From Our Social Action / Green Sanctuary Committee

We need a new co-chair for this committee.  Responsibilities include
1. Prepare an agenda for our monthly meeting.
2. Facilitate the discussion at that meeting.
3. Document Results (can be delegated).
a. Summarize our discussions & plans (minutes)
b. Distribute them among committee members (e-mail to committee members)
c. Send monthly announcement to the newsletter (e-mail to Linda & Shirley)

Bill Gazitano is functioning as co-chair primarily of Green Sanctuary agenda items, but can help with distributing information and sending announcements to newsletter.
Contact Bill, if you are willing to help with this important committee.

It was requested that the Social Action Committee take on the responsibility of delivering food bank items at the end of each month.   This led to a discussion of where the items should be delivered.  We are making plans to take over this responsibility.

UUSC Coffee Project

The UUSC Coffee Project is an ongoing fundraiser where coffee, tea, and chocolate is purchased through Equal Exchange, an organization that works directly with small farmer cooperatives.  Establishing these trade partnerships supports sustainable and shade-grown farming practices, aids development of stable incomes and improved lives of the farmers, and contributes to UUSC programs that support the human rights and social justice work of community-based cooperatives in coffee-growing regions.  Please stop by our display in the sanctuary and support this organization while enjoying their delicious products!   - Kim Bywater

Reducing our “carbon footprint” is everyone’s responsibility.  What is our carbon footprint?  It is the amount of greenhouse gases we as individuals produce, that contribute to global warming.  Acting locally begins in the home.  Here are a few suggestions from the website: http://www.nativeenergy.com/more_you_can_do.html
Travel:  Keep your auto tuned up and the tires properly inflated.  Don’t leave that junk in the trunk either.  All that extra weight is killing your gas mileage, so leave those cinder blocks at home where they belong.  Don’t idle your car.   Accelerate gently.  Drive slower on the highway.  Use public transit, when possible.  Share your ride.  Ride your bike.
Household:  Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) are a more efficient way of lighting your home.  They last longer and use less energy.  (The initial cost is higher, but you save in the long run.)  Use a programmable thermostat for your furnace or air conditioning.  Seal up those drafty windows and doors.
More information is available at our church website: http://www.uuutica.org/carbonfootprintinfo.htm

Social Action meetings will take place the third Sunday of every month. Diane Stebbins, Social Action Committee

If you are a National Grid customer, you can elect to have your energy supplied from wind and hydro-electric (renewable) sources.  This may cost a few more dollars a month, but it is one way we can decrease demand for nuclear and fossil fuels.  Go to:  http://www.niagaramohawk.com/enrgchoice/programs/renew-res.html  or call  1-800-642-4272.  They can send you a copy of the card that is needed to make the switch.  Or you can make the switch on website above, by going directly to one of the providers listed on that page.

COMPEER Volunteers & Donations needed  Can you spend an hour or so a week having lunch or visiting with an adult or child with mental health or emotional challenges?  Your help is greatly appreciated.  Bill Gazitano, one of our members, is a on their Board of Directors.  Go to http://www.compeermv.org for more information or call COMPEER at 315-735-1066.  Financial donations are welcome, as funding has been reduced.

For more information on the Darfur Relief Fund, check the Social Action Bulletin Board at church, and visit www.savedarfur.org and/or www.uusc.org.

What is the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee?

Originally founded by Unitarians in the days before World War II to assist European refugees, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has been successfully partnering with grassroots organizations around the world for over 60 years to empower women, to support the struggles of oppressed racial, ethnic and indigenous groups, and to defend the rights of children. In addition, the Service Committee trains young people here at home to be the next generation of social justice leaders.

The UUSC does not receive direct support from the Unitarian Universalist Association or from any government agency. UUSC relies primarily on the contributions of its 25,000 members, supporters and volunteers.
Kate Beasley, director of Religious Education at the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship wrote, "When I was growing up in a Unitarian Church in the 1950's and 60's, supporting the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee was as much a part of being Unitarian Universalist as attending church. It was a given that if you joined a church you also joined the UUSC. Becoming a member of the UUSC is one of the easiest ways to put our UU values into practice."

Wouldn't it be wonderful for our congregation to be a leader in UUSC involvement, so that it becomes "a given that if you joined [this] church you also joined the UUSC"? Please consider becoming a member. Information will be on the "Guest at Your Table" boxes you will receive this month. To learn more, visit http://www.uusc.org .
 
 

Click on the link, In Memoriam, for a photo album of flags flown in memory of those who have died in Irag, US Military, Iraqi Citizens and others.

Farm Worker's Act

Please consider sending this to representatives in the NY State Senate and NY State Assembly, to urge their support for this legislation.  You may use the wording below or your own:

"Farmworkers in New York State deserve to be given the same rights as all other New York workers. They deserve nothing short of equality.
I urge you to support the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act (FFLPA), which will erase the remaining exclusions that keep farmworkers in a state of labor inequality. [NOTE: In 2009, the FFLPA bill number is A.1867 in the NYS Assembly and S.2247 in the NYS Senate.]

New York must take a stand to show the country that inequality will not be tolerated.
We must continue the civil rights struggle until we reach true equality.
We cannot stand for laws that target and exclude people from their basic civil rights."

Links:

New York State Senate

NY State Assembly

To find out who your State Senator and Assembly Member is you can search by your zip code on both sites linked above.  Just click on the link and it will open your browser to the correct page.

Other contact information such as traditional mailing address and phone numbers should be available at the individual Senator's and Assembly Member's individual site, which you can find from the links above.

Green Tip:

Last month, we said reduce your thermostat by 1 degree.  If you have central air, the same may apply, only you would increase your thermostat by 1 degree.  If your car has air conditioning, it will get better mileage when you don't use it.

The Community Food Bank needs our help!

If you have a garden, plant a row for the Community Food Bank.  Director Kim Strong said if 200 people would donate the harvest from five plants each, this would enable them to feed the ever increasing number of hungry people.

"We need all the help we can get to survive this year," she said. "People are saying they have enough to pay their bills but there is nothing left for food.  If you can lend a hand or have questions, contact Kim and Denise.

The Family Nurturing Center of Central NY, Inc. sent a note of thanks for the paper products given to the Evelyn’s House.  They are very pleased our congregation is a part of the community’s efforts in assisting them in meeting the needs of young women and their babies who are in need of services.

Green Sanctuary

Green Sanctuary Committee will become a subcommittee of Social Action and agenda items will be included in Social Action meetings.

Becoming the Change – Green Ideas

The following list was compiled during the last IONS (Institute of Noetic Science) Community Group Meeting.  These are ideas of how each of us can demonstrate our commitment to reduce energy consumption and to reduce our impact on the environment.  If you have additional ideas you’d like to share or would like more information about our group, please contact Jack Pendrak at email:  jpendrak@a-znet.com.  The next group meeting is March 29 at 10 A.M.

· Turn off lights/appliances when not in use
· Replace incandescent with compact florescent lights
· Keep up air pressure in your car tires
· Use environmentally-friendly cleaning/laundry products (some are concentrated which reduces containers as well as costs)
· Buy carbon offsets – One carbon calculator can be found at (http://www.carbonfund.org/site/pages/carbon_calculators/)
· Use canvas or other reusable shopping bags – (Saves on Plastic and is also a way to show your intentions publicly).
· Give eco-friendly Christmas gifts (florescent lights – carbon offsets – eco friendly cleaning products, reusable shopping bags are gift suggestions)
· Use a thermos or refillable bottle/ceramic not Styrofoam
· Garden organically – or support those who do
· Eat locally grown food
· Buy through co-ops (Utica Community Co-op and Little Falls Co-op are examples)
· Buy cruelty-free products
· Find out about the Better World Auto Club (www.BetterWorldClub.com)
· Use public transportation/bike/walk
· Compost
· Educate yourself/attend workshops
· Reduce water consumption/waste
· Reduce use of paper/plastic
· Reduce packaging
· Car Pool
· Reduce support for the meat industry
(The meat industry in the US consumes more fossil fuels than all passenger cars in US each year.  Becoming a vegetarian keeps 2.5 tons of carbon out of the atmosphere as compared with 2 tons by switching to a hybrid car) .

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has a web site from which you can send action alert messages to your elected representatives.  Go to http://capwiz.com/uusc/home/

If you would like to sign on as a member of our Human Rights Defenders network of activists and receive regular e-mail alerts,  please contact Brandi Tague in our Programs Department
at Brandit@uusc.org.  This is a quick way to make your voice heard.
 

EXTRA!  If you would like to send an email message to President Bush about the Campaign to help end the genocide in Darfur, you may go to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee site and under "What's New" on the right hand side, click onto "Join Million Voices for Darfur".  This site, http://www.uusc.org/darfur/index.html, will allow you the opportunity to send an electronic postcard to President Bush.  Paper postcards will also be available at church on Sunday.   Also, the UUSC has a blog page at http://www.uusc.org/blog/hotwire.html called hotwire .   Visit it for more information.

Close the School of Assassins

On November 18-20, 2005 thousands of people of conscience will gather to demonstrate at the entrance to Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia, home of the notorious School of the Americas (SOA/WHINSEC) where the U.S. Army trains dictators and terrorists who commit atrocities against humanity throughout Latin America.

This school’s legacy of shame began in 1946 in Panama. In 1984 it was kicked out of that country under the terms of the Panama Canal Treaty. Former Panamanian President, Jorge Illueca, stated that the School of the Americas was the “biggest base for destabilization in Latin America.” The SOA, frequently dubbed the “School of Assassins,” has left a trail of blood and suffering in every country where its graduates have returned.

Over its 59 years, the SOA has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. These graduates have consistently used their skills to wage a war against their own people. Among those targeted by SOA graduates are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been tortured, raped, assassinated, “disappeared,” massacred, and forced into refugee by those trained at the School of Assassins.
This spring an opportunity will come in the form of a Congressional vote to have this school closed for good.

Support for and against this action is just about even, so a strong presence at this November demonstration could make all the difference. It is an annual demonstration, one of the most family and beginner friendly protests in the country.

I am urging the members of our congregation to, if you are able, join this peaceful protest and speak out for justice. If you are unable to attend you can sponsor someone from our region to attend. Our nearest organizing group is School of the Americas Abolitionists in Syracuse.

Information on Drug Policy Reform

UUs for Drug Policy Reform, a national independent affiliate of the UUA, invites you to get involved. Find the resources to help you with the UUA's drug war Study/Action Issue and other useful information at http://www.uudpr.org/ or contact Charles Thomas, President, UUs for Drug Policy Reform, at 301-938-1577, e-mail charlesthomas@uudpr.org

A short message from the Social Action Committee

We are continuing to investigate ways to add our voice to the concern over the efficacy
of the 30-year-old Rockefeller drug laws that deal with the sale of drugs. Currently we are contacting each of the 32 other uu churches in the St. Lawrence District to see if there is any interest in making this a collective effort.

Several from the Committee attended a presentation at a meeting of the League of Women Voters about the Oneida County Drug Court. This is a relatively new specialized court that deals with nonviolent offenders who use/abuse drugs, and uses a community-based team approach that seeks to modify behavior rather than to automatically turn to the traditional incarceration system.

We are looking for volunteers from the congregation to participate in NYS's Adopt-A-Highway Program. This is a 2-year contract to attend to a 2-mile stretch of roadside four times/year. In turn a sign would be placed at the location acknowledging our church's participation.

Pro-Choice Assistance Needed

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America has advised Planned Parenthood Centers nationwide that October  3rd 2005 may be an intense day of picketing by Anti-choice groups.
Why?: October 3rd marks the beginning of the next United States Supreme Court session.
Who?: Multiple anti choice groups may be involved including STOPP (Stop Planned Parenthood) and ALL (American Life League.
When?: All day Monday  October 3, 2005. Our center hours on Mondays are 8:30 AM to 4:30  PM.
Where?: Planned Parenthood Center, 1424 Genesee St., Utica
What can YOU do to help?:
Come stand in support of pro-choice – come for 30 minutes, an hour, anytime that you can – help our patients and the community know that there are pro-choice advocates out there and we have a voice.
Bring a friend, a family member, a stranger, come alone – every body and voice counts.
It is not our policy to engage protestors, it is our right to be out there just as it is the right of these protestors to be there.
Mission statement of PPFA:
“-to empower every individual to make responsible and informed decisions about sexual and reproductive health.”

Congratulations to Kate Oser, who was awarded the honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, by Utica College at their annual commencement May 15, 2005.   Kate was recognized for her many years as a social activist.  Click on her name to read full article.

INTEREST IN MAKING THE WORLD A MORE PEACEFUL PLACE! ! !

Join the

The Mohawk Valley Peace Coalition Mission

 Its mission. . .
 To challenge violent conflict in all its forms by
 1) increasing awareness of the consequences of and alternatives to war
 2) promoting an understanding of motivation for war and
 3) offering education on creative alternatives for conflict resolution.

To get involved contact Doreen Markson as listed in our Directory.

T -Shirts:
The logo on the T -shirts being sold is "War is not the Answer". Very versatile, being sold at cost to raise consciousness. Posters are also available. Contact Kate Oser, as listed in our Directory.

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (uusc.org)
A powerful voice for human rights In order to help Unitarian Universalists and peace advocates educate, act, and organize around this issue, we have assembled resources that you and your community can use to advocate peace and alternatives to violent conflict in Iraq. Below are links that provide important information about current events, the history of the conflict with Iraq, as well as resources for action:
American Friends Service Committee (http://www.afsc.org/iraq/Default.htm) Provides alternatives to war, reasons to oppose the war, history of the conflict, and resources for action.Ê Friends Committee on National Legislation (http://www.fcnl.org/) United for Peace (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/)
Unitarian Universalist Association (http://www.uua.org/news/2002/021105.html)
Churches for Middle East Peace (http://www.cmep.org/)
National Council of Churches (http://www.ncccusa.org/)
National Network to End the War (http://www.endthewar.org/default-new.htm)
New York Times Iraq Page (http://www.nytimes.com/pages/world/worldspecial/index.html)
St. Lawrence District Opportunities (See Bulletin Board for moor info)