Ecominds-a Mailing List: great weekend events: C3 networking; Precautionary Principle in policy

[Joe + Madalyn (joemadalyn]

UU EcoMinds-A List for November 11, 2005

UU EcoMinds promotes lifestyles, policies, and technologies
that respect and sustain all life on earth and is a working group
of the Metro Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance (MUUSJA)

In this posting:

EVENTS THIS WEEKEND & BEYOND: 
#1  Sat. Nov 12, 10am: Carolyn Raffensperger on the Precautionary
Principle
& shaping policy @ 1st Universalist
#2  Sat. Nov 12, 10am: St. Paul Environmental Roundtable: Smarter,
cleaner energy
#3  Sun. Nov 13, 4 pm: C3 networking meeting for environmentally engaged
congregations of 
many faiths.
#4  Nov 20, Dec. 4 and Dec 5:  Arctic Explorer Will Steger on the Polar
Meltdown

UU EcoMinds NEWS:
#4  UU EcoMinds co-chair meets with Gov. Pawlenty's Chief of Staff
#5  Upcoming UU EcoMinds Leadership team meetings: Nov 17 and Dec 6
#6  Welcome to the White Bear Unitarian Church!
#7  Recent town forums on the Renewable Energy Standard well attended.

==================

#1  Carolyn Raffensperger on the Precautionary Principle & shaping
policy

Sat. November 12
10:00am - 12:00 noon
First Universalist Church (Cummins Room)
3400 Dupont Ave. S., MPLS

The First Universalist EcoMinds group will meet for a discussion with
Carolyn Raffensperger on
how the Precautionary Principle can be used to reshape environmental
policy, particularly in the 
area of global warming. 

Carolyn is an environmental lawyer and the founding director of the
Science and Environmental
Health Network. The new book she co-authored with Nancy Myers,
Precautionary Tools for
Reshaping Environmental Policy, provides a toolkit for applying
precautionary concepts to 
reshape environmental policies at all levels. Its compendium of
regulatory options, detailed
 examples, wide-ranging case studies, and theoretical background
provides both citizens and 
policy makers with the basis for acting on any issue in any situation --
whether it's pesticide use 
at local schools or a new international regulatory system for
confronting the problems of climate
 change..

===================

#2  Saint Paul Environmental Roundtable: Smarter, cleaner energy

St. Paul Environmental Roundtable
(sponsored by Eureka Recycling)
November 12, 10 a.m. - Noon
Macalester College, Weyerhauser Chapel (1600 Grand Avenue)

The Saint Paul Environmental Roundtable is a series of meetings designed
to identify the 
pressing issues regarding Saint Paul's environment, especially those
smarter, cleaner issues 
where local action can make a positive impact. Join us for the energy
presentation and 
community discussion led by ME3's J. Drake Hamilton!

Energy use and choices can have enormous environmental impacts. Saint
Paul, like the rest of 
Minnesota, relies overwhelmingly on dirty sources of energy. As every
one who pays 
a gas bill knows, energy is becoming increasingly expensive. Help us
support Saint Paul's
commitment to fighting global warming, and get cleaner air and water, by
improving Saint Paul's
support for smarter, cleaner energy.   Come to the meetings and tell us
what you think

FFI: Call (651) 222-7678 or visit the Environmental Roundtable website.

=====================

#3  C3 networking meeting:  Environmentally engaged congregations of
many faiths.

Congregations Caring for Creation (C3)
Sunday November 13, 2005
4:00 pm - 7:00pm 
Edina Community Lutheran Church
4113 W 54th St, 
Minneapolis, 55424 
(952) 926-3808

Map and Directions http://www.eclc.org 

* Get ideas for your winter & spring action campaigns. 
* Find out how your congregation can save up to 40% on energy bills. 
* Soup, Bread & Spread Supper provided by St. Martin's Table - $5
donation  
* If possible, please bring a team of 3 to 5 volunteers from your 
congregation and be prepared to share about the creation care activities
you have done.

Agenda

4:00     Networking Time
4:15     "Caring for Creation: social justice and spiritual cultivation
in your congregation." 
(Rev. Dennis Ormseth, New Earth Partnership & Alycia Ashburn, LCPPM)
5:00    Soup, Bread & Spread Supper provided by St. Martin's Table - $5
donation
5:30    Creation Care Teams from metro congregations report on their
accomplishments, 
challenges and lessons, since our last C3 networking meeting in April of
2005.
6:30   Meet with other congregations that are working on similar
projects 
(CFL campaigns, Wind Power Campaigns, Green Building Projects,
legislative action, etc.)

Information Tables:  

CFL light Bulb Campaign - C3
Wind Power Purchasing Campaign- C3
Congregational Energy Audit - JIT Services
Home Energy Audits - Center for Energy and Environment
Legislative Action 2006-  MN Renewable Energy Standard, ME3

7:00     Closing reflections

========================

#4  Arctic Explorer Will Steger on the Polar Meltdown

Nov. 20, Dec 4 & Dec 5 (Three chances to hear him)
 Co-hosted by Congregations Caring for Creation

 Will Steger, the renowned polar explorer, educator, writer and
photographer will 
speak to three Twin Cities congregations about global warming.  Steger
led the 
most significant feats in dogsled exploration in history
(www.willsteger.com).  
His slides and stories document his first-hand observations of the
dramatic changes 
occurring at the Arctic and in Antarctica where the effects of global
warming are most 
apparent.  He will also engage the audiences in discussion.  Steger and
Congregations 
Caring for Creation (www.c3mn.net) will share information on what
individuals, government 
leaders and congregations can do to address this serious global concern.
A faith leader from 
each congregation will provide their perspective.  The three upcoming
events are: 

Sunday, November 20th at 7 pm  
Easter Lutheran Church at the Easter on the Hill location, 
4200 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan, MN 55122, 
www.easter.org  651-452-3680

Sunday December 4th at 7 pm 
Minnesota Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 
10715 Zenith Ave. S., Bloomington, MN, 55431  
www.mnvalleyuu.org  952-884-8956 

Monday, Dec 5th at 7 pm
Transfiguration Catholic Church, 
6133 15th Street North, Oakdale, MN 55128, 
www.tranny.org  Contact Glenn Skuta  651-770-0552

FFI: Congregations Caring for Creation 612-331-1099 x 1 or iasa [at] mtn.org 
or visit www.c3mn.net 
=======================

UU EcoMinds NEWS:

#4  UU EcoMinds co-chair meets with Gov. Pawlenty's Chief of Staff about
RES

On October 31, yours truly (Madalyn Cioci), was included in a small
meeting with 
David Gaither, Gov. Pawlenty's Chief of Staff.  Besides my voice for
congregations, the group
included people representing labor (the US Steelworkers), business and
banking interests, and
children (a school board parent). ME3 was at the table too. We delivered
the clear message that 
the RES is the right thing for MN -- morally, environmentally,
economically.  MN needs a
Renewable Energy Standard.  It will take more such meetings to get our
voices heard,
but this was certainly a good start. Thanks to the US Steelworkers for
organizing the meeting.


===================

#5  Upcoming UU EcoMinds Leadership team meetings: Nov 17 and Dec 6

Thursday, Nov 17  & Tuesday, Dec 6
7pm 
location TBA (call Madalyn 612-926-5249 for confirmation) 

We'll be planning for unified EcoMinds steps, organizing our smaller
workgroups, planning
our January whole group meeting, and setting some more details in place
for EcoMinds
governance.  All are welcome -- just call ahead to confirm the location,
and expect 
to leave with some work to do! 

FFI: 612-926-5249 or mcioci [at] earthlink.net

==============

#6  Welcome to the White Bear Unitarian Church!

Welcome to the White Bear Unitarian Church who voted last month to
participate in UU
EcoMinds!  Ardis Nohner-Black is our liaison there.  Thanks Ardis!

==============

#7  Recent town forums on the Renewable Energy Standard well attended.

UU EcoMinds and UU congregations were represented at both of the recent
citizen forums with legislators in Eden Prairie and Shoreview. Reports
are that they
were very well attended (about 80!) and informative both for citizens
and for 
legislators who attended. 


=================

E-mail your announcement suggestions to ecominds-editor [at] muusja.org 
If you have questions and want to talk to a real person about 
UU EcoMinds, call Madalyn at 612-926-5249.
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