Green Sanctuary May 2025 News
A Greener Home: Sustainability Bingo and Green Geeks
One of the initiatives from last November’s Climate Justice Revival was bringing sustainability more deeply into our homes. This past Sunday, April 20, we launched our plan to do that with Sustainability Bingo and Green Geeks.
Sustainability Bingo
When we introduced Sustainability Bingo this past Sunday it wasn’t intended to be a scientific survey, just a fun way to get a feel for our sustainability actions. Folks could fill out a level 1 (24 actions) or a level 2 (48 actions) Bingo Sheet while enjoying after service snacks. Forty-seven people filled out a sheet.
The percentages of people taking actions listed on both the Level 1 and 2 bingo sheets were sorted into four groups based on what percentage of people practiced an action.
- High (100-75%) – people recycled, donated to thrift shops, met regularly with friends, used LED bulbs, knew their neighbors, and shopped local.
- High Middle (75-50%) – people reduced single use plastics, stayed hydrated, composted food waste, got regular exercise, limited pesticide use, limited social media, had good sleep habits, protesting or lobbying, mending, and walking regularly.
- Low Middle (50-25%)- people were fixing leaks in doors and windows, donating to green causes, eating vegetarian, using public transit, knowledgeable about local species, and getting energy audits.
- Low (25-1%) – people used Freecycle, had high efficiency appliances, furnaces, water heaters, doors, and windows, were active in a green group, and reduced air travel.
People might have wondered a bit at the inclusion of social behaviors, like knowing your neighbors, and physical and mental health behaviors, like exercise and limiting social media. These actions are important for building social cohesion and community resilience. In addition, improving personal mental and physical health can help reduce the use of medications, some of which flow right through our bodies and then through wastewater treatment plants into streams, rivers, lakes and oceans.
If you have ideas for more things to include, or wonder why certain things were included at all, email Jan at [email protected]. We are going to repeat this activity in July, so your suggestions to make it better will be very helpful.
If you didn’t have a chance to try out Sustainability Bingo, you can play a less fun version at
Level 1 – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KSJgIiEr-QR2F_py5KYrQLPSETwKv17AQSlLTiR8wWo/preview
Level 2 – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1W58ey9n08s8TSlNwV_pVxjMJplalLbXga3eOs_Imu-Y/preview
Green Geeks
We also shared information on Green Geeks, our project to find and promote the folks who are passionate about a green practice and willing to share what they know with people who want to try something new, but could use some help. We have four volunteers who can talk about gardening, rewilding a yard, electric cars, mending, and a whole house management system.
We are still figuring out the communication piece of this but will have more information next month. Meanwhile, we are looking for other Green Geeks. If you have a topic you are passionate about, let us know. Contact Jan (see above).
May Better Together – STRENTHEN THE INTERDEPENDENT SYSTEMS
Work to preserve and grow diverse natural, social, and economic systems.
Support diverse natural systems by learning to identify plants. They make great candidates for learning about nature because, unlike animals, they don’t move. Start with an app like Plantnet or iNaturalist, or go old school with a plant ID book for Iowa. Once you learn what characteristics to look for, identification gets easier. When you get more confident, learn to ID invasive species, like garlic mustard. Become a garlic mustard scout. Learn how to identify garlic mustard and pull it up, roots and all, whenever you go for a walk on public lands. https://coralville.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2689
Support diverse social systems by getting to know your neighbors and interacting with them more. How to start? The first thing is to get outside more, and May is a great time to start. You can walk around the block, putter in the front yard, or plant yourself with a chair and book in your driveway. Wave to whoever walks by, and if an opportunity presents itself, strike up a conversation. You can show off your outdoor projects, asks about theirs, see if they have a tool you can borrow, or a contractor they can recommend. Want to take it further, check out these neighborhood initiatives. https://www.icgov.org/government/departments-and-divisions/communications/neighborhood-outreach/neighborhood-associations/know-your-neighborhood
Support diverse local economic systems by shopping local, going to farmers markets, and using thrift stores. Then you can take it up a notch by treating your hometown (or county) like a tourist destination. Check out sites like “Travel Iowa” and type in Johnson County to find places like the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm in Iowa City, or the Big Grove Preserve in Solon. Check out community calendars to see what events are happening in your town, like Coralville’s Asian Festival (5/17 in ST Morrison Park).
Social and Environmental Justice (SEJ) Sunday May 11
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 May Meeting Will be Hybrid!
Green Sanctuary Meeting is Wednesday May 14 at 7 pm. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88132264216?pwd=R2hyclJWOWxJYVFUd2J0amRhZHYrQT09#success
Meeting ID: 881 3226 4216. Contact Jan Weaver – [email protected] for the Zoom Passcode or for more information, or to get on our email list.
