BOULDER COUNTY CIRCLE

BOULDER COUNTY CIRCLE

Many Paths. One Planet.

GreenFaith Boulder County Circle members are people from all spiritual traditions, including Baptist, Buddhist, Catholic, Earth-Centered, Episcopalian, Islamic, Hindu, Jewish, Lutheran, Native American, Mennonite, Methodist, Presbyterian, Quaker, Sufi, Unitarian, and more.

All are Welcome.

People Power

Welcome people of all faiths and spiritual traditions who love the Earth!

Founded in 2018, GreenFaith Boulder County Circle gathers to share skills, resources and information and to amplify climate efforts happening in our faith communities. 

We also host interfaith actions and events rooted in spirituality and partner with other faith-based and environmental organizations in order to educate, train and mobilize our communities for collective climate action.

In communities all around the world, in circles of friends and neighbors, we are coming together to build equitable, caring and resilient institutions and societies. We invite you to join us.

 

Our Circle consists of people from over 45 faith communities and organizations in Boulder County and beyond.

Organizing Committee

GreenFaith Boulder County Circle is guided by an Organizing Committee made up of volunteer members of diverse faiths. The committee manages the group email list-serve and other communications, cultivates relationshisp in the community and meets bi-monthly to develops strategies and actions based on local issues and GreenFaith U.S. and Global Campaigns.

Current Organizing Committee Members
Lodi Siefer
mary beth Downing
Michael Holtz
Pete Terpenning
Sam Sokyo Randall
Sarah Schulte
Past Organizing Committee Members
Carlos Martinez
Chris Allan
Christine Lincoln
David Takahashi
Emily Takahashi
Holly Gayley
Jessica Abell
Keri Wray
Nicki Daley
Local Faith Community Partners / Green Teams

11th Hour Calling
Adamah (formerly Hazon)
Boulder Eco-Dharma Sangha / Boundless in Motion
Boulder Meeting of Friends
Boulder Shambhala Center
Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Community United Church of Christ
Congregation Bonai Shalom
Congregation Har HaShem
Congregation Nevei Kodesh
Eon Zen Center
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Mountain View United Methodist Church
Our Sacred Earth
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder

If your faith group or organization has a green team or climate action initiative, please let us know and we’ll add you to the list!
Other Faith Groups and Organizations Represented in our Circle

Boulder Mennonite Church
Boulder New Church
Boulder Shambhala Center
Cairn Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
COSMOS / AMS Committee on Spirituality, Multi-Faith Outreach and Science
Crestview Church
Ecumenical Catholic Community
First United Methodist Church of Boulder
Flatirons Community Church
Fox Institute for Creation Spirituality
Great Mountain Zen Center
Islamic Center of Boulder
Jewish Community Center
Mile Hi Church

Nalandabodhi Buddhist Temple
Pine Street Church
Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Sacred Mountain Ashram
Second Baptist Church
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
St. Ambrose Episcopal Church
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at CU Boulder
The Refuge
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
United Church of Christ Longmont
Wesley Foundation at CU Boulder

Action Circles

Our goal in 2023-2024 is to develop working groups focused on these four areas. If you are interested in being part of an Action Circle, reach out to us at bouldergreenfaith@gmail.com!

Community Relationships

ACTIONS & EVENTS

Policy Advocacy

Communications

Local Climate Action Partners

Human Change, Not Climate Change

In whatever ways are best for them, GreenFaith Circles work on our Three Pathways to Power – personal transformation, institutional leadership, and systemic change.

Personal Transformation
Circle members transform their spirituality and their consumption habits so that their own lives reflect the values we want to promote.

 

Ways to Take Action:
  • Eight ways to minimize your carbon footprint and ecological impact. 
    1. Don’t fly or pledge to be an infrequent flyer. Learn more at flightfree.org.
    2. Minimize driving. Walk, bike or use public transportation.
    3. Eat more food that is grown or made locally
    4. Eat less or no red meat or adopt a fully plant-based diet.
    5. Invest in renewable energy solutions for your home and personal power usage. 
    6. Install LED lightbulbs, replace old appliances with energy-efficient ones.
    7. Avoid single use plastic and keep stuff out of the landfill.
    8. Organize your community or business to do the same.
  • Refuse, Rethink, Redesign, Reduce, Repair, Recover, Repurpose, Regift, and Recycle. Learn more.
  • Educate and inspire: Share this information with others. Initiate climate conversations with your family, friends and spiritual communities. Send emails. Write letters to the editor.
Other Ways to Make a Change
Institutional Leadership
Circles organize religious and spiritual institutions in their communities to green their rituals, education, operations and community engagement.

Learn how the Green Earth Team at Boulder’s Mountain View United Methodist Church worked with their church leadership and congregation to reduce Mountain View’s carbon footprint by nearly 40% or 70 tons in this article on Cool Congregations by Interfaith Power & Light, including:

 

    • installing 187 solar panels
    • replacing outdated fluorescent lighting
    • installing 26 LED efficient building exit signs
    • replacing old refrigerators and a freezer
    • installing LED spotlights in the sanctuary
    • upgrades to the HVAC unit
Systemic Change
Circles support values-based actions by governments and financial institutions to meet the climate crisis.
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  • Check out the resources to Take Action
  • Get involved with any of the Other Local Organizations and Partners listed on this page who are working to protect the planet and create a just transition.

Learn more at greenfaith.org/our-circles

Other Local Environmental, Indigenous, and Climate Justice Resources
    Other Organizations Working to Address the Climate and Ecological Emergency