Demonstrating Our Values through Eating
A Unitarian Universalist food education curriculum designed for adults, young adults, and mature youth.
This is the 7th iteration of the Green Sanctuary Program since it began in 1989. Learn more about Green Sanctuary 2020 vision, mission, and outcomes.
Each congregation performs a self-assessment, writes a plan, and completes projects across: Environmental Justice / Climate Justice, Worship and Celebration, Religious Education, and Sustainable Living.
Congregations are also encouraged to join other UU initiatives, as well as inter-faith organizations. Createclimatejustice.net is a primary vehicle for collaboration. Examples of UU organizations dedicated to environmental / climate justice are:
UU Ministry for Earth is as primary partner (and the parent group) of Green Sanctuary.
UU Service Committee, UU College of Social Justice, UU United Nations Office, and UU Legislative Action networks all do powerful work on climate justice in different ways.
UU Climate Action Teams is a network of UU congregational leaders focused on climate organizing.
Environmental Justice Practitioners Network (EJPN) is a community of practice for Unitarian Universalist environmental and climate justice leaders and community partners.
This is the pre-2020 Green Sanctuary Program process. Read the current Green Sanctuary process.
A world that is viable and just for humanity and for the whole of the web of life, including present and future generations.
The Green Sanctuary Program provides structure, leadership and support, in broad collaboration, for the UU faith community to engage in an ambitious Environmental Justice and Climate Justice movement that seeks to live fully our seventh principle and achieve our vision of a viable and just world for all.
Created in 1989, the Green Sanctuary (GS) program historically provided a path for congregational study, reflection, and action in response to environmental challenges, worshiping and acting - grounded in justice and Unitarian Universalist values. 254 (25% of UU congregations) achieved GS accreditation, plus 70 in process (list of Accredited GS Congregations). GS accreditation recognizes a congregation’s service and dedication. A part-time GS Program Manager (part of UUA's Multi-Cultural Growth and Witness Staff Group), and the GS Advisory Board formed in 2014, provide support and guidance.
Each congregation performs a self-assessment, writes a plan, and completes projects across: Environmental Justice / Climate Justice, Worship and Celebration, Religious Education, and Sustainable Living.
Congregations are also encouraged to join other UU initiatives, as well as inter-faith organizations. Createclimatejustice.net is a primary vehicle for collaboration. Examples of UU organizations dedicated to environmental / climate justice are:
UU Ministry for Earth is as primary partner (and the parent group) of Green Sanctuary.
UU Service Committee, UU College of Social Justice, UU United Nations Office, and UU Legislative Action networks all do powerful work on climate justice in different ways.
UU Climate Action Teams is a network of UU congregational leaders focused on climate organizing.
Environmental Justice Practitioners Network (EJPN) is a community of practice for Unitarian Universalist environmental and climate justice leaders and community partners.
For congregations who wish Green Sanctuary accreditation, the Green Sanctuary program guides them through a process of education, opportunity assessment, and discernment that produces an action plan composed of activities and projects for campaigns that address the above three goals. It must include some form of activism/civic action. The plan must also describe intended impacts and measures of success.
Along the way, Green Sanctuary teams have available to them information on this site and support from staff and volunteers (all congregations are invited to use these resources whether or not they are interested in Green Sanctuary accreditation or reaccreditation). There are suggested educational resources, assessment templates and multiple examples of successful plans which will provide teams both inspiration and a clearer understanding of what is required.
Congregations have a good deal of flexibility in making their plans and are encouraged to select activities and projects that best suit the context of their own congregation and surrounding community. Plans will be reviewed by staff and the volunteer Green Sanctuary Review Team, who offer feedback in order to ensure that the plan is sufficiently robust and that the congregation is on the road to accreditation.
Accreditation is achieved when the plan has been implemented and the congregation submits a final report describing and documenting the extent to which the intended impacts have been achieved. This typically takes two to four years and is intended to transform congregations by creating new structures for long-term congregational engagement in climate justice work.
For reaccreditation, the congregation assesses what they have accomplished since they received accreditation and where they are at the point of starting this current cycle of work, then creates an a action plan that includes either new or significantly deeper work with each of the three goals (mitigation, adaptation/resilience, justice) as well as significant activism/civic action. The plan will be reviewed by a Review Team and reaccreditation will be achieved when the plan is accomplished, and a final report describing and documenting the extent to which the intended impacts have been achieved.
The Green Sanctuary program is done in five stages:
Stage 1: Team Building and Congregational Education
A Green Sanctuary Team forms and educates itself and the congregation about the program. The Team starts its application process by submitting the Congregational Profile on createclimatejustice.net.
Stage 2: Opportunity Assessment
The Green Sanctuary team ascertains what is currently happening in various aspects of congregational life and its community, including calculating the congregation’s carbon footprint. The Opportunity Assessment is submitted to Green Sanctuary via the online application for review and feedback. The Assessment becomes the core of the Action Plan.
Based on the assessment results, the Green Sanctuary team designs campaigns with projects that address the goals of carbon mitigation, adaptation/resilience, and justice and includes some form of civic action/activism. Action Plan is submitted to the Green Sanctuary Program staff, who give feedback and suggest any necessary modifications to the Plan.
Stage 4: Final Report
The congregation implements the Action Plan and reports on the results in an online template where it will be reviewed and approved for accreditation/reaccreditation, or returned with comments suggesting what else needs to be done.
Stage 5: Accreditation or Reaccreditation
Once approved the final report will become a public document for information sharing across congregations and organizations.
In this stage, you’ll (1) create a Green Sanctuary team and charter, and (2) educate and engage your congregation around the Green Sanctuary process.
Also, when the team is ready, create a congregational account on createclimatejustice.net
Sometimes the Green Sanctuary Team forms first, then educates the Board and the congregation; other times an exploratory group brings the program to the Board, and the Board charters a Green Team. In addition, for congregations in which the minister is responsible for programs to enact Vision and Mission, it may be the minister or ministerial team that will determine the process. The team’s formation should reflect how your congregation does its best work.
The team could be an Executive Team that coordinates the work of many sub-groups; a committee composed of the chair of every other committee; or a team of two or three Board-approved people charged with coordinating congregational activities and the application process. The size of the Green Sanctuary team will depend on the process or governance that works best in your congregation.
The purpose of this team is to manage the entire process. The Green Sanctuary team could be called a committee, ministry, or whatever term is customary in your congregation. The team can invite the possibility that climate change work be suffused with a UU sense of possibility, love and celebration of life, and understanding and strategy deeply rooted in the intersection of race, class and climate. In other words, the team can bring a UU Faithful Response to the urgency of this climate crisis.
Present to the Board: Typically, the initial organizers make a presentation to the congregation’s Board of Trustees (or other governing body) explaining what the Green Sanctuary program is, and its benefit to the congregation. If the board members agree the idea has merit, they authorize the group to start a Green Sanctuary program.
If your congregation operates under Policy Governance, the direction for this work will come in partnership with the Executive staff team (Minister, Justice Minister, Religious Education [RE] Director, etc.). Find suggestions about this here.
At this point, it is likely that only a small number of people are aware the Green Sanctuary program started. However, the process cannot be successful or meaningful without the participation of the entire congregation.
The purpose of conducting an opportunity assessment is to enable the congregation to identify and describe opportunities and challenges to achieving the greatest impacts with respect to:
The assessment gathers descriptions and data which guide development of an action plan to achieve those impacts and engage in that collaborative work. It also establishes baselines, which make it possible to measure and describe the impacts and results of the congregation’s Green Sanctuary efforts.
Each section of the Opportunity Assessment has two parts: Gathering Information and Discussion. The former poses questions about your congregation’s current environmental practices and context. The Discussion questions give you a chance to do some initial analysis of the data you have collected and some reflection about possible ways forward. Think of them as a guideline more than a prescription - you may encounter issues not listed here, or find you need more specificity in some areas. The objective is to think as broadly as possible, eventually targeting specific issues as you learn. Not every item will be relevant to your congregation; be selective, spending time and resources where it matters most. Remember, too, that the purpose of the assessment is to document where you are right now so you can plan how to move forward. Focus on what your congregation is actually doing, not what you’ve talked about, or think you “should” do. Don’t worry about whether your current practices are “good enough.” No matter where you are starting from, the Green Sanctuary program will give your congregation the opportunity to grow.
Once you have completed your information-gathering and your analysis, the Opportunity Assessment is submitted to the Green Sanctuary Review Team for feedback. We strongly suggest that you make use of the Opportunity Assessment Guidelines before you submit your Assessment and include it with your Assessment. They will help you determine if you have collected enough data to create campaigns with significant impact, which is the goal of Green Sanctuary accreditation.
The next step will be to use the feedback from the Review Team to create an Action Plan, where you will design three campaigns (one each for mitigation, adaptation/resilience, and justice) that make sense for your congregation’s circumstances and passions. These campaigns- a combination of education activities, projects, and civic action- will be the heart of your work towards congregational transformation and Green Sanctuary accreditation.
The goal of this Action Plan is to chart your intended strategies in each of the three campaigns (Mitigation, Adaptation/Resilience, and Justice). Once you submit your plan, the review team will offer feedback and suggestions using the Action Plan Guidelines (Impactful, Needs Improvement, Missing). The GS 2020 program does not require a specific number of component projects within each campaign. It is up to the congregation to create campaigns that achieve the intended impacts on the road to congregational transformation and climate sustainability and justice.
MITIGATION is action to reduce the causes of the global warming trend of climate change. Mitigation is essential for climate justice. Robust mitigation will reduce the risks of severe ,climate impacts and make possible a transition to a sustainable and just future for all. Mitigation action needs to reduce global net carbon emissions by around 45% by 2030 and to near zero by mid-century, according to scientific analysis in theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.
Please state in brief the findings in your opportunity assessment on which this campaign is based. If it makes more sense to list the opportunity assessments connected to each component project, feel free to do that.
For each component project within your campaign list
ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE - Adaptation is the process of (a) reducing vulnerabilities to the harmful effects of climate change (b) making the most of potentially beneficial opportunities associated with positive responses to the crisis. Resilience is the capacity to maintain function in the face of external stresses created by the climate-change crisis.
For each component project within your campaign:
4. How Impacts will be measured/assessed
JUSTICE: Working in partnership with communities who experience and confront the reality that the greatest impacts of the climate crisis are disproportionately imposed on those (a) historically oppressed and least responsible for the crisis (b) with the fewest resources with which to face the crisis while already under environmental stresses, and (c) future generations. These communities are sometimes referred to as front-line, vulnerable or marginalized.
Please state in brief the findings in your opportunity assessment on which this campaign is based. If it makes more sense to you to list the opportunity assessments connected to each component project, please feel free to do that.
For each component project within your campaign:
This is the 7th iteration of the Green Sanctuary Program since it began in 1989.
The climate-change crisis with Global Warming is the existential threat to the human species and the web of life. It is the urgent, overarching survival and justice issue of our time, calling us to impactful action now. In an era in which the call to dismantle racism could not be more clear, and when the COVID 19 pandemic stunningly highlights that systemic racism is inextricably boundto climate degradation and injustice, Unitarian Universalist Faithful Response calls us to bring our individual and collective gifts together to act with bold, inspiring, collaborative, networked, and effective leadership to ensure a livable world for all descendants and create climate justice with those who are systemically oppressed.
Climate action and climate justice call us to mitigate (reduce) climate change, along with better adaptation (coping) and increasing resilience (ability to adapt) to increasingly disastrous climate impacts. It calls us to balance urgency with open minds and hearts to learn and collaborate with communities most impacted. The result will be a difficult but creative and exciting transition to a clean renewable world with opportunity, survivability and justice for all, now and for future generations.
The 1991 First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit galvanized people of color who have led work addressing environmental and economic justice and health issues as basic civil and human rights as delineated by the Principles of Environmental Justice.The UN Sustainable Development Goalscomprise a general framework, making clear that climate action is intersectional, addressing justice issues including poverty, hunger and inequality.
Many UUs are already leaders in the forefront of climateaction. This 2020 edition of UUA Green Sanctuary (GS) calls for a much more widely shared level of UU congregational climate actionand climate engagement, infused with spirit and passion to join others in climate action and justice. GS provides a path that offers the gift of transformation to congregations. It begins with spiritually grounded depth and moves the whole congregation through a continuous spiral of awareness and commitment, resulting in transformed congregational life and courageous, ongoing climate action.
With optimism to move forward, courage to confront obstacles, and persistence to address the present and increasing impacts of climate change, we UU’s can faithfully respond to the urgency of this moment and live our values.
A world that is sustainable and just for humanity and for the whole of the web of life, including present and future generations.
A Unitarian Universalist culture that is characterized by bold, collaborative, urgent, effective, action to mitigate the climate crisis, build resilience and adaption to climate change, and secure environmental and climate justice.
Green Sanctuary provides structure, leadership and support, in broad collaboration, for the UU faith community to engage in an ambitious environmental and climate justice movement that seeks to live fully our seventh and eighth principles and achieve our vision of a sustainable and just world for all.
UU congregations have the knowledge, resources, and support to engage in an ambitious climate-action and Environmental Justice /Climate Justice movements that seek to honor the interconnected web of life and achieve our vision of a viable and just world for all.
Overview of Green Sanctuary 2020
Process for recognition or renewal of accreditation for Green Sanctuary 2020
All congregations are invited to use this program whether or not they are interested in Green Sanctuary accreditation or reaccreditation. If accreditation or reaccreditation is desired, the congregation must document its assessment, action plans, and impacts of significantly increased participation for campaigns to meet the following three intersectional goals.
MITIGATION is action to reduce the causes of global warming. Mitigation is essential for climate justice and a livable future with fewer disastrous climate impacts. Mitigation to accomplish a livable and just world needs to reduce global net carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 and to near zero by mid-century, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Robust mitigation will reduce the risks of severe climate impacts and make possible a transition to a sustainable future for all.
To meet this goal, after determining the baseline carbon footprint at the beginning of the Green Sanctuary process, the congregation must describe and implement a combination of strategies aiming toward or exceeding the IPCC targets of a 45% reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. Congregations should determine the actions that will have the greatest impact - which will likely include a combination of the congregation, the wider community, state and/or the world. Engagement in meaningful and ongoing civic action advocating mitigation is required. Read some examples of mitigation activities.
Adaptation is the process of (a) reducing vulnerabilities to the harmful effects of climate change (b) making the most of potentially beneficial opportunities associated with positive responses to the crisis. Resilience is the capacity to maintain function in the face of external stresses created by the climate-change crisis.
Congregational Adaptation/Resilience
To meet this goal, building upon the assessment of the congregation’s knowledge and commitment, the congregation must plan and implement an accumulation of actions and experiences that transform the culture of the congregation, creating a foundation for long-term response to climate crisis.
Adaptation: similar to the aforementioned work in the community, congregations should address their own adaptation to increasingly severe climate conditions and weather events as applicable.
Resilience: The plan should provide climate-focused educational and spiritual content to worship services, religious education and congregational life. The intended impact is twofold: greater awareness of the climate-change realities we are facing and will continue to face, and the spiritual grounding in Unitarian Universalist values that is needed to inspire and sustain congregants to engage in the long haul of climate justice work.
In addition to their congregational plan, Green Sanctuary candidates must choose one or both of the following systems as part of their Adaptation/Resilience campaign:
Natural Systems Adaptation/Resilience:
Congregations identify a local or regional ecosystem endangered or impacted by existing and intensifying climate change. After assessing the current status, the congregation initiates actions or collaborates with existing groups that seek to increase the ecosystem’s capacity to withstand climate change, and documents results.
Human Systems Adaptation/Resilience:
Congregations identify a local or regional human community endangered or impacted by existing and intensifying climate change. After assessing the current status, the congregation initiates actions or collaborates with existing groups that seek to increase this community’s capacity to withstand climate change. Examples of this would be addressing disaster preparedness and response and recovery. If this work is done in collaboration with a front-line community, this could also count toward the justice goal, see below. Congregations are encouraged to select actions that will enable them to submit measurable results in their application for accreditation.
Working in partnership with communities who experience and confront the reality that the greatest impacts of the climate crisis are disproportionately imposed on those (a) historically oppressed and least responsible for the crisis (b) with the fewest resources with which to face the crisis while already under environmental stresses, and (c) future generations. These communities are sometimes referred to as front-line, vulnerable or marginalized.
To meet this goal, congregations will deepen or expand an existing collaborative relationship or form a new partnership with a front-line community or front-line led organization that is battling the effects of climate change and the economic and political systems that sustain climate injustice. In their application congregations describe the process of building and strengthening that relationship and identify the primary focus of the group. Because the focus of this work must address the priority of the collaborating group, the project might be described as part of the campaigns that address mitigation or adaptation/resilience. Congregations will provide a statement of intended long-term impacts resulting from the partnership (including impact on the congregation) and they will describe the practical steps for action identified in collaboration with their partners. When the plan has been implemented, congregations document actions taken and resulting actual impacts. If it is not imposing on their time and/or capacity, partners from front-line groups and communities could be invited to provide feedback and assessments, if they wish.
Note: This is the Pre-2020 Program Introduction. Read the current program introduction.
Created in 1989, the Green Sanctuary program is a path for congregational study, reflection, and action in response to environmental challenges. It provides a structure for congregations to examine their current environmental impacts and move towards more sustainable practices grounded in Unitarian Universalism.
To date, 254 or 25% of Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations have achieved Green Sanctuary accreditation, with another 70 in process. They support one another as they strive to embody environmentally just principles and improve the condition of our planet.
Each congregation performs a self-assessment, writes a plan, and completes several projects across four focus areas: Environmental Justice, Worship and Celebration, Religious Education, and Sustainable Living. The goal is to engage a two to three year process of bringing congregational culture into greater alignment with environmentally aware faith and practices. Green Sanctuary accreditation is a formal recognition of a congregation’s service and dedication to the Earth.
More than a study curriculum, Green Sanctuary is a way for congregations to educate themselves on environmental issues and take part in transformational activities designed with several goals in mind. The Green Sanctuary Program seeks to:
Our world is faced with enormous, overwhelming environmental challenges. Green Sanctuary offers a way to amplify the efforts of UU congregations to develop and achieve a healthier, more sustainable future.
The GS accreditation process empowers congregations by:
In 2015, after recognizing the need to directly connect environmental sustainability with racial and economic justice, Green Sanctuary became part of the UUA’s Multicultural Growth and Witness staff group. Part-time staffing is supplemented with consultants and a large cadre of volunteers including an Advisory Group, Review Teams, and Coaches.
Green Sanctuary’s parent organization, UU Ministry for Earth, and participation in the Commit2Respond coalition provide environmental expertise and movement building capacity.
The Green Sanctuary program began as an outgrowth of the Seventh Principle Project, a UUA-affiliated environmental organization created in 1989. In 1991, the Seventh Principle Project published the first Green Sanctuary Handbook, introducing UU congregations to a process intended to integrate environmental consciousness into UU faith communities.
Since then, the program has undergone six revisions, ensuring it remains relevant in supporting congregational responses to environmental and environmental justice issues.
In 1989, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) created the Seventh Principle Project as an affiliated environmental organization. By 1991, they published the Green Sanctuary Handbook with the intent of integrating environmental consciousness and faith-based community, imagining a congregational life reflective of the seventh Principle of Unitarian Universalism, “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.”
In 1999, Fred Small—an early promoter of the Green Sanctuary concept—proposed a comprehensive Green Sanctuary program as his Harvard Divinity School thesis. Modeled after the very effective Welcoming Congregation process, Green Sanctuary invited congregations to engage in a series of actions to address environmental issues, resulting in congregational recognition or “accreditation”.
After a presentation at the 1999 General Assembly, a group of enthusiastic activists took on the challenge of translating Fred Small’s proposal into a functional program. Seventh Principle Project member David Cockrell convened a task force to add new material to the manual, and craft a step-by-step congregational process. Green Sanctuary’s second edition was ready for distribution in the fall of 2000. Mr. Cockrell called for a number of “Founders” congregations to pilot the program, resulting in five congregations completing the program in 2002, followed by three more in 2003.
The pilot illustrated Green Sanctuary’s potential, but it required more flexibility to be truly accessible to congregations of varying sizes, capabilities, geographic locations, and organizational cultures.
Green Sanctuary’s third edition (2003) invited congregations to create their own activities and projects, encompassing all aspects of congregational life. By 2005, when the Seventh Principle Project became the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth (UUMFE), there were thirty-one accredited Green Sanctuary congregations.
Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations began to devote more attention to environmental issues around 2006, culminating in a two-year period of study and action on the issue of global warming. Delegates to the 2006 General Assembly campaigned for and voted overwhelmingly to adopt a Statement of Conscience on the Threat of Global Warming/Climate Change—arguably the clearest and strongest statement by a religious institution to date. This was a grassroots effort, closely tied to many congregations’ Green Sanctuary work.
At that same General Assembly, a record nineteen Green Sanctuary congregations were recognized, bringing the grand total to fifty. For the first time, certificates were presented in a public ceremony on the plenary stage, dramatically increasing the program’s visibility.
UUMFE published the manual’s fourth edition in the fall of 2007, while over 125 Unitarian Universalist congregations were formally enrolled in the Green Sanctuary program. The new version provided detailed information about managing the process, creating a comprehensive action plan, and renewing accreditation status.
By 2008, the Green Sanctuary program had become so successful that UUMFE staff had difficulty keeping up with demand. In July of that year, the UUMFE handed responsibility for the Green Sanctuary program to the UUA’s Stewardship and Development Office.
Supported by the resources of the larger organization, Green Sanctuary continues to thrive. In the summer of 2009, there were 98 accredited Green Sanctuary congregations and 116 in candidacy—representing over 20 percent of UUA congregations.
In 2012, Green Sanctuary underwent a series of reviews to assess the evolution of congregational environmental justice work, and the potential for coordination with UUA staff and related environmental justice organizations. At the same time, UUMFE launched an investigation of "The Theology and Ethics of Environmental Justice" with Meadville Lombard Theological School and Starr King School for the Ministry, sponsored by funding from the UU Funding Program. By now, there were 194 accredited Green Sanctuaries and three re-accredited.
The possibility for greater collaboration between UUA leadership and UU organizations focused on environmental and social justice occurred in 2013, when Green Sanctuary became part of the Multicultural Growth and Witness staff group. In the same year, a Green Sanctuary Manual revision incorporated environmental justice, experimenting with ways to encourage and support congregations in an intersectional approach to addressing environmental issues.
The 2009 Green Sanctuary manual was adapted from the UUMFE publication Green Sanctuary: Congregations Working Together To Restore Earth and Renew Spirit, Fourth Edition (October 2007) by Rev. Katherine Jesch, Director of Environmental Ministry. The Green Sanctuary Program was originally nurtured and managed by the UUMFE, and we are grateful for their shepherding of the program.
2013 edits were made in consultation with Pamela Sparr under the management of Rev. Karen Brammer, and the administrative support of Brent Jurgess. Input for the resulting web-based manual came from the Green Sanctuary Review Team, UU Ministry for Earth and the Theology and Ethics of Environmental Justice Task Force (supported by the Unitarian Universalist Funding Panel), UUA Multicultural Ministry staff member Jessica Halperin, past Executive Director of UU Legislative Ministries in CA, Lindi Gifford, and many others. With deep thanks.
Thanks to Rev. Robert F. Murphy for his contributions on the history of the Green Sanctuary Program and the Environmental Justice Movement.
Thanks to past and present Green Sanctuary Review Team members: Happy Bradford, Gene Burr, Cathy Cramer, Dotti Doyle, Bill Fischer, Stan Grant, Rev. Katherine Jesch, Peg MacMorris, Dave Segel, and Frank Silovsky for their commitment to the Green Sanctuary Program and their consistently helpful guidance, Michael Akillian and Suzi Novak.
Thanks to the many UU congregations whose stories, photos, and examples appeared throughout the previous paper manuals. And a special thanks to the congregations whose sample applications appeared in the indexes.
Thanks to Jesse Holm, UUA Congregational Stewardship Services Administrator, for her thoughtful review and comments.
Thanks to Robin Nelson, UUA Congregational Stewardship Services Program Manager, for her research on UU congregational participation in the Green Sanctuary Program, and her assistance with the publication of this guide.
A special thanks to Kathy Carter, Professional Freelance Editing, for her thoughtful and diligent reorganization, rewriting, and editing of this newest version of the Green Sanctuary Manual (2017).
Note: This is the Pre-2020: Accredited Green Sanctuary Process. Read the current accreditation process.
Green Sanctuary (GS) is a unique opportunity for deep congregational growth and transformation through a commitment to make every aspect of congregational life as sustainable and environmentally responsible as possible. This comprehensive program educates congregations about their environmental impact as institutions and individuals. Action plans seek to increase building sustainability, improve congregational practices, and create relationships within the wider community.
Please joincreateclimatejustice.net to step into the growing community of congregational leaders using Green Sanctuary to support environmental and climate justice work in their congregations.
Congregations seeking Green Sanctuary accreditation will educate themselves and create projects in four focus areas:
Congregations follow a customized, five-stage process towards accreditation:
Stage |
What’s Involved |
Approximate Time Frame / Description |
Possible Costs |
---|---|---|---|
Exploration |
Learning Green Sanctuary program requirements, review of application process and available resources (including the GS website). Participation in an introductory conference call. |
1 -2 weeks |
|
Stage 1: Team Building and Congregational Education |
Team immersion. Establishing a Green Team to manage the GS process. Congregational education, getting congregational leaders on board. |
2-4 months |
|
Stage 2: Congregational Assessment |
Assess congregational energy and water use, waste disposal, food choices, purchasing and other practices. Collect data and present it to the congregation. |
2-4 months |
Professional energy audit Purchasing “Our Place in the Web of Life” curriculum |
Stage 3: Creating an Action Plan |
Choosing and creating project plans in the four focus areas based on data from the assessments. Creating a communications plan to inform the congregation about all GS work. |
2-4 months Will depend on frequency of Green Team meetings and congregational dynamics. Best to include input from the congregation. |
|
Stage 4: Applying to be a GS Candidate |
Preparing and submitting application. Receive feedback, modify plan. |
10 – 20 hours Review team will offer feedback within two weeks. |
$100 Application Fee |
Stage 5: Gaining GS Accreditation |
Carrying out the action plan Applying for Accreditation status |
1 – 3 years Major transitions or congregational crises can lengthen this timeframe. It may also take time to develop partnerships in the community. |
Your congregation may express its desire to become a Green Sanctuary in a variety of ways. Usually, a small group of congregants immediately sees the connection between the program and the core values of Unitarian Universalism. They find out how the program works, and start organizing.
These first steps are very important. It’s true that Green Sanctuary work has the potential to be transformational, but success depends on everyone knowing about and supporting the process. Problems develop when a committed group of people gets too invested in the program, and gets too far ahead of everyone else.
The goals in this stage are:
This section details action steps, reflections, resources, and a checklist.
In this stage, you’ll (1) create a Green Sanctuary team and charter, and (2) educate and engage your congregation around the Green Sanctuary process.
Sometimes the Green Sanctuary Team forms first, then educates the Board and the congregation; other times an exploratory group brings the program to the Board, and the Board charters a Green Team. The team’s formation should reflect how your congregation does its best work.
The team could be an Executive Team that coordinates the work of many sub-groups; a committee comprised of the chair of every other committee; or a team of two or three Board-approved people charged with coordinating congregational activities and the application process. The size of the Green Sanctuary team will depend on the process or governance that works best in your congregation.
The purpose of this team is to manage the entire process and ensure the required steps are completed. The Green Sanctuary team could be called a committee, ministry, or whatever term is customary in your congregation.
Present to the Board: Typically, the initial organizers make a presentation to the congregation’s Board of Trustees (or other governing body) explaining what the Green Sanctuary program is, and its benefit to the congregation. If the board members agree the idea has merit, they authorize the group to start a Green Sanctuary program.
If your congregation is operates under Policy Governance, the direction for this work will come in partnership with the Executive staff team (Minister, Justice Minister, Religious Education [RE] Director, etc.). Find suggestions about this here.
At this point, only a small number of people are aware the Green Sanctuary program’s started. However, the process cannot be successful or meaningful without the participation of the entire congregation.
Joanna Macy, the eco-philosopher and author, reminds us, “The truth is that all aspects of the current crisis reflect the same mistake, setting ourselves apart and using others—other people, other species, and other resources—for our own gain. To heal any aspect of our separateness helps the others to heal as well. Just find what you love to work on and take joy in that.”
Even then, it would be unrealistic to expect total participation. The choices we make depend on personal values, experiences, family situations, health, and economic circumstances, among other factors. Show appreciation for those who adopt lifestyle changes, but be careful not to pressure, chastise, or embarrass those who do not.
As leaders of this effort, you are encouraged to engage a sounding board outside the congregation. This could be the Green Sanctuary Manager, an accredited congregation, or your coach (if you have one).
Part of the Green Sanctuary process involves integrating environmental themes into your worship services, celebrations, lifespan religious education, and social justice programming. As you work on the other action plan projects, these programs become a source of support by fostering a sense of community and spirituality.
Support also comes through the strength of acting together. In the Green Sanctuary program, individual actions accumulate to create a larger impact than each person could by acting alone. Together you can see the difference, and together you can reinforce one another’s commitments.
Throughout the process, look for ways to support each other. For example, if shifting away from a materialistic lifestyle seems daunting to many in your congregation, you may want to initiate “simplicity circles”: small groups that provide reinforcement and affirmation for adopting a lifestyle that is healthier for the planet.
This checklist is a helpful way to ensure you have completed the steps that build success in subsequent stages, and serves as a good reference for your candidacy application.
Use short phrases, bullets, and references to other documents (full sentences aren’t necessary).
STEP |
HOW YOU CAN TRACK OR MEASURE IMPACT OF THIS STEP |
DATE ACCOMPLISHED OR LAUNCHED |
---|---|---|
Learn |
||
Build Team |
||
Educate Leadership |
||
Educate Congregation |
Your first major Green Sanctuary activity will be a comprehensive environmental assessment: a snapshot of your congregation’s current positions on environmental programs and practices. You will review everything from building and grounds management, to worship elements and the content of your educational programs. You will also examine consumption patterns, spending habits, and social activities.
A summary of your environmental assessment is required to become a Green Sanctuary candidate, is valuable regardless. Acknowledging what the congregation does well provides a psychological boost. The assessment will also identify gaps, problem areas, and opportunities for improvement. With this information, you can develop a list of recommendations and opportunities that will strengthen operations and insure long-term sustainability. You will put your passion for justice to work by identifying opportunities to deepen your relationship with the Earth, and healing environmental damage to human and nonhuman communities.
The assessment helps to develop the substance of your Green Sanctuary action plan. As you carry out the plan, the assessment becomes a baseline that allows you to visibly measure your progress.
Your Green Sanctuary candidacy application will include a summary of the key findings of your environmental assessment. You are encouraged to keep the detailed findings as a permanent part of your files. Periodically updating the assessment can help you track changes and evaluate future actions.
This stage has two main goals, with an optional third:
This section describes action steps, reflections, and available resources for this stage.
This stage has two main goals:
Your congregation may also choose to incorporate a personal assessment: an optional survey of the individuals in your congregation to assess attitudes and habits related to environmental issues.
In the second component of the environmental assessment, your team reviews congregational programs and practices in each Green Sanctuary focus area: Worship and Celebration, Religious Education, Environmental Justice, and Sustainable Living.
Assigned team members will investigate which issues, practices, and policies need evaluation.
Assign data-gathering tasks based on team members’ skills and perspectives. Someone methodical and analytical might prefer reviewing documents, while tact and communication skills are important when conducting interviews.
The actual assessment process will vary considerably across congregations. Some have well-documented procedures, neatly filed records, and a clear structure of committee responsibilities. Other teams may have to dig through records in storage boxes, or try to find the name of the committee member in charge of a relevant, but years-old project. If you encounter these challenges, find out as much as you can. When information is unavailable, look at it as an opportunity to start fresh by identifying new policies or practices.
“How far back should we look?” is a frequent question. If a practice has been in place for two or three years, it’s safe to say it’s ongoing. If a major event happened four or five years ago (moving to a new building, the arrival of a new minister with very different views on the environment), you might want to include an explanation in your assessment.
Personal assessments are individual surveys that ask about ongoing, environmentally friendly practices and habits. This is an optional step, but can be meaningful.
Learning which positive environmental actions congregants are already taking can provide reasons to celebrate, and give you hope for the future. Understanding congregants’ interests may suggest projects to include in your action plan. Just taking the survey often raises awareness, motivating respondents to take action. Having people retake the survey after completing your action plan can measure the impact of Green Sanctuary participation.
Most surveys focus on energy and water usage, recycling, food choices, and other elements of sustainability. Some also try to gauge respondents’ knowledge about environmental issues, involvement in environmental action, and interest or willingness to participate in specific activities.
Whether you design your own survey, or adapt one from another source, following these guidelines can help increase participation:
A professional energy audit is an important part of your environmental assessment, and the only element that requires technical expertise.
An energy audit is a professional examination of a building with respect to energy efficiency. Considerations include:
Based on this information, the auditor calculates current energy usage and recommends high, medium, or low priority improvements depending on estimated energy savings, required investment, and the speed of return on said investment. Auditors often provide information about potential rebates for said improvements.
Unless your congregation is fortunate enough to have a willing volunteer with the expertise to conduct an audit, you will need to contract for it. Many states provide resources for low-cost, subsidized, or free audits. Some contractors that install heating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems conduct audits and arrange a payment plan using savings gained from implementing the recommendations. If your state has an Interfaith Power and Light program, it may be able to provide an energy audit or recommend a contractor. Research all your options before making a decision.
Whether or not you qualify for a low-cost or free audit, the return on your investment usually makes the process worthwhile. The higher your current energy costs, the shorter the payback period once you implement the recommendations.
There are a few situations where an energy audit is impractical or unnecessary. If this is the case, include an explanation in your application.
NOTE: If you don’t conduct an energy audit, or the audit shows that major changes are unnecessary, you can still include an energy conservation project in your action plan.
Here are some things to consider as you move through your Congregational Assessment.
Developed by David Cooperrider in the mid-1980s, appreciative inquiry is a fundamental shift from the usual approach to implementing organizational improvements.
It starts with the premise that positive change springs from asking positive questions: When have we been at our best? What are we doing well right now? What do we want more of in the future? Reflecting on these questions can inspire organizations to new levels of excellence.
Assessing congregational practices can bring up many feelings on the part of the staff and the congregation, especially since most of us have been conditioned to focus on solving problems (“What went wrong? How can we fix it?”). Appreciative inquiry encourages us to build on our successes.
In conducting your assessment, look for opportunities to use this technique. In addition to researching congregational facts and figures, ask people to talk about successful programs and practices. For example: if you’re interviewing a congregant about a recent social action project, you might ask:
A focus on appreciative inquiry can infuse the congregation with positive energy that ripples beyond the Green Sanctuary process.
Goal 1: Professional Energy Audit
Goal 2: Congregational assessment
Goal 3: Personal Assessment
The Green Sanctuary Action Plan is the compilation of twelve or more projects that will guide your congregation’s completion of the accreditation requirements.
Focus Area |
Number of Projects |
Additional Requirements |
---|---|---|
Environmental Justice |
At least 1 |
See environmental justice checklist |
Worship and Celebration |
At least 3 |
At least one longer-term/ongoing At least one related to environmental justice |
Religious Education |
At least 3 |
Two for different age groups within your congregation. Can be multigenerational. At least one related to environmental justice. |
Sustainable Living |
At least 4 |
At least one related to climate change. At least one related to environmental justice. |
The ideal action plan is a series of actions that will move your congregational culture towards a deeper environmental awareness grounded in UU values, sustainability, and justice. It’s also a a road map to help you strategize and check the logistics of your program elements.
If you find that some elements are no longer appropriate, simply adjust the plan as needed.
If you make a significant revision and are not sure whether the plan still meets the program requirements, contact the Green Sanctuary Manager at uua_greensanctuary@uua.org.
This section includes reflections and available resources for this stage.
Developing your action plan can be a rewarding activity. It provides focus and purpose, inspiring you to envision what your congregation can achieve by living Unitarian Universalist Principles in the pursuit of a better world. Take your time, and enjoy this opportunity to reflect on your goals.
Before deciding which projects to pursue, identify who will lead each one. If you cannot find at least one or two volunteers willing to coordinate a project, consider an alternative that generates more enthusiasm and/or is more feasible.
When your team is satisfied with your chosen projects, you’re ready to document your plan and prepare your formal application to become a Green Sanctuary candidate.
Once you have formed a Green Sanctuary team, engaged your congregation, completed the assessments, and developed an action plan for your projects, you are ready to become a Green Sanctuary candidate.
Bringing your congregation to this stage illustrates your commitment to implementing your Green Sanctuary program, including support from key people. Both elements are critical to your success.
The application includes:
This section of the website includes action steps and reflections on applying to be a Green Sanctuary candidate.
The Green Sanctuary candidate application consists of three parts:
Download:
If you cannot submit the form electronically, contact the Green Sanctuary Manager for alternate mailing instructions.
Questions? Contact the Green Sanctuary Manager at uua_greensanctuary@uua.org.
Before submitting the completed application, some teams ask their congregation to vote to apply for candidacy. This is not required, but it can be a way of gauging a congregation’s commitment and solidifying support. There is some risk in asking the congregation to vote at this stage, since a negative vote or a very weak positive vote can reflect hesitancy about the program or resistance to making a strong commitment. Anticipate the likely outcome and strategize accordingly. (Note: a vote is required before applying for final accreditation, after completion of the action plan.)
If you choose to ask for a vote before applying for candidacy, it’s a good idea to use general wording in the motion. You may need to adjust your plans as you move through the program, so less restrictive language leaves your options open.
Each congregation is asked to pay a one-time application fee of $100. Instructions for submitting the fee are on the application form.
After you submit your application:
You are free to make changes to your plan at any point in the process. There is no need to submit ongoing revisions unless you have a question about meeting the program requirements.
Allow one to three years to complete the projects in your action plan. It takes at least a year for everyone to get on board with the program. It may take a year to develop collaborative relationships and make positive change on an environmental justice issue. Another year can involve establishing changes in congregational practice, and individual congregants integrating the associated learnings and commitments.
As you carry out the plan, major changes in the life of the congregation like losing a minister or long-term leader or having to move to a different site for worship can derail the Green Sanctuary process. If this happens, contact the Green Sanctuary Manager or your coach for support.
When you have completed your action plan, a special celebration is in order! After that, you will prepare for accreditation.
Some may approach this work as another task, making it difficult to stay interested and engaged. Others may see it as an urgent mission to save the world, a view likely to be overwhelming. As you implement your action plan, try to balance both perspectives. Staying task-oriented keeps you organized and gives you milestones to celebrate; a sense of mission inspires you to stretch beyond your comfort level and reach for a higher goal.
One of the best ways to maintain energy and enthusiasm during your Green Sanctuary journey is to recognize that each completed project is a milestone. Celebrate your success!
Once a year, candidates submit a brief report detailing recent accomplishments and general progress, requesting assistance as needed. This annual report will contain photographs and other documentation necessary for your accreditation application.
If a newsletter is part of your communications plan, consider using it as a basis for record-keeping. Add metrics or stories to explain where you began, detail your congregation’s actions, and note the program’s overall impact.
Specifically for the environmental justice work, a tracking tool is available as a shorthand way to record what you do over time. You will need to add more details to this tracking tool to create a complete enough picture for the review team, but it can provide a good scaffold.
If you asked individuals to fill out a survey as part of your environmental assessment, consider repeating the survey after completing your action plan. Comparing the “before” and “after” responses will track changes in awareness, action, and long-term commitment. Summarize your work in a final report and present it to the congregation.
Applying for accreditation must go to a congregational vote. The wording of the motion or resolution can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. Ideally, it will express an explicit commitment to live by your Green Sanctuary values, including continuing to make environmentally appropriate choices in all actions and decisions. You might choose to craft a covenant for your vote, giving added weight to your commitment.
The application for Green Sanctuary accreditation is available as a Microsoft Word file. Note that some sections are similar to the candidacy application.
The program evaluation helps the UUA’s Stewardship and Development Office determine whether the Green Sanctuary program effectively meets the program goals. It can also suggest new directions for living out your commitments after you receive accreditation.
Answer the following questions in one to three paragraphs:
Email your completed application to uua_greensanctuary@uua.org. If you need to send your application via postal mail, contact us for instructions.
Specific questions can be directed to the Green Sanctuary Manager.
Once you submit your accreditation application, it will be forwarded to a Green Sanctuary Review Team. The Green Sanctuary Manager will communicate any requests for information, clarification, or requests for additional work.
After the review meeting, the Manager will draft a letter officially recognizing your congregation as a Green Sanctuary.
You will receive a certificate suitable for framing and display. You may also want to add the Green Sanctuary logo to your congregation’s website, and/or send a press release to local media outlets.
Congratulations! After months of planning, implementing, and documenting your projects, you have earned Green Sanctuary accreditation. This is a joyful achievement, so take the opportunity to celebrate and to show appreciation to everyone who participated.
Note: This is the Pre-2020: Green Sanctuary Accreditation Renewal Process. Read the current renewal process.
Congregations that have already earned Green Sanctuary accreditation can be recognized for continuing their work through the Green Sanctuary re-accreditation process. Most choose this route to help refocus and energize their green sanctuary team and congregation. The re-accreditation process may take as little as three months or as long as two years to complete, depending on each congregation’s unique situation.
The re-accreditation process has eight steps:
Approximately 30% of Unitarian Universalist congregations are fully accredited Green Sanctuaries. This list reflects all known Accredited and Re-Accredited congregations, and those that have achieved Candidate status in the last five years (2012-2017).