Dishes purchased to eliminate disposables.
Working to implement an environmental action program at UCH to save, protect and restore the planet, this group has collected discarded electronic equipment, transporting it to an ecologically safe recycling facility in West Chicago. It also demonstrates ways to conserve with light bulbs and insulate to use energy wisely and was a driving force in the Green Home Project which installed solar panels on the RE building, replaced leaky windows, installed a low temp dishwasher in the church kitchen, replaced storm windows and replaced ancient inefficient boilers with a new high-efficiency mini-split heat pump system in both buildings.
GREEN SANCTUARY TEAM
The UUA Green Sanctuary Program provides a path for congregational study, reflection, and action for today’s environmental challenges—including
climate change and environmental justice. As a Green Sanctuary, UCH guides the members of the congregation in environmentally healthy practices
in their own lives as well as in church facilities. In 2016 the team helped spearhead the UCH Green Home Initiative, which seeks to bring our campus
infrastructure into the 21st century. Contact: Lynn Rotunno or Dave Lloyd, UCHinsdaleGS@gmail.com
STYROFOAM RECYCLING
Styrofoam is collected once a month and taken to a facility 30 miles west of here. Styrofoam must be clean with no food waste or dirt. They do not accept packing peanuts.
GARDEN COMMITTEE
This committee’s purpose is to help shape the ever-evolving vision of the church’s out-of-doors. It vets new ideas and introductions, helping to ensure that the landscape garden and garden architecture interests of the church are met. It invites the thoughts, concerns, opinions, ideas, etc. of all UCH members and friends. Contact: Charlie Fischer cfis@sbcglobal.net
LANDSCAPE & GARDEN VOLUNTEERS
Do you love to dig in dirt? Love the satisfaction of seeing a weedless garden and enjoy being outside? Join this team of volunteers that helps to keep our gardens beautiful.
For more information contact Charlie Fischer at cfis@sbcglobal.net
The UUA Green Sanctuary Program provides a path for congregational study, reflection, and action for today’s environmental challenges—including
climate change and environmental justice. As a Green Sanctuary, UCH guides the members of the congregation in environmentally healthy practices
in their own lives as well as in church facilities. In 2016 the team helped spearhead the UCH Green Home Initiative, which seeks to bring our campus
infrastructure into the 21st century. Contact: Lynn Rotunno or Dave Lloyd, UCHinsdaleGS@gmail.com
STYROFOAM RECYCLING
Styrofoam is collected once a month and taken to a facility 30 miles west of here. Styrofoam must be clean with no food waste or dirt. They do not accept packing peanuts.
GARDEN COMMITTEE
This committee’s purpose is to help shape the ever-evolving vision of the church’s out-of-doors. It vets new ideas and introductions, helping to ensure that the landscape garden and garden architecture interests of the church are met. It invites the thoughts, concerns, opinions, ideas, etc. of all UCH members and friends. Contact: Charlie Fischer cfis@sbcglobal.net
LANDSCAPE & GARDEN VOLUNTEERS
Do you love to dig in dirt? Love the satisfaction of seeing a weedless garden and enjoy being outside? Join this team of volunteers that helps to keep our gardens beautiful.
For more information contact Charlie Fischer at cfis@sbcglobal.net
Green Home Project
On September 25, 2016, the congregation voted “Yes” to proceed with funding and implementation of the Green Home initiative. We celebrated completion of the project on November 24, 2019. Click here for the whole story.
The Unitarian Church of Hinsdale is a beautiful and historic campus of worship of which we are all proud. However, after well over 100 years serving the our community, the facilities are showing their age and updating our infrastructure is vital. Recognizing that global change begins locally, the Green Home initiative’s goal is to update the church and RE building, not to current standards, but to tomorrow’s standards. By installing solar panels, increasing heating efficiency, properly insulating the RE building, and providing air conditioning, we will be living our seventh principle to bring our campus infrastructure into the 21st Century so that Unitarians may be able to worship here into the 22nd.
Here’s how the specific recommended upgrades will achieve those goals:
On September 25, 2016, the congregation voted “Yes” to proceed with funding and implementation of the Green Home initiative. We celebrated completion of the project on November 24, 2019. Click here for the whole story.
The Unitarian Church of Hinsdale is a beautiful and historic campus of worship of which we are all proud. However, after well over 100 years serving the our community, the facilities are showing their age and updating our infrastructure is vital. Recognizing that global change begins locally, the Green Home initiative’s goal is to update the church and RE building, not to current standards, but to tomorrow’s standards. By installing solar panels, increasing heating efficiency, properly insulating the RE building, and providing air conditioning, we will be living our seventh principle to bring our campus infrastructure into the 21st Century so that Unitarians may be able to worship here into the 22nd.
Here’s how the specific recommended upgrades will achieve those goals:
- New HVAC System: Both boilers are living on borrowed time, and are woefully inefficient. By replacing the boilers now, the congregation is not only saving money and resources on heating, but are saving future exceptional costs which would be incurred during emergency repairs or replacement.
- RE building roof: The roof of the RE building is already failing and leaking. Continuous repairs are being made to prevent water damage and further leaking, and replacing the roof is a matter of when, not if.
- Solar panels: Installation of solar panels are expected to generate the current combined electricity demands of both the church and RE building. Installation of solar panels reflects the Unitarian/Universalist values we hold dear, while also showcasing the potential of environmentally responsible power generation to our neighbors, as well as making financial sense.
- Storm windows for the church: The church’s windows are in relatively good condition, and aesthetically appealing. However, installation of storm windows will help reduce air movement into and out of existing windows, helping to reduce heating and cooling costs producing similar savings to window replacement at a lower cost.
- Air conditioning for both buildings: Currently, all air conditioning at UCH consists of old, inefficient window units in some areas of the RE building. Providing more efficient air conditioning to both buildings will not only increase comfort to staff and service attendees in the summer, but will also create additional revenue streams by opening up our beautiful church during the prime wedding season and allowing year-round use of the RE building.
- RE building windows: The RE building currently utilizes single-pane, uninsulated windows with aluminum frames. Replacing them with new, energy efficient windows will improve the comfort and aesthetic qualities of the RE building.
