Climate Action | Climate Justice

Let’s Get to ZERO!

What is Year Zero? 2024 is the year that we expect to make huge progress on UUAA’s Vision 2050 climate goals. We are going full speed ahead to get as close as possible to

  • ZERO CARBON
  • ZERO WASTE 

ZERO CARBON: Thanks to the generosity of Capital Campaign donors, we are adding to our existing rooftop solar array. This will take us from generating about 15% of UUAA electricity needs to 85% of our electricity needs — all powered by renewable energy! We are exploring heat pumps for the classroom wing and more. Share your ideas for shrinking our carbon footprint — climate@uuaa.org

You may want to get a carbon calculator and tips for reducing your family’s carbon footprint from our Year Zero Resources page.

2024 solar array expansion shown in blue. We will generate 85% of our energy needs.

ZERO WASTE
Yes, we have been recycling and working on reducing waste at UUAA for a long time. NEW this year– we have contracted with a composting service (MyGreen Michigan) and will focus on living in better harmony with our planet by reducing what we send to the landfill. You can even bring your food scraps from home if you aren’t able to compost.

Everyone can help get to Zero Waste by learning what should get recycled and what goes in our compost. A team of volunteers is helping this work go smoothly. UUAA’s Food Justice Team is leading our Zero Waste efforts– Volunteer to help: ZeroWasteInfo@uuaa.org.

Here are some guides to help you find out what items we recycle and compost at UUAA. You probably want to reduce food waste at home, too! For tips on Zero Waste at home and in the wider community, click on this link.

ZERO CARBON / ZERO WASTE – We can do this!

Use the button below to access carbon calculators, tips for reducing food waste, family resources and more…

EARTH DAY – April 21st (and Earth Friday Fun Night April 19th)

An all congregation celebration of the Earth and our place in the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. Save the date and keep visiting this website or read your Weekly News for more information.

UU CLIMATE REVIVAL! Sept 28th & 29th

UUAA has been a leader in Climate Action in the UU community, through our Year Zero initiatives and lots of other work in climate friendly landscaping, local farm support, educational events, community outreach, art and more. We will bring all of those pieces together to renew our vision of our collaborative work that honors and heals our planet Earth. Save the weekend of Sept 28th & 29th as we join other “green” UU congregations across the US and in Canada to celebrate, imagine a bright future and take action together. UUAA is a sponsor congregation for this event.

The Climate Action | Climate Justice Team

The Climate Action/ Climate Justice team lifts up, encourages, inspires and celebrates the many ways UUAA groups are working on our Vision 2050 climate goals to build a cleaner and healthier world for our children and grandchildren.  We are on the front lines of overseeing the climate & environmentalism goals described in A Congregational Vision, the document that was created from a 2 year congregational visioning project.

UUAA wants to live into Unitarian Universalism’s 7th Principle, “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part” by serving as an example of sustainable living in right relationship with the natural world. We want to learn about climate issues together. We want to further build on our past renewable energy projects to reach carbon neutrality. We want to broaden our view of climate action to include justice for vulnerable communities most affected by, and least responsible for climate change.

How you can help

The entire UUAA congregation, all ages and all interests, is needed to help UUAA shrink our carbon footprint, work for climate justice in our community and support each other in our climate learning. You can be part of this effort at whatever level of involvement works for you, from becoming more diligent about your home recycling and food waste, to leading a multi-year climate project. To add your address to the climate action email list, contact climate@uuaa.org. Click the button below to read a summary of our multi-year Climate Action Plan, mapping our work together over the next several years!

Recent climate projects throughout UUAA have included: an energy audit and addressing all aspects of the audit, a capital campaign that is funding expansion of our rooftop solar, planting an “Ancestors’ Grove” of trees, holding an all congregation celebration of climate work on Friday Fun Night and Earth Day 2023, an energy forum with A2P2 (Ann Arbor for Public Power), a Green Corner column in our Weekly News, a climate potluck in the summer and much more.

2022-23 Webinar Series on Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

UUAA joined with six other area congregations in sponsoring a 2022-23 monthly webinar series providing information on ways to reduce your carbon footprint. You can learn more at this”Climate Heroes” website.

Use this link to view recordings of the webinars.

  • 11/16/22 – Electric Vehicle pros and cons and how the city of Ann Arbor is accommodating EVs.
  • 12/14/22 – Heating and Cooling Systems
  • 1/18/23 – Solar Energy Systems
  • 2/15/23 – Locally Sourced Food
  • 3/15/23 – Local Transportation Systems
  • 4/19/23 – Individual Behavior Choices & Climate Anxiety
  • 5/17/23 – Investments in Our Planet

Green Sanctuary 2030

Green Sanctuary 2030 Logo

To help us organize our efforts to lower our carbon footprint, build sustainability, partner with local climate justice groups, and learn alongside other UU congregations, UUAA enrolled in the Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA) Green Sanctuary 2030 program. The steps we have completed are:

1- [Submitted March, 2021] Write a Congregational Profile that grounds our work in our congregation’s history and past / current environmental projects. Learn about our foundations in environmentalism by reading UUAA’s Congregational Profile.

2- [Submitted June, 2022] Write an Opportunity Assessment showing potential actions we might take over the next several years. These proposed actions were gathered from a survey of the congregation, many meetings with current UUAA groups, connections with Ann Arbor and UU climate based organizations and more. Please read the “in brief” version of the Opportunity Assessment, or the full text as submitted.

3- An Action Plan to guide several years of work together. The plan is based on our current information… and subject to change and evolve as technology changes, passions of the congregation emerge and the world changes around us.

4- We are submitting “Action Reports” on the many climate events and projects at UUAA as they occur. At the end of 2024 we expect to receive recognition for our good work from the GS 2030 leadership. UUAA will remain active with the GS 2030 group indefinitely.

UUAA 2021 Collaboration with the U-M Graham Sustainability Institute

UM Graham Sustainability Institute logo

A team of University of Michigan students led a project  to look at UUAA’s building and internal processes to make recommendations for working toward our energy goals. The team collaborated with six UUAA members, staff, and ministry group leaders, including Ed Lynn, Jeannine LaPrad, Colleen Crawley, Don Hackney, and Dave Friedrichs. Elizabeth LaPorte facilitated the project as part of the U-M Graham Sustainability Scholars Program, which she manages. Their report was submitted in March, 2021 and recommended actions are already underway.

The team divided the analyses and recommendations into four categories.Some of the recommendations are listed briefly in each category below. Full reports are linked under the bulleted lists..

 Interested in helping sort out the priorities and do some planning for this initiative? Email climate@uuaa.org.

Zero Waste

  • Form a volunteer driven recycling collaboration with other area religious organizations.
  • Move to using compostable-ware and hold zero waste events.
  • Create a zero waste culture.

— Read the Guide for a path to Zero Waste.

Building & Energy

  • Conduct a building energy audit.
  • Install more LED lights.
  • Install more solar panels on the roof.
  • Explore the possibility of geothermal heating.

Read the UUAA Building & Energy Analysis Report.

Landscaping

  •  Incorporate more native plants.
  • Create learning spaces where people can engage and learn about the environment.
  • Plant for carbon sequestration.
  • Create landscaping projects and learning guides for all ages.

— Read the recommendations for using landscaping to help reach carbon neutrality.

Building Congregational Engagement in Sustainability

  • Use the event toolkit provided to plan sustainability events that engage all ages.
  • Make a sustainability checklist that groups can use when planning events.

— Read the recommendations for projects to engage the whole congregation in thinking sustainability.

Time frame recommendations –

Graham Report Recommendations