Sustainable Connections is supporting a community of innovators in green building, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, supporting independent businesses in town centers, and mentoring a new breed of entrepreneurs that have designed their business with a sustainable vision. Sustainable Connections works with local, independently owned businesses that have the autonomy to make any transformational change in their business that they can imagine… reexamining where we buy goods and services, how we consume energy, grow and distribute our food, build homes, and even, how we define success in business.

Click here to visit Sustainable Connections' website

In the 2009-2010 program year, Green Sanctuary decided to make a more formal, on-going committment with Sustainable Connections. Throughout the past year, the members of BUF have attended many of SC's activities and events and worked with some of their programs. This year GSP members raised the money needed to become a member of Sustainable Connections, currently the only church/religious organization in the membership.

As a member of Sustainable Connections, BUF members will have many opportunities to participate in the myriad of programs offered by Sustainable Connections. To see more on member benefits click here to go to the membership website.

New Sanctuary Roof Insulation

Thanks to Sustainable Connections, we have became eligible for assistance in getting our sanctuary roof insulated. BUF applied to become a recipient of assistance through a grant from Sustainable Connections by the American Recovery Act. The grant will provide matching funds for all rebates and other grants BUF finds for the insulating of the roof.

Community Energy Challenge

Sustainable Connections will also be working with the Community Energy Challege that will be making available assistance for residential energy upgrades throughout Whatcom County. As soon as the program is up and running, we will be encouraging BUF members to sign up for the program. For more information check the Community Energy Challenge website.

Imagine This! Home and Landscape Tours

Several individual members of our congregation have been/are members of Sustainable Connections and participate in a number of SC's programs. Over the past few years in June, BUF members have attended Sustainable Connections "Image This! Home and Landscape Tour." This self-guided tour provides access to a variety of sustainable projects located throughout Whatcom County. Printed materials from a variety of vendors and organizations are available throughout the tour. Materials are collected and made available to the congregation.

Eat Local Week/Eat Local Every Week

September 7-14, 2008 was Sustainable Connections "Eat Local Week." BUF members were asked to particpate and a variety of SC's printed material on local food sources (restaurants and grocers) were made available during the month of September (and throughout the rest of the year as well). In 2009, Eat Local Week was expanded to Eat Local Every Week. Each week, Sustainable Connections featured one restaurant a week that was locally owned and used local resources in the course of its business.

Green Building

In October 2008, SC's Home and Landscape Tour materials were displayed for our "Green Building and Renovation" theme and SC had a series of workshops and events surrounding the issue of building and renovating green that members were encouraged to attend. With the recommendation of SC, we brought Dana Brandt onboard to do a presentation on "Solar in Bellingham" which took place on October 23, 2008 at BUF.

Zero-Waste

Several BUF members attended SC's Zero Waste workshops and some of the ideas learned there have been incorporated into BUF's activities.