UUCF’s Act for Climate Today! (ACT!), formerly Climate Action Group, was formed in 2013 by UUCF members concerned about the alarming growth of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere – the consequences of global warming, climate change, and related climate justice issues. ACT! advocates for ways to respond to the human-caused climate crisis challenging all life forms on Earth.
ACT! Goals Per UUCF Congregational Resolution on Climate Change
- Act from personal commitment to be gentle to the earth and to each other.
- As a congregation, cut our carbon footprint and practice spiritual values of compassion for all life.
- In Fairfax, VA, and the nation, live in a low-carbon world that supports healthy relationships between all people and with all of nature.
Upcoming Events
Connect
ACT! holds periodic webinars along with offering other in-person programs from September through June. Information about these events will be included in the weekly announcements and sent out through the ACT! mailing list in Realm. To have your name added to the ACT! mailing list, email actforclimatetoday@gmail.com.
The Garden Gnomes, a subgroup of ACT!, holds monthly work days during which UUCF volunteers help maintain the native plants on campus and remove invasive plants to support the biodiversity and health of UUCF’s gardens. If you would like to receive notices of these work days, please contact Bob Root.
The Food Interest Group (FIG) is an every-other-week publication of recipes and tips to help readers prepare and include more delicious plant-based foods in their diets. To add your name to the FIG mailing list, email actforclimatetoday@gmail.com and put FIG in the subject line.
Biodiversity – Garden Gnomes
In 2021, the Garden Gnomes officially joined ACT! The Garden Gnomes are members and friends of UUCF who volunteer on campus almost every month. They plant and maintain native flowers, trees, and shrubs, creating a strikingly attractive landscape abuzz with pollinators and other insects essential for nourishing wildlife. They also remove invasive plants that threaten the native habitat and work to educate members and visitors about these campus treasures. If you would like to join this vital work, please contact Bob Root.
2024-25 Congregational Year Plans
- Continue to participate in the UUMANE (UU Mid-Atlantic Network for the Environment) working groups on energy and on default plant-based food policies, and to advocate for increased energy efficiency and renewable resources on area congregational campuses, and to advocate for and educate about plant-based eating.
- Participate in planning and holding the UU Climate Justice Revival as part of an area hub on September 28 at River Road UU Congregation, and on September 29 at UUCF.
- Engage in getting out the vote activities as part of the UU Climate Justice Revival and in conjunction with the Environmental Voter Project and UU The Vote.
- Participate with the Hypothermia Planning Committee to develop and implement policies for making the hypothermia shelter more sustainable.
- Present Savory Sundays once a month at which ACT! will offer more entree-type plant-based foods in the Sanctuary Commons.
- Continue monthly Garden Gnome work days.
ACT! Recent and Continuing Program Focus
Viewing climate change as a moral issue, ACT! authored the UUCF Congregational Resolution on Climate Change, which UUCF members overwhelmingly approved in 2013. Grounded in the UU 7th Principle, it guides ACT! and UUCF in responses to climate change and climate-justice-related issues.
Paris Pledge Initiative
The 2015 Paris Climate Conference resulted in an agreement that has been ratified by more than 110 countries. The agreement calls for reducing GHG emissions 50% by 2030 and to be carbon neutral by 2050. In late 2015, ACT! launched the UUCF Paris Pledge Initiative, which is UUCF’s way of supporting the Paris Climate Agreement. ACT! continues to support energy-efficient improvements and repairs to campus HVAC systems.
Cutting Energy Use
ACT! participated in the UUMANE Working Group on Energy and collaborated with FACS in presenting “Power of Faith” webinars to engage and support area congregations in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in their congregations.
Plastic Pollution
ACT! has led UUCF in collaborating with other congregations and civic organizations to collect and recycle single-use plastic in two campaigns that resulted in benches made from these recycled materials being donated to Luther Jackson Middle School and to the Lamb Center. Based on our experience with these projects, ACT! developed a plastic bag recycling toolkit and shared it widely. ACT! continues to encourage participation in programs to cut plastic use.
Diet and Climate Change
ACT! advocates for serving more plant-based foods at congregational events and reducing UUCF’s participation in the animal agriculture food system, which is detrimental to the welfare of people, planet, and all beings.
In the past, ACT! sponsored a taste-off at the annual fall Ingathering picnic, offered a series of educational events on the theme of “Saving the Planet One Forkful at a Time,” and accompanied these with plant-based meals, and showed topical movies, among other related activities.
ACT! Initiatives in 2023-24
- Participated in the UUMANE Working Group on promoting default plant-based food policies in our area congregations
- Presented a webinar with VOX writer Kenny Torella
- Sponsored a holiday plant-based cooking class
- Provided plant-based foods every Sunday morning in the Commons
- Provided plant-based foods for the auction dinner, Nuts and Bolts class, and Leadership Dinner
- Provided a plant-based meal and plant-based foods for the Hypothermia Shelter
- Sponsored two plant-based potlucks hosted by members
- Obtained an Endowment Fund grant to provide plant-based cakes at three congregational events.
- Obtained an Endowment Fund Grant to help underwrite the UU Climate Justice Revival.
- Authored and presented a proposed congregational resolution to adopt a default plant-based food policy and held meetings/discussions to assess the congregation’s readiness to adopt such a policy. In learning that more education was needed, ACT! has paused the resolution and plans to do more educational work before taking it up again.
- Held a training webinar with the Environmental Voter Project and participated with UU the vote to encourage voters to consider climate change as they voted in the fall.
- Through the Virginia Department of Transportation, adopted Hunter Mill Road between Vale Road and Maple Avenue and partnered with the Oakton LDS church to clean up the road’s shoulders.