Friends In Unity With Nature (FUN)

The QEW Vision and Witness statement begins: "We are called to live in right relationship with all Creation, recognizing that the entire world is interconnected and is a manifestation of God..."

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY QUAKER John Woolman called for living in "right relationship" as he witnessed to his generation against the evils of slavery, oppression, and materialism—which he warned were causing injury to future generations. We discern a similar dynamic of greed and thoughtlessness in today's global environmental crisis. We believe that it is important for us to make peace with the Earth, to live in unity with our environment. We must learn to live with the Earth, to listen to the needs of the Earth, and to care for Earth's health and strength; Earth,our home, our environment.

Friends in Unity with Nature (FUN) is a Standing Committee of Sandy Springs Friends Meeting and welcomes all members and attenders to our meetings. Membership is based on interest in environmental issues, climate change and being at peace with our Earth. Our activities include various yearly programs such as helping with local stream monitoring, a yearly Earth Day celebration and helping our community learn to live responsibly in a way that will sustain healthy life on this planet. We meet every second First Day at 12:30pm in the Community House.

FUN has compiled the following resources that have been useful to us, and which represent action based on careful study and scientific or technical knowledge. If you know of other resources that we should add to this list, or are interested in our committee, please send a note to office@sandyspring.org and let us know.

Quaker links and resources

Quaker Earthcare Witness See also Befriending Creation and EcoBulletins Baltimore Yearly Meeting Unity with Nature Committee

350.org, founder Bill McKibben

350.org- website started by Bill McKibben Interview on Peace Talk Radio: The Moral Math of Climate Change Bill McKibben makes a case for the environment as a faith issue. This video is around 50 minutes long 350.org-90-Second Animation For Global Day of Action

Earth Policy Institute

Earth Policy Institute-led by Lester Brown

Post Carbon Institute

Local action groups

CCAN Chesapeake Climate Action Network a local group headed by Mike Tidwell, coalition of the Alliance For Climate Change, Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, the National Resources Defense Council, and the League of Conservation Voters. They did the clean coal advertisement 1 Sky Climate/Future/Change Cool Capital Challenge - Washington Metropolitan organizations, municipalities, congregations etc, united to reduce carbon dioxide. Montgomery County is involved.

Some resources for Products and Services

Clean Currents -provides affordable electricity through the grid from wind energy Interfaith Power and Light NOTE: Sandy Spring Meeting is a member of Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light Low Impact Living - site for a number of products and services relating to reducing our impact on the environment.