2009 April Action of the Month
Environmental Justice
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is partnering with Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth (UUMFE) and Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) to bring you April's Action of the Month: Environmental Justice.
Leading up to and during the month of April, we invite Unitarian Universalists (UUs) to engage in environmental justice—recognizing the disproportionate impact that both environmental problems and proposed "solutions" have had on women, low-income families, and communities of color both in the U.S. and around the world. Join UUs across the country as we work on a variety of consciousness-raising actions, culminating in Earth Sunday services on April 26th.
Think Globally
The United States constitutes just 5% of the world's population, yet we use 25% of the world's energy and produce 25% of the world's carbon gas emissions. The impact of our excessive lifestyles is being felt by people across the world regardless of their own actions. Environmental justice recognizes the unjustness of this inequity as it seeks to address environmental issues.
Learn more about environmental issues such as global climate change and the human right to water through the lens of justice.
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) has several resources on the Human Right to Water, including:
- Covenant Group: The Right to Water (PDF)
A five part small ministry group discussion module. Form a covenant group in your congregation to reflect and act on the human right to water.
Oxfam has several great resources on Global Climate Change, including:
- Sisters on the Planet
Climate change affects everybody but it affects poor communities more, and women the most. This is not the easiest idea to understand, so Oxfam made this DVD to help explain. Order a free copy today, show it in your congregation, and host a discussion.
Please let us know how things went (environment @ uua.org).
Worship Congregationally
Hold an Earth Sunday worship service. The UU Ministry for Earth provides a worship packet full of tips and resources.
Get your congregation to join the Green Sanctuary Program. One fourth of the Green Sanctuary program is devoted to environmental justice; this is a great way to get your congregation engaged.
Study, act, and reflect on "Ethical Eating: Food & Environmental Justice." Learn about the ways in which the food you eat may contribute to social inequality and environmental destruction, and learn what can be done about it. "Ethical Eating: Food & Environmental Justice" is the Congregational Study Action Issue (CSAI) for 2008-2010.
Legislate Nationally
While the coal industry has spent millions trying to convince us that coal can be "clean," last December's "coal ash spill" disaster graphically demonstrated coal's considerable environmental and health risks. In response, Rep. Grahall (D-WV) introduced H.R. 493, the Coal Ash Reclamation and Environmental Safety Act of 2009, which will establish federal safety regulations on coal ash disposal. While we eventually want to move away from coal altogether, in the meantime we must still act to protect the environment and people living near coal-fired power plants.
Learn more about the Environmental Injustice of Coal. Then email your representative to Prevent Another Tennessee Coal Sludge Disaster.
Act Locally
As our current president has shown (and as many UUs already knew), there is a lot of power in grass-roots organizing. While our nation debates legislation and policy on the national level, cities and states across the country are leading the way, committing themselves to a green economy—one that combines care for the earth with job opportunities for everyone.
In partnership with a host of visionary organizations and individuals, our partners at Green For All have issued a call to action to build a green economy from the bottom up by asking you to ask your mayors and county executives to commit to building an inclusive green economy in your communities. Download the pledge packet (PDF), which includes a form for your elected official to sign, as well as helpful information. We suggest that you do this as a congregation. And let us know about it! (environment @ uua.org)
See a list of cities that have taken the pledge.
For more information contact environment @ uua.org.
Last updated on Wednesday, April 22, 2009.
