Earth Day 2010

What food choices can Unitarian Universalists make to build a planet that is both sustainable and just?

Earth Day update (May 2010): Even though Earth Day 2010 has come and gone, UU Ministry for Earth hopes that this year's ethical eating resources will continue to aid congregations in their justice making activities for years to come. Use this table of Earth Day activities from over 150 registered congregations to find ideas for future projects.

Ethical Eating update (March 2012): The President's Advisory Committee on Ethical Eating (formerly the Ethical Eating Task Force) has launched a new website to support UU congregations and individuals as they implement the Ethical Eating Statement of Conscious and make food justice an important part of their lives and justice work. The website includes the content of the resources developed during the Congregational Study Action Issues phase of the Ethical Eating journey and much more, including opportunities to connect with other UUs on the issues.

____________________________________________________

If you walk into an average supermarket these days, you’ll find thousands of choices of things to eat. Some things may be grown or produced in low-impact ways at a nearby farm, but chances are that many items for sale contain ingredients whose production has negatively impacted the Earth and her people. As Unitarian Universalists, we are committed to living in ways that respect the inherent worth and dignity of all people as well as the interdependent web of life of which we are a part. With so many choices, how can we find ways to eat ethically?

Fortunately, people all over the United States are thinking about just this right now. Several best-selling books have been written about authors’ deliberations about what to eat, and UU congregations have been engaging in the current Congregational Study/Action Issue, "Ethical Eating: Food and Environmental Justice." For the 40th anniversary of Earth Day this year, UU Ministry For Earth (UUMFE) is asking members of all congregations to think about what they eat and what food choices are available to those in their communities. While Earth Day is on Thursday, April 22, we encourage congregations to celebrate this special anniversary any time during that week or the weekend before or after. Check out the Earth Day Network website to see how the 40th anniversary is being celebrated around the world.

We hope you find the following resources inspiring and helpful in finding ways you can celebrate the abundance of our planet in a just way.

A Call to Action for Ethical Eating – includes extensive resources and suggested actions for bringing your food ministry beyond church walls, developed in collaboration with the UUA, UU Service Committee, the Ethical Eating Core Team, Slow Food USA, and Food and Water, on these topics:

In addition you can read about what other congregations are already doing and learn to engage your community through press and publicity for your Earth Day event.

In addition to using these resources for Earth Day and beyond, we ask that you make your Earth Day service an opportunity to support the work of UU Ministry for Earth. Please include a special collection for UUMFE as a part of your service and promote membership in UUMFE. Our continuing service to UU congregations is dependent on the generous support of individual UUs and their congregations.

Happy Earth Day to our Earth Community from UU Ministry for Earth!