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Environmental Justice
"Perhaps the most deeply integrated and compassionate expression
of our caring for the planet is our recognition of the plight of beings who are not flourishing.
Some of these beings are humans who suffer environmental oppression from unjust discrimination of the
wealthy and advantaged in society. Some are other species whose simple right to existence
is not recognized by their oppressors. To act boldly, even radically, to raise such plights
to the recognition of our fellows and provide relief to the oppressed is perhaps the pinnacle
of our religious environmental work." ~ Green Sanctuary Program Manual
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February 21, 2010: For the Love of Water (FLOW)
As part of the Human Rights Film Festival, Fairhaven College Auditorium presented a showing of
"Flow for the Love of Water." The film centers on water issues and includes scientists, activists and ordinary
citizens worldwide responding to the growing privatization of dwindling fresh water supplies. In an unflinching
critique of politics and pollution, FLOW exposes the dangerous emergence of a domineering world cartel. Seven
of our youth attended this film along with 3 RE advisors.
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November, March and June 2010 - Food Donations Go To The Lummi Indian Reservation Food Bank
The months of November, March and June were designated to support the Lummi Reservation Food
Bank which serves Indian and non-Indian residents living on the reservation and on Lummi Island.
Like all area food banks, it is being stretched to the limit because of the huge demand it is
experiencing. This is one of six Whatcom County food banks. The demand for food is huge and
growing daily.
With our economy faltering, more and more people who used to contribute to the
food bank are now finding that they are in need and are using these services. BUF agreed to send
our food donations to the Lummi Food Bank one month every quarter. They need canned vegetables (green
beans and corn), canned fruits, dry cereals (corn flakes, cherrios, etc., they get oatmeal in bulk),
any kind of tomato products like sauces, canned tomatoes, flour, sugar, canned milk, beans, pasta, and
rice. It is critical that we, as a community, don't fail in our commitment to feed the hungry and be
generous to those struggling to get by. We need to be in this effort for the long haul!
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November 21, 2009 - NSEA Whatcom Creek Work Party II
NSEA and the City of Bellingham Parks Volunteer Program planted native trees and
shrubs along the new Racine Trail, which runs along Whatcom Creek north from Fraser St. to the south
end of Racine St. just below Whatcom Falls Park. NSEA provided the tools and gloves. Refreshments
provided by The Bagelry, the Community Food Co-Op, Erin Baker’s Wholesome Baked Goods, Starbucks Coffee,
and Tony’s Coffee & Teas.
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October 24, 2009: Reverse Trick or Treat
BUF Youth, RE leaders and GSP members handed out chocolate to the Bellingham Farmer's market crowd.
BUFsters distributed Fair Trade certified chocolate with a card explaining the labor and environmental problems
in the cocoa industry globally and how Fair Trade provides a solution. The event, Reverse Trick-or-Treating, was
launched three years ago to raise awareness of the pervasive problem of child labor, forced labor and trafficking in
the cocoa fields, to empower consumers to press the chocolate industry for more fair cocoa sourcing policies, to shift
the industry toward sourcing Fair Trade certified cocoa, and to inform consumers about Fair Trade companies that are
leading the way to industry reform. Fair Trade standards prohibit the use of abusive child labor, contain extensive
environmental sustainability protections, and enable farmers to escape poverty.
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October 4, 2009: Whatcom County Cropwalk
Green Sanctuary worked with Social Justice in promoting the annual
CROP Walk. CROP stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty and identifies interfaith hunger
education and fundraising events sponsored by Church World Service and organized by 21 CWS/CROP regional
offices across the U.S. CROP Hunger Walks (or CROP Walks) help to support the overall ministry of Church
World Service membership, especially the grassroots, hunger-fighting development efforts of partner
agencies in some 80 countries. CROP Hunger Walks help to provide tools of hope that empower people to
meet their own needs. From seeds and tools, to wells and water systems, to technical training and micro-
enterprise loans, the key is people working together to identify their own development priorities, their
strengths and their needs -- something CWS has learned through some 61 years of working in partnership
around the world. In addition, each local CROP Hunger Walk can choose to return up to 25 percent of the
funds it raises to local hunger-fighting programs, including the UUSJC. Social Justice and Green Sanctuary
had sign-up materials and information available for those members who wished to walk, or who wished to sponsor
someone who walked and encouraged BUF members, to donate their 25% proceeds to the UUSJC.
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September 2009: Month-long Food4Tots Food Drive
In 2006, families with nearly 7,500 infants under the age of 2 sought assistance from Whatcom
County food banks but,unfortunately, found little there to meet the basic needs of their hungry
babies. While Whatcom county organizations and businesses have been very generous, donating
15,000-20,000 pounds of food each week, few donors are aware that very little of this food can
be consumed by infants. Most donations consist of canned goods not suitable for infant diets.
In the last two years, requests from the Food Bank have increased nearly 40%.
The items most needed included: powdered infant formulas, beginner’s jars of baby food, and juices.
This was an excellent opportunity to provide a solution to both a social and environmental issue.
There were plenty of organic brands of infant food products available at local stores to not only
provide a needed food source, but an environmentally responsible and healthy one as well. Cereals,
cookies were acceptable, but expiration dates needed to be carefully monitoried.
Throughout the month of September, BUF conducted a food drive for the Food4Tots program through
the Bellingham Food Bank. BUF members came forward last year to gather up food items and cash
donations that exceeded our goal of 1,000 units of food items. BUF members were generous again
this year, and supported sustainability again, by donating organic, local and fair trade food
items as part of the drive.
The final run to the Food Bank was made Tuesday (10/6) and our grand total was 1,077 jars,
plus several boxes of baby cereal, baby cookies/snacks, and a can of formula. There were also
monetary donations. The congregation should be especially commended, because much of the baby
food donated was organic.
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April 7, 2009 - Baldemar Mendoza Jimenez
The Green Sanctuary Program and Social Justice Committee in co-sponsorship with Witness for Peace NW, Fairhaven
World Issues Forum, Whatcom Human Rights Task Force, Jobs with Justice and Community to Community presented Baldemar
Mendoza Jimenez, coordinator of Union of Organizations of the Sierra Juarez, Oaxaca as part of "NAFTA Turns 15: A
Look at Free Trade, Food Security and Migration in Oaxaca, Mexico. Sr. Mendoza is an expert on food sovereignty
issues and the impacts of free trade agreements on indigenous farmers from Oaxaca. UNOSJO is an indigenous
organization that works with indigenous communities in the Zapotec region of the Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico.
It has denounced the contamination of native corn in Oaxaca by genetically-modified (GMO) corn and is a leader
within Oaxaca on food security issues. Its efforts also focus on women’s issues, indigenous rights, and organic
coffee production. Sr. Mendoza spoke about the impacts of NAFTA on indigenous communities in Oaxaca, including:
- The affects of GMO corn contamination on native corn production
- How increased rates of migration from the region have affected communities in the Sierra Juarez
- UNOSJO’s process of regaining food sovereignty within indigenous communities
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April 1, 2009 - Andrew Nikiforuk
The Green Sanctuary Program and Social Justice Committee in co-sponsorship with Village Books, the City of
Bellingham, RE Sources, Sustainable Bellingham, Sustainable Connections and Whatcom Transit Authority presented Andrew
Nikiforuk author of "Tar Sands." The oil sands in Fort McMurray, Alberta are the world’s largest energy project,
America’s #1 supply of crude oil, and have been criticized as a source of “dirty oil.” The environmental and social
impact of the tar sands has led Al Gore to dub them “an economic weapon of mass destruction.” Providing almost 20
percent of America's fuel, much of this dirty oil is being processed in refineries in the Midwest. This out-of-control
megaproject is polluting the air, poisoning the water, and destroying boreal forest at a rate almost too rapid to be
imagined. Andrew Nikiforuk’s Tar Sands declares a political emergency, outlines the issues as he sees them and argues
forcefully for change. Doors opened at 6:15 pm for attendees to purchase Mr. Nikiforuk's book and signing. Mr.
Nikiforuk made a presentation and then a panel of local organizations including the Whatcom Transit Authority,
Sustainable Connections, Sustainable Bellingham and Transition Whatcom responded to the issues Mr. Nikiforuk's book
raised and how it applied to Whatcom County. The event was attended by 100 people and was well received.
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January 26, 2009 - David Bacon's "Illegal People . . ."
Working with the Social Justice Team and Community to Community, GSP supported an event that invited author David
Bacon to speak on issues of illegal immigration. An award winning photojournalist who was a union organizer for
two decades before he began writing and taking pictures, Bacon examines immigration from the perspective of those
whose lives are most affected . . .“All over the world huge streams of migrants are fleeing war, repression, and
poverty, journeying from developing countries to the industrial ones of the so-called global north . . . at the
same time, the industrial economies have become dependent on the work of migrants, who form a subclass of people
working in jobs with the lowest wages, least security, and most dangerous conditions.” Bacon examines how corporate
interests, government legislation, and economic and trade policy, including the role of NAFTA, have contributed to
worker displacement and the denial of immigrant rights to fair wages, housing, health services, and schooling.
A traditional mexican dinner was prepared by Las Margaritas, a project of Community To Community and side dishes
were provided by Social Justice and GSP. Later, a discussion of immigration issues in our community, a slide show
including Bacon’s photos and signing of his book, “Illegal People” took place
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November 13, 2008 - Fair Trade Event
The Green Sancutary and Social Justice Teams joined forces for an evening of Fair Trade. Fair Trade Haven (a local
fair trade vendor) provided handcrafted items for sale and participants watched the film "Black Gold." "As
westerners revel in designer lattes and cappuccinos, impoverished Ethiopian coffee growers suffer the bitter taste
of injustice. In this eye-opening expose of the multi-billion dollar coffee industry, Black Gold traces one man's
fight for a fair price. Multinational coffee companies now rule our shopping malls and supermarkets and dominate
the industry worth over $80 billion, making coffee the most valuable trading commodity in the world after oil.
But while we continue to pay for our lattes and cappuccinos, the price paid to coffee farmers remains so low that
many have been forced to abandon their coffee fields. Nowhere is this paradox more evident than in Ethiopia, the
birthplace of coffee. The film follows Tadesse Meskela, a man on a mission to save his 74,000 struggling coffee
farmers from bankruptcy. Against the backdrop of Tadesse's journey to London and Seattle, the enormous power of the
multinational players that dominate the world's coffee trade becomes apparent. Both Social Justice and Green
Sanctuary had tables of information fair trade sale items available.
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October 25, 2008 - Reverse Trick or Treat Project
300 pieces of Fair Trade chocolate and informational cards that educate people about the terrible working conditions
for the majority of workers involved in the production of chocolate were ordered and distributed by BUF. Companies like
Hershey and Nestle need to feel pressure from their customer base to respond to this injustice! There is a delicious
alternative to mainstream chocolate and that is Fair Trade Chocolate! BUF's Lifelong Learning Program had a table to
give out the chocolate and educate the public Saturday, October 25th, held in the outskirts of the Farmers Market from
10-3. The table included the information cards and the chocolate,the BUF banner and some signs.
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September 28, 2008 - Whatcom County Crop Walk
CROP Hunger Walks help children and families worldwide -- and right here in the U.S. -- to have food for today,
while building for a better tomorrow. Each year some two million CROP Walkers, volunteers, and sponsors put their
hearts and soles in motion, raising over $16 million per year to help end hunger and poverty around the world --
and in their own communities. Several BUF members attend this event annually.
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September 2008 - "Kids Feeding Kids" Sunday and Food4Ttots Food Drive
During the Ingathering Service on September 7th, BUF's children's RE program had an opportunity to add their
support to the month-long Food4Tots program. A food bin was placed in the front of the sanctuary for our children
to bring in baby food as their offering for the service. Adults were welcome to contribute as well.
September Food4Tots Food Drive
BUF joined with the Bellingham Food Bank to address a growing concern in our community. For an ever increasing
percentage of new parents, the joy of a newborn has beem marred by stress and fear as they find their scant
resources are inadequate to meet their new infant’s essential needs. In 2006, families with nearly 7,500 infants
under the age of 2 sought assistance from Whatcom County food banks. BFB estimates that 1,000 units of baby food a
month is needed to meet the local needs of Whatcom's infants and toddlers. Through the Lifelong Learning Program,
Social Justice Committee and the Green Sanctuary Program, it was our goal is to collect 1,000 jars of baby food
throughout the month of September. Food4Tots bins were located in the foyer and regular deliveries made to the
Bellingham Food Bank of any donations. Although the jars of food were important, donations of juices, cereals,
etc. were accepted. Members were reminded, too, there are certain brands of baby food that are organic and would
be an outstanding way to address a social justice issue as well as an environmental one.
BUF's Food4Tots drive were:
938 jars of baby food,
5 boxes of cereal,
1 container of Similac,
78 infant/toddler soy drinks,
42 containers of formula (although, 8 of them had past their expiration dates, and
2 boxes of baby cracker/cookies,
plus whatever monetary contributions we had (some sent directly to the Food Bank, and a few to BUF).
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May 2008 - Whatcom Land Trust Social Justice Collection ($839)
Whatcom Land Trust is a private nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working with local landowners. Since 1984, the
trust has helped private property owners protect the natural values and resources of their property. It uses a
variety of flexible tools, many of which provide landowners with substantial tax savings, to meet individual
landowners' goals.
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April 12, 2008 - Hot Chocolate: Everything You Wanted To Know But Were Afraid To
Ask!
On April 12, 2008, BUF's Social Justice Committee helped Bellingham Food Co-op and Fair Trade Haven sponsor this
event on the sustainability and social issues surrounding our consumption of chocolate. The chocolate industry has
been plagued by abusive child labor and slavery, environmental degradation and other serious concerns. BUF members
learned about the challenges faced by cocoa-growing communities around the world.
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March 29, 2008 - In Our Community: Lights Out International Campaign.
On March 29, 2008, BUF members were encouraged to participate in this internationall event. GSP made a point of
reaching as many BUF members as possible to get them to turn off their lights for one hour and make a powerful
statement to the powers-that-be around the world that our current cultural, social and political course is
unacceptable and that change is needed and necessary.
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March 1 & 15, 2009 - The Interconnected Web of Life
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Rev. Doug Wadkins and RE Director Crystal Neva worked with BUF's youth on understanding and appreciating
the interconnected web of life and our part in it. The youth also held a collection that went to the NW
Wildlife and Rehabilitation center. On the 15th, as part of their social action project, the youth made dog
and cat biscuits which were then donated to the Humane Society.
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March 7, 2008 - Appalachian Voices
BUF's Social Justice Committee and the Green Sanctuary Program helped Whatcom Human Rights Task Force and Re
Sources sponsor a program by "Appalachian Voices" entitled "Appalachian Treasures." Launched by Appalachian
Voices in March 2005, the Appalachian Treasures project is a national campaign to end the suffering and devastation
that mountaintop removal coal mining has brought to the land and communities of Appalachia. Appalachian Voices has
sent a full time field organizer out on the road, along with volunteers from Appalachia’s coalfields, and together
they are traveling the country building a national network of people who will work together to end mountaintop
removal.
At the heart of this effort is “Appalachian Treasures,” a multimedia presentation that features photos that capture
the beauty of Appalachia along with disturbing shots of flattened moonscape mining sites, voice recordings of
neighbors and friends recounting the daily struggles of life in the coalfields, and traditional music of Appalachia.
This amazing presentation leaves a powerful, lasting impression of the beauty and the richness of the culture and
heritage of Appalachia, as well as the needless devastation caused by mountaintop removal coal mining.
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February 3 & 10, 2008 -"Digital Dump: Exporting Reuse and Abuse to
Africa"
The photo-documentary report entitled “ The Digital Dump: Exporting High-Tech Re-use and Abuse to Africa,” exposes
the ugly underbelly of what is thought to be an escalating global trade in toxic, obsolete, discarded computers and
other e-scrap collected in North America and Europe and sent to developing countries by waste brokers and so-called
recyclers.
In Lagos, while there is a legitimate robust market and ability to repair and refurbish old electronic equipment
including computers, monitors, TVs and cell phones, the local experts complain that of the estimated 500 40-foot
containers shipped to Lagos each month, as much as 75% of the imports are “junk” and are not economically repairable
or marketable. Consequently, this e-waste, which is legally a hazardous waste is being discarded and routinely burned
in what the environmentalists call yet “another “cyber-age nightmare now landing on the shores of developing
countries.”
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"Most citizens, governments and businesses have blinders on concerning sham reuse and recycling of their e-waste.
"The Digital Dump" rips those blinders away. Save your breath. Show the film. Then talk. You will have instant allies asking
honest questions. That's how change happens." -- Sego Jackson, Principal Planner, Snohomish County, Washington
"Digital Dump pinpoints the horrific impact to human health and the environment in developing countries that results from
illegal exports and exploitative practices purveyed by certain segments of the electronics recycling industry today. The
right information can help us all make the responsible decision with our e-waste, and Digital Dump delivers just that."
-- James W. Kao, President and CEO of GreenCitizen Inc.
September 30, 2007 - Whatcom County Crop Walk
CROP Hunger Walks help children and families worldwide -- and right here in the U.S. -- to have food for today,
while building for a better tomorrow. Each year some two million CROP Walkers, volunteers, and sponsors put their
hearts and soles in motion, raising over $16 million per year to help end hunger and poverty around the world --
and in their own communities. Several BUF members attend this event annually. BUF members raised $450.00.
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2007-2008 Collaboration - Food To Bank On
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Sustainable Connections, a local, business-oriented, non-profit organization has a program that mentors new organic farmers
in the county. Connections buys their produce for the first few years at wholesale prices and gives the produce to the local
food banks. This innovative program supports sustainable agriculture and feeds the hungry. Since BUF has an on-going program
exploring hunger and poverty in our county, this is a great way to tie that project in with our Green Sanctuary Program. The
first step in supporting this program was to work with the Social Justice Committee and have the program as one of the Social
Justice Collections. On September 16th, Linda Fels, GSP coordinator, introduced the program to the congregation for the
collection. Brochures were obtained from the program and used as order of service inserts. On September 16, 2007, the
Social Justice Collection raised $828! Thank you BUF members! Future support for this progarm will be considered and
announced at a later time.
September 25, 2007 - "An Inconvenient Truth" Workshop
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Even having watched the Academy Award winning film "An Inconvenient Truth", we learned more about global
climate change when Katie Fleming, RE Sources Education Coordinator, delivered an updated version of the slide show
at BUF on September 25th. She addressed current research, information about our region, and most importantly, ways
in which you can be a major part of the solution to the growing crisis of global warming. Katie is one of 1,000
international "Climate Change Messengers" for The Climate Project. It was well-attended and very informative.
Thanks Katie!
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Step It Up! Climate Change Rally 2007
| Several members of the BUF community met at the church wearing red and carrying signs on April 14, 2007. They
walked over as a group to Maritime Heritage Park and joined thousands of Americans that gathered across the country
in a National Day of Climate Action to call on our representatives to take action on climate change. The message
sent to Congress was specific -- cut carbon emissions 80% by 2050. It was also about raising awareness to encourage
people to make lifestyle changes. Our group represented 10% of all participants at the rally.
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November 17, 2007 - NSEA Work Party
The November 17th work party participated in cleaning up Whatcom Creek just behind the Civic Center. Several
members of the congregation, youth and adult, participated. Refreshments were provided by the Bagelry, Starbucks
Coffee, Tony's Coffee and the Community Food Co-op.
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April, 2007 - NSEA Social Justice Collection
"NSEA's mission is the restoration of sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom County. The association also
works with the local First Nations, whose philosophy is, all natural resources and the people who depend on
them, are connected. Salmon was an important part of the Northwest Tribes history and culture and thus, the
destruction of salmon habitats, had a major impact on the Tribes." The social justice collection raised $926.00
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March 31, 2007 - NSEA Work Party
The March 31st work party participated in cleaning up Squalicum Creek in the Columbia Neighborhood area. Several
members of the Green Sanctuary Team attended as well as a number of our Coming of Age youth. Other members of BUF
also participated. Refreshments were provided by the Bagelry, Starbucks Coffee, Tony's Coffee and the Community
Food Co-op.
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