A Green Sanctuary is a congregation that lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating a sustainable life style for its members as individuals and as a faith community. Sustainable living is not about our material comfort (though these choices are an important part of the overall life style); it is about choosing to live in a way that nurtures life, builds relationships, and rejects material consumption as the sole determinant of happiness.

Program Goals

• To build awareness of societal environmental issues among UUs.
• To generate commitment for personal lifestyle changes.
• To motivate UUs to community action on environmental issues.
• To build a connection between spiritual practice and environmental consciousness.
• To build awareness of and rectify environmental injustices.

Program Activities

The Green Sanctuary Program includes at least twelve activities in four program areas which are explained in detail in the Manual. These four program elements are:

• Worship and Celebration
• Religious Education
• Environmental Justice
• Sustainable Living

Some projects will be one time events, others will be on going over a period of months. Please note:

A minimum of two activities is required in each of the first three elements, while at least four must be carried out in the category of Sustainable Living, including at least one energy conservation activity. Two additional activities can be selected from any of the four program elements.

One social justice project will be a major on-going activity in collaboration with another congregation or organization to address an issue of environmental justice in your community or in the world.

For more information…

For more information about the Green Sanctuary program and certification process, visit the UUA Green Sanctuary Program website at www.uua.org/environment/green-sanctuary