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Stewardship of the Earth

The 7th principle of Unitarian Universalism affirms “the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.” The Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron is committed to being a good steward of the earth and to being a prominent voice for environmental education, conservation, and justice. Our environmental work is coordinated by the UUCA Green Team.

Green Sanctuary

In the Spring of 2012, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron was certified as a Green Sanctuary by the Unitarian Universalist Association. The Green Sanctuary program recognizes UU congregations who have achieved a set of ambitious environmental goals and who have demonstrated a commitment to building a world in which people live with reverence, gratitude, and care for the Earth. 

We are so very proud of our recognition as a Green Sanctuary and look forward to deepening our efforts to be good stewards of the earth. Our latest environmental projects include planting a raised bed community garden on our property and developing a comprehensive grounds plan organized around principles of sustainability and permaculture.  

Current Programs

• UUCA Community Garden - Launched in the spring of 2012 and a cornerstone of our Food Justice Ministry, the UUCA Community Garden is one of our most exciting new initiatives. The Community Garden is dedicated to alleviating hunger and food insecurity in the greater Akron area, to increasing the supply of organic, locally grown food, and to serving as a place of learning and connection to the earth for people of all ages. Beginning with four raised beds planted in the Spring of 2012, our goal is eventually to plant 16-18 raised beds. As part of our effort to alleviate hunger, we used our very first harvest to prepare and serve a meal to 260 guests at a local hot food site in the Summer of 2012.  If you would like to learn more or volunteer to help out with our Community Garden, please contact Karen Hoch.

• Green Festival/Green Faire - Every spring, the UU Church of Akron hosts a Green Festival, which culminates in our very popular Green Faire.  The Green Festival includes educational and other programs which seek to connect church members and the wider community to a variety of environmental issues. The Green Faire, which takes place every April on a Sunday on or near Earth Day, features a wide variety of environmentally conscious vendors and organizations. Recent vendors and organizations represented at the Green Faire include the Crown Point Ecology Center ,  Ms. Julie's Kitchen, Terra Amma Design and many more.

• Recycling/Composting - The Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron has a long-standing commitment to recycling. We currently recycle all paper, aluminum, and plastic consumed in our building. In addition, we invite church members and the wider community to drop off paper products in our recycling dumpster provided by River Valley Paper Company. The UU Church of Akron is also committed to composting. We compost fruit and vegetable scraps as well as egg shells and coffee grounds from our  kitchen and invite church members to drop their scraps in the compost bin in the back of our property. If you have questions about our composting program, contact Laura Luster.

• Environmental Education - The Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron is committed to providing educational programs that empower church members and the wider community to be good stewards of the earth. Recent programs have included a class on ethical eating, a presentation and discussion of wilderness conservation in Utah, and a community forum on fracking co-sponsored with the League of Women's Voters.

• Highway Clean-Up -  For the past 10 years, the UU Church of Akron has participated in the Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Adopt-A-Highway program. Throughout the spring, summer, and early fall, members of the UU Church of Akron pick up trash and collect recyclables at our designated collection site, located on Route 18 west of Crystal Lake Rd. and east of Medina Line Rd.