Green Sanctuary August 2025 News
Sustainability Bingo
This past Sunday, July 20 we did our second round of Sustainability Bingo. Sustainability Bingo is not intended to be a scientific survey, just a fun way to get a feel for our sustainability actions. For this round, we only had one sheet of 48 possible actions. We had 29 adults and 6 kids fill out sheets.
This report focuses on the actions everyone could potentially take. That is because they weren’t dependent on having a home, a yard, or community services like transit and composting. Here are the results for all the things that most people should be able to do.
- One hundred to 75% of people stayed hydrated, knew the causes of climate change, and liked learning new stuff
- Seventy-five to 50% of people also knew their neighbors, contacted their representatives and lobbied them, knew at least 5 native species, got out in nature weekly, and had healthy lifestyles
- Fifty to 25% of people also weatherized their homes, used low flow shower heads, replaced paper napkins and towels with cloth options, mended clothes, and had a mostly vegetarian diet.
- Less than 25% of people also adjusted their thermostats and bought low impact toilet paper.
Again, we included social behaviors, healthy habits, and civic engagement because those are important components of taking care of the planet.
If you took the bingo challenge in April and again in July, you may have noticed that using LED bulbs, meeting with friends, shopping local, donating to a thrift shop, or recycling were not included because everyone is already doing a great job with those. When the challenge is repeated in October, the things everyone checked off, like staying hydrated, learning new stuff, and knowing the causes of climate change will be replaced with other actions.
Set yourself a goal for October. If you don’t already, get to know your neighbors, learn about some local species, get out in nature at least once a week, get some cloth napkins, and/or add more vegetarian meals to the menu.
If you have ideas for more things to include, or wonder why certain things were included at all, email Jan at [email protected].
August Better Together – VOLUNTEER
Each month of Better Together we have actions that members of the congregation can take to address climate Mitigation, Adaptation, Resilience, and Justice. Our focus for the summer is Adaptation to the new circumstances created by climate change. One way to adapt is to connect with others by Volunteering.
- What Are You Looking For? Start by figuring out what you want to give your time and talents to. You can ask: what change you want to see in the world; what is the most urgent problem to address; what issues do you pay attention to?
- What Can You Offer? Then figure out what you have to offer. Can you translate? Are you good with numbers? Do you like to work outside with plants and animals? Do you have teaching skills? Are you good at carpentry, plumbing, or wiring? Can you write or edit? Can you keep track of details and carry out plans? Are you good with people? All these are examples of skills that organizations can use. When you know what you can offer, figure when and how often you can volunteer. For example, do you like working on projects that are over and done, or staying with things that require regular effort over the long haul?
- Who Can Connect You? If you would like to volunteer in the community, check out the opportunities here: https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/service-directory/other-services/volunteer-opportunities
Social and Environmental Justice (SEJ) Sunday August 10
Look for our table in the Fellowship hall to write a postcard, letter, or to sign a petition to promote Social and Environmental Justice.
Our August Meeting Will be on Zoom!
Green Sanctuary Meeting is Wednesday August 13 at 7 pm. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88132264216?pwd=R2hyclJWOWxJYVFUd2J0amRhZHYrQT09#success
Meeting ID: 881 3226 4216, Contact Green Sanctuary for passcode. Contact Jan Weaver – [email protected] for more information, or to get on our email list.
