Facing Climate Change |
Latest updates: Ted Weihe's paper on Fair Trade issues.
Obama Addresses Climate Change, Visits Everglades
In his weekly address on Saturday, April 18, the President spoke about his commitment to combatting the threat of climate change and to keeping ourselves and future generations safe. He also announced a visit to the Florida Everglades on Earth Day. Read more, view the video we showed during Sunday's service...
On this page:
Brock Leach's report on the Interfaith Climate Conference
COMMIT2RESPOND Task Force notes from April 5
Climate workshop notes from March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29
See links at the top for further information about
- COMMIT2RESPOND
- solar energy initiatives
- potential coalition partners
- Climate Events Calendar
- COMMIT2RESPOND Resolution
- Congregational Meeting Results, March 29, 2015
- YouTube video of George Marshall talking about his book, "Don't Even Think About It - Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change"
Something Hopeful Happened in Florida on Saturday
Instigated by UU Justice Florida and organized by the Florida Council of Churches, 80 people of different ages, means, skills, perspectives and faiths met in an evangelical church for the conference Bridging Spirituality, Healing and Action to talk about what needs doing in this giant verdant state—the one that’s #1 on the list of those most threatened by climate change.
In just a few hours we took stock of what needs to be done and resisted the temptation to despair. We learned that there are vital changes within our grasp: It really is possible to win a ballot initiative that will make clean renewable energy available to hundreds of thousands. We can stop fracking and the construction of coal-fired power plants. We can lead the transition to a healthier and sustainable food system that will improve the health of our bodies, our water resources and our climate.
We searched in unlikely places and uncovered potential allies from across the religious spectrum and even from businesses—from Disney to farmers to waterfront realtors to tourism. Most importantly, we realized that we people of faith and conscience may be the ones to awaken the moral imagination of all those who love this state, its enormous natural bounty and its wonderfully diverse and resourceful people.
And we committed to respond. As we seed new partnerships, deepen our support for one another, and lend our hands to the work, it will bear fruit and we will build hope together. Thanks to Kindra Muntz, Russel Meyer, and Gregory Wilson for making it possible.
-Brock Leach, April 14, 2015. (Copied from Commit2Respond.org)
Photos by Tim Heberlein show Michael Dowd's keynote address.
In just a few hours we took stock of what needs to be done and resisted the temptation to despair. We learned that there are vital changes within our grasp: It really is possible to win a ballot initiative that will make clean renewable energy available to hundreds of thousands. We can stop fracking and the construction of coal-fired power plants. We can lead the transition to a healthier and sustainable food system that will improve the health of our bodies, our water resources and our climate.
We searched in unlikely places and uncovered potential allies from across the religious spectrum and even from businesses—from Disney to farmers to waterfront realtors to tourism. Most importantly, we realized that we people of faith and conscience may be the ones to awaken the moral imagination of all those who love this state, its enormous natural bounty and its wonderfully diverse and resourceful people.
And we committed to respond. As we seed new partnerships, deepen our support for one another, and lend our hands to the work, it will bear fruit and we will build hope together. Thanks to Kindra Muntz, Russel Meyer, and Gregory Wilson for making it possible.
-Brock Leach, April 14, 2015. (Copied from Commit2Respond.org)
Photos by Tim Heberlein show Michael Dowd's keynote address.
COMMIT2RESPOND Task Force Notes from April 5, 2015
Hi Climateers:
I thought you’d be interested in seeing the results of our dot voting exercise at the Congregational meeting and hearing about the success we’ve had in soliciting volunteers to help organize and implement these actions! There’s good news on both counts: You’ll see that a clear consensus emerged to focus our collective energies broadly in two areas:
1. making the transition to healthy, sustainable eating; and
2. promoting renewable energy,
and there were two actions in each of the Commit2Respond categories that clearly got the most votes under these broad themes. You’ll also be pleased to know that 15 people so far have volunteered to help organize these initiatives and an additional 22 people have volunteered to help implement them. If you haven’t already indicated your interest in volunteering, it’s not too late! Please just let me know what action you’d like to work on.
We met as a Task Force last Sunday to review the results and plan some next steps. The detailed results above and the takeaways from our discussion are included in the notes attached, available to download at "Congregational Meeting" above or click here. There’s also a calendar of upcoming events and meetings included at the end.
Thanks to all of you who have contributed ideas and wonderful good energy to the climate justice work so far. Those of you who volunteered to help organize specific actions will be receiving a note from me about next steps soon :). And, of course, all are welcome to join the newly named Commit2Respond Steering Committee at our next meeting which will be Sunday, April 26 at 9:30 in the Library.
In the meantime, please send me your questions, comments, corrections and suggestions.
In Gratitude,
Brock
Climate Workshop Notes from March 29, 2015
Hello and goodbye, Climateers,
On Sunday, April 5, Brock Leach will convene the next meeting of the Commit2Respond Climate Justice Task Force in the West Wing at 10:20. Today at the annual meeting, the congregation voted to approve our participation in Commit2Respond and to assign the task force the next step, formulating a recommendation to the board for the May meeting. Brock has gathered the green sticker votes of preferences and volunteer offers regarding the ways we will engage in the three parts of Commit2Respond. Please look for future messages from Brock, including a possible Forum presentation to further broaden congregational participation.
Today marks the end of our 13-week climate workshop series at Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota. We have touched on topics from metaphor, moral foundations, climate conviction, fossil fuel divestment and reinvestment, water, solar cooking, plant-based diets, animal welfare, psychology of denial, sociology of tribal action, to the sacred and the special role of faith communities in climate action and climate justice.
What’s next for you? You may want to attend the first Florida Interfaith Climate Conference April 10-11 near Orlando. Attending will be a leap of faith. It is possible that this is the beginning of exactly what we need to happen.
http://interfaithflorida.com/climate-conference/presenters-workshops/
If you are interested in security as well as climate change (who is not?), check out this Rolling Stone article, "The Pentagon & Climate Change: How Deniers Put National Security at Risk. The leaders of our armed forces know what's coming next – but deniers in Congress are ignoring the warnings."
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-pentagon-climate-change-how-climate-deniers-put-national-security-at-risk-20150212
Remember, you are not alone. Here are some resources:
http://www.commit2respond.org
http://citizensclimatelobby.org
http://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org
http://www.meetup.com/Sarasota-Climate-Change-Meetup/
http://www.meetup.com/vegsarasota/
Just as the children in religious education sometimes carry home a small seedling in a cup of soil, each of us carries seeds and sprouts of ideas and actions, connected by the underlying mycelium of active hope among us. Just as the underground network of mycelium can connect vast areas of forest, our active hope reaches in all directions, sometimes invisibly, to nourish and communicate with others. Some of us are traveling, some are staying put. Everywhere the conversation needs to continue. We understand that although our brains are wired to ignore climate change, we are also capable of surmounting that wiring, in community, in faith, in love for what is at stake.
Thank you for doing what you can.
Lea Hall
On Sunday, April 5, Brock Leach will convene the next meeting of the Commit2Respond Climate Justice Task Force in the West Wing at 10:20. Today at the annual meeting, the congregation voted to approve our participation in Commit2Respond and to assign the task force the next step, formulating a recommendation to the board for the May meeting. Brock has gathered the green sticker votes of preferences and volunteer offers regarding the ways we will engage in the three parts of Commit2Respond. Please look for future messages from Brock, including a possible Forum presentation to further broaden congregational participation.
Today marks the end of our 13-week climate workshop series at Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota. We have touched on topics from metaphor, moral foundations, climate conviction, fossil fuel divestment and reinvestment, water, solar cooking, plant-based diets, animal welfare, psychology of denial, sociology of tribal action, to the sacred and the special role of faith communities in climate action and climate justice.
What’s next for you? You may want to attend the first Florida Interfaith Climate Conference April 10-11 near Orlando. Attending will be a leap of faith. It is possible that this is the beginning of exactly what we need to happen.
http://interfaithflorida.com/climate-conference/presenters-workshops/
If you are interested in security as well as climate change (who is not?), check out this Rolling Stone article, "The Pentagon & Climate Change: How Deniers Put National Security at Risk. The leaders of our armed forces know what's coming next – but deniers in Congress are ignoring the warnings."
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-pentagon-climate-change-how-climate-deniers-put-national-security-at-risk-20150212
Remember, you are not alone. Here are some resources:
http://www.commit2respond.org
http://citizensclimatelobby.org
http://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org
http://www.meetup.com/Sarasota-Climate-Change-Meetup/
http://www.meetup.com/vegsarasota/
Just as the children in religious education sometimes carry home a small seedling in a cup of soil, each of us carries seeds and sprouts of ideas and actions, connected by the underlying mycelium of active hope among us. Just as the underground network of mycelium can connect vast areas of forest, our active hope reaches in all directions, sometimes invisibly, to nourish and communicate with others. Some of us are traveling, some are staying put. Everywhere the conversation needs to continue. We understand that although our brains are wired to ignore climate change, we are also capable of surmounting that wiring, in community, in faith, in love for what is at stake.
Thank you for doing what you can.
Lea Hall
Climate Workshop Notes from March 22, 2015
Hello Climateers,
March 22, 2015, was a lively day for us. Some of us attended the forum on George Marshall’s bookDon’t Even Think About It, bringing the attendance to 99, not counting those who were turned away after 10:30. Sixteen of us adjourned to the West Wing to hold our own discussion after the presentation, while seven others met with Suzie in the library to discuss water. I can’t do justice to the discussions here, but I can tell you that some lightbulbs turned on and some great questions were posed. Ward and Klaus are creating a multi-media message, “We Get It,” and we began answering Ron B’s question about what extraordinary (or ordinary) things are we each and all doing now.
On Friday March 20, 15 of us witnessed the fascinating Appropriate Technology demonstrations at ECHO in Ft. Myers, and we are thinking and talking about what might come of that. This tour is available to the public on Tuesday afternoons. Check the ECHOnet website for times.
Climate Justice Month is underway. If you’ve not registered with Commit2Respond online, you are missing out on the daily bulletin, which may be just what you want to help you shape your intentions and future actions.
http://www.commit2respond.org
Commit2Respond's Climate Justice Month intends to take you through a transformative spiritual process leading to long-term commitments to climate justice. At the end of the month you will be asked to SHIFT to a low carbon future, ADVANCE human rights, and GROW the movement. Learn more and start thinking about how you will #commit2respond to climate change.
If you are looking for motivation of a different hue, and you don’t yet know about Dr. Evil, please read this story:
http://grist.org/politics/dr-evil-is-defending-big-oil-is-anyone-defending-climate-the-same-way/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Weekly%2520March%25203&utm_campaign=weekly
This Saturday, March 28, at 8:30 local time, is the annual Earth Hour Lights Out for Climate vigil:
https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/earth-hour-are-you-in?cmpid=tpenviro-eml-2015-03-21-radiation
On Sunday, April 26 at noon, we are invited to join a book discussion of Thomas Berry’s Dream of the Earth at the Sarasota Friends Meeting House. I enjoyed participating in the group yesterday as we reflected on Chapter 1. Next month the discussion will consider Chapter 2. If you would like to receive an email reminder and discussion questions in advance, email Donna M.
As always, you can go to our church home site, click on Facing Climate Change, and learn more.
I hope to see you this Sunday, March 29, for the final climate workshop in our 13-week series, and for the church’s annual meeting at 12:30, when we will vote on Commit2Respond options.
Lea Hall
March 22, 2015, was a lively day for us. Some of us attended the forum on George Marshall’s bookDon’t Even Think About It, bringing the attendance to 99, not counting those who were turned away after 10:30. Sixteen of us adjourned to the West Wing to hold our own discussion after the presentation, while seven others met with Suzie in the library to discuss water. I can’t do justice to the discussions here, but I can tell you that some lightbulbs turned on and some great questions were posed. Ward and Klaus are creating a multi-media message, “We Get It,” and we began answering Ron B’s question about what extraordinary (or ordinary) things are we each and all doing now.
On Friday March 20, 15 of us witnessed the fascinating Appropriate Technology demonstrations at ECHO in Ft. Myers, and we are thinking and talking about what might come of that. This tour is available to the public on Tuesday afternoons. Check the ECHOnet website for times.
Climate Justice Month is underway. If you’ve not registered with Commit2Respond online, you are missing out on the daily bulletin, which may be just what you want to help you shape your intentions and future actions.
http://www.commit2respond.org
Commit2Respond's Climate Justice Month intends to take you through a transformative spiritual process leading to long-term commitments to climate justice. At the end of the month you will be asked to SHIFT to a low carbon future, ADVANCE human rights, and GROW the movement. Learn more and start thinking about how you will #commit2respond to climate change.
If you are looking for motivation of a different hue, and you don’t yet know about Dr. Evil, please read this story:
http://grist.org/politics/dr-evil-is-defending-big-oil-is-anyone-defending-climate-the-same-way/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Weekly%2520March%25203&utm_campaign=weekly
This Saturday, March 28, at 8:30 local time, is the annual Earth Hour Lights Out for Climate vigil:
https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/earth-hour-are-you-in?cmpid=tpenviro-eml-2015-03-21-radiation
On Sunday, April 26 at noon, we are invited to join a book discussion of Thomas Berry’s Dream of the Earth at the Sarasota Friends Meeting House. I enjoyed participating in the group yesterday as we reflected on Chapter 1. Next month the discussion will consider Chapter 2. If you would like to receive an email reminder and discussion questions in advance, email Donna M.
As always, you can go to our church home site, click on Facing Climate Change, and learn more.
I hope to see you this Sunday, March 29, for the final climate workshop in our 13-week series, and for the church’s annual meeting at 12:30, when we will vote on Commit2Respond options.
Lea Hall
Climate Workshop Notes from March 15, 2015
For those of us seeking more beautifully illustrated material to inform intelligent climate conversations, here is a great source that we have already paid for, NASA’s Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet:
http://climate.nasa.gov
There you will find a before and after slide show of the rapid changes visible from NASA satellites:
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3042588/these-before-and-after-shots-show-how-quickly-the-planet-is-changing
Some of us are eager to include more climate action and climate justice in religious education for children and adults. NASA offers some great colorful materials within this site for kids:
http://climatekids.nasa.gov
Please share.
Sarasota’s Own Community Radio, WSLR-FM 96.5, invited me to talk about what UU Church of Sarasota is doing with climate action. You can listen to the archived March 17 Peace and Justice Report program until March 30. Go to
http://archive.wslr.org
and scroll down to Florida Caribe or Peace and Justice Report March 17 9 a.m. The show opens with a 30-minute interview about fracking in Florida, goes to an interview on citizen activism in Sarasota’s neighborhoods, and begins the 20-minute interview with Lea Hall at 40 minutes and some seconds.
If you are in the mood to DO SOMETHING, and if you like to exercise your democratic rights, check out these two organizations for volunteer and lobbying opportunities:
Florida Climate Alliance, which is offering training on helping with the Florida Solar Initiative
http://floridaclimatealliance.groupsite.com/main/summary
and Citizens Climate Lobby, which is working toward a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend, and which has a Bradenton-based chapter.
http://citizensclimatelobby.org
This Sunday, March 22, kicks off Climate Justice Month. You can go to the UU Commit2Respond website
http://www.commit2respond.org/step_1?splash=1
and sign up to receive bulletins, explore the tools available there, and read about what other individuals and congregations are doing.
I hope to see you this Sunday, March 22, for the next-to-last climate workshop in our series. You can attend the forum for Peter Mermin's talk about George Marshall’s book Don’t Even Think About It and then adjourn for discussion to the West Wing, you can attend Suzie Brucklacher’s workshop on climate change and water in the library, or you can simply stay in the Jefferson Room for the entire forum and discussion.
Also, please note the special opportunities to buy Fair Trade products at the Social Justice table in the courtyard. Fair trade connects with sustainable agriculture connects with climate justice.
For more information on how we are facing climate change, go to
http://www.uusarasota.org
Wishing you deep balance as we approach the vernal equinox,
Lea Hall
http://climate.nasa.gov
There you will find a before and after slide show of the rapid changes visible from NASA satellites:
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3042588/these-before-and-after-shots-show-how-quickly-the-planet-is-changing
Some of us are eager to include more climate action and climate justice in religious education for children and adults. NASA offers some great colorful materials within this site for kids:
http://climatekids.nasa.gov
Please share.
Sarasota’s Own Community Radio, WSLR-FM 96.5, invited me to talk about what UU Church of Sarasota is doing with climate action. You can listen to the archived March 17 Peace and Justice Report program until March 30. Go to
http://archive.wslr.org
and scroll down to Florida Caribe or Peace and Justice Report March 17 9 a.m. The show opens with a 30-minute interview about fracking in Florida, goes to an interview on citizen activism in Sarasota’s neighborhoods, and begins the 20-minute interview with Lea Hall at 40 minutes and some seconds.
If you are in the mood to DO SOMETHING, and if you like to exercise your democratic rights, check out these two organizations for volunteer and lobbying opportunities:
Florida Climate Alliance, which is offering training on helping with the Florida Solar Initiative
http://floridaclimatealliance.groupsite.com/main/summary
and Citizens Climate Lobby, which is working toward a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend, and which has a Bradenton-based chapter.
http://citizensclimatelobby.org
This Sunday, March 22, kicks off Climate Justice Month. You can go to the UU Commit2Respond website
http://www.commit2respond.org/step_1?splash=1
and sign up to receive bulletins, explore the tools available there, and read about what other individuals and congregations are doing.
I hope to see you this Sunday, March 22, for the next-to-last climate workshop in our series. You can attend the forum for Peter Mermin's talk about George Marshall’s book Don’t Even Think About It and then adjourn for discussion to the West Wing, you can attend Suzie Brucklacher’s workshop on climate change and water in the library, or you can simply stay in the Jefferson Room for the entire forum and discussion.
Also, please note the special opportunities to buy Fair Trade products at the Social Justice table in the courtyard. Fair trade connects with sustainable agriculture connects with climate justice.
For more information on how we are facing climate change, go to
http://www.uusarasota.org
Wishing you deep balance as we approach the vernal equinox,
Lea Hall
Climate Workshop Notes from March 8, 2015
Thanks to all who attended our climate workshop yesterday to hear Julie Leach speak about fossil fuel divestment and reinvestment. Interest is lively, and many who attended have been studying the subject. You will be glad to know that our church’s endowment fund invests in the Unitarian Universalist Association fund, which has signed on to the divestment resolution and is in the process of divesting all but the fossil fuel stocks that are held as tools for investor activism. We hope the conversation will continue. The question of how to reinvest is complex and interesting. Please know that if your personal assets are managed by professionals, you may be holding fossil fuel stocks in your portfolio. The following links take you to further information so that you can ask your advisors and look into the details of your own investments.
Fossil Free, a project of 350.org:
http://gofossilfree.org/about-fossil-free/
A list of the top fossil fuel companies, measured by the amount of their carbon underground:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QgU9VN23JaNh2B0pb9eoHM5EMozsznaojpIulQuljDg/edit#gid=1215979048
In addition to Julie’s highly informative presentation, we heard two Soap Box presentations (2 minutes maximum) that addressed the issue of fossil fuel divestment from a moral purity point of view. Dave L and I each tackled this assignment as a way of tying in earlier climate workshops on the different moral foundations favored by progressives and conservatives with a persuasion strategy meant to appeal to a wider audience. If you’re interested in strategies for speaking persuasively to people who do not yet acknowledge climate change, consider looking into these two excellent resources:
George Marshall’s Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change
Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion.
After you’ve read these, you may want to read this:
Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone’s Active Hope: How To Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy.
As a voracious reader with shelves full of books on climate change, peak oil, mass extinction, psychology, communication, world changing activism, and spirituality, I can say that these three books are among the most important books I have ever read. They are changing my life.
Please note that Brock Leach will be drawing on George Marshall’s book in our next Climate Workshop, March 15, 10:20- 11:05 a.m. in the West Wing:
Finding Meaning, Affirming Life.
(More details on our Upcoming Services page under March 15)
Also this Sunday March 15, the Commit2Respond Climate Justice Task Force will meet 9:30- 10:15 in the West Wing to work on shaping the recommendations that will be presented to the congregation at the annual meeting on Sunday, March 29.
Other coming events:
The latest gorgeous Wild Orchid Man movie, Journey to Machu Picchu, premiers this Thursday March 12, 7:30 p.m. at Glenridge Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5.
<http://www.wildorchidman.com>
Also this Thursday March 12, 7- 8:30 p.m., Lea Hall will speak on animal agriculture and climate change to the Sarasota-Manatee Sierra Club at the Sarasota Garden Club:
http://florida.sierraclub.org/sarasota/meetings.htm
By this Friday, March 13, if you plan to join us for the Appropriate Technology tour at ECHO in Ft. Myers on Friday, March 20, please send or hand your checks for $10 per person to Suzie Brucklacher. We need you to confirm your intention to attend, your willingness to drive, or your preference to ride with someone else. Be sure to bring your own brown bag lunch and your own water. We meet at the church parking lot at 11:45 a.m. on Friday, March 20 and expect to return by 4:30- 5 p.m. If you’ve signed up, you will receive a query/reminder from Suzie separately. This will be a great tour!
Sarasota Climate Change Meetup will gather on Tuesday, March 17, 7-9 p.m., at Ringling College of Art, to hear a presentation on wind power:
http://www.meetup.com/Sarasota-Climate-Change-Meetup/events/220546286/?a=ea1_grp&rv=ea1&_af_eid=220546286&_af=event
As you can see, the events and opportunities related to climate change are proliferating, as we would hope. We have offered a simple calendar of climate change events. Now we have something better. For a roundup of all this and more, please see our new web pages at http://uusarasota.weebly.com. (You are reading this on one of those pages). Or, you can find the link in the middle of our home page under the heading, “Facing Climate Change.” (This is where we used to have the link to our calendar of climate change events. The calendar is now available through a link at the top of this page.)
Thank you for all you do, and we hope to see you soon.
Lea Hall
March 8, 2015
Fossil Free, a project of 350.org:
http://gofossilfree.org/about-fossil-free/
A list of the top fossil fuel companies, measured by the amount of their carbon underground:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QgU9VN23JaNh2B0pb9eoHM5EMozsznaojpIulQuljDg/edit#gid=1215979048
In addition to Julie’s highly informative presentation, we heard two Soap Box presentations (2 minutes maximum) that addressed the issue of fossil fuel divestment from a moral purity point of view. Dave L and I each tackled this assignment as a way of tying in earlier climate workshops on the different moral foundations favored by progressives and conservatives with a persuasion strategy meant to appeal to a wider audience. If you’re interested in strategies for speaking persuasively to people who do not yet acknowledge climate change, consider looking into these two excellent resources:
George Marshall’s Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change
Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion.
After you’ve read these, you may want to read this:
Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone’s Active Hope: How To Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy.
As a voracious reader with shelves full of books on climate change, peak oil, mass extinction, psychology, communication, world changing activism, and spirituality, I can say that these three books are among the most important books I have ever read. They are changing my life.
Please note that Brock Leach will be drawing on George Marshall’s book in our next Climate Workshop, March 15, 10:20- 11:05 a.m. in the West Wing:
Finding Meaning, Affirming Life.
(More details on our Upcoming Services page under March 15)
Also this Sunday March 15, the Commit2Respond Climate Justice Task Force will meet 9:30- 10:15 in the West Wing to work on shaping the recommendations that will be presented to the congregation at the annual meeting on Sunday, March 29.
Other coming events:
The latest gorgeous Wild Orchid Man movie, Journey to Machu Picchu, premiers this Thursday March 12, 7:30 p.m. at Glenridge Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5.
<http://www.wildorchidman.com>
Also this Thursday March 12, 7- 8:30 p.m., Lea Hall will speak on animal agriculture and climate change to the Sarasota-Manatee Sierra Club at the Sarasota Garden Club:
http://florida.sierraclub.org/sarasota/meetings.htm
By this Friday, March 13, if you plan to join us for the Appropriate Technology tour at ECHO in Ft. Myers on Friday, March 20, please send or hand your checks for $10 per person to Suzie Brucklacher. We need you to confirm your intention to attend, your willingness to drive, or your preference to ride with someone else. Be sure to bring your own brown bag lunch and your own water. We meet at the church parking lot at 11:45 a.m. on Friday, March 20 and expect to return by 4:30- 5 p.m. If you’ve signed up, you will receive a query/reminder from Suzie separately. This will be a great tour!
Sarasota Climate Change Meetup will gather on Tuesday, March 17, 7-9 p.m., at Ringling College of Art, to hear a presentation on wind power:
http://www.meetup.com/Sarasota-Climate-Change-Meetup/events/220546286/?a=ea1_grp&rv=ea1&_af_eid=220546286&_af=event
As you can see, the events and opportunities related to climate change are proliferating, as we would hope. We have offered a simple calendar of climate change events. Now we have something better. For a roundup of all this and more, please see our new web pages at http://uusarasota.weebly.com. (You are reading this on one of those pages). Or, you can find the link in the middle of our home page under the heading, “Facing Climate Change.” (This is where we used to have the link to our calendar of climate change events. The calendar is now available through a link at the top of this page.)
Thank you for all you do, and we hope to see you soon.
Lea Hall
March 8, 2015
Climate Workshop Notes from March 1, 2015
Hello Climateers,
Today’s climate workshop was enlivened by soap box presentations by:
Ward Pallotta (Yes! magazine as a great resource: <http://www.yesmagazine.org>),
Diane Cirksena (her blog inspired by George Marshall’s Don’t Even Think About It and by her dog Ranger:
<www.mytherapywithranger.net>),
Darryl Saffer (his creative video and musical work with Wild Orchid Man, using orchids as a window into wilderness and conservation:
<http://www.wildorchidman.com>), and
Dave (New York Times article on why Left and Right respond differently to climate change): http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/opinion/sunday/is-the-environment-a-moral-cause.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share.
Great job, everyone! If anyone would like to sign up for a 2- minute soapbox talk next week, let me know in advance. We will reserve a few minutes apart from our discussion of “Divestment from Fossil Fuels,” after Julie Leach’s presentation.
We hope you will join us for the four remaining Sunday morning climate workshops, the upcoming Climate Justice Task Force meetings, the Friday March 20 trip to ECHO in Ft. Myers (bring a check made out to ECHO for $10 next week), the March 22 Forum, and of course the church’s annual meeting on March 29.
Here is a link to the climate-related events at our church:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YWGkHP9hlBtM9IQAHixr3062KTLXks-b0vi3Dtu27M4/edit#
Planning Ahead
The most fundamental advice for gardeners in Florida is right plant, right place. A weed is a plant in the wrong place. So much of successful, efficient gardening depends on knowing what belongs in which context. So it is with us. The way to sustainable climate action is finding the work we are each called to do, a part of the larger work that will do good and do us good.
When I ask people why they are here, in the workshops or the symposium, you say you are concerned, you are looking for information and inspiration, and you want to help. As we engage in these conversations, I see ways to help, going forward from the workshop series that will end March 29. Here are some jobs that need doing.
1. Fan Mail. The idea is that we can be reaching out to communicate with our elected representatives and other leaders by fanning email heat. There are active campaigns underway that we could join. We could start our own. For one or more persons. Meanwhile be sure to fill out a petition for easing sale of solar energy in Florida, available at the Social Justice table in the courtyard.
I expect that Commit2Respond will be calling for support through petitions. Please do attend our congregation’s annual meeting on Sunday, March 29, and consider how you would like to participate. Consider attending the UUA General Assembly in June.
http://www.commit2respond.org
Citizens Climate Lobby has a chapter in Bradenton and someone from Port Charlotte UU Fellowship is looking for allies among us. Their agenda is straightforward: get a carbon tax and allocate the funds to alleviate needs among those who will need help because of the tax.
http://citizensclimatelobby.org
Progress Florida is working against fracking in Florida and sends out timely requests for petition signers.
This is a nice clean white collar job that needs doing: fan the mail on the climate action and justice movement, keep up the heat.
Are you the right person for this job? Would you like a job that can be done regularly at a distance via email, no matter where you are physically? Do you like to read blogs? Do you have a buddy who might share the job with you?
2. Changing our ways.
Transition Sarasota offers a wide range of activities for reskilling, building community, raising our voices, making a difference.
http://www.transitionsrq.org
Please note that the Transition movement is worldwide. Relocalization, resilience, reskilling, backcasting are some of their major thrusts for adaptation to the current crises of climate change, peak oil, and economic fragility. For comparison, here is a link to the nearest Transition Town Initiative to my farm in Wisconsin:
http://www.hayriverti.org
Ward is a leader in Transition Sarasota and in our climate action at church. We could use more people who span the boundaries and foster cooperation. Would you like to build community in this way?
3. Interfaith climate action. Consider attending the conference April 10-11 in the greater Orlando area. Our own UU Justice Florida is instrumental in creating this new conference and coalition. Brock Leach will be presenting Commit2Respond in one of the workshops.
http://www.uujusticefl.org/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=47982
4. Climate conversations, continued. This winter we have created a time/space for climate workshops. If you like these and want to continue, consider helping facilitate them. Speak up at one of the remaining workshops and see whether others would work with you. It is a precious opportunity. We, Lea and Suzie, committed to provide the programs for 13 weeks. March 29 we will pass the baton or lay it down. Would you like the conversations to continue?
5. Bearing witness. An easy way to prompt more climate conversations among ourselves would be to design and adopt new church name tags. Every so often someone comes along with a new sticker for our poor tired old name tags. We could create an overlay for the existing name tags that identifies us as climateers. “Ask me about climate action,” or something to that effect, with a distinctive color code. If you are a designer of logos, signs, posters, or a visual artist attracted to a practical way to apply your talent, consider volunteering to transform our name tags into activist message boards.
If you have another idea about how you’d like to help, come and share it. Thank you for helping to respond to the insurmountable opportunity of climate change!
Lea Hall
March 1, 2015
Today’s climate workshop was enlivened by soap box presentations by:
Ward Pallotta (Yes! magazine as a great resource: <http://www.yesmagazine.org>),
Diane Cirksena (her blog inspired by George Marshall’s Don’t Even Think About It and by her dog Ranger:
<www.mytherapywithranger.net>),
Darryl Saffer (his creative video and musical work with Wild Orchid Man, using orchids as a window into wilderness and conservation:
<http://www.wildorchidman.com>), and
Dave (New York Times article on why Left and Right respond differently to climate change): http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/opinion/sunday/is-the-environment-a-moral-cause.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share.
Great job, everyone! If anyone would like to sign up for a 2- minute soapbox talk next week, let me know in advance. We will reserve a few minutes apart from our discussion of “Divestment from Fossil Fuels,” after Julie Leach’s presentation.
We hope you will join us for the four remaining Sunday morning climate workshops, the upcoming Climate Justice Task Force meetings, the Friday March 20 trip to ECHO in Ft. Myers (bring a check made out to ECHO for $10 next week), the March 22 Forum, and of course the church’s annual meeting on March 29.
Here is a link to the climate-related events at our church:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YWGkHP9hlBtM9IQAHixr3062KTLXks-b0vi3Dtu27M4/edit#
Planning Ahead
The most fundamental advice for gardeners in Florida is right plant, right place. A weed is a plant in the wrong place. So much of successful, efficient gardening depends on knowing what belongs in which context. So it is with us. The way to sustainable climate action is finding the work we are each called to do, a part of the larger work that will do good and do us good.
When I ask people why they are here, in the workshops or the symposium, you say you are concerned, you are looking for information and inspiration, and you want to help. As we engage in these conversations, I see ways to help, going forward from the workshop series that will end March 29. Here are some jobs that need doing.
1. Fan Mail. The idea is that we can be reaching out to communicate with our elected representatives and other leaders by fanning email heat. There are active campaigns underway that we could join. We could start our own. For one or more persons. Meanwhile be sure to fill out a petition for easing sale of solar energy in Florida, available at the Social Justice table in the courtyard.
I expect that Commit2Respond will be calling for support through petitions. Please do attend our congregation’s annual meeting on Sunday, March 29, and consider how you would like to participate. Consider attending the UUA General Assembly in June.
http://www.commit2respond.org
Citizens Climate Lobby has a chapter in Bradenton and someone from Port Charlotte UU Fellowship is looking for allies among us. Their agenda is straightforward: get a carbon tax and allocate the funds to alleviate needs among those who will need help because of the tax.
http://citizensclimatelobby.org
Progress Florida is working against fracking in Florida and sends out timely requests for petition signers.
This is a nice clean white collar job that needs doing: fan the mail on the climate action and justice movement, keep up the heat.
Are you the right person for this job? Would you like a job that can be done regularly at a distance via email, no matter where you are physically? Do you like to read blogs? Do you have a buddy who might share the job with you?
2. Changing our ways.
Transition Sarasota offers a wide range of activities for reskilling, building community, raising our voices, making a difference.
http://www.transitionsrq.org
Please note that the Transition movement is worldwide. Relocalization, resilience, reskilling, backcasting are some of their major thrusts for adaptation to the current crises of climate change, peak oil, and economic fragility. For comparison, here is a link to the nearest Transition Town Initiative to my farm in Wisconsin:
http://www.hayriverti.org
Ward is a leader in Transition Sarasota and in our climate action at church. We could use more people who span the boundaries and foster cooperation. Would you like to build community in this way?
3. Interfaith climate action. Consider attending the conference April 10-11 in the greater Orlando area. Our own UU Justice Florida is instrumental in creating this new conference and coalition. Brock Leach will be presenting Commit2Respond in one of the workshops.
http://www.uujusticefl.org/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=47982
4. Climate conversations, continued. This winter we have created a time/space for climate workshops. If you like these and want to continue, consider helping facilitate them. Speak up at one of the remaining workshops and see whether others would work with you. It is a precious opportunity. We, Lea and Suzie, committed to provide the programs for 13 weeks. March 29 we will pass the baton or lay it down. Would you like the conversations to continue?
5. Bearing witness. An easy way to prompt more climate conversations among ourselves would be to design and adopt new church name tags. Every so often someone comes along with a new sticker for our poor tired old name tags. We could create an overlay for the existing name tags that identifies us as climateers. “Ask me about climate action,” or something to that effect, with a distinctive color code. If you are a designer of logos, signs, posters, or a visual artist attracted to a practical way to apply your talent, consider volunteering to transform our name tags into activist message boards.
If you have another idea about how you’d like to help, come and share it. Thank you for helping to respond to the insurmountable opportunity of climate change!
Lea Hall
March 1, 2015