Embedded Files
Photo by Janis Sutherland
Overview
The Green Sanctuary Team was founded in 2006 by Amy Lent and Thayer Heath as the Green Sanctuary Committee, a subcommittee of the Social Responsibilities Council. Early efforts were focused on making our church more sustainable, and several building changes were made. Over the years our goal has expanded to include education, activism and actions toward preservation of the global environment on which all life depends, by working to make the Earth sustainable and by addressing climate change.
Significant Mileposts
Albany UU was accredited in 2008 as a Green Sanctuary by the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth.
Earth Day Fairs at Albany UU in 2007 and 2008.
Since 2006, Albany UU sells Fair Trade coffee, cocoa and chocolate bars along with items made by women from Guatemala, Ecuador and Mexico.
Solar panels installed in 2012-2013.
Anti-fracking Resolution of 2013-14.
The Compendium of Green Tips, 2014.
Seminar in 2016, Climate Change … and You … and Us, three sessions led by Rev. Sam on Naomi Klein’s book This Changes Everything.
Composting in worm bins introduced in 2016 in the Religious Education program by Anne Marie Haber and Mitch Cohen (ongoing). For more information, contact Anne Marie at amhaber@aol.com or this Handout; worm vendor.
Do-more survey of the congregation and Results in 2017.
Tree-planting in 2017.
Formation of SHARE, the Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy, in 2017 (ongoing, see Working With SHARE).
GST Education Outreach
Members of the Green Sanctuary Team, individually and together, undertake many educational outreach activities, including Public Forums, Film Showings with Discussion, and Letters to the Editor, Commentaries, and other newspaper articles.
GST-Sponsored Forums
2024-12-11
A forum on creating a Reuse Center in the Capital District, which would recycle electronic, construction materials, collect food scraps, and host a repair café, among other things.
Flyer
2024-11-16
NYUU Justice Convocation (all-day event), which included a workshop on Climate Justice with Michael Richardson of Third Act Upstate NY along with other Justice issues.2024-03-24
Roy Morrison*, solar energy developer, Managing Partner of SunPartnersSolar, author of The New Green Republic, social theorist, and activist
Embrace the Sun's Generosity: Energy Users/Energy Owners
Flyer, Video of Forum, Slides of Forum
2024-03-23
GST sponsored the Zero Waste Community Dance Fund Raiser for the proposed Capital Region Reuse Center.
Flyer
2023-11-16
Co-sponsors: Partners for Climate Action, and others (see Flyer)
Neighbor to Neighbor: Government Incentive$ for Green Home Improvement
Flyer2023-05-04
Michael Richardson of Rivers and Mountains Green Faith Circle
Personal Divestment from Fossil Fuels
Individual Divestment Workshop2023-05-01
Paul Fisk* with (on Zoom) U.S. Representative Paul Tonko
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Rebates and Tax Credits for Consumers
Flyer, Slides (PDF)2022-12-05
Dave Gardner, Director of Growth Busters
Are You Hooked on Growth?
Documentary, Zoom Recording2022-11-14
Mert Simpson and Ruth Foster of SHARE, with John Ciavacco of Aztec Geothermal
Ongoing Projects of the Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy
SHARE, Zoom Recording2022-10-24
Bill Reinhardt of Solarize Albany
Solar Panels: Why Are You Waiting?
Slides (PDF)2022-04-11
Paul Fisk*
The Climate Conundrum
2022-02-28
Hugh Johnson,* retired National Weather Service meteorologist
Climate Peril: A Weatherman’s Perspective
Flyer, Slides (PDF)2021-11-22
Chris Bystroff,* Professor of Biology and Computer Science, RPI
Global Population Will Peak Soon
Flyer, Zoom Recording2021-10-28
Dan Rain, Town of Bethlehem Recycling Coordinator
Tracy Frisch, Convener of Zero Waste Warren County
Sonny von Tiedemann, City of Albany Recycling Specialist
How to Reduce our Impact on the Planet for the Holidays and Beyond
Zoom Recording, Zoom Chat (PDF)2021-04-18
Chris Bystroff*
Earth Day Sermon in the Sunday Service2021-02-23
Todd Fabozzi of Heatsmart Capital Region
John Ciovacco from Aztec Geothermal
Energy-efficient Heat Pump Systems for Heating and Cooling2021-01-14
Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics
Moving Beyond Plastic Pollution
Before and after the Forum participants could, for a limited time, watch the movie, The Story of Plastic.2020-12-15
Bruce Miroff, Professor and Collins Fellow, Political Science
Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy
The 2020 Election and Where Do We Go From Here?
Flyer
2020-07-06
Lulu Friesdat, Election Security Journalist
Election Security and What You Can Do (Virtual Forum)2020-05-16
Chris Bystroff,* speaking at a webinar of the Sustainable Population Meetup Group
A New Contraceptive Vaccine
Audio and Slides (YouTube)2020-01-30
Louise Gava, CCA Project Leader for Municipal Electric and Gas Alliance (MEGA)
Community Choice Aggregation
MEGA2020-01-19
Meghan Marohn* and Keith Schue, electrical engineer and environmental activist, in both the Sunday service and a follow-on forum
Listen to the Earth: Perspectives on the Planetary Crisis2019-12-06
Chris Bystroff* with special guest John Oliver via YouTube video
Our Election Systems2019-11-11
Bill Vitek, Kiani Conley-Wilson, Scott Kellogg, and Jan Storm, Panelists
Climate Change and Justice: Reimagining our Food Systems
Flyer2019-03-01
Tina Lieberman and Anasha Cummings
Zero Waste Efforts
Capital Region Earth Day2018-12-06
Professor Richard Perez, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, UAlbany
Latest Developments in Solar
Richard Perez home page2018-01
Meghan Marohn*
The Climate Crisis and its Solution2017-10
Moderator Judith Enck with speakers Sara Hsu, Mark Dunlea, Bob Cohen, and Iona Lutey
Carbon Tax 101: Putting a Price on Climate Change2016-11-13
Bob Cohen, Policy Director, Citizen Action of New York
Ruth Foster, Coordinator, New York Climate Advocacy Project
Strategies for fighting climate change and fossil fuel build out in NYS2017-09-30
Dandelion Energy, What about Geothermal?2017-09-28
Judith Enck, former regional director for the Environmental Protection Agency
The Trump Assault on the Environment, and What You Can Do About It2016-10
Jean Howard of Solar Access Management
Community Solar2014-11
Dr. Robert Pollin, Political Economic Research Institute
Growing a Green Economy2014-09-14
David Musser,* Kathy Harris,* Sam Trumbore,* Chuck Manning,* Chris Bystroff,* and Carol Butt*
Home Solar2013-11-17
Professor Richard Perez, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, UAlbany
Solar Energy
Richard Perez home page2012-09
Scott Kellog, Radix Center
Composting2011-11-13
Miriam Katz, Professor of Biology, RPI
Climate Change2006
John Delano, Professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, UAlbany
The Living Earth, a series of four lectures
GST Film Showings With Discussion
2021-04-21
Webinar on the movie: Kiss the Ground
People first watched the movie on Netflix
Webinar Recording2019-03-13
With Stop NY Fracked Gas Pipeline
Movie: Cowspiracy2016-12-02
Potluck and Movie: Before the Flood2016-04-23
Potluck and Movie: This Changes Everything2015-09-18
Potluck and Movie: Merchants of Doubt2006
Movie: An Inconvenient Truth
Letters to the Editor, Commentaries, and Articles by or about GST Members
2025-05-02
Barbara Spink
Pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act
Letter to the Editor published in the Times Union
2025-02-10
Paul Fisk
'Arguably worst time' for Trump as climate change-fueled disasters worsen
Letter to the Editor published in the Times Union
2025-01-27
Sandy Steubing
Hochul making smart moves addressing climate change
Letter to the Editor published in the Times Union2024-11-18
Paul Fisk
Climate crisis needs state, local, individual action now
Letter to the Editor published in the Times Union
2023-11-26
Sandy Steubing is interviewed about BuyLocalGrowLocal.org
Website highlights enviro-friendly businesses
Article by Rick Karlin in the Times Union2023-10-30
Sandy Steubing
Capital Region must start building its own climate resiliency
Letter to the Editor published in the Times Union
2022-12-28
Paul Fisk
Set an example with the Renewable Capital Act
Letter to the Editor published in the Times Union
2022-08-24
Paul Fisk
Fossil fuel industry must hasten switch to renewables
Letter to the Editor published in the Times Union
2022-05-07
Barbara Spink
Crypto benefits not worth the energy and pollution
Letter to the Editor published in the Times Union
2021-05-21
Chris Bystroff
Footprints to singularity: A global population model explains late 20th century slow-down and predicts peak within ten years
2020-09-03
Paul Fisk
Remember reality of climate crisis when casting vote
Commentary published in the Times Union
2020-07-17
Sandy Steubing, Barbara Spink, Chuck Manning, and Chris Bystroff
Commentary: How to give your house of worship a green sanctuary
Feature Article published in the Times Union Faith and Values section2019-05-08
Keith Schue and David Musser
Show commitment to renewables in Sheridan Hollow
Commentary published in the Times Union
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