[Green] Please review

[Vic Elam]

Adeline,

Wasn't there a discussion about seeking support for a program at the end of
September? I'm thinking that it was UUA green sanctioned event or similar.
We would pay $50 for materials or something? I was going to approach the
board for approval tomorrow.

When the Earth, its products, its creatures become his concern, man is
caught up in a cause greater than his own life and more meaningful. Only
when man loses himself in an endeavor of that magnitude does he walk and
live with humility and reverence.   - William O. Douglas


On Tue, Jun 4, 2024 at 11:27 PM Adeline Bailey via Green <green at fuusm.org>
wrote:

> Hello,
> I see several typos that I missed before sending the minutes to Dawn.
> Sorry about that!
> Adeline
>
> On Tue, Jun 4, 2024, 4:09 PM frogdlm--- via Green <green at fuusm.org> wrote:
>
>> Greetings Greenies,
>>
>> Jim and I will be co-chairing GS for June and July.  We were unable to
>> attend the May meeting.  I have read over the minutes from our illustrious
>> scribe, Adeline and they look very informative to me.  For those in
>> attendance at the May meeting, please review and let me know if there are
>> any additions or corrections.
>>
>> Mahalo, Debra
>>
>>
>>
>> First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta
>>
>> Green Sanctuary Committee Meeting
>>
>> 12:30 p.m., Sunday, May 19, 2024
>>
>> In person RE/Office Building - Parlor, with Zoom option available
>>
>>
>>
>> In attendance: in person - Adeline and Mike Bailey, George Banziger, Vic
>> Elam, Dawn Hewitt, Ginnie McNeil, Rebecca Phillips, and Cindy Taylor; on
>> Zoom - Anne Sparks.
>>
>>
>>
>> Co-chair Dawn Hewitt called the meeting to order at 12:38pm.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Minutes *of the April meeting were approved as submitted.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Do we want to sponsor “The Work That Reconnects” ?*
>>
>> Dawn moved that the Green Sanctuary committee sanction/sponsor this
>> in-person workshop led by Rev. Hillary Krivchenia. George Banziger seconded
>> the motion.
>>
>> Discussion: The workshop is already underway, offered in five weekly
>> sessions in the FUUSM Social Hall, with a suggested $50 fee per
>> participant. Since  Rev. Hillary is a friend of the congregation, not a
>> member, having GSC sponsorship would authorize the workshop  as a
>> congregational activity.
>>
>> The motion passed unanimously.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Common Ground,* the documentary about health and climate change
>> benefits from regenerative agriculture,was screened April 21st, hosted
>> by GSC. Farmers from Sugar Butte Farm near Lowell  attended and shared in
>> the discussion after the screening.  Interfaith Power and Light offered the
>> film as part of their Earth Day programming this year, and required
>> in-person screening during a set period around Earth Day 2024. Although GSC
>> had already acquired the DVD, Ginnie McNeil learned that FaCT Ohio would be
>> donating a copy to FUUSM as an anchor congregation. The DVD will be made
>> available in the FUUSM library for sign-out and home viewing.
>>
>> Adeline Bailey announced that Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action would be
>> offering a follow-up  discussion on regenerative agriculture and climate
>> change,  meeting on Zoom only,  on Thursday, May 23rd, with panelists
>> including the Gibsons from Sugar Butte Farm and others. Several  additional
>> panelists were suggested.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Solar Charging Bench Update* - *Dawn Hewitt and Adeline Bailey*
>>
>> Dawn will contact Jay Warmke regarding assessment of flood damage to the
>> workings of the bench. The charging ports and lights are not operational at
>> this time.  Updated signage will be needed at the beginning of June. Ginnie
>> MdNeil volunteered to gather info for the July calendar of events, and
>> Rebecca Phillips will work on the August calendar. Dawn and Adeline Bailey
>> have templates to create the posters and will get them laminated and
>> installed.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Ecological Restoration projects - Mark Krivchenia*
>>
>> Mark was not available for the meeting today.
>>
>> *Native Plant Sales* in Marietta will be held Saturday, June 1, at the
>> Marietta Farmers Market. GSC volunteered to participate and share
>> information about the Harmar area pollinator habitat and Homegrown National
>> Park program during market hours (9am-1pm).  Rebecca Phillips volunteered
>> for a shift from 9 to 11am; Dawn volunteered for the 11am to 1pm shift.
>> Rural Action and Native Roots will be selling native plants.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Pollinator Habitat (Rebecca’s report at end of minutes)* Rebecca is
>> looking for more volunteers. Although there have been some efforts to
>> involve Girl Scouts and high school youth,  adult volunteers with strength
>> and skills to supervise and complete tasks are not currently available.
>> The Heritage Garden section, located in a flat area at the top above the
>> habitat, needs to be planted, and weeding and removal of Bermuda grass is
>> an ongoing problem.
>>
>>
>>
>> *FaCT Ohio updates - **Ginnie McNeil *
>>
>> Ginnie said the recent Distinguished Speaker program with author Justin
>> Nobel discussing his new book,* Petroleum 238*,  and his research on
>> radiation hazards from fracking and injection wells, was well attended,
>> both in person and on Zoom. She noted that several GSC members were in the
>> Zoom audience. Their June 15th program will feature Jennifer Ackerman,
>> speaking on  her book, *What an Owl Know*s. The July program will be
>> presented on July 24 by Jake Bittle, on his book,  *The Great
>> Displacement.*
>>
>>  FaCTOhio continues their efforts to develop a youth education program
>> statewide.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *MOVCA update - Cindy Taylor and Adeline Bailey*
>>
>> MOVCA’s follow-up panel discussion on regenerative agriculture will be
>> presented on Zoom this coming Thursday, May 23.
>>
>> Their climate Ambassador program is seeking applicants entering 9-12
>> grades in the 2024-2025 school year. Twelve spaces are available; some
>> candidates have already completed the interview process. More info is
>> available at movyouthca.com, the Climate Ambassador website.
>>
>> Kayla Engle is the new coordinator for the program.
>>
>>
>>
>> *GSC Worship Service*
>>
>> Dawn said GSC had received a thank you note from the Worship and Music
>> Committee for the service presented April 14th.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Updates: ReImagine Appalachia, CCL, OCEC/SAI, Devola pollinator project,
>> Save Ohio Parks, Injection Wells - George Banziger (full report at end)*
>>
>> *Highlights from George’s report: *
>>
>> *CCL OH 6* CCL state leaders ask that members wishing to promote
>> candidates or participate in protests act as individuals “outside of  CCL.”
>> George says he will continue to be involved as such. Several GSC members
>> discussed their concerns about the positions on climate held by current
>> candidates for the Ohio 6 district representative to the US House of
>> Representatives.
>>
>> *SAI/OCEC projects *OCEC has received a grant from the Marietta
>> Community Foundation to support educational programs on block chain and
>> agricultural uses in heat transfer technology.
>>
>> *Devola pollinator corridor* George continues to use Neighbors Nextdoor
>> to promote a project to plant land disrupted by recent sewer line work in
>> Devola with native pollinator seeds.
>>
>> *Injection Wells* George discussed his concerns about Deep Rock
>> Solutions’ CEO Brian Chavez, who is currently completing the term left
>> vacant when Frank Hoagland left office, and will be on the ballot in
>> November 2024, running for a full, four-year term. Reports were published
>> recently  about leaks from wells operated by Deep Rock, with clean-up costs
>> being paid by the state, with no reimbursement from Deep Rock. Anne Sparks
>> said Ari Faber from Athens will be running against Chavez in November.
>>
>> *Save Ohio Parks. *Anne Sparks said that SOP received the community
>> engagement award at a recent Ohio Environmental Council gala. The Ohio Oil
>> and Gas Commission will meet Monday on nominations for fracking leases on
>> public lands. SOP plans to protest at the meeting, concentrating on the
>> loss of water for fracking and reports of high rates of cancer in areas
>> near contaminated wells.
>>
>> *Disinformation.* George also said that Dr. Randi Pokladnik has
>> volunteered to do a program on carbon capture for GSC, citing concerns
>> about disinformation.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Upcoming Events * Dawn suggested that GSC might support participation
>> in the June MultiCultural Festival in Parkersburg at City Park, especially
>> if  FUUSM would be hosting a table/booth at the event. Since it is
>> scheduled concurrent with the UUA General Assembly this year, no
>> announcements have been forthcoming about participation, however the FUUSM
>> annual picnic is scheduled at City Park on the closing Sunday of the
>> Festival.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Other Concerns*  Vic Elam mentioned that GSC should be involved in some
>> way with Marietta’s recently announced riverfront revitalization project,
>> possibly funded through the Inflation Reduction Act. Members discussed
>> needing more information about the plans.
>>
>>
>>
>> The meeting was adjourned at 2:07pm*. *
>>
>>
>>
>> Respectfully submitted,
>>
>> Adeline Bailey, scribe
>>
>>
>>
>> Next GSC meeting: *Sunday, June 16,  2024,* 12:30 p.m. in the FUUSM
>> RE/Office building and on Zoom.
>>
>>
>>
>> *--- Addenda ---*
>>
>> *Reports from George Banziger to Green Sanctuary Committee*
>>
>> *For Meeting of May 19, 2024*
>>
>> *ReImagine Appalachia.* Some upcoming events (register on their web site)
>>
>>             -May 27, 11 a.m. -1 p.m. Appalachian Sustainable Finance Hub
>> (facilitating resources & connections for economic development)
>>
>>             -May 30 REAP Funding, Rural Energy for America Program
>> (funding for farmers and small businesses in rural areas to promote energy
>> efficiency)
>>
>> *Citizens Climate Lobby*  (I serve as the group leader for the Marietta
>> chapter)
>>
>>             We have continued our enhanced collaboration with the
>> Mahoning Valley CCL chapter (also in OH 06). Since Bill Johnson has left
>> his seat in the House (January 2024) to assume the presidency of YSU, we
>> have been focusing on our two US senators. CCL-Ohio is still looking for
>> someone to serve as liaison with Senator Sherrod Brown’s office.
>>
>>             No response yet from Senator Vance’s office on my idea to
>> arrange an “Appalachian Forum” to discuss energy end environmental issues
>> with a staff member from his office. I’ll resend the request.
>>
>>             CCL-National encourages us to focus on lobbying sitting
>> members of Congress and not to engage in partisan support for particular
>> candidates running for office in our CCL capacity, nor should we protest
>> issues like fracking in our capacity as CCL members. I told John Sabin, our
>> temporary state coordinator of CCL, that we in eastern Ohio are very
>> concerned about issues like fracking and injection wells and will support
>> candidates with similar views to ours and will publicly protest issues like
>> fracking under public lands while not identifying our membership in CCL.
>> These activities may detract from the time we can devote to CCL actions. An
>> example of this issue is the active support of many of us in CCL 06 for the
>> Democratic candidate for Congress in this district in anticipation of the
>> June 11 special election.
>>
>> *Organization of Clean Energy & Climate* (I serve on the advisory group
>> of the OCEC non-profit)
>>
>>             We received official notice last week that OCEC has been
>> awarded a grant of $7,582 from the Marietta Community Foundation. This
>> grant will support the acquisition of supplies for the greenhouse at the
>> Gravel Bank Road site (between Marietta & Belpre) and costs of curriculum
>> development in applied computer technology (relevant to heat-capture
>> practices)  and agriculture (relevant to growing vegetables in the
>> greenhouse).
>>
>>             Dr. Tao, Executive Director of OCEC, and I are identifying
>> and pursuing other grant options, particularly from the U.S. Department of
>> Energy.
>>
>>             He has also made arrangements with the Washington County
>> Commissioners to provide heating (from data centers) for the county jail.
>>
>>
>> *Devola Pollinator Project*
>>
>>             On April 18 I delivered seeds, planting instructions, and a
>> species list to the first family to request the seeds. I look forward to
>> delivering the sowing materials to the remaining families who have already
>> expressed interest and more families as word of mouth spreads the message
>> about the project. Last week I posted on Next Door Devola  another reminder
>> about the availability of seeds for native plants from me while also
>> reminding people in the area about the FUUSM plant sale and the June 1
>> event at Marietta Farmers’ Market where native plants will be available for
>> purchase.
>>
>> *Injection Wells*
>>
>>             I have no news about the legal case Bob Lane has taken
>> against injection well companies. My offering for the Climate Corner of the
>> June 1 edition of the Parkersburg News & Sentinel is about fracking.
>>
>>             GSC members may have read about our newly appointed (by the
>> governor) state senator, Brian Chavez, who is the Chief Executive Officer
>> at  Deeprock  Disposal. There was a major leak at one of his company’s
>> injection wells, which ODNR cleaned up. He has yet to reimburse the state
>> for the costs of that clean up. I sent a letter to Governor DeWine about
>> this matter, pointing out that Chavez was a poor choice to represent the 30
>> th Ohio senate district because of his interest in injection wells,
>> which are opposed by a broad cross section of citizens in Washington
>> County.
>>
>> *Save Ohio Parks *
>>
>>             SOP is urging those concerned about fracking under public
>> lands to send comments to the Oil & Gas Land Management Commission about
>> the latest “nominations” for fracking at Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and
>> Keen Wildlife Area. These two “nominations” will be discussed by the OGLMC
>> on May 20 in Columbus. SOP is organizing a protest of this anticipated
>> approval at the Ohio Department of Public Safety, 1970 W Broad St.
>> Columbus, gathering at 12:30 p.m.
>>
>>             Anne Sparks who is on the SOP Steering Committee may offer
>> more details on SOP
>>
>> .*##########*
>>
>> *Pollinator Habitat Report, May 2024*
>>
>> Submitted by Rebecca Phillips
>>
>> The habitat is doing its job of attracting pollinators and songbirds, but
>> its good soil continues to be a problem. Due to a lack of volunteers during
>> the optimal weeding season, the enthusiastic plants continue to encroach on
>> many of those from Andrew's design. I am looking at ways to protect them
>> without completely eliminating the more aggressive native volunteers, which
>> are beneficial plants in their own right. This may involve moving them to
>> the base of the slope where they can be more easily protected and leaving
>> the steepest parts of the site to the toughest plants.
>>
>> The proposed heritage garden has not come into being. After an initial
>> flurry of interest and the creation of a mowing edge by volunteers from
>> Morning Rotary and Marietta College, there has been no sustained volunteer
>> weeding corps, and not enough plants have been donated to cover the site.
>> Despite heavy mulching and herbicide applications to control the bermuda
>> grass, the site is overrun by opportunistic invaders. Dimex has donated
>> three rolls of plastic lawn edging and is willing to donate more, but the
>> invasives will need to be removed for the barrier to have much effect.
>>
>> Jen Tinkler of Main Street and I have been in discussion of possible
>> solutions to the poison hemlock that has moved in along the river since the
>> city removed vegetation and soil in that area. With the city's financial
>> problems, there is no staff to engage in hemlock control.
>>
>> *##########*
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Green mailing list
>> Green at fuusm.org
>> http://fuusm.org/mailman/listinfo/green_fuusm.org
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Green mailing list
> Green at fuusm.org
> http://fuusm.org/mailman/listinfo/green_fuusm.org
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://fuusm.org/pipermail/green_fuusm.org/attachments/20240609/50c38bde/attachment.htm>