Respecting the Web of Existance

Respecting the Web of Existance, UUCB 1999-10-17 service, Neal McBurnett

Today we gather to nurture the 7th principle of the Unitarian
Universalist Association.  And I quote:

 We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist
 Association, covenant to affirm and promote.... Respect for the
 interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

First lets look at some of the parts of that web, and how profoundly
human actions are affecting it.  Humans activities now influence the
way the global ecosystem functions to an astonishing degree.  Much of
the news is about global climate change, which is very likely to
affect patterns of agriculture and ecosystems.  But humans now
dominate much more than just the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere.  We have transformed over one third of the entire land
area of the earth.  By our use of fertilizers and crops we control
more of the global cycle of nitrogen than all natural forces combined.
Two thirds of the ocean's fisheries are fully exploited or
overexploited.  And about about one-quarter of the bird species on
Earth have already been driven to extinction.  And the biggest problem
is that we don't yet really know how the earth will respond to all
these insults.  It is estimated that last week the human population
reached 6 billion.  The good news is that the rate of increase has now
been slowing for a decade.  But we may well add another three billion
people, and the impact per person is growing.

Allow me to quote from the Reverend Fred Small:

  Okay. I feel like the dinosaur in the Far Side cartoon, addressing
  an auditorium full of dinosaurs:

   "My friends, the picture is bleak. The earth's climate is changing,
   the mammals are taking over, and we all have a brain about the size
   of a walnut."

  Fortunately for us, the human brain is a very good one. The question
  is whether we are prepared to use it. But the ecological crisis is
  not simply a crisis of graphs and computer projections, it is a
  crisis of the spirit. What the world needs now is what religion, at
  its best, does best: confront, inspire, comfort, and
  instruct.

Rev Small goes on to frame non-sustainable living as intergenerational
theft.  We must strive to leave a just legacy for our children and
future generations.

Whew.  That's a lot of heavy stuff.  We certainly need to carefully
assess our situation, but it can be overwhelming and even numbing.
Rather than focusing on the negatives and a "guilt trip", I like to
focus on ways of living more sustainably that are not only good for
the environment, but also good for me as an individual.  This I see as
the essence of the Voluntary Simplicity movement.  The best things in
life *are* free!

I attended the UU General Assembly this past June and was delighted
and inspired by all the things going on with environmental issues in
UU circles.  First was the sermon I quoted from before, by Fred Small,
a songwriter who just became a UU minister.  In it he goes on to
propose a UU program similar to the wonderful "Welcoming Congregation"
program, called the "Green Sanctuary".  Congregations would go thru a
series of steps involving education, energy conservation, outreach,
and so on, in order to be certified by the UUA as a "Green Sanctuary".
This notion started with a book called "The Green Sanctuary Handbook",
by Rachel Stark which is now unfortunately out-of-print.  The UUA's
"Seventh Principle Project" organization is working on fleshing out
this proposal, and perhaps people in this congregation would like to
get involved up-front.  It fits in beautifully with our congregational
vote in 1998 to look at our own environmental issues.

The second thing that inspired me at GA was the selection of the
1999-2001 Study/Action Issue.  Out of 9 proposals, there was very
broad support for focusing on one entitled "Responsible Consumption as
a Moral Imperative".  We have an opportunity to help shape this issue
if we respond to UUA early next year.  Handouts with more details are
available as you exit the hall, and a lot more information is
available on the bulletin board.  Joni Teter will be talking more
about organizing a study group and a congregational vote on that later.
The first meeting will probably be on October the 31st.

The third UU activity you can get involved with is much simpler and
more personal.  I can hear you say "Oh boy - its not committe work!"
Our church is sponsoring a pair of study groups.  We'll read materials
from the Northwest Earth Institute and discuss them.  The "Deep
Ecology" study group will meet on alternate Tuesday nights, and the
"Voluntary Simplicity" study group will either meet biweekly or
perhaps combine 9 study segments into a few Saturdays.

We'll get together briefly at the beginning of the meeting on the
31st, to pick up the reading materials and finalize details.

Of course the standard joke is "But my life is too complicated
already.  I don't have time for a biweekly study group".
If you are drawn to these ideas but just want some ideas in
writing, let me suggest two books.

On voluntary simplicity, there is a book by Cecile Andrews, a fellow
UU in Seattle, titled "The Circle of Simplicity: Return to the Good Life".

You've probably seen books with titles like "1001 things you can do
for the environment".  Thats a lot of stuff to thing about!  Here is
a book I like much better, recommended to me recently by Alan Davis.
Here is a quote from the back cover by Denis Hayes, Chair, Earth Day 2000:

  "Too many people drive their Land Rovers to the grocery store and
  think that "paper or plastic" is a meaningful choice....  [this
  book,] The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices will
  help you distinguish the crucial from the trivial and make choices
  that are congruent with your values."

It really is excellent.  Focus on the big things you do all the time,
not the little things.

Ok, enough of the "big picture" intro and organizational detail.  Let
me share how I benefit from these ideas on a personal level.

I have been fortunate enough to never have to drive a car anywhere on
a daily basis.  It was easy to ride a bike to work as a teenager.  Now
for 20 years I've gone to work in a carpool or vanpool.  There I get
to chat with friends or read, and I get much less irritated by
traffic.  It's also good for my career to hear what is going on in
other parts of the company.  I choose to walk 25 minutes to where the
vanpool picks me up in order to incorporate nature and exercise into
my daily routine.  This also allows Holly and I to get by with only
one car, which we drive only perhaps 6000 miles a year.  That saves us
thousands of dollars a year.  I'm looking forward to the debut of the
new "carshare" organization in Boulder which will allow us to have
access to another car or pickup truck for the occasional times when
that would really be handy.  Otherwise the cost of an occasional taxi
ride is dwarfed by the savings.

Another route to simplicity in my life is avoiding consumption.  Oh, I
have a soft spot for high-tech toys, but I often successfully manage
to put off purchases by waiting for the "perfect" choice.  The money
saved from avoided purchases either goes to good causes or straight
into savings.  That provides security and the option of retiring early
or choosing more rewarding jobs.  The book "Your Money or Your Life"
taught me a lot about that.

One place I choose to spend a little more is buying organic food.
This is one of the more effective ways to help the environment.  I
also mostly avoid meat, dairy and fish, which have large environmental
and/or health impacts.  But I do sneak a bite now and then as a treat
or out of curiosity.

Of course there are things that still feel too complicated and
consumptive in my life.  For instance, we took a long-distance airline
trip on vacation this summer to a place that could only be explored on
a boat.  After learning that our share of boat fuel for one week was
more than two years of our car usage, I resolved to reconsider any
form of cruise in the future.  What I'm looking for now is a local
retreat center for vacations in the mountains where I can take
occasional classes, hike, and enjoy the company of others who come
back every year or so.

In a few minutes, you'll hear Joni, a long-time leader in Boulder
civic affairs, bring the power she absorbed from the natural world in
Yellowstone back to our congregation.  But first, here is Sarah Watts,
with a poem about a sad thing that happens so often in our suburban
life.  In fact, Holly and I recently had exactly this experience when
we visited our former home in Portland.