Environmental Justice Team
Our faith is grounded in wonder, reverence, love, and respect for all of God’s creations. Our Environmental Justice Team finds opportunities to engage us in special events and to raise awareness of climate change issues and mitigation efforts.
Tips for Sustainable Living
February 18, 2024: Environmental Justice & the United Church of Christ
Did you know that the United Church of Christ’s Commission for Environmental Justice was the central organization in the watershed events of the environmental justice movement?
To find out more about one of the most significant parts of our denominational heritage, visit ucc.org, click on How We Serve at the top, and then on Environmental Justice Ministries.
February 11, 2024: Paper
Paper production contributes to landfills, deforestation, energy and water consumption, and air pollution. Try these tips to reduce your paper waste:
• Opt for e-billing instead of paper bills.
• Read books, magazines, and newspapers online instead of getting the physical copies.
• Print on both sides of the paper – and consider whether something needs to get printed at all.
• You can recycle: Office paper, junk mail, cardboard, food and beverage cartons, and newspapers.
• You can’t recycle: Most gift wrap and gift bags; ice cream containers, hot and cold paper cups, shredded paper, take-out food containers, and tissue paper.
February 4, 2024: RecycleCT
If you have any questions about recycling, you can get answers from Connecticut’s RecycleCT Wizard. Just go to RecycleCT.com, type what you want to recycle in the box, and hit Search.
January 28, 2024: New Year’s Resolutions: Reconsider Online Shopping
Online shopping is so convenient, it’s hard to resist. It’s easy to make purchases, and easy to return them: in 2020, 16% of all online sales were returned, and the return rate for clothing was even higher – 24%.
Unfortunately, those “free” returns for your online purchases have a price you don’t see. They create 16 million tons of carbon emissions every year, which is equivalent to 3.5 million cars on the road for an entire year. And a lot of the items that get returned don’t get restocked or resold – they just get thrown out. In just one category, 2.6 million tons of returned clothing wound up in landfills in 2020. So this January, consider shopping more mindfully, and commit to less returning.
Adapted from The New York Times, When You Return Those Pants, the Planet Pays, by Pamela Paul, 1/11/2024
January 21, 2024: New Year’s Resolutions: Consider “Meatless Mondays”
Eating a plant-based diet is not just good for your health, it’s also good for our planet’s health – our current food system is responsible for over 30% of greenhouse gases. But you don’t have to go completely vegetarian or vegan: If every American gave up meat and dairy products for just one day a week, it would save the environment from thousands of tons of carbon emissions every year.
January 14, 2024: New Year’s Resolutions: Sustainable Clothing Choices
Not-so-fun fact: the fashion industry is the second-most polluting industry in the world, after the oil industry. So for 2024, consider these tips:
1. Buy high-quality materials and timeless styles that won’t go out of fashion in six months – “fast fashion” exacerbates waste and pollution.
2. Buy domestically made clothes whenever possible.
3. Consider organizing clothing swaps with friends and buying at thrift stores and consignment shops.
4. For clothes you want to get rid of: donate them if they’re in good shape or recycle them if they’re not – the Westport Transfer Station offers a container for recycling textiles.
January 7, 2024: New Year’s Resolutions
We’ve mentioned in this section before that globally, food waste accounts for 8–9% of greenhouse gas emissions – about for times as much as aviation. About one-third of food is wasted in the U.S. – and for the average family of four, that costs about $1,500/year.
So a good New Year’s resolution is to reduce food waste. Before you go to the grocery store or order online, plan ahead and make a list with specific meals in mind. Then stick to your list so you don’t buy more than you need. And if you do buy in bulk – hello, Costco! – make sure it’s something that you’re 100% going to use up, or that can last a long time.
December 31, 2023: New Year’s Resolutions
If you’re looking for an easy, impactful resolution to start 2024 off strong, here’s a good one: Stop using single-use, disposable products like water bottles. Two sobering facts:
1. Every year, the oil used to produce plastic water bottles in the U.S. is enough to fuel about one million cars;
2. Around 85% of plastic water bottles end up in landfills, where they can take up to 1,000 years to degrade.
Fortunately, the solution is easy: a reusable water bottle. Not only is it environmentally friendly, it can save you up to $16,200 over its lifetime. A win-win!
December 24, 2023: Greener Holidays
If you still need to get last-minute gifts, consider a donation in the recipient’s name to an organization that helps make our planet more livable and our future more sustainable. Donate to your favorite charity, or consider these local non-profits:
Save the Sound
Aspetuck Land Trust
Sustainable Westport
December 17, 2023: Greener Holidays
The holidays can sometimes feel a bit environmentally un-friendly. This month we’ll feature simple tips to help you stay true to your values this Christmas season.
Showcase Natural Beauty
Instead of store-bought décor, use simple nature touches – like extra brances from your tree, a bowl of pinecones, or local plants – to bring nature’s calming influence inside.
December 10, 2023: Greener Holidays
The holidays can sometimes feel a bit environmentally un-friendly. This month we’ll feature simple tips to help you stay true to your values this Christmas season.
Showcase Natural Beauty
You can help reduce the estimated 4 million tons of waste (!) from wrapping paper and shopping bags during the holidays. Hallmark now makes wrapping paper that is 100% recyclable. Or consider creative alternatives like magazine pages, old maps or calendar pages – the more unexpected the wrapping material, the more striking your gifts will look under the tree!
December 3, 2023: Greener Holidays
The holidays can sometimes feel a bit environmentally un-friendly. This month we’ll feature simple tips to help you stay true to your values this Christmas season.
More Fun. Less Stuff.
Think about giving your loved ones experiences like concert tickets or restaurant gift cards, or donating to a cause dear to their hearts. That way you’re giving cherished memories that won’t end up on a shelf or in a landfill.
November 26, 2023: Food Waste & Composting
If you’re tired of turkey and ordering pizza, please don’t put the cheesy, oily pizza boxes in your recycling bin. If you compost your food waste, then please compost the pizza box if there isn’t any plastic in or on it. Otherwise, put it in the trash and send it to the landfill. (If the top is clean, you can cut that off and recycle it with the other paper and cardboard, and then compost the bottom.)
November 19, 2023: Food Waste & Composting
Thanksgiving is a time of abundance! And if at the end of the holiday weekend, you still have a little too much … abundance … consider composting. In our tip last week, we talked about how food waste contributes to greenhouse gases, and composting – the natural process of recycling organic matter like food scraps into valuable fertilizer – mitigates that. If you don’t want to compost at home, here are two other ways to compost in Westport:
1. Hire one of the licensed food scrap haulers: Action Waste Solutions and Curbside Compost.
2. Purchase composting bags ($2/roll) from Westport Hardware or Earthplace, and drop off your bags for free at the Transfer Station (aka “the dump”).
November 12, 2023: Reducing food waste
Reducing food waste can help reduce your environmental impact. Globally, food waste accounts for 8–9% of greenhouse gas emissions – by comparison, aviation accounts for only about 2%. According to the EPA, about one-third of food is wasted in the U.S. – and for the average family of four, that costs about $1,500/year.
We’ll have future tips about how to reduce food waste – stay tuned!
November 5, 2023: Two community events
Thursday, November 9, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The Great Pumpkin Toss
Undecorated/unpainted pumpkins and gourds turn into rich compost, but 1.3 billion pounds (!) of pumpkins are wasted every year. Bring them to Westport Farmers Market, and Action Waste Solutions will do the green deed for you!
Saturday, November 11, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
EcoFest: Westport’s Sustainable Holiday Fair
Staples High School Cafeteria
Sustainable gifts and ideas for every occasion. Exhibitors, food, thrifting, educational presentation, and more!
October 29, 2023: Sustainable Halloween
This Halloween, make sure you don’t wish-cycle. Most of the plastic giveaways can’t be recycled – plastic rings, necklaces, mechanical pencils, rubber bracelets, and glow sticks all must go in the trash. So, you may want to consider skipping the plastic stuff altogether.
If you painted your pumpkin, it can’t be composted. It should go in the trash.
Candy wrappers are all trash.
Consider reselling or donating your costumes after Halloween, so they don’t end up in a landfill.
This tip is from Sustainable Westport – find out more at sustainablewestport.org.
October 22, 2023: Leave the leaves, Part 3
We may have mentioned in this space before 😊 about how great it is to “leave the leaves”
in the fall. If you’re on board with all the benefits – leaves contribute to building healthy soil and provide crucial habitats for pollinators, to name just two – but are concerned about what the neighbors might think, Earthplace has the answer!
These signs are available in the Earthplace gift shop. So not only do you express your commitment to our planet – you also help spread the word about the incredible benefits of leaving the leaves.
October 15, 2023: Leaf Blowers
It’s leaf season! But did you know that a single gas-powered leaf blower produces up to 115 decibels, with serious negative effects on hearing? The high-velocity air not only disperses dust, pesticides, and mold into the air – it also blows away topsoil and other natural substances that help plants thrive. And a study by AAA and Edmunds found that the hydrocarbon emissions from using a leaf blower for only 30 minutes are about the same as driving 3,900 miles in a Ford F-150 Raptor.
The solution? Use rakes, brooms, or a battery-powered leaf blower. Or better yet, leave the leaves! They provide valuable shelter for birds and pollinators, fertilize your lawn, and improve the water-retention capacity of your soil.
Remember: when it comes to keeping our planet healthy, the best place to start is right in your own back yard!
October 8, 2023: Recycle, Don’t Wish-cycle
Last week’s topic was about recycling being mandated by law here in Connecticut. This week is about what can’t be recycled: Plastic bags and plastic wrap (Stop & Shop has recycling bins for these); aluminum foil; plastic or metal utensils; black plastic take-out containers; Styrofoam; plastic wraps or wrappers; oily/cheesy pizza boxes.
For more information, visit RecycleCT.com.
October 1, 2023: Recycling … it’s the law!
You know that recycling is a great idea, but did you know that in Connecticut it’s required by law? Here’s what’s covered:
– Glass and metal food and beverage containers (Please note that in Westport, glass must be separated out and brought to the Transfer Station for recycling – don’t put it in with your other recyclables.)
– Plastic containers (PET or PETE #1, HDPE #2)
– Corrugated cardboard and boxboard
– Newspapers and magazines
– White & colored office paper (residences and businesses)
– Scrap metal, including appliances
– Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries (from consumer products)
– Waste oil (crankcase oil from internal combustion engines)
– Leaves – must be composted
– Lead acid battery or motor vehicle batteries
– Grass clippings (should be left on the lawn or composted)
If you live in an apartment or condo complex, it’s likely your management company does this for you. For more information, visit RecycleCT.com for a handy recycling wizard – they also have an app you can download.
September 24, 2023: Tips for Sustainable Living – Leave the Leaves!
Yes, this just ran a couple of weeks ago – but it bears repeating. 🙂
Don’t call the landscaper just yet! One of the most valuable things you can do to support pollinators and other creatures is to provide them with the winter cover they need. Leaves – if you leave them be – are food and shelter for butterflies, beetles, bumblebees, birds, frogs, and more.
Research has shown that lawns actually benefit from a thin layer of leaves – it creates a natural mulch that helps to suppress weeds while fertilizing the soil as it breaks down. The rest can be piled up around ornamental trees, shrubs, and perennials to no ill effect.
For additional information, visit www.healthyyards.org and www.leaveleavesalone.org.
September 17, 2023: Reduce Food Waste
Did you know 30 – 40% of all food in the U.S. is thrown away? Sustainable Westport’s Zero Food Waste Challenge is a town-wide campaign to reduce Westport’s residential food waste by at least 25%. This is important because food scraps are heavy, expensive to transport, and don’t burn well in the incinerator where all of Westport’s solid waste goes. They also produce large amounts of methane.
And food scraps are valuable! When converted into compost they capture valuable nutrients and water and return them to the ground, sequestering carbon, improving soil quality, and cleaning water. Some of the food waste collected in Westport goes to a company, Quantum Biopower, which converts it to clean electricity for Southington’s municipal, residential, and commercial buildings.
You can compost your food scraps for free by bringing them to the Transfer Station. You can buy composting bags at Earthplace and Westport Hardware, ($2/roll) and store them in your refrigerator and/or freezer until you can get to the dump. There are also two commercial food scrap haulers servicing Westport – Action Waste Solutions and Curbside Compost.
For more information, visit www.sustainablewestport.org.
September 10, 2023: Leave the Leaves!
Don’t call the landscaper just yet! One of the most valuable things you can do to support pollinators and other creatures is to provide them with the winter cover they need. Leaves – if you leave them be – are food and shelter for butterflies, beetles, bumblebees, birds, frogs, and more.
Research has shown that lawns actually benefit from a thin layer of leaves – it creates a natural mulch that helps to suppress weeds while fertilizing the soil as it breaks down. The rest can be piled up around ornamental trees, shrubs, and perennials to no ill effect.
For additional information, visit www.healthyyards.org and www.leaveleavesalone.org.
September 3, 2023: Glasses, cups, and dishware
Don’t put drinking glasses, cups, or dishware in the recycling bin. It can cause issues for the processors, including destroying their equipment and causing the good glass jars and bottles to be unusable.
If you have dishware and drinking glasses that are intact, please bring them to your local Goodwill or thrift shop, or offer them in a local “buy nothing” group. If they are broken, put them in the trash and send them to the landfill.
August 27, 2023: “Compostable” plastics
Compostable plastics are only compostable in industrial or commercial compost processing facilities. Please don’t put them in recycling bins since compostable plastics are not recyclable and can actually contaminate good recycling.
If you have compostable plastics, either throw them in a bin marked for true industrial compost or throw them in the trash. And when purchasing compostable products, such as cups, serving ware, etc., make certain the products are well-marked as “compostable” and ideally display the BPI certified logo, so they aren’t mistaken for traditional plastic.
August 20, 2023: We’ve got the receipts – but we can’t recycle them
Last week we told you the bad news that black plastic take-out containers can’t be recycled. This week, we’re adding another item to the do-not-recycle list: receipts.
Paper receipts are recyclable, but as many as 90% of all receipts – including those long ones you get at CVS – are thermal, which can have a coating of the industrial chemical bisphenol-A, known as BPA. Since it can be hard to tell the difference between the two, it’s best to just throw all receipts in the trash. 🙁 (And honestly, because of the BPA, you may want to wash your hands after handling them.)
But you can avoid this problem by going paperless – say ‘no’ when asked if you want a receipt, or get a digital receipt. Some digital wallets allow you to store your receipts, like the Wallet app on iPhones and Google Pay on Android phones – good for the environment, and less clutter in your physical wallet!
August 13, 2023: About those black plastic take-out containers …
Unfortunately, despite the recycling symbol and number on the bottom, these cannot be recycled here in CT. But there are a few things you can do besides throw them in the trash.
1. Wash them out (many of them are dishwasher top-rack safe) and use them for your own leftovers.
2. Save them until the last Thursday of the month and bring them to the Westport Farmers Market. Sustainable Westport has partnered with Food Rescue US – Fairfield County and the WFM to give these single-use containers a “second-use” by Fridgeport, a joint refrigerator and food pantry serving those in need in Bridgeport. (Please wash them out before bringing them.)
3. When your favorite restaurant hands you one of those black plastic containers, consider asking them (nicely!) if they can switch to more sustainable takeout containers … or at least switch to white or clear plastic containers that can be recycled.
August 6, 2023: Your lawn can make a difference!
Courtesy of Sustainable Westport
When it comes to keeping our planet healthy, the best place to start is right in your own backyard! From growing native plants that provide food for insects to planting trees that help produce fresh air, your choices have far-reaching consequences.
Even how you care for your lawn (and how much lawn you choose to have) makes a big difference to our local ecosystems and waterways. Here are a few simple tips to care for your lawn more sustainably:
– Raise the mower blade to a cutting height of 3½ or 4”
– Decrease watering and skip the chemicals and pesticides
– Top-dress your lawn in a half inch of compost to increase the biological activity in the soil to support the grass naturally
– Reduce the total square footage of your lawn and replace it with something else entirely, like a native planting meadow or stone patio
For more information and resources, visit www.sustainablewestport.org/take-action/residential/yards.
July 30, 2023: Choose Kelp!
As fish populations decrease and lobsters migrate north, kelp farming gives lobstermen and women a sustainable living. It also reduces the acidity of the ocean (which has been absorbing the excess carbon in our atmosphere), mitigating the impact of climate change and making the water healthier for bivalves and other sea life.
To encourage the cultivation of more ocean farms and support this growing industry, try out products that contain kelp. Hint: you can eat it (it’s a great source of minerals and antioxidants), but you can also find it in non-food products like hand cream and shampoo!
July 23, 2023: General Synod Edition, Part 2!
At the national gathering of our United Church of Christ earlier this summer, delegates passed two Resolutions of Witness related to sustainable living (each requiring a two-thirds vote). We shared one last week. Here’s the second:
Free from Plastic Pollution
This resolution reads in part:
– The Thirty-Fourth General Synod encourages all our settings to commit to changing from a disposable culture to a reusable, sustainable one, …
– encourages education within our congregations and in our communities to advocate for alternatives to single use plastics, whether through mitigation efforts and campaigns or by supporting local and state bans on single use plastics, …
– and acknowledges that accommodations in expectations need to be made for certain impacted groups such as those who are disabled or unhoused…
NOTE: Resolutions are not mandates. Rather, they invite congregations and individuals to prayerfully consider taking actions.
Read the full resolution here.
July 16, 2023: General Synod Edition
At the national gathering of our United Church of Christ earlier this summer, delegates passed two Resolutions of Witness related to sustainable living (each requiring a two-thirds vote). Here’s the first (tune in next week to learn about the other!):
A Resolution Urging Planning for and Implementing Electrification
This resolution reads in part:
“As one of the ways to protect all of God’s creation from climate changing emissions, the Thirty-Fourth General Synod encourages United Church of Christ congregations and individuals to actively plan for and promote electrifying fossil-fueled space heating and cooling equipment, appliances and machines when old ones fail or become outdated or replacing outdated or failing electric space heating and cooling equipment, appliances and machines with new, far more efficient, electric ones, and to become role models for electrification for individual members and the broader community.”
NOTE: Resolutions are not mandates. Rather, they invite congregations and individuals to prayerfully consider taking actions.
Read the full resolution here.
July 9, 2023: Summer fruit
Love all that juicy, summer fruit that’s ripening now? Look for locally grown fruit and support small farms. Look for pick-your-own opportunities! Choose organic produce when you can, to support healthy soil, farmers, and consumers. Cut up and freeze extra fruit in mason jars to use in smoothies and other dishes all winter!
July 2, 2023: Paper towels
Cut back on disposable paper towels by using reusable cleaning cloths. Find them online or make your own by cutting up old t-shirts
or flannel shirts into squares! Keep a stash with your kitchen towels and toss them in the wash after using!
BONUS:
Want more cleaning power? Google “natural, homemade disinfectant wipes.”
June 25, 2023: Plastics
Plastics never completely break down. In the ocean, they disintegrate into microplastics that get into the food chain. Try these simple practices to reduce use of single-use plastics. Google key words to find a variety of these plastic-free products:
1. Use shampoo and conditioner bars instead of bottled shampoo.
2. Make liquid hand soap in reusable glass jars using dissolvable
3. Wash clothes using paper-like dissolvable laundry strips instead of liquid detergent in plastic bottles.
June 18, 2023: Mulch
Leaf mulch contains valuable plant nutrients and provides habitat to earthworms, insects, and small animals. Bark mulch removes nitrogen that is essential to plants, and adds acidity to the soil which can disrupt the pH balance.
June 11, 2023: Doug Tallamy
The Westport Women’s Club and the Westport Library recently invited entomologist Douglas Tallamy, to speak about how our planting choices affect the ecosystem in profound ways. You can find the video “Nature’s Best Chance with Doug Tallamy” in the Environment section of the Westport Library “Video and Podcast” archive:
https://westportlibrary.org/video-category/environment/
May 28, 2023: Combatting invasive plants
Did you know that native ragworts can wipe out garlic mustard? Go online and read “How to Fight Plants with Plants” by Nancy Lawson, the author of “Humane Gardener.” Be sure to go to RESOURCES at the end of the article and download her list of native plants that successfully overwhelm invasives.
May 21, 2023: Helping pollinators
Imagine how beautiful a mass of flowering anise hyssops looks. Bees think so too. On each trip to gather pollen, bees focus on one type of native plant. It’s much easier for them, if there are a lot of the same plants in the same spot in our gardens.
May 14, 2023: Nature’s Best Hope
Douglas Tallamy’s inspirational book, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard, is a terrific resource for anyone interested in providing a place in our own yards for creatures essential to the health of our global ecosystems.
May 7, 2023: Native plants resource
Earth Tones Native Plants Nursery in Woodbury has a website that provides pictures and useful descriptions of plants native to our area. Open the Plant Selection Wizard and decide which plants will work at your house! Go to www.earthtonesnatives.com.
April 30, 2023: Powerhouse plants
Native oak trees, cherry trees, plum trees, goldenrods, asters and sunflowers are the powerhouse plants that can feed more birds, butterflies, and baby birds than any other group of native plants.
April 23, 2023: Plant some natives
GardenforWildlife.com, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, sells regionally appropriate native plant collections to people across 38 states. They donate an equal number of native plants to gardens at specific schools, places of worship, and under-resourced communities. Prices are reasonable and shipping is free!
April 16, 2023: Replace Your Grass
Replacing grass with native ground cover, trees, shrubs and/or perennial flower beds can provide a low maintenance yard. Many proponents of organic lawn care are planting micro clover with, or instead of, grass. Clover is excellent for healing nitrogen-deficient soil, tolerates dry conditions well and provides erosion control. (From SustainableWestport.org)
April 9, 2023: Protect the Pollinators
To protect pollinators, Sustainable Westport recommends that we delay spring clean-up. Leave the leaves and flower stalks until the temperature is consistently over 50 degrees. (From SustainableWestport.org)
March 26, 2023: Reduce Food Waste
In the US, food waste is responsible for twice as many greenhouse emissions as commercial aviation. Households account for 39% of food waste in the U.S. Here are 3 easy ways to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
– Put food scraps into the compost bin at the transfer station or compost at home.
– Plan meals before shopping.
– Use or freeze leftovers for later.
(New York Times article 1/1/23, “How Central Ohio Got People to Eat Their Leftovers”)
March 19, 2023: Goldenrods are….Well, Golden
Gardening season is coming soon. There are many goldenrod species native to New England which provide food for 123 kinds of butterflies, moths and their caterpillars as well as bees. You can buy goldenrods or keep ones that pop up in your garden.
February 26, 2023: Find More Ideas
Follow Sustainable Westport on Instagram and watch for their recycling tips every Thursday on Trash Talk with Jo Martell and Gately Ross.
February 19, 2023: Zero Waste Culinary
Thanks to Saugatuck’s own Lucas Baer for this week’s resource, a website he created called Zero Waste Culinary, with ideas for cooking with leftovers to reduce food waste. Take a look and try out these recipes! ZeroWasteCulinary.com
Joy in Creation
- Earth Sunday 2023 – Musical Interlude & Photo Meditation – Created by Lucas Baer and Joanne Leaman
Team Members
The following members of Saugatuck Church have been meeting together since January, 2023, planning initiatives and developing resources to help our church, its members and friends to live more sustainably and address the climate crisis. Want to join in? Reach out to the pastor or speak to any member of the team!
Lucas Baer
Stefan Baer
Susie Benton
Allison Cancro
Erin Gensel Cancro
Leslie Hand
MaryEllen Hendricks
Joanne Leaman
Lisa Tantillo
Linda Yingling