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b0fa3ab7-a0dd-4c55-9693-fae8f294e824 < Back to Newsletter April Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > Green Sanctuary News Have you used ChatGPT? It sure can be helpful. But where do the answers come from? There are 2.5 billion queries sent to ChatGPT daily! In addition to ChatGPT, there’s also Claude, Grok, Gemini, Deep Seek, and many more, all using artificial intelligence (AI). AI uses enormous amounts of data it has been trained on to give you an answer. The vast infrastructure behind all of AI’s computing power is stored in huge data centers. As you may have heard, AI’s data center infrastructure comes at a huge environmental cost: Electricity. Each query uses an estimated 0.34 watt-hours of electricity — roughly the energy needed to run a standard LED lightbulb for two minutes. Over a day, that adds up to about 6.8 watt-hours per person. At 100 million users, the number jumps to 680,000 kilowatt-hours daily, comparable to the electricity consumption of more than 22,000 households. According to the International Energy Agency, a request made on ChatGPT consumes almost 10x the amount of electricity compared to a standard search. While renewable energy capacity is expanding, much of the U.S. grid still relies on fossil fuels. As a result, increased electricity use by data centers often corresponds directly with higher greenhouse gas emissions. Water. Data centers rely on water-based cooling systems to prevent servers from overheating. Generating the electricity for a single AI-heavy household’s daily energy use can require the equivalent of an entire person’s daily drinking water — just to keep servers cool. Some data centers exist in places where drinking water is already in short supply. There are currently 4088 data centers in over 50 states in the U.S. These sites are concentrated in Virginia, Texas, and California. In Virginia, data centers consume more than a quarter of the state’s total electricity. Days after pulling us out of the Paris climate treaty, Trump announced plans to build sprawling AI data centers across the country – a 500 billion investment and the largest infrastructure project in history. Some solutions have been proposed. One practical idea is to build data centers in colder climates to lessen the energy used for cooling. Someday, we might even have space-based data centers. The heat generated from data centers could have various applications. Fengqi You, a professor in Energy Systems Engineering at Cornell, said: “There isn’t a silver bullet…[appropriate] siting, grid decarbonization and efficient operations work together – that’s how you get reductions on the order of roughly 73% for carbon and 86% for water”. But even with these solutions, can we decarbonize the grid faster than the demand for AI grows? Many solutions will depend on regulations. Regulations require the political will to do the right thing, making sure there are guardrails in place so that we can use every advantage AI offers, while still keeping our planet habitable for life. AI can identify cancer cells, analyze research data, write computer code, explain a medical report, help students learn, write an essay for you, and on and on. While some applications are beneficial, many are not. Either way, AI is here to stay. Could AI help solve the climate crisis even though it’s part of the problem? Tip: If you’re looking for a browser that doesn’t default to using AI in search results, try Ecosia . Sources: https://www.earthday.org/the-true-price-of-every-chatgpt-prompt/ https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2025/11/roadmap-shows-environmental-impact-ai-data-center-boom #AprilNewsletter Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

Meditation Group Meditation Group - 3:30PM in the Sanctuary < Previous Next >

2f7ea675-4a97-4d06-b973-bc461e2436d1 < Back to Newsletter April Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > Women's Sacred Singing Circle Every Thursday at 7 PM We sing songs and chants from a variety of traditions, including some written by women from circles around the country, including our own. All are about the earth, healing, spirit, and, of course, women. Come late, leave early, or stay the whole time. Come every week or off and on, when you choose. But come! We have so much fun each week, we want you to join us in the laughter, song and community! #AprilNewsletter Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

AA - Mondays at Noon Every Monday at Noon Times Are Listed Here Next >

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled UUSE Author Event With S.J. Taylor Sunday, April 13th, 1:00 PM “The more a story is forbidden, the more it demands to be told…” New UUSE member, S. J. Taylor, is the author of Madsi the True, a children’s fantasy book steeped in Norwegian folklore. Twelve-year-old Madsi is searching for her older sister, who has been kidnapped by the Northern Lights. Madsi sets off on a journey to rescue her sister, joined by a very annoying neighbor boy and a magical girl who lives in the Lights. She is also the author of “The Witch of Festa Falls” in the Being Ace anthology—a short story likewise steeped in Norwegian folklore and featuring Birga, who grows up to become the village witch in Madsi the True. Ms. Taylor will read from Madsi the True and discuss her work. Copies of all her books will be available for purchase. Proceeds will go to UUSE. This event is co-sponsored by the UUSE Children and Youth Ministry and Adult Religious Education Committees. Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 West Vernon St., Manchester, CT #AprilNewsletter Sunday, April 13th, 1:00 PM “The more a story is forbidden, the more it demands to be told…” New UUSE member, S. J. Taylor, is the author of Madsi the True, a children’s fantasy book steeped in Norwegian folklore. Twelve-year-old Madsi is searching for her older sister, who has been kidnapped by the Northern Lights. Madsi sets off on a journey to rescue her sister, joined by a very annoying neighbor boy and a magical girl who lives in the Lights. She is also the author of “The Witch of Festa Falls” in the Being Ace anthology—a short story likewise steeped in Norwegian folklore and featuring Birga, who grows up to become the village witch in Madsi the True. Ms. Taylor will read from Madsi the True and discuss her work. Copies of all her books will be available for purchase. Proceeds will go to UUSE. This event is co-sponsored by the UUSE Children and Youth Ministry and Adult Religious Education Committees. Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 West Vernon St., Manchester, CT #AprilNewsletter OOS Sermon YouTube

279e205b-18a0-48a9-93b9-21fc2373452f < Back to Newsletter April Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > Transgender Day of Visibility Special Event: Unitarian Universalist Association 2025 Ware Lecture with Imara Jones Tuesday, March 31st, 7:00 PM  In honor of the 2026 Transgender Day of Visibility Day, the UUSE Welcoming Congregation Recertification Team is screening the UUA’s 2025 Ware Lecture by award-winning Transgender journalist, activist and story-teller, Imara Jones. Jones has won Emmy and Peabody Awards, and is the creator of TransLash Media, a cross-platform project seeking to shift the current culture of hostility towards transgender people in the US. Her powerful 2025 Ware Lecture lays out how the Heritage Foundation and the architects of Project 2025 use anti-trans policies as a wedge to divide the country. While her analysis is chilling, her lecture is equally hopeful and uplifting. Please join us. Unitarian Universalist Society East, Meeting Room, 153 Vernon St. W, Manchester, CT 06042. #AprilNewsletter Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

09da156b-1541-444a-add0-1703e9fd4e53 < Back to Newsletter April Newsletter Article < Previous Article Next Article > Hope in Hard Times Thursday, April 30th at 3 PM In these troubling times, many of us feel anxious, despondent, or alone. On Thursday, April 30th at 3 PM, Rev. Josh Pawelek and members of the Pastoral Friends Committee will host a hybrid gathering for anyone who is looking for camaraderie and conversation geared towards finding hope in hard times. This will be a hybrid meeting. Watch the Wednesday morning eblast for a Zoom link. #AprilNewsletter Contact Information modified in accordance with UUSE Privacy Policies.

Affinity Groups Affinity Groups < Previous Next Meeting Next >

ROMEOS Retired Old Men Eating Out, or The ROMEOs, is a social group that gets together once a month for lunch. Contact the office for details. < Previous Next Meeting Next >

Women’s Circle Women’s Circle with Nora Alpers-Leon Third Tuesdays at 7:00 Zoom Only December-March Contact alpers6@gmail.com for zoom link Nora describes this women’s circle as a “judgment-free comfort zone.” She invites participants to “sit, connect and share.” Bring a journal and a pen and a cushion or mat to sit on if you prefer that to a chair. Nora Mijares Alpers-Leon is an indigenous (Colombian) mother, developmental psycholinguist and educator, who has a background in dance, yoga, and mindfulness. She completed 2 bachelor and 2 master degrees and a graduate certificate between UW-Madison and UConn. She did her Yoga Teacher Training in the Berkshires, and has led mindfulness workshops and talking circles in the United States and Colombia with both adults and children. To sign up for this circle, or if you want more information, contact Nora. < Previous Contact Office for Times Next >

*OFFERED NEXT YEAR & ALTERNATE YEARS Students are advised by a mentor from our congregation as they work toward distilling their beliefs within Unitarian Universalism. The year includes a trip to the historically significant Arlington Street Church in Boston and culminates in a written credo statement presented to the congregation on Affirmation Sunday. < Back Affirmation (High School) *OFFERED NEXT YEAR & ALTERNATE YEARS Students are advised by a mentor from our congregation as they work toward distilling their beliefs within Unitarian Universalism. The year includes a trip to the historically significant Arlington Street Church in Boston and culminates in a written credo statement presented to the congregation on Affirmation Sunday. Previous Next

< To Upcoming Services Watch the eBlast for the next scheduled Sunday Service: "Poetry & Joy as Acts of Resistance" Sunday Service: "Poetry & Joy as Acts of Resistance" "Joy is an act of resistance." We hear this phrase a lot these days, and it serves as an important reminder that finding joy in the midst of turmoil is a powerful form of defiance and protest. There are many avenues to joy, and poetry is one of them. Today, in honor of National Poetry Month, several members of the congregation will share how they find joy and strength in poetry. Coordinators: Gina Campellone and Paula Baker. Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. Sunday, April 6, 2025 Gathering music starts at 8:55 and 10:55 A.M. Join the virtual service at 11:00 A.M. via our Zoom link: Contact the Office for Zoom Link. Or join by phone. Call 1-860-646-5151 Meeting ID 357 815 420#. In Case You Missed It: Click here for a Youtube link to our 3/30/25 service, "The Truth About Trust" #eBlast-04-02 Sunday Service: "Poetry & Joy as Acts of Resistance" "Joy is an act of resistance." We hear this phrase a lot these days, and it serves as an important reminder that finding joy in the midst of turmoil is a powerful form of defiance and protest. There are many avenues to joy, and poetry is one of them. Today, in honor of National Poetry Month, several members of the congregation will share how they find joy and strength in poetry. Coordinators : Gina Campellone and Paula Baker. Services at 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. Sunday, April 6, 2025 Gathering music starts at 8:55 and 10:55 A.M. Join the virtual service at 11:00 A.M. via our Zoom link: Contact the Office for Zoom Link . Or join by phone. Call 1-860-646-5151 Meeting ID 357 815 420#. In Case You Missed It: Click here for a Youtube link to our 3/30/25 service, "The Truth About Trust" #eBlast -04-02 OOS Sermon YouTube