ECO




 * Mission of ECO **

Our mission is "To support and encourage the Church and its members/friends to take actions toward sustainability and better stewardship of Earth." To this end, we plan events, programs, and opportunities for church members to take action toward better care of our environment. To contact ECO or to get on our email list, send an email to ECO@c3huu.org. = Upcoming and Ongoing Events at Church: =


 * **Garden Workday:** Help celebrate Earth Week with ECO and Building and Grounds at a joint workday on **Saturday, April 12, from 9-12**. Bring gloves and gardening tools, and your lunch if you'd like. Childcare available if requested by April 8 (ECO@c3huu.org).


 * ** Solar Panel Update: ** The SUN taskforce is sharing an innovative way to fund solar panels on our church without taking away from other church needs. Called a community-funded model, it is not a donation, not an investment, but something in between. Because it takes advantage of tax incentives that may not exist after this year, **we need to act now**!
 * We are almost there and **need just a little more participation**.
 * The model has already been used to put solar panels in several places in NC, including Carrboro (see "Model" link below for specifics).
 * If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to contact us at ECO@c3huu.org ** //after// ** reviewing the material linked below. A SUN member will respond and answer your questions.
 * ** SUN Taskforce Members and Board Charge: **[[file:SUN Taskforce Members and Board Charge.doc]]
 * ** Q&A Overview: [[file:Q and A Solar 7. 1_09_14.doc]] **
 * ** Model Description and Places Used: [[file:Model.docx]] **
 * ** Financial Worksheet: [[file:Solar panel financial retur 02_11_2014.xlsx]] **
 * **Individual Tax Overview** for someone interested: [[file:Individual Tax Overview.docx]]
 * **Link to SUN taskforce member**: ECO@c3huu.org You can also come to the SUN / ECO table on March 16.


 * **Interconnections: Food, Water, and Fuel** is ECO's theme this year. We will try to highlight the ways our use and abuse of these three things impact each other and all of us. For example, this graph shows that water use in this country is nearly three times that of other developed countries such as Germany and Denmark. Not only do we use a lot more water, we necessarily use a lot more energy to treat and distribute that water.



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 * **Taking Action on Climate Change:** The climate change crisis is the biggest problem facing our world today. Unfortunately, the fossil fuel industry is a rich and powerful obstacle to combating it. But there are things we can do.
 * 1) Join the growing movement to [|divest from fossil fuels]. This is an important way we can push for change, as individuals and organizations. Almost 200 colleges and university campuses have begun a divestment campaign, along with several city and state governments and some religious organizations. A committed group of UUs around the country has created a Business Resolution to ask the UUA to divest the Common Endowment Fund from fossil fuels. Now is the time to gather signatures (at least 10 from each of 25 congregations, by Jan. 15) to bring the issue to the agenda for the 2014 UU General Assembly. If you’d like to add your voice to this growing movement, come by the ECO table on Jan. 5 to sign the petition, or email us if you can’t make it then. For more information visit [].
 * 1) [|Sign your name to a letter to President Obama,] asking him to take bold action on climate change. He said in his inaugural address that he will address the climate crisis -- lets hold him to it!
 * 2) Watch the inspiring and fast-moving documentary by 350.org, called [|Do the Math -- The Movie], about taking on the fossil fuel industry. It is sure to motivate and inspire you!


 * **Composting at Church:** We are hoping to increase our composting at Church, to help sustainably manage our waste and enhance gardening efforts. Please contact us at ECO@c3huu.org if you are interested in helping maintain the compost bins!


 * **Waste Reduction Signs:** As part of church-wide waste reduction efforts, we are trying out some signs to remind us all to conserve. You may have noticed the temporary signs on the bathroom mirrors. Please give us feedback at ECO@c3huu.org.


 * ** Ethical Eating: **
 * [[file:vegetarian recipes.docx]] shared by attendees of our screening of //[|Forks over Knives],// about the benefits of a plant-based diet.
 * Read the [|winning essay] in response to the New York Times Magazine contest asking **"Is it ethical to eat meat?"**
 * Eco is promoting awareness and discussion of [|Ethical Eating], which is the Statement of Conscience recently passed by the UUA. Please send your ideas to ECO@c3huu.org.

= Area Environmental Events: =

**Spring 2014 Composting Classes are here!** Led by seasoned composting expert, Muriel Williman, from Orange County Solid Waste Management: 1) Saturday, March 8, 10:00-11:30a.m.Community Center Learning Garden (behind the Rose Garden) on Estes Drive, Chapel Hill

2) Wednesday, March 19, 3:00-4:30p.m., [|Carolina Campus Community Garden], Wilson St., Chapel Hill. Register with Paula Cook: 919-843-8524 or email ncbgregistrar@unc.edu.

3) Saturday, March 22, 10:00-11:30a.m.Solid Waste Administrative Office, 1207 Eubanks Rd, Chapel Hill 27516

These three composting classes are FREE! Children are welcome if accompanied by an adult. These classes demonstrate the basics of indoor composting using worms AND outdoor composting using a variety of containers and recipes. Anyone can compost, anywhere… Honest!

4) Worm Bin Make and Take at [|the Scrap Exchange] 923 Franklin St., Durham 27701  Date: Sunday, March 16  Time: 2:00-4:00p.m.  Cost: $35  Ages: Ages: 13+ (children are welcome if accompanied by an adult)  Register: 919-213-1278 email events@scrapexchange.org or register online: [|https://scrapwormbin.eventbrite.com]  In this hands-on workshop, participants make their own tidy and efficient indoor composting bin specifically designed for composting in apartments, classrooms, or other indoor spaces. The workshop will include everything you need to construct and take home your own bin, including worms! Learn all you need to know to recycle your food waste, care for your worms, harvest the compost, and feed your plants. Public school teachers get $10 off! Since worm bins make great gifts, and wedding season is just around the corner, each attendee can make and take two worm bins for only $20 more! = = = **Action Alerts:** = **Submit a comment to stop Keystone XL Pipeline** http://act.350.org/letter/kxl-feis/?sp_ref=31625090.6.3364.e.0.2
 * This is the last chance to formally comment on the pipeline before it goes to the President’s desk for a decision. || Big Oil is using thousands of misleading phonecalls to flood the State Department with pro-Keystone XL comments. Can you help push back by submitting a comment to stop the pipeline? ||
 * Here’s where to go to submit: **
 * Here’s where to go to submit: **

**Fracking (Hydraulic Fracturing) Updates**:
 * To learn more and stay updated about this important issue, visit Clean Water for North Carolina at []

= 1st Sunday Recycling Collections: = Note: Sorry, we //**cannot**// accept lightbulbs, plastic caps (see below), or batteries larger than D size. Thank you!
 * **NEW - unwanted plastic writing implements** (as is) **and plastic tape cores** (from desk dispenser tape)**.** Collect pens, mechanical pencils, markers, dry erase, highlighters, etc. from home, office, school, daycare . . . which are recycled into items like park benches. We will be collecting these **every month** until further notice.
 * **Every month,** we also collect **batteries** and **natural corks** (but **NOT** plastic caps – see below) to recycle at the ECO table. Corks will be taken to Whole Foods, which recycles corks through the Cork ReHarvest program ( [] ). //Please note that this program accepts only natural corks. If you have synthetic ones, you can donate them to the Scrap Exchange.//
 * Oct.: **Eyeglasses** (prescription or not, includes sunglasses), b ** atteries and corks. **
 * ** Nov.: Cell phones, batteries and corks **
 * ** Dec.: Holiday lights (working or not), batteries and corks **
 * ** Jan.: Holiday lights, greeting cards, children's books, batteries and corks. ** For cards, we can't take Hallmark, American Greeting, or Disney cards. No writing on inside front, no photo cards.
 * ** Feb.: Cell phones, greeting cards, batteries and corks **
 * **March:** **Children's books, greeting cards, batteries and corks**
 * **April:** **Eyeglasses** (prescription or not, includes sunglasses), **batteries and corks**
 * **May: Cell phones (including chargers)** to be donated to the Orange County Rape Crisis Center
 * ** June: Batteries and corks. **
 * **July: Greeting cards** (includes thank you cards), **batteries and corks.** Cards will be remade into new cards by children at St. Jude's Ranch.
 * **August: Children's books**, gently used and suitable for self reading by children in K to 6th grade level. These will be donated to Book Harvest, an organization that gives children books to read and call their own. Batteries and corks also.
 * ** Sept.: Children's books, batteries and corks. **


 * **What to do with caps**: We are not accepting rigid plastic caps until we find a better way to process the abundance of caps. Orange and Durham residents can replace rigid plastic caps on recyclable plastic bottles and recycle both as you would the bottle. If you have rigid plastic caps that you can't recycle locally or aren't from a recyclable plastic container (glass bottle, toothpaste tube…), you can discard them or take clean ones to Aveda at 200 West Franklin St.
 * **Request for volunteers**: Can you help us with our recycling collection? We need a few people at the ECO table the first Sunday of each month to help with collecting, sorting, and organizing recycled items. It’s a limited commitment and a way to learn more about recycling. Please email ECO@c3huu.org for more info or to volunteer.

= Recycling News: =


 * **Recycling Tonnage Rises 21% in first half year**: Recycling tonnage from all Orange County recycling programs including curbside, drop-off, commercial, apartments, schools and government buildings rose 21% to 7,690 tons in the six months from July through December 2013 compared to 6,353 tons collected during the same period in 2012. During the same period, waste disposed at Convenience Centers, County government building and County schools was up only one percent. Way to go Orange County Recyclers!
 * **The [|A-Z Recyclery] Directory** is back up on the Orange County Solid Waste Management website. Check it out to find out where you can recycle almost anything.!
 * **Technology Recycling**: ‘Tis the season to give and receive new gadgets. Don’t let your old ones end up in the landfill, as they can harm the environment in multiple ways. There are many places that will take your old electronics for recycling, from computers and printers to tablets and portable music players. Two options are Orange County Solid Waste Convenience Centers ([]) and Staples Stores ([]). Even better, use the old ones as long as possible and donate working items when you can. Your outdated or unused iPods or MP3 players could bring healing music to an Alzheimers, stroke or pain patient if you send them to the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function ([]). Kramden Institute in Durham ([]) refurbishes donated computers and many other electronics for students in need.
 * **Plastic plant pots and dirty compost bags** can be returned for recycling and reuse at Lowe's Home Improvement Stores. They will take all plastic pots including the flimsy cell packs and plastic trays that contained multiple pots, as well as empty plastic bags that contained compost or mulch (no need to clean them). They are picked up for recycling and reuse by Metrolina Greenhouses out of Charlotte, which reports that they were able to recycle or reuse over 2 million lbs of plastic last year.
 * **All types of cartons**, such as those containing milk, soup, wine, juice, etc. can be recycled curbside along with bottles and cans. Leave plastic tops on, remove straws, flatten.
 * **Rigid plastics:** Sadly, the large purple bins for recycling **rigid plastics** at drop-off sites were removed due to high rates of contamination. According to a representative from Orange County Solid Waste Management, one of the biggest problems was illegal construction dumping. You can still bring yogurt tubs and other non-bottle #2,4,5 rigid plastics to the Solid Waste Convenience Centers: __ [] __. Whole Foods also takes #5 plastics such as yogurt tubs, as well as Brita water filters and certain other products through the [|Gimme 5] program.
 * **Textiles:** Worn-out clothing or other textiles not suitable to go directly on the thrift store sales floor is sold by the pound by the PTA Thrift Store. Bag separately, keep clean and dry, and mark as 'rags', then bring them to one of the donation points (Jones Ferry Rd. or Elliot Rd.).
 * **Packaging materials** including //STYROFOAM, PEANUTS, BUBBLE WRAP AND AIRPACKS// can be taken at any time to the following stores for re-use:

Carolina Packaging – Pack it-ship it 1202 Raleigh Rd. 968-1181 Close to intersection 15/501 and 54. Glenwood Square.

UPS Store 1189 Fordham Blvd. 933-9117 Corner of Willow Drive

Pak Mail 1312 US 15/501 N107 967-3020 Note: will take Styrofoam only as flat sheets, not molded

Ship on Site 300 Market Street St. 130. 933-4202 Just off 15/501 near Mt. Carmel Church Road

= =

=** Recent Events: **=


 * January 31: ** Following an All Church Dinner, ECO hosted a screening of [|Carbon Nation], a quirky, upbeat film about climate change solutions, full of interesting characters such as the "Wild Alaskan," the one-armed wind farmer, and the former army colonel, as well as celebrities like Richard Branson and Van Jones . You can borrow it if you missed it!

**September 14:** A screening of [|Last Call at the Oasis] began ECO’s theme this year, Interconnections: Food, Water and Fuel. It shows both threats to the worlds water and efforts toward solutions. We enjoyed local fruit and dessert and a good discussion of things we can do to help conserve and preserve water.

**April 21:** On “Earth Night,” ECO hosted one of about 900 screenings nationwide of **Do the Math – The Movie**, the inspiring new documentary of the rising grass-roots movement to solve the climate crisis. Over 50 people attended, including many high school youth. After the movie we saw a live-streamed panel discussion among climate leaders such as Bill McKibben (350.org founder), Jim Hansen (NASA scientist) and others. A big **thank you to the sound team** for helping make this happen on short notice! If you missed it, or to learn more, visit [|www.350.org/math].

**April 21:** Eco sponsored a Share the Plate (STP) for [|Save the Monks Community Forest] This Carbon Covenant project helps Buddhist monks save a forest in northwestern Cambodia. The monks share their belief with others that trees are sacred, organize patrols to prevent illegal logging, and work to enable local villagers to earn a living from sustainable forest products such as mushrooms. Click on the link above for more information.

**Feb. 17**: Several members of our church hopped on a biodiesel bus along with members of ERUUF, UUFR, students from UNC and NC State and others to join the “[|Forward on Climate” demonstration] in Washington, DC against the Keystone XL Pipeline on Feb. 17. President Obama has voiced an intention to take on the climate crisis, and we joined tens of thousands of others in urging him to back up his words with action.

**Feb. 5**: Workshop on socially and environmentally responsible investing, featuring Kari Andrade.

**January 18**: Screening of [|White Water, Black Gold], a 1-hour documentary about the source of the oil that would be transported in the pipeline. Shows the journey of water from the ice fields to the enormous tar sands extraction project. Details some of the costs of the project, such as contaminated water and mysterious illnesses in people and wildlife.

**Previous Events and Recycling Results** (click to see Previous Events page)

= Other Available Resources: =


 * Borrow a Kill-A-Watt unit to measure the electricity used by your appliances and electronics. It's easy - just plug it in! Contact ECO@c3huu.org.
 * Request a HEAT (Home Energy Assessment Team) team to walk through your house to identify potential energy-saving changes. We have training materials for do-it-yourself-ers, as well as names of professional contractors. Contact HEAT.
 * Borrow a DVD: [|Kilowatt Ours], [|Escape from Suburbia], [|A Crude Awakening], [|A Sea Change] , [|Renewal] , [|No Impact Man] , [|The Story of Stuff] . Click here [[file:DVDNotes.doc]] for a brief description of these and other DVDs for loan. Contact ECO@c3huu.orgor visit the ECO table on the first Sunday of the month to borrow a DVD.
 * Join groups to actively Reuse and Recycle resources, such as [|Recycles.org]. C3HUU is a member; you can join as an individual, too. Our Recycles.org sponsor has more information.
 * To find out more about recycling all sorts of items, visit [|Orange County's recycling page.]l Also try [|Freecycle] to give away items you don't need or find items you do need.


 * References**
 * 1) [|Northwest UU Earth Ministry Solar Power Project]: a video on a wonderful project in the Pacific NW