Meeting Minutes - March 2014

Green First Meeting Minutes, 3/6. Upcoming events are in bold.

In Attendance: Craig, Tom, Linda, John, Beth & Toni

Recent events:

• The 3/9 Compassion in Action offering was collected for CAEE, an organization that provides environmental education for youth.
• Social Justice Sunday, February 23, honored all task force members in service. There was not much traffic into the classrooms where Green First had a table to answer questions and drum up interest.
• Thanks to the Green Team for picking up trash along the South Platte March 9.
• Beth conducted a session on Mindful Justice as a part of the Eco-Justice Small Group Ministry in advance of the meeting.
• John reported that the net metering issue relating to roof-top solar and Xcel has been somewhat tabled and will be dealt with late 2015.

Current and upcoming events:

• Current schedule for South Platte trail clean-up (this will be forwarded to Dan Moen to be included in the SJ matters enews):

• Choir: April 26.
• Building & Grounds: May.
• Board: September.
• Leadership Development: November.
• Scouts have expressed interest; will contact Gene to find status.

• Planning for the RE Social Justice Sunday that Green First will present April 6 resulted in the decision to build a program around the Story of Stuff video (21 minutes). John will check to see if he is able to bring a portable solar cooker to show the kids and cook s’mores. The Story of Stuff link is included below so everyone can watch and provide comments as to suitability for K—5^th grade youth. From UU Ministry of the Earth: http://uuministryforearth.org/2014-ED-Learn-More-About-Waste-and-Consumption)
• John talked about another video sponsored by Chipotle that is also a possibility: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63X0yvnPXFc (More info about Chipotle’s campaign: “Chipotle - Back to the Start Case Study (Cannes 2012)” — Cannes 2012 Film Lions Grand Prix / Branded Content & Entertainment.
• Another Touchstone Tuesday vegan dinner will occur Earth Day. Tom is coordinating with Roland, the Vegan Society and Hospitality. Another Eco-Justice ministry small group is scheduled after the dinner.
• Kirsten H. is holding a regional UU environmental justice discussion 3/15 at 1^st Unitarian. Tom is planning to attend.
• A Climate Courage workshop will be held 3/29 at JUC from 2 to 5.
• Conservation Colorado provides information about Colorado legislative issues you can weigh in on: http://conservationco.org/category/related-items/action/.

Meeting Minutes - February 2014

Attendance: Craig, Tom A, Pete, Beth & Toni
Recent events:
·        The forum with Local Food Shift, Slo Money and Mile Hi Business Alliance was well presented and attended.
·        Tom Abood (and 5 other individuals) attended the NRDC training.  Focus is to back coal plant emission regulations coming out of EPA.  Local efforts targeting Hickenlooper, Bennet and Udall.
·        Pete and others from Citizen’s Climate Lobby met with Rep. Coffman to discuss support for a carbon fee.  Interaction was civil and respectful; Coffman needs more information.  Romanoff is definitely on-board, a point made to Coffman.  Coffman doesn’t believe that climate is a significant issue for the upcoming election.
·        The Citizen’s Climate Lobby forum was well attended.
·        Thanks to the Junior Goddesses for cleaning up the Platte trail in January.
Current and upcoming events:
·        Social Justice Sunday, February 23, will honor all task force members in service (hope you can come!).  The back-pack project will be active in Friendship Hall.  Task Forces can have a table in the classrooms to answer questions and drum up interest.  Send any Green First group pictures to Craig ASAP.
·        Beth announced the Eco-justice series she is coordinating.  We will change our next months’ meetings to coincide with the series. An announcement of the series topic and meeting times is forthcoming.
·        Green First’s Compassion in Action Sunday is March 9.  Craig will present and introduce the Cottonwood Institute for whom the offering will be collected.  
·        Current schedule for South Platte trail clean-up:

• Green Team: Early March. More information will be forthcoming about the date.
• Choir: April 26.
• Building & Grounds: May.
• Board: September.
• Leadership Development: November.

·        The RE Social Justice Sunday that Green First can present is April 6.  Will check with Linda about possible sheet mulching and with Janice about planting a tree.
·        It is still possible to provide comments in favor of continuing the solar net-metering.  The hearing was very well-attended by pro-solar advocates.
·        Another Touchstone Tuesday vegan dinner will occur around Earth Day.
·        Conservation Colorado provides information about Colorado legislative issues you can weigh in on: http://conservationco.org/category/related-items/action/.

Meeting Minutes - January 2014

Attendees: Craig Murray, Roland Halpern, Tom Abood

South Platte River Trail Cleanup
The Leadership and Development team led the cleanup in November.
Next cleanup in February, date TBD.
The Building and Grounds group will lead the cleanup in May.
The Board will probably take a month, they will discuss at their next meeting.
Touchstone Tuesday Meal - Green First will volunteer to prepare the meal on Earth Day, April 22nd. Roland will find out who we should arrange that with.
Social Justice Sunday - February 22, 2014.  The UUSC/Human Rights Task Force will lead a project to put together backpacks full of supplies for people recently released from prison.
Community Forum -       January 26th Colorado Climate Lobby
                                             February 2nd Local Food Shift
RE workshop - If Green First will be leading a workshop for RE we could do sheet mulching and plant vegetables somewhere on the church grounds.
Compassion in Action - Michael Brownlee will speak for Local Food Shift on  February 2.
Rally for Rooftop Solar - Tom, Tamo, and John attended COSEA's rally at the capital on Dec 11.
Eco Justice Small Group - Tom and Roland attended.  Another meeting should be announced in January, soon to be on a consistent day each month.
Ethical Eating Task Force - The Carnism Awareness Task Force renamed themselves the Ethical Eating Task Force.