Green Sanctuary News

Now that the holidays are over, many of us feel the need to get back to eating a healthier diet! While we enjoy cakes, pies, candies, and many rich traditional foods, we often feel bloated and less healthy as we enter January.

Art Brownstein, M.D. writes in his book “Healing Back Pain Naturally” that a healthy diet is not only helpful for back pain, but for our overall health. Take-out, restaurant meals, and processed foods generally contain way more sugar, salt, and fat than we need for the health of our bodies and minds. Eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes is not only healthier for our backs but also for our whole body. He also discusses the importance of eating a filling breakfast, a good lunch, and a light supper.

There are many online recipes which can provide guidance and inspiration. By reducing or eliminating meat, eggs, and dairy, one can also save money at the grocery store!

The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters is holding their 25th Anniversary Environmental Summit on January 7th, 2025 at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford.

The all-day program will enable attendees to learn about environmental challenges and opportunities for Connecticut, collaborate with lawmakers and community leaders, and plan for the upcoming legislative session.

Tickets and additional information can be found here: https://www.ctlcv.org/

Exclusive: UN Calls for $2.6 Trillion Investment To Reverse Land Degradation

By Simon Jessop & Pesha Magid, Reuters:

“Restoring the world’s degraded land and holding back its deserts will require at least $2.6 trillion in investment by the end of the decade, the U.N. executive overseeing global talks on the issue told Reuters, quantifying the cost for the first time.

More frequent and severe droughts as a result of climate change combined with the food needs of a rising population meant societies were at greater risk of upheaval unless action was taken, Ibrahim Thiaw said ahead of talks in Riyadh this week.

The two-week meeting aims to strengthen the world’s drought resilience, including by toughening up the legal obligations of states, laying out strategic next steps and securing finance. Source: uuseoffice@uuse.org

UUSE was the first accredited Green Sanctuary in CT and still the only recertified congregation. As of 2020 at least 30% of all UU congregations are Green Sanctuaries, 5 of which are in CT. But now UUA has revised and begun a new version called Green Sanctuary 2030. The Sustainable Living Committee endorses this new project but needs new people to take on the leadership of such a project. Does this interest you? We welcome anyone interested in this or other projects of the Sustainable Living Committee to join us for our monthly zoom meeting on second Tuesdays at 7:00 PM. Let Anne Vaughan, uuseoffice@uuse.org know so you can receive an agenda and zoom link for the next meeting.

#JanuaryNewsletter