FirstU CURRENT CALL to ACTION  July 10th, 2020


EAWG and the Poverty Awareness Working Group (PAWG)

The COVID 19 pandemic has shown us the need for and gives us the unique opportunity to not go back to business-as-usual but to build back in a way that addresses widespread inequality & the climate crisis.  
At the AGM June 21st, the congregation approved a motion to encourage governments to introduce a Guaranteed Livable Income to address the inequalities in our present wage and social housing benefit structures.  The motion also calls for actions in support of a Green & Just Recovery for All.   The ‘Just Recovery for All’ campaign is based on 6 principles that promote building back better by putting people first.  The ‘Green Recovery’ campaign identifies actions that help create sustainable jobs and stimulate a clean energy transition.

As plans for recovery from Covid-19 are being developed, governments are being lobbied by industry with their views. We have a small window to present our views on the need to not go back to business-as-usual but to build back to address widespread inequality and the climate crisis (governments rarely lead without a push from voters). Two letter writing letter campaigns are being launched on this new First U “Confronting Climate Catastrophe” webpage. Save this CCC page link and keep checking back to see whats next!

• The first was prepared for the July 3rd campaign and is on a Just Recovery.
  

Download that letter below either as a PDF or WORD doc and personalize it to increase impact.

• The second letter, focusing this time on Green Recovery starts today July 10th.

Download that Green Recovery letter below either as a PDF or WORD doc and personalize it to increase impact. 

Feel free to use it, adding or deleting to personalize it thus adding more impact.  You can send electronically but “snail” mail apparently has more effect.

You can add or delete, perhaps using material from A Just Recovery for All. Check out the Just Recovery Art Kit to make your own window art, banners and colouring pages for the kids.

These sites are terrific in providing key talking points to add to your writing skills.
https://justrecoveryforall.ca/spread-the-word/,
https://environmentaldefence.ca/2020/06/24/build-green-just-recovery-canada/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/20/heed-lessons-of-2008-
crisis-experts-warn-global-leaders

FirstU Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Unitarians-for-Climaction-104133781203390/

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green_recovery_final_pdf.pdf
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green_recovery_final.docx
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just_recovery_fu_letter_campaign_v2_2020_7_7.docx
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just_recovery_fu_letter_campaign_v1_20-06-26.pdf
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No cuts to city budget on climate change
The fiscal update at City Hall this week indicated intention to an 80% cut in dividend funding to Climate Change.  The Environmental Action Working Group recommends that in the context of climate change, no cuts should be made to programs addressing municipal Greenhouse Gas emissions or adaptation to climate emergency.  A draft letter to the Mayor and Councillors, which can be personalized to make more impact, is available as a DOWNLOAD WORD File doc below.

no_cuts_to_ow_climate_budget_20-07-01.docx
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"The Green Sanctuary Program is one way that Unitarian Universalist congregations in Canada and the United States live out our seventh Principle and recognize our responsibility for environmental and climate justice. Through it, congregations examine their environmental impacts and move toward more sustainable practices grounded in Unitarian Universalism."

GREEN SANCTUARY 2020     
A UU FAITHFUL, WHOLE-CONGREGATION RESPONSE TO CLIMATE URGENCY  

Congregations engage leaders, members, and friends in bold, urgent, and effective climate-action and climate-justice work that moves the congregation in a long-term cycle of congregational work and re-evaluation on climate justice that starts with awareness/assessment, moves to inspire and plan, then leads to bold, effective action that contributes to each of the following three Green Sanctuary program goals:

MITIGATION,
ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE
and JUSTICE

The EAWG thanks Karen Brammer, Manager UUA Green Sanctuary Program for her climate urgency leadership and service.

MITIGATION

is action to reduce the causes of global warming. Mitigation is essential for climate justice and a livable future without disastrous climate impacts.

ADAPTATION & RESILIENCE

for natural systems, the congregation and the larger community. Adaptation is the process of (a) reducing vulnerabilities to the harmful effects of the climate-change (b) making the most of potential beneficial opportunities associated with positive responses to the crisis. Resilience is the capacity to maintain function in the face of external stresses created by the climate-change crisis. 

JUSTICE

Working in partnership with communities who are addressing the reality that the greatest impacts of the climate crisis are disproportionately imposed on those (a) least responsible for the crisis (b) with the fewest resources with which to face the crisis, and (c) future generations.

FirstU Sunday Earth Speaks Series
Recorded on the second Sunday of each month, 9 a.m.
May 31, 2020 - e.jane wilson, Architect spoke (recorded) see her presentation here Sustainable Housing Design
June 7, 2020 - Moe Garahan from Just Food spoke (unrecorded) on supporting the Feeding Local Communities, Seeds & the Local Food System
June 15th Sunday Forum with Senator Kim Pate - Guaranteed Livable Income & Prison reform for Indigenous Women
June 28th Sunday Service with Dr. Cindy Blackstock - First Nations Child Care Advocate
Sept.20, 2020 - Graham Saul, Nature Canada
October 11 - Mike Fletcher, Chair EAWG, will speak on Home Heating and Green House Gases (GHGs)
November 8 - TBD
December 13 - TBD

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