JCC Resolution

I have removed the post that I made a few days ago pertaining to the JCC resolution of May 2007 because I misconstrued the statement of that resolution. A useful dialog was beginning to develop, and I thank those who shared ideas via comment or e-mail. But if there's going to be a dialog, it should start on the right foot, and clearly this one did not. I'll also fix up the JCC web page so that the correct statement of the resolution appears on that page. Here's the correct statement of the resolution I believe:

That CUCC take as a congregational focus for the near future "Justice in a Changing Climate." That we lead by learning and acting. In particular, that we educate ourselves; change our practices; and provide an interfaith religious focal point and leadership on climate change and advocacy.

N&O ad 5/11/09 on cap and trade

Did you see the full page, color ad in today's N&O (4A) called "Cotton, Corn and ... Carbon?" I checked out the web site - very interesting. The key place to look is their paper on cap and trade vs. carbon tax (Paul, a good read!).

So the point of the ad is to put agricultural state pressure behind cap and trade and NOT carbon tax. And the reason seems to be that it would be harder for agricultural research to get money and for agricultural solutions to be viable under the carbon tax model. To be honest, I didn't quite get the argument, but I think that is me, not necessarily the argument.

Rep. Butterfield is being targeted because of his position on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce . I've emailed him asking what his position on this issue is and will let you know what I learn.

Where can I recycle at CUCC?

Bulletin: brown wooden container in narthex
White paper, chipboard, flattened cardboard, and newspaper: green recycling curbside container in kitchen
Cans, glass jars, plastic drink bottles: green recycling trashcan in kitch
Rigid plastic lids: can on hutch in Vaughan Fellowship Hall
Non-meat food items: compost piles behind Pilgrim House
Florescent light bulbs - tube & CFL (unbroken): Jane or Gary Smith
Campbell's soup labels and Boxtops for Education: box on kitchen counter
Willing to collect an item for recycling? Post your offer here or call Jane Smith.

Recycle your plastic lids at CUCC

Through the Aveda Salon Recycling Program, we can recycle our plastic lids. Jeanne Ledbetter will collect these caps every 1st and 3rd Sunday; there is a collection container on the hutch near the refreshment table in the Vaughan Wing.

The program accepts caps that are rigid polypropylene plastic, sometimes noted with a 5 in the chasing arrows recycling symbol.

• twist on with a threaded neck such as caps on shampoo, water, soda, milk and other beverage bottles,
• flip top caps on tubes and food product bottles (such as ketchup and mayonnaise),
  laundry detergents and
• some jar lids such as peanut butter.

Excluded are

• pharmaceutical lids
• non rigid lids such as yogurt lids, tub lids (margarine, cottage cheese),
  screw on lids that are not rigid
• metal lids
• plastic pumps or sprayers.

If you can bend or break the lid with your bare hands, then it does not meet the rigid plastic definition. Unfortunately, too much of the wrong types of materials can contaminate the recycling process. We appreciate your efforts in keeping it clean!

Thinking 'Green' In the Bleak Midwinter returns

January 11, 18, and February 1, 8, and 15
noon - 1:30, Bradow room

We’ll share what we're doing to decrease the size of our carbon footprint at home in our day to day lives and we’ll inspire each other to possibilities. Absolutely no guilt trips allowed. We may be taking giant steps; we may be taking baby steps; but all steps forward are allowed and encouraged. It's a great time for some to take the "sustainable household challenge" to decrease carbon consumption at home and use the time to develop supported positive habits in 2009.
You may wish to add participation in the group to your New Year's resolutions for 2009. Commitment is good, and you can develop a group of persons close to home who can support you in your efforts through the group. You might wish to order for yourself or for friends for Christmas "Discussion Course on Choices for Sustainable Living" which can be ordered from the Northwest Earth Institute at www.nwei.org , which we shall be borrowing ideas from during the sessions to enhance our learning. Purchase is not required for participation, however.
We'll have rituals of prayer, sharing successes, presentation of research findings, and committing to individualized changes each session. General topic areas presently envisioned are:

Session 1: Call to sustainability and ecological principles.
Session 2: Food
Session 3: Buying
Session 4: Communities
Session 5: Visions for Sustainablity and Celebration

Grapes and peanut butter sandwiches will be provided. Call Marty if you have questions or plan on participating.

Share the news; spread the joy; and pray, certainly pray.

Hunger + Climate Change

The upcoming Hunger No More conference at St. Francis of Assisi parish gives us an opportunity to learn about the impact of climate change on hungry people and what we can do about it. Dates: January 27 & 28.

Register online. Call Jane & Gary, Cy & Carolyn, or Grady to carpool.

November 15: Help Create CUCC's Compost Pile

As part of the transformation of CUCC's grounds to be inviting to people and wildlife, we will schedule some workdays for maintenance on our existing plants and the grounds. The first workday’s target is the "compost" pile of yard waste now located immediately beyond the Pilgrim House back deck/patio. November 15, we will move it to the back, adding fertilizer and soil to create a proper composting site.
With the workdays, we’ll provide a short hands-on training for proper maintenance techniques for that day’s task – a useful tool for CUCC grounds volunteers that can benefit your home landscape as well.