Green Team Meeting Notes 10-25-2017

Green Team Meeting Notes 10/25/2017

Present: Mark Bohrer, Fran Fink, Steve Fink, Bill Schroeder, Janet Clarke

Away: Iric Rex, Terry Ebner, Marty Mason, Candy Dann, Susan Johnston

Mark to add Marty Mason to Green Team committee mailings!  

Next meeting: Thu Nov 16

1)       Harvest Dinner Recap

·         Great family event, kids and families made scarecrows and pasta

·         Good turnout, although fewer than 2016

                                                   i.      probably around 50 in attendance vs maybe 65 in 2016

                                                  ii.      Next year: focus on the personal invitations, and signup for little jobs

·         Dana spoke about church giving, which matched well with the theme of the Giving Garden

·         Slide show of Giving Garden played during pasta/activities time and dinner

·         Emily spoke about the Giving Garden, and a short green Ted video about Nokia corporate environmental responsibility.

                                                   i.      We did lose > 50% people before the green video

2)       MA Interfaith Power & Light – you’re invited to the Nov 1^st annual conference!

·         If you’re interested, contact Bill Schroeder, to carpool from Andover: WESchro721@aol.com

·         Theme: “Paris: We’re Still In!”

·         First Parish in Framingham, Scott Hall, 24 Vernon St., Framingham, Nov 1, 2017, 7 PM – 9PM

Global warming is a moral issue that we are called to address--and soon. Learn how Massachusetts can lead by passing laws that will move us to a clean energy future. Hear what congregations are doing to reduce carbon pollution, engage their communities, and witness publicly.

                                                   i.            Why Massachusetts Needs a Carbon Pricing Law: Senator Mike Barrett

                                                  ii.            Solar Access 4All :

·         Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, Bethel AME, Andrea Nyamekye, Neighbor 2 Neighbor, Joel Wool, Clean Water Action

                                                iii.            Advocating for 100% Renewable Energy for Framingham

·         Larry Decker, First Parish, Framingham & Mike Croci, Sustainable Framingham

                                                  ii.      Living Our Values: Joan Rachlin, Temple Israel, Boston

                                                iii.      A Vision of Carbon Neutrality, Jim Nail, St. Dunstan’s, Dover

3)       Divestment - Report from Bill Schroeder

·         Candy and I met with Kate Jagger last Thursday to talk about ways to approach the fossil fuel divestment/socially responsible investing discussion in the congregation.  Kate had a number of good suggestions, including:

                                                   i.      Make it a conversation and not a specific proposal.  If you start out with a proposal, then the proponents are on the defensive.  And other valuable suggestions aren't gathered easily.

                                                  ii.      There is money available from the Science and Faith fund that could be used to facilitate the discussion.  Maybe pay for guest speakers.  Maybe pay for child care at discussion sessions

                                                iii.      The church is about to roll out a Planned Giving Drive.  Would be good to not draw attention away from that.

·         We agreed that the next steps should be:

                                                   i.      Get team of proponents together.  See if Board of World Service or Social Justice Coalition want to engage on the fossil fuel divestment. This can become a church movement.

                                                  ii.      Go to council - ask for them to endorse the conversation

                                                iii.      If endorsed, make an initial plan for how to hold the conversation.

4)       Retreat Planning - Green Retreat for the Future 2.0

-          Highland Center Date set: Oct 5^th – 7^th – Columbus Day weekend 2018

-          Steve making progress on organizing a retreat committee

-          In discussion: lead in program: storytelling seminar in Spring 2018

o    Storytelling seminar

§  ACTION: Janet – write up a short promo summary of story telling seminar

·         Talk to Dana and Alex, who are interested in idea of story telling

§  Connect to Earth Day? Invite confirmands ?

-          Retreat - Similar format & structure, Explore area, Science projects, Guest speaker

o    Steve presented the Why/How/What for the retreat (include)

-          Market as Family Christmas gift December 2017

o    Retreat theme: Successes, inspiration, stories!

-          Storytelling: start with a family environmental project, what is the story?

-          Everything good that’s happening that we don’t always think about

o    For example: Candy talked about how acid rain was solved

o    For example: Steve presents about his house, with pictures

o    For example: kids show what they’ve done, what they care about << this is powerful

§  kids especially have moral authority

o    For example: Bill tell the story of MIPL, what, why, who

-          Have readout afterwards on the stories at church, at a service

5)       Two funds at church could support Green Team activities, if money needed for anything - Seeds of Faith Fund and Science Fund

Parking Lot

Plans for Earth Day 2018

-       have a green/solar house tour.

-       invite North Parish, Christ Church, many congregations

-       See if there is a local solar tour

-       ACTION (Mark): contact staff – date for Earth Sunday in Spring

Church Greening

Creeping non-environmentalism

 Was is there a mini-kitchen in library? Refrigerator, microwave, coffee makers...when kitchen is not so far!  Steve will talk to Alex.

Green Retreat - Environmental storytelling "seed crystals"

Green Retreat - Env'l storytelling "seed crystals"   

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Hi all,
As you know, Steve has encouraged me to keep a running list of "seed crystals" or ideas for stories that could be the starting point for someone to use in their env'l storytelling. It has been SUCH A FUN exercise.  The list keeps growing.  I just added the last four of them based on a Garden Club "Envl Sustainability Course" that I was lucky enough to be part of.  I listened to three other presenters and gathered these seed crystals from them.  Happy reading.  I would love to learn more about each of these and hope someone will dig it and give us more on each one:

1.       Austin, TX’s Freetail bat population recovers thanks to a bridge that invites bat nests, eats insects (Prassede Calabi)

2.       Mystic River Herring ladder – River used to be a herring run, then dammed up and herring would die trying to get over the dam between the Mystic Lakes (bucket brigades tried to help), then in 2012 put in a herring ladder.  Now herring population has more than doubled, eagles and osprey, herons all back in area.  (Prassede Calabi)

3.       Ethiopia had massive famines in 1980s.  Then, government focused on food production system and irrigation.  Population has since doubled but now is a new food exporter. (Farmer Dave)

4.       LED lighting in greenhouses has made them economically feasible and is extending the growing season.  In the Republic of Georgia, their greenhouses are heated by geothermal energy and powered by solar panels and lit with LED lights.  (Farmer Dave)

Candy Dann

SC Green Team Meeting Notes 9-21-2017

SC Green Team Meeting Notes 9/21/2017

Present: Mark Bohrer, Candy Dann, Susan Johnston, Fran Fink, Steve Fink, Kate Jagger

Away: Iric Rex, Terry Ebner, Bill Schroeder, Janet Clarke, Marty Mason

Mark to add Marty Mason to Green Team committee mailings!

Next meeting: Possibly Oct 1^st at Bohrer’s?

1)      Kate Jagger special guest - representing Giving Committee (and Trustees too)

·         She requested us to include Nora in all minutes and key information communications so that Nora is up to date with our activities, and can help with our communication

·         Kate asked about budget needs – we should keep this in mind

                                                               i.      for example – does the Green Team ever have a child care budget need?

·         Giving Committee requested to have the minister(s) deliver the giving message

·         Two funds in church could support Green Team activities, if money is an issue:

                                                               i.      Seeds of Faith Fund and Science Fund

2)      Harvest Dinner

·         Same format as last year - Mark – send out program draft to group

·         Advance prep – Fran, Susan to make and bring pesto

·         ACTION: Mark – contact Dana – request announcement about Harvest Dinner on 9/30, talk with her about speaking, and Giving group announcement, need pasta makers!

                                                               i.      Talk with her about Earth Day Service spring 2018

                                                             ii.      Talk with her about Green Retreat plans for Oct 2018

·         Action: Mark – need guitarist to play song before dinner – TBD – Martin M or Steve L?

·         ACTION: Mark – make and post posters for Sunday 9/30

                                                               i.      IF YOU HAVE A PASTA MAKER – call Steve

·         ACTION: Fran / Emily – make a Giving Garden picture slide show

·         ACTION: Steve: sign up past makers

                                                               i.      Heather Abourjailly has one

                                                             ii.      last year: Finks, Rex, Danns, Shaws, Audes,

·         ACTION: Steve – find a Ted Talk or other content. Neil deGrasse Tyson video?

·         ACTION: Mark – See if a rehearsal dinner on Sun 10/1  5:30PM?

3)      Retreat Planning - Green Retreat for the Future 2.0

-          Highland Center Date set: Oct 5^th – 7^th – Columbus Day weekend 2018

-          Steve to organize retreat committee, and to have flyer for Harvest Dinner

-          Retreat - Similar format & structure, Explore area, Science projects, Guest speaker

o   Steve presented the Why/How/What for the retreat (include)

-          Market as Family Christmas gift December 2017

o   Retreat theme: Successes, inspiration, stories!

o   start with a family environmental project, what is the story?

-          Everything good that’s happening that we don’t always think about

-          For example: Candy talked about how acid rain was solved

-          For example: Steve presents about his house, with pictures

-          For example: kids show what they’ve done, what they care about << this is powerful

o   kids especially have moral authority

-          For example: Bill tell the story of MIPL, what, why, who

-          Have readout afterwards on the stories at church, at a service

Parking Lot

Plans for Earth Day 2018

-       have a green/solar house tour.

-       invite North Parish, Christ Church, many congregations

-       See if there is a local solar tour

-       ACTION (Mark): contact staff – date for Earth Sunday in Spring

Church Greening

· Creeping non-environmentalism

 Was is there a mini-kitchen in library? Refrigerator, microwave, coffee makers...when kitchen is not so far!  Steve will talk to Alex.

Church Divestment (last updated June 2017)

-       Trustees of the Trust Funds are receptive to the topic, if there were funds with low overhead expenses that were fossil free

 There are a number of fossil free ETF funds run by State Street Funds

-       How should we move this forward this year?

 Can we advance this with the church year, to get the membership onboard, to lay the groundwork for a church vote?

 Candy’s Recommendation: Ask Ron Hill (an investment advisor), to get him onboard early

-       What’s the ask of the TOTTF? Is this an action done over time (say 5 years)? Like the UCC General Synod

-       Put together a handout about how the church might do this (options)

-       Dialogue about church members personal portfolios

SC Green Team Meeting Notes 7/20/2017

Green Team Meeting Notes 7/20/2017

Your building and facilities ought to exemplify your theology!

·         Quote from Trinity United Church of Christ, South Side of Chicago

Mark Bohrer, Candy Dann, Bill Schroeder, Fran Fink, Steve Fink, Susan Johnston

Away: Janet Clarke, Iric Rex, Terry Ebner

Discussion, welcoming Susan J

·         We asked Susan where she's coming from, with the environment. It is her most important issue.

·         Talked about the environmental movement

Church Picnic readout

·         Ended up with very little "throw away trash", everything else was recycled or composted!

o    Wally was supportive – setup at 6:30AM that Sunday with Steve

·         ACTION: Candy – send a "we all did it!" blurb for SC weekly buzz

Open discussion - Pass along good news, about what we do, what we all can do

·         Ideas for our church members – what they can do (composting, energy efficiency)

·         Ideas for other churches – share

o    For example - Share plan for no waste picnic – like a "case study"

·         Starting the conversation – speaking up with friends

·         Getting the message out

Next possible idea: Make a church green video! Let's investigate...

·         Steve posits using people he is currently working with on Andover projects

·         Do one about the church & a green story

·         Involve the whole church, bring in other groups, trustees, giving, youth, etc.

o    This could be used Jim Antal and MACUCC – he may have ideas for us

o    This could also be used by Mass Interfaith Power & Light

·         Why, What, How – on one topic, one thing we've done? Or more future looking, vision? Both?

·         Fit in the retreat? Use the video to promote the retreat?

·         NEXT STEP:

o    ACTION: input to a Story board: Candy – evolve historical presentation

o    Next meeting – talk about this extensive

Retreat Planning

·         Green Retreat for the Future 2.0

o    Plan for Fall 2018!

o    Retreat - Similar format & structure, Explore area, Science projects, Guest speaker

o     Speaker is  (for example) UCS, John Rogers?? Deval Patrick?

·         Market as Family Christmas gift December 2017

o    Booklet handout?

§  Successes, inspiration, stories!

·         Lead in: In House Multi-generational event – Oct 2017 – Harvest Dinner

o    Afternoon internal retreat ? mini science fair?

o    Lead in to Harvest Dinner or do this at Harvest Dinner?

§  Have readout on the projects

Church Greening

·         Creeping non-environmentalism

o    Was is there a mini-kitchen in library? Refrigerator, microwave, coffee makers...when kitchen is not so far!  Steve will talk to Alex.

Giving Garden – status update from Fran

·         more land is being prepped

·         same area being farmed this year, as last

·         many local church groups and some businesses are volunteering

Harvest Dinner

-       NOT on church calendar October 14^th

-       ACTION: Mark will contact Alex and Linda H – to get this on church calendar

Church Divestment - Bill

-       Trustees of the Trust Funds are receptive to the topic, if there were funds with low overhead expenses that were fossil free

o    There are a number of fossil free ETF funds run by State Street Funds

-       How should we move this forward this year?

o    Can we advance this with the church year, to get the membership onboard, to lay the groundwork for a church vote?

o    Candy’s Recommendation: Ask Ron Hill (an investment advisor), to get him onboard early

-       What’s the ask of the TOTTF? Is this an action done over time (say 5 years)? Like the UCC General Synod

Parking Lot - Previous Meeting Notes

Connecting church to green activism

·         Next Step #2: Green elements of Lupine Road

·         Making Lupine Road super green

• make project “as green as we can make it”

Church Greening

·         redesign the lighting for the steeple altogether-

o    one got hit by lightning recently and now Wally is using Buddy Electric to rebuild it.  I asked Wally to please ask Buddy Electric to at least give a quote on what it would take to convert it to LED, as an option.

o    What about outlining the steeple in LEDs, which might have some cool side effects like being able to switch colors (add rainbows, bathe it in pink for Breast Cancer awareness, etc).

·         Recycling

o    When we get new equipment, we need to start a re-education campaign.  "Leave it Better than you found it!" Apparently, among Wally's list of issues are that people leave the bathrooms frequently with paper towels on the floor.  Also pizza boxes are left with pizza inside.  And, cardboard boxes are not broken down.  Also, people put items with food or liquids into the recycling.  We need to own some of this!  Within Fellowship Hall, we need to kick-off with some signs around welcoming our new recycling containers, letting people know that they are starting out nice and clean and hope to stay that way and that only happens if they DON'T put stuff with liquids or food into the recycling containers.

o    Fellowship Hall - We will request/order two pairs of three-part slim jims (one extra large black one for trash with a wide mouth lid, one blue with blue circle lid for bottles and cans and one blue with blue slotted lid for paper, each will have a sign holder attached to the back so it is close to eye level at least for some of us and they will be permanently connected together and will think about whether to also order dollies so they can be easily moved).

o    Youth Center - We will request/order a pair of slim jims (one black one for trash and one blue for recycling)

o     Third Floor - We will request/order a pair of slim jims to be stationed next to the water fountain (one black one for trash and one blue for recycling)

o    LIbrary - I have added one blue recycle basket on the inside side and will also add one on the other side near the exterior door.  They just barely fit but Wally agreed that we need a pair in BOTH locations.  

o    Classrooms on 2nd floor - don't need anything at this time but Wally will keep one trash basket lined and one blue recycling basket unlined in each room.

·          Fluorescent light bulbs - these can be taken to the Recycling Center in North Andover on Holt Road.  They don't ask for IDs there and they do accept FLs as well as many other recyclable items at no cost.  They also accept construction and demolition materials at a fee.

o     Ballasts - I will check but these are likely "Hazardous Waste" and need to be take to an HHW event and will cost us something for disposal but possibly Buddy Electric has a way to properly dispose of them.  I asked Wally to check with Buddy Electric also.