SUCCESSES

1. Conducted a month-long series of earth-centered activities in April 2024 honoring Earth

Day, including two First Forums, a hike in the Cook County Forest Preserves, a plant give-
away, and an electronics recycling project. Rev. Scott Aaseng, Executive Director of UUANI

(Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of IL), Rev. Dave, Lifespan RE Director Elizabeth
McCreless, and Music Director Adam O’Dell provided environmentally-related worship
services and Time for All Ages on April 7, April 14 and April 28, and Music Sunday on April 21
amplifying the environmental theme.

2. Conducted two earth-centered First Forums. On April 14, Roger Blomquist, retired Principle
   Nuclear Engineer at Argonne Lab, presented “Nuclear Power and Climate Change,”
   describing how nuclear power fits into the fight to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate
   climate change. On April 28, the GSC conducted “Eating Sustainably Through Animal Protein
   Reduction,” followed by a luncheon featuring meatless fare prepared by GSC members and
   friends. Both First Forums were very well-attended.
3. Actively conducted and supported environmentally-related actions: provide year-round
   Styrofoam recycling transporting carloads of Styrofoam to the Dart Industries recycling
   center, introduced a fall and spring electronics recycling collection, assisted with a beach
   clean-up, and maintained membership in the Southeast Environmental Task Force.
   POTENTIAL CHALLENGE IN THE UPCOMING YEAR
4. Integrating into the GSC’s work the climate change priorities highlighted by the
   congregation at the Social Justice Retreat. Calls for action included: advocating for
   environmental policies, celebrating and enjoying nature, educating ourselves and others
   about environmental justice, and taking practical actions to reduce our environmental
   impact. This will require inspiring and recruiting greater participation and leadership in the
   GSC, utilizing UUA Green Sanctuary resources, and becoming more externally-facing by
   collaborating more actively with our local and Chicago-wide environmental organizations
   such as the Great Lakes Commission and the Southeast Environmental Task Force which is
   working to curb pollution in low-income, southside neighborhoods. The GSC thanks Richard
   Pardo and Ross Blythe both of whom moved out of state. Their leadership as chairs of the
   GSC will be sorely missed.
   Environmentalism, including climate change, is a priority for many of our newer and
   younger members, and we will be challenged in the coming year to recruit participants and
   to re-organize and re-focus the GSC to best serve the interests and availability of our