CLIMATE ACTION: GREEN SANCTUARY ACCREDITATION
"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."
In October FirstU Board approved the Environmental Action Group's proposal to apply for Green Sanctuary Accreditation. Read on to learn more about this progressive and thoughtful UUA program.
In October FirstU Board approved the Environmental Action Group's proposal to apply for Green Sanctuary Accreditation. Read on to learn more about this progressive and thoughtful UUA program.
the ajashki project
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As part of our Green Sanctuary Accredation, we have partnered with Indigenous youth from from Kitigan Zibi to create the Ajashki Project.
Ajashki, which means "soil" in Anishinaabemowin, fulfills the accreditation requirements for working with traditionally marginalized communities in our area. It is one of many actions being taken by the FirstU community to recognize our responsibility for environmental and climate justice. Ajashki is FirstU’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s “Call to Action,” the United Nations’ |
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Sustainable Development Goal #2 to end poverty, and UNDRIP’s effort to reduce systemic racism. Ajashki wants to harness the potential of youth leaders by promoting access to Indigenous language and culture related to ancestral gardening practices.
Find out more about the Ajashki Project HERE.
Find out more about the Ajashki Project HERE.
Green Sanctuary 2020
a uu Faithful, whole-congregation response to climate urgency
The 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 community work and re-evaluation on climate justice. This starts with awareness/assessment, moves to inspiration and planning, then leads to concrete, effective actions that contribute to each of the following Green Sanctuary program goals:
Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience, and Justice.
Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience, and Justice.
MITIGATION
Mitigation is action to reduce the causes of global warming. Mitigation is essential for climate justice and a livable future without disastrous climate impacts.
FirstU's Environmental Action Group provides weekly suggestions for small acts of Mitigation we can take in our personal lives, as well as ways to encourage those with the power to enact sweeping change - municipal, provincial, and federal governments - to do so. |
ADAPTATION & RESILIENCE
Adaptation is the process of (a) reducing vulnerabilities to the harmful effects of the climate-change, and (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. When we say "Adaptation & Resilience", we mean it for natural systems, the congregation, and the larger community. |
JUSTICE
Justice means working in partnership with impacted communities and 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.
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FirstU's Environmental Action Group thanks Karen Brammer, manager of the UUA Green Sanctuary Program,
For her Climate Urgency leadership and service.
For her Climate Urgency leadership and service.
