Sustainability Pages
Resources and Other UU Activity
NNED Green Sanctuary Congregations
Sustainability Conference RESULTS
Results of NNED Survey on Environmental Sustainability 2009 (pdf)
Sustainability
One definition of sustainability is as follows:
Sustainability refers to a way of living that maintains an ongoing balance between human impacts and the capacity of the natural world. This balanced state reconciles the benefits and limits of natural resources with just social well-being for humans, and a secure future for all of life.
To live sustainably is to direct our efforts and actions towards the wellbeing of the biosphere that is our home. To live sustainably presupposes love and tolerance toward not only one's kin, but the whole Earth community, and stands against injustice and abuse. As members of one interdependent, living system, we are called to manifest compassion, foresight, and frugality and to take voluntary action to preserve the future of life on Earth.
In response to the need to live in more sustainable ways, the Northern New England District encourages its leadership and members to move forward toward the goal of sustainable living. The NNED provides leadership through NNED Staff Policy and commitment to do its work in more sustainable ways, through the NNED Sustainability Task Force, and supported by the many resources particularly including Green Sanctuary, Ministry for Earth, and UUSC currently available to help us all move in this direction.
NNED Support of Environmentally Sustainable Community
Since September of 2008, the NNED Sustainability Task Force surveyed needs and resources of our district’s congregations, offered workshops at the district level and as part of the 2009 UU Ministers’ Convocation, and in conjunction with UU Ministry for Earth hosted the 2010 NNED Conference on Environmental Sustainability and Justice. District level work continues to be coordinated on a part time basis by District Staff, currently Rev. Karen Brammer.
The Task Force has been restructured to better respond to what we have learned over the initial years. Staff calls together a Sustainability Advisory Group that will review surveys, evaluations, and current issues in order to recommend two or three district level projects. Short Term Task Forces will be recruited to lead these projects.
As of March 2011 the Advisory Group has just begun its evaluative work. It is hoped that by summer of 2011, leadership for the short term Task Forces will be established.