FAITH-BASED CLIMATE ACTION
Looking Back
Using five strategies (advocacy, reduction of carbon emissions directly, education, developing policy decisions, and maintaining infrastructure) members and friends worked together to accomplish much in 2021-22:
Strategy #1: Advocate
- The Legislation and Policy Project amplified the voices of the Oregon League of Women Voters, Renew Oregon, Divest Oregon, and the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, in support of climate action legislation.
Strategy #2: Reduce Carbon Emissions Directly
- The Toward Net Zero Project, in collaboration with the UUFC Buildings Team, was awarded a $10,000 City loan to improve the energy efficiency of our existing building.
- The TreesProject, in collaboration with the City of Corvallis Urban Forestry program, planted 12 oak trees in a low-and-moderate income Corvallis neighborhood.
- The Campus Habitat Project, in collaboration with UUFC Grounds and UUFC Youth Religious Exploration, installed six bird nesting-boxes to encourage and support native birds.
Strategy #3: Educate and share hope
- The Toward Net Zero Project hosted a Wednesdays-in-April (Earth month) series of Zoom presentations on ways we can take action to reduce emissions.
- The Toward Net Zero Project is providing opportunities, encouragement, and support for members/friends to reduce and take responsibility for personal emissions.
- Climate Solution Happenings is posted monthly in UUFC newsletter, along with other frequent communications on Mighty Network and the 7th Principle Google group.
- The Climate Action Team hosted a three-session Religious Exploration course “Climate action as spiritual practice”.
- The Climate Action Team was key in the work to have Justice councils and teams consider racial and climate justice issues in their 2022-23 and future budgets.
- In collaboration with the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team, the Climate Action Team is beginning to operationalize anti-racism and climate lenses to inform the work of councils and teams.
Strategy #4: Develop Policy Decisions
The UUFC Board:
a) declared a climate emergency,
b) established the Carbon Reduction and Responsibility Fund, and
c) joined the Renew Oregon and Divest Oregon collaboratives.
Strategy #5: Maintain infrastructure to support other strategies
- A space for the Climate Action Team was developed and maintained on Mighty Network.