In 2010, UUC officially became a Green Sanctuary: a faith community that seeks to embody the UU  principle of respect and care for the interdependent web of life of which we are a part.

Mara Farm: UUC intergenerational work party

Together we build hope, momentum and community toward a positive future – one that is sustainable and in tune with our shared environment.

And you can help! Explore these pages to learn more, and fill out our interest form.

"Greening" our church practices: We are encouraging recycling, composting, and environmentally friendly products, and working to reduce waste, toxics, and energy consumption. To get involved with waste reduction efforts, contact Deejah Sherman-Peterson. To help with native, sustainable landscaping at UUC, contact Nancy Bowen-Pope. Want to carpool? Learn more about our ride-sharing program.

Education:  Green Sanctuary offers adult religious exploration classes that bring together environmentalism and faith. Using curriculum developed by the Northwest Earth Institute and the Transition movement, we have offered classes on "Discovering a Sense of Place," sustainable living, global warming, and our relationship to our food. Visit the church's ARE page to find out what's coming up next. Our church school curriculum also integrates the interdependent web of life into its curriculum.

Field trips: We organize environmental field trips for all ages! We visited the Wild Horse Wind Facility, and have done many work trips to Mara Farm, an urban farm in south Seattle which provides fresh, organic produce to food banks and meal programs.

Advocacy: Through Washington UU Voices for Justice and Earth Ministry (an ecumenical environmental organization), we can tell our elected officials in Olympia that we want environmentally sound, sustainable policies.

Green Sanctuary Committee: The Green Sanctuary Committee works as an educator, catalyst, cheerleader and steward of this commitment within our congregation. Contact James Williams to find out when we're meeting next. Our values:

• Supportive: We commit to supporting each other through transition to a life that is less dependent on fossil fuels and toxic chemicals.
• Empowering: Through many activities – large and small, personal and collective – we are becoming more knowledgeable, self-sufficient, and excited about the future that we’re building for ourselves and future generations.
• Joyful: As we do this work, we seek to engender feelings of fun, joy, creativity and spiritual connection.
• Holistic: We affirm that our Green Sanctuary commitment must be deeply integrated and infused within our congregation.
• Inspiring: We believe that UUC can and should be a beacon of inspiration; even our building can be a shining example of green principles in action.
• Tangible: We commit to achieving tangible results – in the energy we consume, the food that nourishes us, and the waste we leave behind.
• Connected: We are reaching out to others, working in diverse partnerships and interfaith relationships, to change practices and advocate for the Earth at the local, state and federal levels.