Category: Environmental Justice

Here is a great article from NJ Spotlight. It pulls together all of the major reports that spell out how climate change impacts New Jersey.

The List: Ten Warnings About Potential Climate Change in NJ

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We are so excited to make history with you on Sunday! Unitarian Universalists will join together and march as one community, part of a 10,000-member faith contingent. We are coming from all over the continent and beyond to witness for climate justice. Here are the things to know to prepare for this epic event:

Day of Text Alert
To stay up to date about happenings the day of the march, please text the word “march” to 97779.  After doing this, you will receive updates about the march.

Meet up on 58th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues at 10:30am

…or whenever you can get there. Our UU contingent is gathering starting at 10:30am within the Faith Contingent Staging Area. Enter 58th Street from 9th Ave. only! the 8th Ave. entrance will be blocked off. An interfaith prayer service, featuring UUA President Rev. Peter Morales, will start at 11am. After that, UUs will gather together in community, make connections with one another, and prepare ourselves to march. The faith contingent has an intentional location in the march (for the whole lineup check out http://peoplesclimate.org/lineup). For up to the minute details, go to http://peoplesclimate.org/faith.

The NE corner of 44th and 6th is the “official” midway entry/exit point and “waiting area” for folks with mobility difficulties. It will probably be possible to leave the March just about anywhere along the route. It may also be possible to enter at various other points as well – especially if you’re a small group, or just an individual. But we know it will be possible to enter and exit at 44th and 6th.

If you need public transportation to NYC from New Jersey, the following transporation link will help.

There will be a block party at the end of the march with street food and fun!  Take the opportunity to talk to and get to know people who traveled from afar!

Moment of Silence to Moment of Alarm @12:58pm
The march is being led by frontline communities and indigenous groups from around the continent and the world, who are many of the first victims of climate change, and at 12:58, we’re having a moment of silence to honor those on the front lines. When you see people start linking hands above their heads, that’s the sign the moment of silence is beginning.

Also, please text ALARM to the number 97779.  By doing this, you will receive a reminder about the moment of silence.

At 1:00pm we are going to end that moment of silence with a great, big noise—sounding the climate alarm that has gone ignored for too long. You’ll know it’s time to ring that alarm and make as much noise as you can when you hear 32 marching bands blowing their horns and church bells ring from around the city (so bring your own noisemakers).

Wear your Standing on the Side of Love yellow if you have it.

If you don’t, no worries. We do not have the ability to sell T-shirts onsite. Other things to bring: granola bars or other snacks, clothes suitable for the weather, and water bottles. There will be water filling stations along the march route. Avoid large bags and backpacks if you can, and please note that the New York Police Department has prohibited wooden sticks and steel poles. UULMNJ will have about 40 11×17 signs that can be hand held or affixed to a paper tube.  Please bring your own tube and we can attach the sign at the staging area.

You are part of the launch of something huge and new: Commit2Respond!

Our participation in the People’s Climate March will kick-start a brand new UU initiative for climate justice. Commit2Respond is our religious response to the climate crisis, and by showing up to the March, you are a part of its beginning! Find out more at www.commit2respond.org. Share your commitment by using the hashtag #Commit2Respond on any signs or banners you bring.

Tell the world!

Being at the march will be huge, and we can expand our impact that much more by broadcasting our presence. You can start now: take to social media and tell the world why you are marching this weekend. Take selfies while you’re traveling to New York (if you don’t live there) and take pictures at the march as well! Share your photos on social media with the hashtags #Commit2Respond and #PeoplesClimate, or join the UULMNJ Facebook event and tag them as you upload them!

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Below is important updated information about the People’s Climate March.  Please be sure to note the new meeting place on 58th street between 8th and 9th  Ave.  Also, if you have a contingent from your congregation going together, please let us know at director@UULMNJ.org.

The following is from Peggy Clark, our Racial and Social Justice Consultant:

Unitarian Universalists are part of the Faith Contingent which is made up of every religious group you could name. (Really, it’s wildly impressive.) We are gathering on 58th between 8th and 9th. There will be a sign on that block so we can find each other easily. We should all be wearing our Standing on the Side of Love t-shirts if we have them. (Or pick up a goldenrod colored shirt at a local craft store if you don’t have one)

• 8:00: the streets will be blocked and ready for us to begin to convene.
• 10:30: the internationally acclaimed cellist Michael Fitzpatrick will play for us.
• 11:00: there will be a multi-faith prayer service in which Rev. Peter Morales is likely to have a role.     (That’s right- 10,000 people representing dozens of faith traditions praying together.)

After the service is over, each group will engage their own practice. For instance, the Quakers and Buddhists have requested to be near each other to support their desire for a time for silence. The Muslims will have midday prayer and the Jewish contingent will blow their shofars before we step out and into the March.

• 1:00: we will begin to march. The route ends on 11th and 42nd. For those for whom this is too far to walk we have set up a mid-point to join up.

Don’t forget to register at the UU Meetup to help UUA track the number of people representing.

Let your Facebook friends know where you’ll be!  Join and share our event!

 There is a CODE OF CONDUCT for the March.

View in detail at the above link.  But keep these things in mind:

• Do not bring any amplified sound systems.
• Do not bring signs, banners or flags that are carried on wooden sticks or metal rods, only cardboard tubing or string is allowed.
• Do not weigh yourself down with unnecessary clothing or other items that you will have to carry all day long…travel lightly.

UULMNJ has had signs printed for this and other Environmental Task Force events. If you’d like to carry one, find us!  We will send one more update/reminder next week.  In the mean time, have fun planning!

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On September 21, 2014, people from all over the world will converge on New York City for the People’s Climate March in advance of the United Nations Climate Summit. Unitarian Universalists and people of all faiths will be marching. So will UULMNJ!  Here is your opportunity to join other Metro District UU’s in NYC!  We will be meeting in Central Park at the Columbus Circle Entrance at 10:30 a.m.  The march will begin at 11:30.  Be sure to wear the yellow Standing on the Side of Love t-shirts, hats or whatever you have so we can recognize each other amongst the thousands of other attendees.  Below is more information from the organizers:

RSVP as part of the Unitarian Universalist contingent! All UU attendees are requested to RSVP here so we can keep an accurate count and everyone remains up to date as information becomes available. The Unitarian Universalist Association, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Metro NY District of the UUA, and many other UU groups are endorsers of the march.

SCHEDULE

•Wednesday to Saturday: People from all over the world converge on New York City. Many events are being planned all around the city by many groups. See below for details.

•Saturday, 10pm: Raucous but Reverent: Interfaith Young Adult Worship Service with Tim DeChristopher at Fourth Universalist Society, 160 Central Park West. All are welcome.

•Sunday 11:30am: People’s Climate March!“The largest climate march in history.” March will leave from Columbus Circle and end at 11th Ave. between 34th St. and 38th St. Click here for more info.

•Sunday 3:30-5:30pm: Unitarian Universalists Unite: Debrief at Community Church of New York, UU, 40 East 35th St.

•Sunday, 6pm: Interfaith Worship Service at Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, located on Amsterdam Avenue at 112th St., one block east of Broadway. Doors will open for the event at 5:30 pm. This public multifaith celebration will include government officials, activists, scientists and artists, and will be held in conjunction with the World Council of Churches and Religions for Peace as well as other institutional partners in building momentum for a decisive U.N. Climate Summit.  Seating and standing areas will be offered on a first come first serve basis, with special sections reserved for guests that have registered in advance . Please watch your email the week before the event for additional details related to your registration.

Satellite Events

A multitude of events are being planned by many groups surrounding the march. Here are some events that may be of particular interest to UUs:

• Saturday, 6:30-9:30 p.m.: Global Climate Treaty: Why the U.S. Must Lead Ethical Culture Society, 2 West 64th Street (at Central Park West).

•Wednesday, Sept. 17: Our Voices – Faiths for Climate Action; a Galvanizing, Energizing Festival with Inspiring Speakers, Music, and Eco-Spirituality The United Nations Church Center, 44th St. & First Ave.,  An incredible, day-long festival featuring energizing speakers, challenging presentations, music, and passionate stories of belief in action for the Earth. This event is the global kick-off of Our Voices, an international, multi-faith campaign for a strong climate treaty. Find more information and a preliminary schedule here.

• Wednesday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m.: Climate Conversations: Why the UN’s Climate Summit is Important to All of Us Featuring Bill McKibben, Church of the Holy Trinity, 316 E 88th St.

Housing

We are working to connect people with housing options. If you can offer home hospitality, or if you need some, please fill out this googledoc.

Commit2Respond: Join the UU Movement!
Our participation in the People’s Climate March will mark the launch of a brand new UU initiative to address climate change. A collaboration of the UUA, UUSC, UU Ministry for Earth, UU Ministers Association, and other groups, Commit2Respond is a movement of UUs taking action for climate justice in 2014-2015 and beyond. Be a part of the movement! Sign up to Commit2Respond to climate change.

Questions?

Check out PeoplesClimate.org/march for more details about the march and frequently asked questions.

We need your immediate help to keep fracking waste out of our state!!!

Governor Christie has until August 11 to sign the fracking waste ban. Join our friends at Clean Water Action for a Twitter Storm encouraging the governor to sign this important piece of legislation.

More details can be found here https://www.facebook.com/events/555679907870983/

Thunder Clap is a tool that will allow us to send mass tweets and Facebook posts at a coordinated time to have an even bigger impact. We have to get to 100 people to use the Thunder Clap tool, so please sign up to use it! You can sign up for the Thunder Clap here: http://thndr.it/1lGDSTJ.

You can also share this meme on the Food & Water Watch NJ Facebook page: StopFrackWasteMeme

Now is the time for action!

As you know, the New Jersey Legislature passed the Fracking Waste Ban legislation and it is sitting on the Governor’s desk awaiting his signature.  Please write to him and urge him to sign this bill.  A sample letter is available here.  Please try to get these out ASAP.