Act for the Earth

The Act for the Earth Ministry Team’s mission is to engage the Unity Church-Unitarian community to act to stop climate change, species extinction, and environmental injustice by practical and systemic solutions while grounding this work in our own spiritual and antiracist/justice stance.

In general, the Act for the Earth Team meets on the fourth Sunday of each month, 12:45-2:00 p.m., at Unity Church. This is a great way to get to know the team, the work, and where you might fit in. Come have fun, be part of a community, and support others in this important work!

For more information about the Act for the Earth Team email [email protected].

Ongoing Meetings

Monthly Act for the Earth gatherings are held at Unity Church. All are welcome!
  • ​​Full Team Meeting | Fourth Sunday of the month, June 22 | 11:30-1:45 p.m. | Robbins Parlor​
    ​The group will meet on the third Sunday in May due to Memorial Day. Act for the Earth’s time to plan, share and be together!
  • Climate Action Gathering| Sunday, July 13 | 12:45-2:30 p.m. | Robbins Parlor
    ​These monthly gatherings give us a chance to be with others in the Unity community who share our concerns and struggles. What climate actions are you taking or interested in taking? Do you need some tips and support? Join us on the second Sunday of each month to build relationships and learn from one another. We’ll have coffee and treats. All are welcome no matter where you are on your climate journey! Contact Anna Newton for more information.
  • Active Hope Practice Group | Second Monday of the month, July 14 | 7:00-8:30 p.m. | Robbins Parlor
    Practice building spiritual resilience to show up and do our part in response to the climate crisis.

Upcoming Events

No Kings Rally with Act for the Earth 
Saturday, June 14 | Details and Maps 
Join Unity’s Act for the Earth Team for this national day of action, as Americans all around the country let our leaders know they must stand up for democracy and the law. The schedule:
  • 9:30 a.m.: Sign making in the Foote Room. Please use the Holly Avenue entrance due to a memorial service. Some sign making supplies will be available, or bring your own.
  • 11:20 a.m.: Carpool, walk, bike, bus, to meet at the corner of Farrington Street and Dayton Avenue, under the street sign.   
  • 11:45 a.m.: Walk together to the rally. People are asked to find their own way back to church.  
​Children's Book Swap
Sunday, June 29 | After the 10:00 service | Parish Hall
Bring your gently used children's books (ages infant to young adult) and pick up new gently used ones to take home and love. Sponsored by Unity's Act for the Earth Team, this is a great way to reuse and avoid these items going into the landfill.

Climate High Impact Areas,  Actions, and Resources

For 2024, Act for the Earth is focusing our work on engaging the whole Unity congregation around the Top 20 High Impact Climate Actions for Individuals and Households ​researched by Project Drawdown. Below are the four impact areas with the 20 actions and resources to support them. 

Food

Reduced Food Waste Plant-Rich Diets ​Plant-Rich Diets ​Earth Friendly Ethical Eating
See Unity's Food YouTube playlist for information about food waste, giving food as gifts, and using ingredients from your pantry.

Waste

Becoming a Recycling Ambassador for your county is a fantastic way to learn more about recycling and engage with your community!
​Ramsey, Hennepin, Dakota and Anoka County all offer a six-week course, one day a week on Zoom. There is a volunteer commitment of 20 to 30 hours depending on the county. You receive training for the volunteering as well.

Energy

Distributed Solar Photovoltaics High-Performance Glass High-Efficiency Heat Pumps Smart ThermostatsLED LightingLow-Flow FixturesInsulation

Travel

​Public Transit  Carpooling Electric Cars Hybrid Cars
  • "Hybrid cars: cut emissions by more than 25% over entire lifetime of vehicle compared with gas cars."  Hybrid car analysis. 
Telepresence
  • Seek options to work from home- even part of the time- encourage your company to invest in tools that allow for this.

Team Activities

Active Hope

The Active Hope team organizes training and practice opportunities for the congregation based on the work of Joanna Macy. Her work provides us with frameworks and practices for building spiritual resilience to show up and do our part in response to the climate crisis and contribute to what she describes as “the Great Turning” that is needed to save the earth of which we are a part. This work is outlined in her books, Active Hope and Coming Back to Life, and supported through the Work That Reconnects, an international network of people building on Joanna Macy’s offerings. Contact Jean Hammink at [email protected]. 

Canopy Connectors 

​Unity’s Canopy Connectors offers trees, for free, to homeowners in the Summit-University-Rondo neighborhood. The area is defined as that within the boundaries of University and Summit Avenues to the north and south, and Lexington Parkway and Marion Street to the west and east. We will help those adopting trees every step of the way, from arranging for utility lines to be marked in your yard, to planting your tree in the fall. Interested in caring for a free tree? Learn more about our trees and this annual project that will return for another season in 2024. Contact Lisa Burke at [email protected].

Energy Team

The energy team stays abreast of home energy innovations and ways to finance energy improvements for homes (low or no cost Home Energy Audits, which includes information on insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, appliances, etc.) and transportation (electric vehicles, e-Bikes, and home charging infrastructure to support them). Contact Paul Englund at [email protected]. 

Environmental Advocacy and Climate Justice

Act for the Earth's environmental advocacy and climate justice team works for equity-centered policies, regulations, and legislation at the local, state, and national levels. We act for bold change that will transform systems to be in right relationship with all people and the earth. Our advocacy is often in partnerships with coalitions and trusted organizations. Contact Sherri Knuth at [email protected] or Terri Burnor at [email protected].

Food Group

​Food, agriculture and land use produce about 25% of our global CO2 emissions. We believe that everyone should have access to healthy food that is sustainably produced to preserve soil, water and biodiversity, that farm workers should earn fair wages and have safe working conditions, and that animals should be treated humanely. Our group provides a supportive environment in which to explore ways food choices that can reduce our impact by reducing food waste and shifting our diets to include more plant-based foods. Contact Anna Newton at [email protected]

Pollinator Gardens

The Pollinator Team focuses on supporting the life cycles of pollinating insects, birds and other creatures which are essential to local ecosystems and agriculture. Activities include presenting workshops on seed-keeping and winter sowing (with free plants to distribute in June) and sessions on bee behavior, gardening with native plants and converting lawns to pollinator-friendly yards. The team organizes an annual low-cost native plant sale and maintains a pollinator garden at the church. Besides highlighting the Lawns to Legumes grant program, it promotes year-round community events, volunteer opportunities and various Natural Climate Solutions projects. See Unity's Pollinator YouTube playlist for ways to make your garden pollinator friendly. Contact Kathy Sidles at [email protected].

Unity Church-Unitarian | 733 Portland Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104 | 651-228-1456 | [email protected]
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