Simplicity for the Holidays

Simplicity for the Holidays

An oldie but goodie from Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI)  blog about cultivating simplicity for the holiday season, and one from this week about using thankfulness to outweigh the urge to make impulse purchases.

http://www.nwei.org/simplify-your-holidays/

http://www.nwei.org/defeat-impulse-buy-thankful/

Eco-Justice Notes: Who Am I?

"Who am I?" is a powerful question. For those of us tied to religious communities, it is a question with strong theological and pastoral meaning. When churches are being faithful, the answers that we provide to that question will be strikingly different from what folk generally hear from the dominant culture. When we provide faithful and relevant answers, we are guiding our communities toward transformation, toward ways of living that are joyous and rewarding.

For the full Eco-Justice Note:  http://www.eco-justice.org/E-140502.asp

For a complete list of Eco-Justice Notes: http://www.eco-justice.org/E-list.asp

ReStore Opens in Bloomfield

The Hartford Habitat ReStore opened on  Saturday, October 18, 2014  at 500 Cottage Grove Road Bloomfield, CT

What is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore?

The Hartford ReStore is a home improvement and donation center that sells new and gently used furniture, home accessories, building materials, and appliances to the public at a fraction of the retail price. All ReStore proceeds are used to build homes, community, and hope in the Hartford area and around the world.

For more info. visit http://hartfordhabitat.org/restore/

Additional Items added to Newington Single Stream Recycling

The Town of Newington’s contracted recycling facility will now accept a number of additional items.  Residents will now be able to recycle rigid plastics and hard cover books along with household items #1 - #7 in their recycling containers.
 RIGID PLASTICS

• clean five gallon pails, metal removed
• large plastic toys, metal axles removed
• milk/beverage crates
• laundry baskets
• waste baskets
• storage containers

 BOOKS

• telephone books
• hard cover books, covers removed and placed in trash
• soft cover books

Items must be able to fit into the single stream recycling container with covers closed
No plastic film or Styrofoam of any kind
Metal items may be recycled at the Town Landfill on Main Street

For full list of Acceptable items for recycling: http://www.newingtonct.gov/content/78/118/130/2127/default.aspx 

How does Newington benefit from single stream recycling?

Recyclables diverted from the waste stream lower the cost the town pays in disposal fees for MSW (household garbage), currently there is no charge to dipose of recyclable material . Recycling not only helps the environment, it also saves money.

For other towns, please visit your town's website.

Green Team Update 5/26/2013

Mission 4/1 Earth

Our congregation's story continues!  Report your Earth Care hours, trees planted, and advocacy/petitions signed via a time card or email to greenteam@newiingtonucc.org

New Blog:  This Mission 4/1 Earth blog has been created to provide ongoing detailed information and links. 

It can be accessed directly at http://newingtonucc-mission-4-1-earth.blogspot.com/  or link from newingtonucc.org  (Church home page or Green Church page).  

The most recent blog entry provides info on the Church Recycling Collections.

CSA:  There's still time to sign up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and become a supporter of  a local farm while getting weekly shares of local produce.

For a full list of farms offering CSAs and get an overview of how most CSAs work, visit http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Local farms with CSAs:

Fair Weather Acres, Rocky Hill - they will do a drop-off in Newington if there are 20 people signed up.  Call 860-529-6755 or visit http://www.fairweatheracres.com

Urban Oaks Farm :  summer CSA or Veggie Bucks.  Call 860.223.6200 or visit http://www.blog.urbanoaks.org/

Eddy Farm -Pork shares CSA only. If enough people are interested, the share can be bought by one person and divided. Visit http://www.eddyfarm.org

Trees for Church Grounds:  The Green Team continues to collect donations for two small flowering trees for the Church Grounds.  The Church School will be dedicating the plantings later in the spring in honor of Earth Care and our new Sr. pastor.

Composting:  Here's an easy way to get started in creating gorgeous rich compost! turn scraps into gardener's gold! ASP Project will be building a model Compost bin and taking orders for bins at the ASP tag sale on Sat. 6/1.  A getting started brochure will be available.

May 12, 2013 Bulletin Green Team Update

Info table on composting will be held next week during coffee hour in conjunction with Fair Trade sales of coffee, tea, and dark chocolate.  

MISSION 4/1 EARTH: EARTH CARE HOURS -Please keep track of your Earth Care hours and report them via time cards (available in Narthex) or email to greenteam@newingtonucc.org. Some examples are: picking up litter, taking a nature walk, electronics recycling, ride a bike or walk, garden, wash laundry in cold water, begin composting, sign up for clean energy options for electricity, sign up for home energy solutions audit to save energy, dry clothes outdoors on a clothesline, read a book, or watch a documentary on the environment, and more.....An information board with a long list of suggestions is located in South End hallway.  
National UCC totals a/o May 8: Earth Care Hours 179,269 hours; Trees Planted 35,203; Advocacy Letters 17,565

ASP Tag Sale 6/1/2013

SPRING CLEANING???
Would you like to regain your garage?
Rediscover your basement?
Get your attic cleaned out?
The ASP volunteers are ready to begin their “Spring Roundup” for their annual tag sale in June.
If you have items that you’d like to donate, (furniture, appliances, tools, household goods, etc.), please let us know. We’ll pick up the larger donations! We will even provide you with a receipt for your income tax purposes! Contact the Church Office for more information.