Green Sanctuary News for April

Fifth Sunday

Our fifth Sunday offering in April will be Coastal Carolina Riverwatch and the White Oak Waterkeeper, suggested by UCF Green Sanctuary.

Coastal Carolina Riverwatch (CCRW) is a water quality advocacy nonprofit, serving the White Oak River basin, and representing thousands of eastern North Carolina citizens committed to protecting our local waterways. They say, “Our mission is to protect the quality of water and quality of life in coastal NC. We do this through strong advocacy, and boots-on-the ground research and programming in local communities. What makes us different from other local environmental organizations is our collaboration and research-based advocacy. We collaborate with key stakeholders in the community like UCF’s congregation, and we listen to your voices to prioritize our work. Some of our projects include: Water Quality for Fisheries and our short film Tidal Alert, Emerging Contaminants and PFAS, Microplastics study, Pure Farms Pure Waters, and our community Advocacy Working Group. CCRW is a small, but mighty, two staff organization that works to fill many gaps in service to our local communities. Your financial support provides our Executive Director and White Oak Waterkeeper with resources like water monitoring lab materials and community water quality events, to ensure all creeks, rivers, and sounds are safe for fishing, swimming, and drinking. For more information on CCRW’s work and to subscribe to the newsletter, visit our website at https://coastalcarolinariverwatch.org/

We Need Your Bras!


Ladies, as you clean out your closets and organize your drawers consider donating your gently used or even worn-out bras to a good cause. The Green Sanctuary and Social Justice committees will be collecting bras for “The Bra Recyclers” during the month of May. This organization recycles used bras and new underwear, giving them to those in need. For more information about this organization visit https://www.brarecycling.com. There will be a collection box in the Sanctuary ladies’ room. Thank you for keeping items out of the landfill and giving them to a good cause!

Renewable Energy Symposium


During Earth Week, NC Interfaith Power and Light (NCIPL) is holding a renewable energy symposium on Thursday, April 20, 1-6 pm, at Carteret Community College in the Bryant Center. The symposium will include presentations by Solar Installers, Wind Advocates from the Southeastern Wind Coalition, Duke Energy, and Carteret Craven Electric. UCF members can help out by staffing the Table for NCIPL and passing out their literature on why climate change is our moral responsibility. NCIPL’s mission is to help facilitate a just transition to clean energy. Postcards to send our Congress people will be available at the event. If you have questions or to volunteer to help, contact Penny Hooper at [email protected].

Earth Day Cleanup


Celebrate Earth Day with Carteret County’s annual county-wide cleanup day, scheduled for Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 9 am to noon. There are clean-up stations throughout the county; there’s probably one near you. Sign up at litterfreelandandsea.com.