Firstly,

I want to say how grateful I am to have been a part of CCUU's Green Sanctuary Team since its inception in August, 2015.  It has been a privilege getting to know our congregation, and becoming acquainted with the environmental issues surrounding the Louisiana and the Greater New Orleans area.  I will miss CCUU very much, but I look forward to our family's next step in Colorado.  I'll be watching you from afar and look forward to hearing about your progress as you continue this journey.

Peace and Love to You,

Claire Lute





Brief minutes from our last meeting, 7/13/3016.

Alicia Cooke, Howard Mielke, Kyle Reidy, and Rev. Jim VanderWeele were present.

Howard discussed his participation in the NOLA Masterplan rewrite, addressing issues of lead exposure, changes in standards for the medical community, contractors, acknowledging that there is no margin of safety for lead exposure.  He will be sending a summary to the team about his efforts.

Claire added remaining team members to the blog as authors, and will make Alicia admin on the blog.

Rev. Jim will contact our webmaster to add THIS very blog to the ccuu website

We had further discussion on the formal process of UUA Green Sanctuary candidacy.

Claire will give team Karen Brammer's contact information.

-TEAM needs to check their email for new links to google drive documents pertaining to candidacy application.  Claire will resend them, and will check to ensure that the initial environmental assessment questions are answered as fully as possible.

Alicia Cooke completed work on our congregational survey!  The link is here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9pFC0M-w3UIg2Lc3l7_aRfMDfe1MhE61pD2KQRzs-Vy7FYw/viewform and was also sent to the congregation via email.

Alicia will be discussing the "launch" of the survey with the congregation on 7/24.
She-or Rev. Jim-  will also write a brief blurb for the newsletter

Team decided to offer Our Place in the Web of Life curriculum in the Fall of 2016. UU Ministry for Earth introductory video for OPITWOL will be shown to the congregation before offering the curriculum, and can be found here: http://uuministryforearth.org/EJ-Curriculum

Howard offered to be our new contact person for the UUA, and will be put in touch with Karen Brammer.  Claire Lute will send a final update as "chair," and will pass along Howard's information.

Electric bills for past 18-24 months should be documented
       Rev. Jim- call Jeff
       Howard- get copies of monthly solar production

Moving forward, team will find community leaders with whom to discuss environmental justice.
     Monique Hardin
     Andreas Hoffman

Rev. Jim will put into motion our rain barrel irrigation system.  We have barrels, the time is NOW to begin utilizing them.  Rev. Jim addressed concerns about water metering, gauges (and assured the team that the barrels can indeed be used like any other tank water source).

Our May Meeting Update!

We have been busy planning!  We will ALL miss Sky Stewart as he moves on from Internship at CCUU. And we will certainly miss Laura Miller as she leaves us for Virginia, we'll gladly welcome her back in the Winter! Here is a list of Actionable Items from our 5/18 Meeting- you can see what we'll be doing in the coming month:

Alicia -Design congregational survey
-Contact Monique about possibility of future performance/presentation on Houma Nation/Shell/Wetlands/Native lands (2017)
-Contact/explore activist transportation needs

Rev. Jim- Termite control

Claire- Secure funds for Our Place in the Web of Life curriculum ($50 donation to UUA)
-Continue formal application for GS Candidacy
-Prepare brief congregational talk for Sunday, 5/29 *REVISED* TO 6/7!
-Contact Cynthia Ramirez about intergenerational environmental education offering (copy Rev. Jim)

Kyle- Contact Bill Fernandez about gardening, interest in seeds/helping with plant on a garden education day


Possible Projects for Action Plan (as discussed, now categorized)

Environmental Justice
-Lead Testing and Remediation
-Form action committee- interested individuals write/call/protest about LEAD (soil and water), OFFSHORE DRILLING, CLIMATE CHANGE/FOSSIL
-Transportation/Gas Collective for activist endeavors (protests, events, etc).
-Carpool

Worship and Celebration
-Monique from Houma Nation Poetry/presentation/Special Collection (2017)
-Commissioned Music
-Benefit concerts for environmental causes, perhaps twice per year?

Religious Education
-Our Place in the Web of Life course offering (Spring 2017)
-Intergenerational Education opportunity

Sustainable Living
-Conservation Education sessions (Chris Lute?)
-Offer garden day- plants/seeds/pots/education
-Birdhouses for kids?
-CCUU Building Improvements
-Leaks
-Water fountains
-Solar Metering
-RAIN BARRELS- ASAP!
-Gardens- food, butterfly
-Sustainable Coffee Hour
-Fair Trade coffee/tea
-Cloth napkins, reusable silverware, etc.
-Make recycling more VISIBLE- possibly design chart of what can be recycled
-Compost acceptable paper/food waste (again with visual!)
-Cloth towels in restrooms