundreds of gallons of municipal water consumption In fact, along with our mulching efforts to reduce the need for water consumption, we didn’t need all of the water collected in the rain barrel To further improve efficient water distribution throughout the garden, we may experiment with installing a small water pump Lead: Janet Powers Accomplishment of Program Goals Build awareness of the significance and complexity of environmental issues Many parishioners have been advocates for the environment for a long time However, it has been interesting to see how our collective actions have grown significantly over the past two years since we initiated the Green Sanctuary process Some of this is due to the ongoing efforts of our projects and some due to the times and urgency that surround us all Much of the congregation was aware of climate change and the need to protect our environment, but it was clear many were not sure where to start or how to incorporate it into their lives Those that were already actively engaged in environmental activities desired to more We have been building awareness through many of our programs: earth justice movies, collective reads, Northwest Institute study programs, environmental programs with our kids such as Earth Circles and Eat our Values and many relevant and inspiring sermons Earlier in the GS process, we had been frustrated in the lack of participation on a few of our projects, but the tide turned What is most exciting is the number of projects and 20 programs being started by groups not initially involved with our Green Sanctuary Committee We will be touching on these projects while answering the following questions Encourage personal lifestyle changes It was clear that many people were looking for help as to how to make their lives more sustainable from our initial survey Several of our projects focused on this issue We had a lyceum that promoted home energy audits and then followed up with a weekly promotional table to help folks sign up for audits throughout last year At that lyceum, a couple of local solar photovoltaic users and advocates shared their experience and promoted a new program called Solarize Bedford sponsored by the state Many FPB households have subsequently installed Solar PV through this program and others A six-week program promoting ethical eating, Hungry For Change, by the Northwest Earth Institute not only engaged the small discussion group, but led to a well received lyceum and a curriculum developed for the children to participate in, helping them to see how what they eat affects the environment as well as their bodies We have also been replacing old incandescent lighting with more efficient lighting, so almost all of our current lighting is either LED or CFL Our parishioners can see how effective these solutions are and incorporating them into their own homes Related to the above-mentioned Energy Audit project, we gave away CFL light bulbs to parishioners Engage in community action on environmental issues Many parishioners are and have been actively involved in town politics and environmental work on the Board of Selectmen, Planning Board, Arbor Resources Committee and Board of Health, Conservation Commission, Energy Task Force, Transportation Advisory Committee, and Transition Town These folks work toward improving the environment for the entire community Of course the environment is not the only issue these groups address, but many have a direct effect on the local environment Recently, our Junior Youth Group began providing fresh organic food for families in need The kids are eager to work outside in the fresh air, and take pride in their ability to help others Orchestrated by our minister and Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir (http://www.revbilly.com/earth_justice?page=3), several of our members including FPB minister John Gibbons have protested against Monsanto, whose products are believed to have contributed to the rapid decline the bee population, and against Harvard University for its role in developing robotic bees rather than putting precious resources towards protecting natural bee populations We have collaborated with UUSC in its water justice campaigns, including a sermon John Gibbons preached on “The Human Right to Water” that coincided with First Parish producing Quabbin Clear Water Bottles, excoriating the “boondoggle of corporate bottled water” (http://www.uubedford.org/shop-to-support-first-parish.html) 21 We have also promoted the UUA’s Ethical Eating CSAI (Congregational Study and Action Issues) and UUSC’s campaign to Choose Compassionate Consumption, including workers’ rights issues, especially in the food industry (http://www.uusc.org/updates/doyou-eat) As part of this, we distributed the Restaurant Opportunity Center (ROC) National Guide to Ethical Eating and successfully lobbied the Massachusetts legislature for increases to the minimum wage, including the wages of tipped workers Finally, a small but enthusiastic group of FP parishioners attended the Peoples’ Climate March in NYC in Fall 2014 This, along with other activities has galvanized interest among parishioners to organize and undertake other climate change actions Strengthen the connection between spiritual practice and Earth consciousness In our survey, many people indicated they would like more time to commune with nature both through FP and on their own For many years we have been offering a few outdoor venues for worship and connection: Ingathering, Singing Up the Sun, and Easter services Over the past couple of years we have promoted earth centered spirituality with education and more rituals; hosted special JourneyDance™ events celebrating solstice and equinox; and we have initiated walks in the woods. Currently we are developing new programs that will connect folks to nature with more walks, skiing, perhaps canoe and kayak trips, and talks on the night sky and on owls Work to heal environmental injustice Although our congregation has a strong history of social justice work, this is an area we feel continues to deserve strong focus There have been a few projects we have engaged in that we feel have a component of Environmental Justice We initiated a program to bus senior citizens from local assisted living and independent living housing to FPB and other houses of worship around Bedford This reduces carbon emission and draws many faiths together We took a leadership role in participating in our local LEED certified Habitat for Humanity project And, we continue to regularly screen peace and justice movies that include environmental awareness One of the most exciting new projects is our recent hiring of a local Climate Justice advocate to help us to organize to effectively promote change in our governmental policy on Climate Change We are using funds from our Social Responsibility Committee to fund activities for the next year We have had difficulty figuring out just exactly how to insert ourselves in this political process, and we hope, by engaging someone who has been actively involved in this work, that we will be able to make our efforts much more effective This process illustrates how other FP committees have actively engaged in environmental work and asked us (the Green Sanctuary Committee) to partner with them 22 Program Evaluation What you believe has been the most important benefit your congregation has gained as a result of your participation in the Green Sanctuary Program? By promoting the Green Sanctuary Program, we believe we have encouraged our fellow parishioners to become more actively aware of their effect on the environment, and we have seen changes in their actions It is hard to know if it was our work or the collective changes in our society that have been contributing to this increased awareness and action; however it is happening, we are thrilled This is also true for work being done on the church itself We now have a new task force devoted entirely on making our structure more energy efficient with the addition of storm windows and a complete overhaul of our HVAC system What has been the most difficult or challenging aspect of the program for your congregation to make progress on? One of the keys to the Green Sanctuary program is the emphasis on communication about what we are doing In the early stages of our Green Sanctuary efforts, we diligently worked on getting the word out with articles in our newsletter, regular announcements electronically, Sunday morning presentations and such, but still found that, over time, many people were surprised to learn about what we had been doing During that time period, it was sometimes challenging to get volunteers outside of our committee to help with our projects People are generally very busy and key in on different forms of communication, if at all, making it very difficult to get the word out That said, more and more people became aware of the work we were doing and became involved And, as mentioned above, it is exciting that new projects are being initiated by parishioners not on the GS committee It appears we have reached a tipping point through which environmental consciousness and action across FPB has become self-sustaining As you might have noticed, our list of completed projects has been modified somewhat from our original application This is for two reasons: some of our projects did not fly, and the UUA requirements have changed over time We feel we have more than fulfilled the requirements by creating new opportunities that meet UUA requirements However, we also feel it is important to address the projects we did not get off the ground and why Paper reduction/increased use of recycled paper  – The paper reduction project was challenging, since we were already fairly conservative in our use of paper and the idea of turning to electronic media for Sunday services is still not widely accepted We also have trouble using 100% recycled content paper in our current photocopier due to persistent jamming However we engage in significant paper recycling All our orders of services are recycled every week and we also reduced the number printed by reusing them between our two Sunday services Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Going to Church – Reducing our carbon footprint was to encompass promoting carpooling and/or biking to church as well as correcting tire pressure in cars to maximize fuel efficiency The challenge was largely of coordination and communication It seemed like a great idea, but we had difficulty in finding someone who would spearhead sustained promotion beyond using the newsletter and electronic announcement list to get the congregation to join in While we did inaugurate bus service 23 to FPB and other local churches to reduce our carbon footprint, promoting carpooling and biking to church still remain worthy goals that we might undertake again in the future (Note: we did expand our bike racks, which was not part of proposed projects but was identified as an area in need of improvement.) Redistributing Excess Bread and Produce from Local Grocery Stores – We learned that leftover food redistribution from local grocery stores was already being covered fully by other organizations Building Containers/Raised Beds at Low-Income Housing Locations in Bedford –We believe this to be a worthy project, but did not muster enough resources to make it happen We still hope to get this off the ground once the Junior Youth garden is fully established Have you been able to discern positive changes in your congregation’s culture as a result of the activities you accomplished? If so, what are they? As mentioned above, it is exciting how new projects are getting started outside of our committee, such as our Energy Task Force and the new Climate Justice advocacy work It is also clear how committed the First Parish staff is to environmental work They continue to bring new and exciting speakers and projects We are thrilled to be hosting Bill McKibben – environmentalist, author, journalist, and a founder of 350.org – in Spring 2015 for one of our services We are currently developing a church-wide strategic plan, and sustainability is built into our goals Of course there is always more we can be doing, and we will be working to continue to encourage even more involvement in environmental projects at home, at the church, and in the community What are your intentions/aspirations for continuing to live out your Green Sanctuary commitments? It is clear our congregation has embraced Green Sanctuary and is actively expanding our involvement in educating, promoting, and making change We intend to continue to work towards a better future for ourselves, our community, and the entire planet Many, if not most, of our projects are ongoing We have used the Green Sanctuary program as a spring board to get us organized, to celebrate the good work achieved, to promote deeper involvement, and to inspire a growing investment of our time and resources in environmental sustainability As of today, we seem to be on the path to doing just that Climate change, sustainability, environmental literacy and earth justice are all areas First Parishioners are actively engaged in, and the momentum continues to build It is our hope that the expanding commitment to improving our environment will inspire more parishioners to act on their dreams and initiate their own projects We hope our job will transition to becoming a support system for helping others manifest their ideas, in addition to continuing our own projects, and responding to the needs of FP and the planet as they arise 24 What on-going role you expect your congregation will take in the wider community relative to environmental issues? How does your Green Sanctuary work affect your connection in the community? Climate Justice is a key component of a newly minted joint Green Sanctuary and Social Responsibility project We are eager to take on a larger political presence and are committed to this action We will continue to make environmental education a part of our religious education for both children and adults Understanding is foundational to wanting, and being able, to make change We hope that, with some of the physical plant work we will be doing, we will help inspire other institutions to make changes One very visible project our Energy Task Force is considering is adding Solar PV to our roof Our RE program will continue to make the innovative programming we create available to other congregations and community members Our Junior Youth Group will continue to make free, fresh organic food available to our neighbors in need We are exploring ways to expand our environmental programming into the community by having speakers come to our sanctuary for evening and weekend lectures on our night sky and owls These current and future projects are just a handful of the many projects we discuss in our committee meetings that have started to take shape There is no lack of ideas Perhaps time and resources are somewhat limited, but, considering our growing enthusiasm, continued growth and community connection seem assured 25 Appendix — First Parish Bedford Green Sanctuary Survey Results A survey to gauge First Parish Bedford Unitarian Universalist attendees’ green practices was sent out in October of 2012 The purpose of the survey was to learn more about the green habits parishioners currently perform as well as to better understand attitudes about sustainable living in general In addition, the survey included a section that requested responders to indicate green practices they considered important to help identify areas to focus on as a community The complete list of survey questions and the responses are listed at the end of this document Most Important Green Practices A total of 66 survey responses were returned although not everyone answered every question Survey respondents rated the following items the most important green practices: Drive a fuel-efficient car (56 responses) Recycle plastic and paper (54 responses) Insulate and weatherize home (54 responses) Use reusable shopping bags (53 responses) Keep tire properly inflated (53 responses) Least Important Green Practices Survey respondents rated the following items the least important green practices: Become a vegetarian (15 responses) Buy used goods (34 responses) Grow houseplants (35 responses) Collect rainwater for garden use (36 responses) Insulate your hot water heater (37 responses) Most Commonly Performed Green Practices The following items were the most commonly performed green practices by survey participants: Recycle plastic and paper (59) Use the library (56) Use reusable shopping bags (53) Compost kitchen scraps (46) Keep tires properly inflated (45) Buy locally grown food (45) Install low-flow showerheads and toilets (45) Least Commonly Performed Green Practices The following items were the least commonly performed green practices by survey participants: Become a vegetarian (7) Use solar energy (8) Collect rainwater for garden use (8) Insulate your hot water heater (26) Drive a fuel efficient car (26) 26 Conclusions The survey indicated that respondents rated driving a fuel-efficient car, recycling plastic and paper, insulating and weatherizing their home, using reusable shopping bags and keeping their tires properly inflated as the top most important green practices In several instances, such as recycling plastic and paper, using reusable shopping bags and keeping tires properly inflated the green values were carried out into actual practices One focus for the Green Sanctuary might be to direct efforts toward finding ways to help people achieve other values such as driving a fuel-efficient car and insulating and weatherizing their home Interestingly, the most highly rated green value in the survey, driving a fuel-efficient car, was one of the least likely to be practiced This may in part be due to the fact that the average car on the road in the US is now almost 11 years old People may intend to buy a fuel-efficient car for their next vehicle but may have put off the purchase due to the current economy Green values in the survey with the lowest rating were: becoming a vegetarian, buying used goods, growing houseplants, collecting rainwater for garden use and insulating your hot water heater These items can be viewed as items that people are uninterested in adopting, that are too expensive or that might be changed through education or advocacy In terms of air travel about half of respondents flew approximately once a year for both business and pleasure Another half flew to times a year for pleasure with fewer people traveling that amount or more for business Nearly half of the respondents have joined a CSA and nearly as many others grow their own vegetables From this survey the support for locally grown food seems fairly strong One area that caught our attention was the response to the questions “Do you take time to appreciate nature?” and “How often you spend time outdoors in natural places?” There were many heartfelt responses such as “Not as often as I would like”, and “Very rarely – wish I did so more!” There was also some confusion about the local trail system as evidenced by comments such as “I sometimes take the commuter rail” and “I’m not around a rail system” Other respondents voiced the infrequency they used the trail system with comments such as “When I can” and “On occasion, but rarely” A possible response to these two questions might be to inform and encourage participants to use the trail system to appreciate nature This might encourage more walking or biking in town and also reduce car transportation, which was listed as the primary means of transportation in town (54) Finally, focusing on green sanctuary efforts that are also enjoyable such as using the town trail system, riding bikes, walking and enjoying nature can only benefit our committee goals Our endeavors don’t always have to cost money, require sacrifices or otherwise limit our activities It might be worthwhile to focus at least in part on approaches that engage participants rather than exclusively focusing on the problems that can seem insurmountable Green Sanctuary Survey Data The following table lists the Green Sanctuary survey questions and resulting data 27 Survey Question Please check all the following options that apply: Check if you think this is important Check if you this Response # Use full spectrum LED light bulbs 40 35 49 Recycle plastic and paper 54 59 61 Use reusable shopping bags 53 53 60 Drive a fuel efficient car (35 mpg or better) 56 26 58 Buy locally made goods 46 36 52 Insulate and weatherize your home 54 44 59 Install a programmable thermostat 45 42 51 Disconnect electronic devices when not in use 42 21 44 Buy recycled paper for home use 44 32 48 Purchase fair trade coffee and chocolate 43 41 50 Install low-flow shower heads and toilets 48 45 53 Think about your landscape in an ecological way 45 33 48 Compost kitchen scraps 44 46 48 Use cloth napkins 43 38 46 Buy used goods 34 39 43 Insulate your hot water heater 37 26 42 Take short showers instead of baths 42 44 45 Use solar energy 39 44 28 Collect rainwater for garden use 36 23 Buy locally grown food 47 45 50 Use the library 53 50 56 Keep tires properly inflated 53 45 58 Grow houseplants 35 44 48 Become a vegetarian 15 15 Are you or have you ever been a member of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm? Yes - 29 No - 33 Other – See below Yes - 23 No - 33 Other – See below - I have been tempted but I don’t think we could handle the volume; I guess composting what is unused would be fine, but it still feels too wasteful to me - Seafood CSA for year - I grow my own veggies in the summer - I am a member of a community Supported Fishery org - I was a vegetarian for years but was told I needed meat by many doctors and eat some now It didn’t work for me Do you grow your own food? - I don’t always get much produce - Have had a large garden plot for many years - Vegetables and herb - lots - Just herbs: basil, chives, horseradish (the critters have eaten 29 everything else in the past) - Sporadically -Did in the past – before the ticks got so bad - Tomatoes, herbs - Only a little, too much shade, but hope to grow more in the future How often you fly for personal reasons? Once a year - 24 to times a year - 21 Other – See below Once a year - 10 to times a year - Once a month - 23 - Last flight was years ago - Varies – some years in a row not at all, then maybe twice in one year - Less than once a year, every 3-5 years - Less than once a year - About times a year Have not flown anywhere in 5+ years - Every few years - Less than once a year - A very rare event - About every other year - Once every or years - Approx once every years - Every to years How often you fly for business reasons? Once a week - - See # 30 - Never - Never - Less than once a year -0 -0 - Very, very occasionally - Never - None - Never What is your primary means of transportation? Car - 54 Walk - Commuter rail - Yes - 33 No - 24 Other – (see below) Yes - 59 No - Other – See below Electric scooter - - Bike and car - Commuter rail for commuting to work Otherwise car or walking Do you use your local trail system? - When I can - On occasion but rarely - Rarely, though - Sometimes take the commuter rail - N/A - Not around a trail system Do you take time to appreciate nature? - Not as often as I would like 31 - Very rarely – wish I did so more! - Sit in yard and watch the animals - In my garden and yard, walking in neighborhood How often you spend time outdoors? Once a year - to times a year - 22 Once a month - 14 Once a week - 14 - I really wish I could work more nature into my life – I feel so much better when I - Past years it has been much more – busy year - As many days as possible - Daily when I walk my dog - As often as possible but sometimes not even once a month - Not enough - I’m counting my backyard bird watching ;) Not as often as I would like - Often daily according to the weather - Visit conservation land in Bedford daily with the dog - Most days 4-5 times/week - Every day since I live in a forest - Every day 32