Who We Are

As a subcommittee of the Social Responsibilities Council, GST was begun as an effort to make our church more sustainable.  Since these early efforts, our goal has become to preserve the global environment on which all life depends by working to make the Earth sustainable and by addressing climate change.

Take Action–Things You Can Do

• GST continues to recycle a number of items in the cloakroom that cannot be recycled otherwise.  See the entire list, which includes our extensive list of Recycling Tips.

• Read our Compendium of Green Tips on how to be more “green.”

• Influence the NY State Legislature by supporting the Climate Jobs and Justice Package.  Some quick actions now are HERE.  

Current Initiatives

• Align your money with your values.  GST presented a hybrid workshop on how to divest your bank accounts, investments, credit cards, and insurance from fossil fuels on May 4, brought to us by Michael Richardson of Rivers and Mountains Green Faith Circle.  It’s not too late to visit the Divestment Webpage.

• On May 1, 2023, GST and Paul Fisk led a forum on the Inflation Reduction Act with Representative Paul Tonko (Flyer).  You can still view the PDF of the presentation is HERE.

• An excellent resource for the 2023 legislative agenda is the NY State Council of Churches Climate and Environmental Justice Ask.

• Recent forums and articles written by members are on our History page.  Many have been recorded.

• Earth Day launching of our campaign to make AlbanyUU green; UU members help us begin by taking the renewable energy SURVEY.

• Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy (SHARE).  See our “Working with SHARE“ PAGE.

Our Accomplishments

GST was begun in 2003 by Amy Lent and Thayer Heath as the Green Sanctuary Committee.  Albany UU was accredited in 2008 as a Green Sanctuary by the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth. See our HISTORY PAGE for more background and a (partial) list of accomplishments, such as our 2012-13 SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION PAGE and our 2013-14 anti-fracking resolution, along with a list of forums the GST has sponsored and articles by our members.

Our Partners

SHARE, the Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy.  See our “Working with SHARE” PAGE.

People of Albany United for Safe Energy (PAUSE)

Solarize Albany

Interfaith Impact of NYS

Capital Region Interfaith Creation Care Coalition (CRICCC)

New York Interfaith Power and Light (NYIPL)

NYRenews

Zero Waste Capital District

Extinction Rebellion 

Buy Local, Grow Local Website (resources for growing and buying locally, with a directory of businesses/organizations that are sustainable or socially responsible.)

Rivers & Mountains Green Faith Circle 

Buddhist Action Coalition – Upper Hudson & Berkshires 

Stop NY Fracked Gas Pipeline (SNYFGP)

Officers

Chuck Manning, Chair 

Barbara Spink, Recording Secretary

Barbara Spink and David Musser, Webpage Administrators

Carol Butt and Chris Bystroff, Social Justice Team Liaisons

Marty Hotvet, Religious Education Council Liaison

Chris Bystroff, Forum Coordinator

Join Us

We meet on the fourth Sunday of the month on the lower level of AlbanyUU, excluding August.  (Join us virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.) Please confirm the date and time of each month’s meeting at our office (office@albanyuu.org).  You can visit us on Facebook. 

Solstice Hike at Hollyhock Hollow, 2021