Be NetGreen

Kathy’s Story

Saltwater Unitarian Universalist (Saltwater UU) Church of Des Moines, WA is pleased to be able to offset our Carbon Footprint.  Saltwater UU Church is located on five wooded acres nearby Saltwater State Park in Des Moines, Washington. The church has been in South King County since 1954.  Environment is very important to UUs and is reflected in the 7th principle for Unitarian Universalism which states “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part”.

Our larger organization offers guidance in becoming a “Green Sanctuary” – a designation of what we are doing to fulfill our responsibility to care for our planetary home.

To begin, we conducted an environmental ‘audit’ and a resultant plan was established which included, among other things:

• Energy Conservation and Environmental Practices
• Environmental Justice
• Sustainable Living

By collaborating with Achieve NetGreen, their valuable assistance helped us implement the Carbon Footprint aspect of our Environmental Practices.  With their useful suggestions, calculations and assistance with assessing our 3 acres of trees, wetlands and forest, we received support from our members for yearly funding to “Offset our Carbon Footprint”.  We are delighted our funds are used to fund wind energy and agricultural methane projects – both clean energy projects, which replace the burning of coal.

Examples of some of our other efforts have included recycling projects, replacement with compact fluorescent bulbs, programmable thermostat installation, funding six Microbanks, fair trade coffee, earth day services, solstice and equinox celebrations, energy reduction family pledges and removal of invasive plants, trail improvement and native plant interpretive signs.  Our children, youth and adult programs incorporate environmental conscience behavior and curriculum.

We have much continued and ongoing work to do, but feel we have taken a big ‘footprint step’! The members of Saltwater UU are grateful for the education, information and opportunities Achieve NetGreen provided which enabled us to become a Carbon-Neutral Church in South King County.

- Kathy Linnell, Saltwater Unitarian, Des Moines, Washington