Ecominds-a Mailing List: MUUSJA EcoMinds minutes Jan 13 2009

[Ralph Wyman (rwmuusja]

Minutes of the MUUSJA EcoMinds Meeting of Jan 13, 2009

submitted by Dick Ottman

 

Present:  FUS - Marcy Luessler, Madalyn Cioci; First Universalist - Ralph
Wyman, Sammy Schutz, Cecelia Newton, Chris Burda; MN Valley - Lisa
Herschberger; White Bear - Dick Ottman; Alliance for Sustainability - Dustin
Demmer (intern - Hamline Univ. student)

 

FUS is working on a green sanctuary designation.  Green sanctuary
designation will be discussed on April 3 at 1pm at the Duluth UU Church.
EcoMinds will have a table ($35 cost) at the Holiday Inn in Duluth at the
Prairie Star District meeting in Duluth April 3-5, and lead a 75 minute
workshop on April 4 in the morning.

 

We agreed to have MUUSJA become an Associate member (cost $100) of Minnesota
Environmental Partnership (MEP).  MEP's legislative goals for the 2009
session are the CA Clean Car bill, better community planning bill(s),
stopping the Polymet mining proposal, and protecting the Clean Water legacy
amendment money.  Ralph, Sammy and Cecelia will be the people authorized to
attend the MEP meetings and vote on priorities.  Dick will tell Ralph the
bill numbers, when the CA Clean Car is introduced (not introduced yet).
Ralph will produce post cards for the CA Clean Car bill.

 

We discussed having Tom Goldtooth come from Bemidji and talk about tar sands
fuel piped into MN.  We would need to pay about $350 for his travel
expenses.  We will wait for a later date and consider partnering with
another organization.

 

MN Coalition for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) is pushing legislation that
would require major polluters to start keeping track of CO2 emissions.

 

Sammy and Ralph will lead a conference call with all UU congregations in MN
on Feb 1 from 7 to 8pm.  Conference calls will be on every first Sunday of
the month at 7pm.  Sammy will do an email in advance of the call with the
number to call and the password.  Cecelia will contact Bemidji, Grand Rapids
and First Universalist.  Lisa will contact Bloomington and Unity.  Ralph
will contact Northfield, Duluth, Rochester and Burnsville.  Marcy will
contact FUS, Groveland, and Hanska.  Dick will contact White Bear.  We will
discuss the MN Energy Challenge, and history and plans for EcoMinds on the
conference call.

 

The UU General Assembly in 2010 will be in Minneapolis.  We will consider
inviting Van Jones (author of the "Green Collar Economy") to lead a workshop
and more.

 

Congregations Caring for Creation is meeting on Jan 18 at 2pm at the Prince
of Peace Lutheran Church, 13901 Fairview Dr., Burnsville.  They will do
follow ups on the lighting audits.

 

Sammy Schutz - Chair - samanthaschutz [at] gmail.com and Ralph Wyman - staff -
rwmuusja [at] gmail.com

 

Our next meeting is Feb 10 at 7pm at First Universalist.