Green Team Meeting Notes 1-17-2019

Green Team Meeting Notes 1/17/2019

Attendees: Bill Schroeder, Susan Johnston, Mark Bohrer, Candy Dann (phone)

Away: Steve Fink, Janet Clarke, Tim Smith, Fran Fink

Need to re-add to the invite: Graham Long

Here are our minutes from last month (link below).

Agenda for this month (schedule order may be adjusted):

1) Renewable/Electric options for kitchen - Iric/Trustees – Bill is the point person here

-        The Trustees had put forward a decision to stay with gas appliances

-        They gave several justifications which we thought were answerable and could be overcome

o   This include addressing Columbia Gas compensation for appliances, electric service in condition

-        Iric could not make it tonight and asked to reschedule

-        ACTION: Mark to respond to Iric, request a new date to meet

o   In an effort to keep communication lines open, this was kind of a glitch, from the Green Team’s perspective. Request that Trustees use the GT as a resource. We want to support and be involved.

o   Mark to propose being a liaison to the Trustees, and plans to attend the next Trustees meeting

-         

2) Columbia Gas updates - Merrimack Valley Gas Crisis Recover Green Initiative – Steve

-        Steve not here - Will get updates when he is present

3) Board of World Service agreed to support “Be The Spark” program by MIPL

- $500 matching from BoWS to Green Team $500 contribution >> for $1000 contribution

4) SC Green Team website

- There is now some basic information on the website:

- Candy is working with Nora on where we appear – Candy has made some suggestions

- ACTION: Candy – get on the “Get to know us” menu

- ACTION: Steve – send photos from retreat, send to Susan, and she will select ones for the website

-        ACTION Mark – update Climate Reader and share with Green Team to review

5) Sharing green ideas in the weekly buzz ... how to best do this? – Susan

- Idea for a little character (green bee?) in the weekly buzz to be a spokesperson for green ideas

- ACTION: Susan will talk to Nora to develop this

6) Electricity Generation from Solar Panels –

- Bill showed graph of last 6 years

- ideas on how to promote

- ACTION: Bill to summarize in a presentation to the Trustees and the church (quarterly newsleeter).

7) Divestment and Socially Responsible Investment – Bill

- an announcement in this regard will be forthcoming at the annual meeting from the Trustees of Trust Funds

Not discussed this meeting – things we want to do:

- Retreat 2.0 at Fellowship Hour - World Cafe tables return - Steve/Mark

- sharing Climate Cares and Concerns during church

Green Team meeting notes 11-29-2018

Green Team Meeting Notes 11/29/2018

Attendees: Bill Schroeder, Susan Johnston, Steve Fink, Mark Bohrer, Candy Dann

Away: Janet Clarke, Tim Smith, Graham Long, Fran Fink

1)      Request from Mass Interfaith Power & Light for the church to support “Be The Spark” program

a.       Program that was developed by Minnesota IPL

b.       Mass Interfaith P&L wants to do a training program for people’s community organizing skills

c.       Proposal - Make the request to Board of World Service

ACTION: Bill – mail program info to Steve F who will take this to Board of World Service

2)      Communication Method to Church

ACTION: Susan – share short green Christmas ideas in Weekly Buzz

a.       Climate Reports sent by Tim Smith – specifically IPCC meeting in Poland

b.       Share with people in context of “The World Needs To Change to Fossil Fuel Free Dramatically and Rapidly”. How are each of us doing this? How are we changing our homes, vehicles, consumption to fossil fuel free?

                                                               i.      “What should I be doing now?” “How am I going to get to fossil-fuel free in 20 years?” For example – maybe I could switch to an electric stove, electric dryer or electric car when I make each of these next purposes.

                                                             ii.      Electric is good (renewable), gas is bad (not renewable, pipeline leaks, explosions, fracking water pollution, health impact/deaths from air and water pollution

ACTION: Mark – share with wider Green Team list

a.       new Green Team website –

ACTION: Candy – request Nora to do Step 1: add “Green Team” homepage, with basic info on who we are, how to contact us, what we have done recently, Step 2: will be to add content

b.       bulletin board – we need to talk to Nora/Dana about how we can contribute to new “theme” / “Action” / “Mission” oriented bulletin boards

3)      Suggestion: Plan a “POST COLUMBIA GAS” session

a.       to solicit input from the church “How has the Columbia Gas crisis changed your life?”

                                                               i.      From this “What should we all do now?”

Next Step: Work on a program involving church membership to solicit input on what should be done

Context: Gas is NOT safe, not good for our communities, and is NOT the future

ACTION: Green Team – followup meeting to work on this

4)      Merrimack Valley Gas Crisis Recovery – Green Initiative

a.       Context: Lupine Road goal to be very green, and promoted that way

b.       Jim Antal’s initiative on Green Social Activism

5)      Climate Change Witness to Congregation –

a.       Regular message needs to be brought to church service each week

ACTION: Mark – request Retreat attendees to signup for weekly “climate witness message” during Joys & Concerns – with Message of Concern Joy and Hope

b.       Climate Justice  - how do we add this to our actions?

Not discussed:

1)      Retreat Takeaways and Followups

                     i.      Very positive feedback – things worked well for families, adults, no concerns expressed, will be requesting more feedback with a survey

                   ii.      Steve will send out a retreat survey

                 iii.      Do followups at Fellowship Hour – ACTION: Mark – ask Dana

1.       Inspiration Fair and World Café – 2 events, 2 Fellowship hours, start after 15 minutes

2.       Heads up to Dana as a regular prayer time “Cares and Concerns” words on climate change

3.       With a variety of people from the retreat