The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

Green Sanctuary News and Tips

April, 2008

Big Sunday

Big Sunday is a citywide weekend of service in Los Angeles. People from hundreds of congregations, schools, offices, clubs and other groups volunteer at more than 300 different non-profit organizations.

This year we have submitted our application to participate in “Green Sunday” an expansion of Big Sunday. UUCCSM will be a collection site for electronic waste on Saturday, May 3, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Save the date so you can take part by dropping off any electronic equipment you no longer want. Volunteers are needed to be on hand on that day. Please contact me if you would be willing to work for a few hours. Thank you.

Volunteer signups begin April 1. Go to bigsunday.org to see a listing of all the activities on Big Sunday weekend, May 3 and 4. Or contact Sandra Trutt.

— Sandra Trutt

Sustainable Landscaping

Regarding the use of turf in landscaped parkways at UUCCSM, there are some pertinent facts for the congregation to consider if we are to model good stewardship of the natural environment. There are additional options for landscaping an area with heavy foot traffic, as is demonstrated to great effect at the City’s garden/garden demonstration gardens. The gardens are located at 1718 and 1724 Pearl St., Santa Monica. Garden\garden is composed of two adjacent front yards showing two different approaches to garden design. The “California-friendly” garden showcases native plants, a dry creek bed, and efficient irrigation, while the adjacent “traditional” garden includes more typical features brought to Santa Monica from the east. The native garden is using seven times less water and costs 50% less to maintain than the traditional garden.

Here are several of the significant problems associated with turfed areas:

Water use

Reducing outdoor water use is critical to Santa Monica’s sustainable future. Currently, the City of Santa Monica imports over 90% of its water from Northern California and the Colorado River (over 400 miles). Nearly half of the water consumed in Santa Monica homes is used for watering landscapes.With the goal of curbing citywide water use 20% by the year 2010, the City has expanded its water efficiency incentive programs. Research shows that converting turf and other water-thirsty plants, and traditional, highvolume spray sprinkler irrigation systems to California friendly plants and water-efficient irrigation systems, can save up to 80% of water and 60% of maintenance costs.Water-efficient gardens produce less yard waste, reduce the need for harmful chemicals and polluting maintenance equipment, and provide habitat for beneficial birds and insects. Due to the ongoing water emergency in our state, water fees in the upper tiers of use will rise dramatically (up to as much as $16/hcf in the top tier). Historic dry conditions, coupled with legal and regulatory constraints on water deliveries to Southern California, make it essential for us all to consider water efficiency a priority.

Urban runoff

Urban runoff flows from individual properties onto the streets, then through storm drains to the beaches. Research studies have shown that urban runoff contributes many pollutants to receiving waters. Contamination includes bacteria and viruses, solid waste, and toxics such as heavy metals and petroleum-based compounds — all of it from our street surfaces. The number of beach closures in Southern California caused by ocean pollution has continued to increase, while beach closures have declined in other parts of the nation. Urban runoff is the single largest source of this ocean pollution, and consequently, is the number one threat in the state to public health and water quality. In Santa Monica, no runoff is permitted from lawns and landscapes into streets, alleys, or gutters at any time. In addition, when grass is fertilized, the fertilizer is carried via rainfall and over-irrigation to the bay, where it is largely responsible for the algae blooms that suffocate marine life.

High levels of particulate emissions from lawn-care equipment

Small two-stroke engines are the single most efficient way to convert gasoline to particulates. On average, 30% of the gasoline that goes into the tank of a two-stroke mower or blower is released directly into the atmosphere as unburned fuel, i.e., particulates. On any given day, up to 25% of the smog produced in the Los Angeles basin is caused by lawn care equipment. Not only do these machines contribute to unhealthful air for all of us, but the gardeners who use this equipment inhale the greatest concentration of small particulates for hours over the course of an entire work day.

Excess production of green waste (grass clippings)

Currently, the yard waste from the green bin is trucked by 18-wheeler to a landfill, where it is used in alternate layers with household waste (garbage). The landfill that serves Los Angeles and Santa Monica will be full in two years. After that, our waste will be trucked by 18-wheeler to Las Vegas. Solid waste fees will rise significantly.

— Grace Phillips

Join a Green Living Workshop

Sustainable Works, a non-profit environmental education organization sponsored by the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica College offers a 6-week Green Living Workshop designed to help residents learn about important environmental issues, save valuable resources, lower utility bills, and protect household health.

The Green Sanctuary Committee is sponsoring their new workshop starting Tuesday, April 22, 7–8:30 p.m. Cost is $25 for Santa Monica residents ($35 for Los Angeles residents) for the full six weeks, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Meets in Forbes Hall.

To reserve your space, contact Barent Roth at roth_barent@smc.edu or (310) 428-8716 Ext. 1. For more information, contact Sandra Trutt.

March, 2008

Tree People Events

Tree People has many planting and tree care events every week. They are also part of Million Trees L.A., joining the Department of Recreation and Parks to help plant 300,000 trees in city parks over the next several years. Visit www.treepeople.org for more information or call (818) 753-4600.

A tree care event will occur on Saturday, March 15, in downtown L.A. Teams will care for young pink trumpet trees. To register, contact Lisa Sotelo at volunteer@treepeople. org or (818) 623-4879. Let me know if you want to carpool together from church.

— Sandra Trutt

Reducing Carbon Emissions by Diet

Lester Brown, in his new book, “Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization,” writes that we can also reduce carbon emissions by moving down the food chain. The energy used to provide the typical American diet and that used for personal transportation are roughly equal. A plantbased diet requires about onefourth as much energy as a diet rich in red meat. The reduction in carbon emissions in shifting from a red-meat-rich diet to a plantbased diet is about the same as that in shifting from a Chevrolet Suburban SUV to a Toyota Prius hybrid car.

— Sandra Trutt

Eco Secrets in the Home

We all take actions at home that are good for the environment. In asking others to share what things they do at home, I got a surprising variety and number of useful ways to save energy and water and to have less impact on the world. Here in their own words are some eco secrets of our members and friends.

“Instead of heating the bedroom, I use an electric mattress pad to warm the bed before getting into it at night. I turn it on for about 20 minutes before bedtime, then turn it off when I retire for the evening. This saves the energy that would be needed to heat the mostly unused bedroom.”
— Catherine Farmer

“I keep a pail by the shower to collect cold water wasted before the water gets hot. This saved water is used to flush the toilet. In the kitchen, the saved water is taken out to use in the garden.”
— Diana Spears

“I boycott Kleenex brand tissues as the company refuses to use any recycled paper in its products. All their products are made from virgin paper. I use 100% recycled tissue instead.”
— Lyndon Hallows

“We as a household run no heat at all throughout any part of the home.We build a fire in the room we spend most time in and wear whatever extra clothing is necessary to stay warm. Often we are in jackets throughout the night. In the summer, we keep only the same one room cooled. In the bedroom, we run ceiling fans during sleep and keep all windows covered with heavy, heat resistant shades.We are hoping to use more of Alison Kendall’s ideas for future savings.”
— Diane Ludowitz

“I use L.A. Times plastic covers for garbage going to the city dump.”
— Eleanor Eagan

Janie Spencer sent in these practices:

I wash out resealable plastic bags (except for those used to store meat) and hang them to dry on chopsticks in a plant on the window sill above my sink, so that I can reuse them.

I gave my nearest neighbors a basket to put their cans and bottles in and collect them and take them to the recycling center along with mine. The money goes in a piggy bank and is used for “mad money.”

I hang my clothes to dry, instead of using the dryer.

I buy pre-owned clothing from re-sale shops.

To avoid using energy to cook, I eat more raw foods and one-dish meals.

Most important, I use all green household products, which I buy from a wholesale club, so they are less expensive than toxic ones.

Leslie Reuter shares:

Close off unused rooms so they aren’t heated.

Keep the house temperature low and use an Energy-Star-rated space heater to heat only the room you are in.

Instead of using air conditioning, use a fan and open the windows in the evening when it is cooler outside.

When buying something, think: Do I need it? Can I buy it used instead of new? Can I buy it with less packaging (buy in bulk)? Can I buy it in a natural material instead of a synthetic material? Can I buy a version that doesn’t consume energy (handoperated can opener instead of electric)?

Wash clothes in cold water.

Run full loads in the washer and dishwasher.

To the contributors above, thank you for giving us a look into your home and lifestyle and for inspiring us with these thoughtful, heartfelt actions. More to come next month.

— Sandra Trutt, Co-Chair, Green Committee

February, 2008

Re-Use Everything

• Disposable items can often be reused for the same or different purposes — margarine tubs, glass jars and many food containers and bags.
• Paper that has been printed or written on one side can be flipped over and the blank side used in the printer or for writing drafts.
• Blank back sides of ads and coupons from mailings can be saved, stapled together and used for lists and scratch pads.
• When printing from the computer, be sure to click “Print page 1 to 1”, then turn the sheet over and insert it into the hand feed to print “Print page 2 to 2”, for doublesided printing. Or set your default printer settings to double-sided printing.
• I am sure you can think of many more examples of reuse than I have here. Doesn’t it feel good to be thrifty and use fewer natural resources every day?

— Sandra Trutt

Tree Care with Tree People

Saturday, March 15, Tree Care from 9 a.m. to noon, Downtown Los Angeles

Taking care of baby trees is such a joyful experience. You pull the weeds and grass surrounding thin trunks so they don’t take water and nutrients from the sapling. You loosen the soil to help the roots expand. You add mulch to protect and insulate the soil from the weather and add several buckets of water to thoroughly soak the roots. To be out in the sun, wind, and fresh air with a group of like-minded people is wonderful and a day you’ll remember and want to repeat.

You can join Tree People as they care for young pink trumpet trees planted downtown. To register, contact Lisa Sotello at volunteer@treepeople.org or (818) 623-4879. She will send you the meeting location and other information.

If you want to carpool from church, contact Sandra Trutt. You must register at least a week ahead of time as these events often fill up.

Reduce Unwanted Catalogs

There is a new website that will help you conserve resources by way of not receiving unwanted catalogs in the mail. To opt out of receiving these mailings:

• Make a pile of your catalog rejects that you wish not to receive any more, or just rip off and save the address page.
• Log on to: http://www.catalogchoice.org
• Enter your name, the catalog name, and the customer # on the back of the catalog.

If you don’t have a computer, ask a friend who does to help you reduce this wasteful use of paper. Thank you.

Green Newsletters

Go green - contact office@uusm.org to receive the newsletter online only.

Think Small When Recycling

It struck me one day about all the little pieces of paper, foil and plastic we use each day — wrappers from a tea bag, foil seals on food coffee cans and yogurt cups, candy packaging, cash register receipts. All these can be recycled and may often be overlooked as “just trash.”

These small pieces should be contained in a larger bag so they won’t fly out of the bin on trash pick up day. You can use a plastic bag to collect bits of plastic and plastic bags. A paper bag can hold paper scraps. Be sure to tie, tape or staple the tops before putting into the recycle bin so it won’t become litter. Packaging often has recyclable cardboard and plastic film, including such items as cereal boxes, plastic film from napkins, cleaned foil from treats or cooking, and so forth. Once you start paying attention to what you throw away, you’ll be amazed at how much can actually be recycled. In no time you will notice that there is less trash to throw out each week. You are taking a step on your way to having zero waste. The Earth thanks you.

— Sandra Trutt

January, 2008

2008 Green Resolutions

Some of us have made 2008 resolutions that will help the environment. I plan to ride the bus one or more times per week, for example, instead of using my car. Here are a few more from members who contacted me and what they plan to do in the new year.

I resolve to:

Bring my own cup to church for coffee hour.
— Katie Malich

Print out fewer e-mail messages.
— Laura Eklund

Have clean Tupperware in car for restaurant take-home dishes.
— Kendra Henderson

Turn off my car if it will be idling more than ten seconds.
— Audrey Lyness

At Leslie’s suggestion, I now keep a plastic fork in my purse and have used it three times this week instead of getting a new one. I’m going to continue composting. When I take a shower, I save the first gallon of cold water in a bucket, and then throw that water into the washing machine. I do the same when I’m washing my face (in the kitchen sink). I use an old gallon water bottle.
— Melanie Sharp

I just read an article about smaller households requiring more resources per person than larger ones. Therefore, if married, try to stay married, and if not, live with a roommate.
— Joe Engleman

I had two resolutions for 2007, which I kept: 1) Get LEED AP accreditation as a sustainable design professional and 2) Install solar panels at my home. My resolutions for 2008 include (1) Install waterconserving irrigation and landscaping at church and at home and (2) Ride my bike a lot more.
— Alison Kendall

Perhaps this article has inspired you to think of your own resolutions. Happy New Year.

— Sandra Trutt

Green Sanctuary Committee Reports Progress

We have completed four of our twelve projects in the Action Plan to become a Green Sanctuary church. We have had our environmentally responsible investing class, taught by Joe Engleman. Our Transportation Survey was completed, the Green Concert with Jim Scott was in October and we made holiday decorations from recycled materials in December.

The projects we are still working on are:

1. Show a green film followed by letter writing
2. Do environmental education in conjunction with UU Emerson Church
3. Assemble home environmental audit kits
4. Develop guidelines for greener events
5. Establish a website for giveaways of useable items
6. Encourage “reduce, reuse, and recycle”
7. Have green worship service
8. Work at a community garden and assemble take-home planting kits
9. (Extra Credit) Organize environmentally related field trip

Practice Earth-Friendly Beverage Service

The following are ideas from “Circle of Life Foundation” on beverage service that is less harmful to the environment.

Avoid using water from disposable plastic bottles. Bottled water has been shipped thousands of miles before reaching us. The plastic in the bottles can be recycled only once. Then it becomes unusable and must be thrown out. Consider filtering tap water and putting it into large containers. Brita or other brand filters do a good job of making tap water taste better.

Use washable cups and glasses. If you are using disposable cups, paper is better than plastic. Paper eventually biodegrades. Plastic never does.

Don’t buy individual servings of water, soda, juice, iced tea, and so on as it creates large amounts of trash/recycling. Disposing of trash and recycling both use energy and gasoline. Serve beverages from large sized containers.

In a busy world it does take extra effort to do things differently. Thank you for making changes in your daily life that help the environment.

New Information About Plastic

We all have a good feeling about recycling. But there is a downside to it. An article in “Coop America” magazine talked about a new term, “downcycle.” Downcycle means a recycled material that is changed into a lesser kind of product, which often cannot be recycled again.

Some of the items in the recycling bins are remade into the same products over and over again, aluminum, steel and glass.

Other products like office paper and newsprint can be recycled six to 12 or even 15 times. But after a while the fibers become too short to reuse and the remainder goes to a landfill.

Plastics #1 and #2 are downcycled after one cycle. They are then thrown away. Plastic bags may be recycled then downcycled. But often they may be shipped overseas and incinerated or dumped in a landfill.

Make a commitment today to avoid plastic bags and bring your own reusable bags when you shop.

The Earth thanks you.

-- Sandra Trutt

December, 2007

Holiday Gatherings with the Earth in Mind

As the holiday season is upon us, let us be mindful of the environment as we gather with friends and family. Here are some things we can do to ease the impact of our lifestyle on the rest of the world.

1. Try to reduce buying in general and reuse what you already have.

2. Think about your trash output ahead of time and see if you can reduce the amount of trash your event produces. You can:

• Buy or make less food.
• Use washable plates and utensils.
• Reduce the use of plastic items as they never biodegrade, but disintegrate into plastic dust called nurdles.
• Use paper products in preference to plastic.
• Buy items in recyclable containers and packaging.

3. Use the opportunity to tell family and friends what you are doing and why. What a lovely gift to the earth, spreading your knowledge and concern for our environment to others. Happy Holidays.

— Sandra Trutt

Go Green - Do Holiday Shopping Here

Are you looking for the perfect holiday gift? “Leaving Room for Hope: Sermons for Uncertain Times” might be the perfect solution. The Rev. Judith Meyer’s book, with a foreword by the Rev. Ernest D. Pipes, Jr., our Minister Emeritus, offers spiritual inspiration and food for thought. It would be a welcome stocking stuffer or holiday present to cheer or console anyone. Or perhaps you’d like to share it with a friend as an introduction to our warm UU community. “Leaving Room” is available online, at office@uusm.org, or at the bookstore in Forbes Hall for $15. All proceeds go to the Building Fund.

Update on City Recycling Rules - Good News!

According to Matt Henigan of Sustainable Works:

1.Grocery bags that are collected together and secured can now be added to the recycling bins. This includes the plastic film from dry cleaning.

2.All hardened plastic containers with numbers 1 to 7 are acceptable to be recycled. They are finding more uses for these now.

— Sandra Trutt

Tips to Reduce the Impact of Air Travel

• Schedule a web conference instead.
• Take a train. It’s much more efficient.
• Combine trips to save money and time.
• Fly direct. Multi-leg trips pollute more.
• Vacation near home for a change.
• Reduce excess baggage. Every pound counts.
• Get a hotel near the airport.
• Take a shuttle, bus, or train to the airport.
• Rent a small or hybrid vehicle.

Courtesy of Terra Pass

European "Green"

Having recently returned from my trip abroad, travel is still on my mind. Here are some green practices I encountered in Europe.

In Venice, one must use the hotel room key to turn on the electricity in the room; they have walkways for people and bicycles only; metal shutters are built into the newer buildings, while older buildings have wooden ones; trash is removed by hand carts, and mail is delivered on foot; packaging is minimal, and paper bags are given for purchases.

In Greece, Turkey, and Spain, bicycles and motorcycles/ motorbikes predominate on the streets. Many small three- and four-wheeled vehicles are used as well as hand carts. Wooden crates are used for commerce, glass bottles for milk. Even the trash containers are small. Streets are swept with brooms. Police officers walk beats or ride bikes. Clotheslines hang on roofs and balconies.

The cruise ship uses only fluorescent lighting and distills sea water for all the ship’s needs.

It was nice to see eco-friendly practices in use. It gives me hope.

— Sandra Trutt

Paper, Paper, Paper

Did you know that you can save paper (trees) by getting an e-copy of the newsletter? This is great because we have 367 people with listed e-mail addresses.

Doing some research, I learned that one tree yields 16.67 reams of copy paper. One ream of paper (500 sheets) is 6% of a tree. Calculating that the newsletter of 6 sheets per month x 321 people getting paper copies x 12 months = 46 reams of paper per year. This works out to be 2.7 trees cut down and turned into paper for our newsletter every year. Wow, every year 2.7 trees. That adds up.

Not only that but each newsletter requires 41 cents postage. $.41 x 321 people getting paper copies x 12 months = $1,579.32. Wouldn’t it be great to save trees and money on reams of paper and postage stamps? Contact Melinda Ewen and let her know you would like to receive the newsletter by email and to stop sending the paper copy to your home.

The church thanks you, the trees thank you, and the earth thanks you.

— Sandra Trutt Co-Chair, Green Sanctuary Committee

August, 2007

New Green Living Workshop

Sustainable Works is starting up a new set of Green Living workshops in Santa Monica. One begins Tues., August 14th, 7p.m. to- 8:30 p.m. and a second one begins Wed., August 15th, 7 - 8:30 p.m. This works out great because they follow the same agenda, so if you have to miss one session you can always pick the class up on the alternate night.
Both classes are taught at: 1744 Pearl St.

The topics during the 6 week course cover: Water, Energy, Waste, Chemicals, Transportation & Travel, Shopping & Food.

Contact Barent Roth to join: (310) 458-8716 Ext. 1 or Roth_Barent@smc.edu
$25 donation, S.M. Residents; $50 Los Angeles

Worth every penny!

July, 2007

Shop Smart, Save Forests

Here are three things you can do to help save our forests:

1. Buy paper products with recycled content, especially post-consumer fibers. Post-consumer fibers are recovered from paper that was previously used and would have been dumped into a landfill.

2. Buy paper products made with clean, safe processes. Chlorine — used in many processes to make paper white — contributes to the formation of harmful chemicals that wind up in our air and water and are highly toxic to people and fish. Look for products labeled “totally chlorine-free” (TCF) or “processed chlorine-free” (PCF).

3. Tell tissue manufacturers to stop using virgin wood for throwaway products, e.g. Bounty, Scott, Kleenex brands. If every household in the U.S. replaced just one box of virgin fiber facial tissues (175 sheets) with a 100% recycled one, we could save 163,000 trees.

If every household in the U.S. replaced just one package of virgin fiber napkins (250 count) with a 100% recycled one, we could save 1 million trees.

Avoid buying Bounty, Scott and Kleenex brands, as they refuse to use any recycled paper in the making of their disposable products.

Companies that make products with 100% recycled paper include Green Forest, 365 (Whole Foods), Marcal, Seventh Generation, Planet, Earth First, and many more.

Facts from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Vegetarian Meals for the Faint of Heart

According to “Time Magazine,” April 9, 2007, the international meat industry generates roughly 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions — even more than transportation. Cows also produce methane gas as a part of their digestive process, and they are big eaters of grain and prodigious drinkers of water.

So perhaps you are thinking about eating more vegetarian meals, but don’t know how to begin? It is easy to eat a vegetarian breakfast: just leave out the ham, bacon or sausage. Have one vegetarian dinner per week as a start; then graduate to two, three, or more times per week over time.

Scared there is nothing to eat that you like? Think again. Here are a few entrees liked by most people:

• Ratatouille
• Vegetarian stews and soups — add barley and brown rice
• Chiles rellenos
• Tostadas with refried beans or guacamole
• Salads
• Pasta with tomato sauce or vegetables
• Falafel (buy mix and add water)
• Soy-cheese pizza
• Omelets and frittatas
• Quesadillas
• Egg foo yung with brown rice
• Chinese food offers wide selection of tofu items
• Zucchini latkes or spinach patties
• Eggs and tomatoes or huevos rancheros
• Macaroni and cheese

Once your awareness has been raised about delicious vegetarian meals, you will think of dozens more and enjoy every one of them. Eat Green!

— Sandra Trutt

Greening Our Church: Green as a Verb

“Green” is the new in-word.

But what exactly do we mean by saying we are trying to “green” our church?

• It means we want to become more environmentally friendly.

• It means using sustainable products, practices, and policies that will help us protect our world.

• To be “green” means not using Styrofoam products, which never degrade, and using durable, not disposable, items.

• “Green” means using non-toxic cleaners and reducing the amount of waste we produce.

• To be “green” means lowering our energy and water consumption.

The purpose of the Green Sanctuary process is to make us more aware of the things we do. The purchases we make represent an increase in the use of the world’s limited resources and an increase in the amount of waste in our air, water, and landfills.

Greening our church means we are committed to maintaining a healthy environment at our facility. Creating an environment that is healthy to humans is congruous with creating an environment that is healthy to other species.

— Sandra Trutt

June, 2007

Energy Efficiency Due to 3-2-1 Pledges

During the months of January, February, and March 2007, we had 35 households sign a pledge to install three CFL bulbs, drive more slowly, and adjust their thermostat settings to save energy. There are 41 drivers in this group. Here are the statistics for savings of CO2 emissions and the burning of coal over one year.

• 35 pledges to install at least three compact fluorescent light bulbs at home: Amount of coal not burned to make electricity: 1,500 lbs Amount of CO2 not emitted: 21 tons

• 35 households adjusting thermostats: 1o = Reduction of 11,550 lbs of CO2 emissions 2o = Reduction of 23,100 lbs of CO2 emissions

• 41 drivers reducing their highway speed: 1 mph = saves 82 gal. of gasoline; 1640 lbs of CO2 emissions 2 mph = saves 168 gal. of gasoline; 3360 lbs of CO2 emissions The most gas efficient driving range is between 50 and 55 mph.

UUCCSM has made a big difference. Let’s celebrate our progress so far. Thank you everyone for your efforts. You make us proud. If you have not signed the pledge yet, look for it at the FIA Table and make our energy efficiency grow even more.

— Sandra Trutt

June Green Meeting

Our June Green Sanctuary meeting will be Saturday, June 2. We will convene after the pancake breakfast, starting our meeting at noon and going until 1:30 p.m. We are writing our action plan and that is the primary agenda item. Room 3 is the location, with tables for our paperwork. This meeting is open to all members who want to help us craft the 12 activities we need in order to become a Green Sanctuary.

— Sandra Trutt
Co-chair, Green Sanctuary Committee