EarthCare Legacy

EarthCare fosters awareness of our spiritual oneness
with our Earth home and promotes active care of creation


The Greening of Fairfax

On July 30th, 2019 Fairfax County sponsored:

Faith Communities in Action

The meeting addressed the Greening of Fairfax and was hosted by Unity of Fairfax.

Pete Clifford and Rick Hartley highlighted the role of the EarthCare Team.

 

 

EarthCare Wins Award

Unity of Fairfax and its EarthCare Ministry Team was selected by Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS) for its 2019 Sustainability Champion Award in the category of congregation. 

The award was presented at the 2019 FACS Awards and Showcase Event held at the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation on June 2nd.

Unity of Fairfax and its EarthCare Ministry was one of seven Unity congregations to receive the 2019 Green Star Award for Congregational Environmental Excellence from Unity Worldwide Ministries on June 17th.

EarthCare Team Wins 2017 Green Award

 

 

Labyrinth Beautification

Labyrinth Landscaping Completed 2019
 

History: Earthcare Team members beautifying the area in July 2017 where  labyrinth will be constructed: Pre-Labyrinth Beautification Album

People’s Climate Movement

Earthcare Ministry members at the People’s Climate Movement March in the    nation’s capital.
Our EarthCare Ministry tells it like it is during the People’s Climate Movement March in the nation’s capital.
 

It's Not Trash

Visit our sister web page, It's Not Trash, to get the full story.

Planet Aid Donation

Planet Aid’s donation bin at Unity of Fairfax offers a solution to the problem of old clothes and shoes that have been worn but not completely worn out.

The organization’s signature yellow bins encourage people to recycle clothes on Unity’s sacred acres.

Planet Aid sells the clothing it obtains to thrift stores and textile suppliers in the United States and worldwide.

It donates the net proceeds of the sales to support international development programs.

The Planet Aid bin is located next to the dumpsters in the parking lot.

Receipts for donations may be obtained online at their website at www.planetaid.org.  

Adopt a Spot

Beautify our grounds.

Get needed sunshine and exercise.

Touch Mother Earth.

Experience fellowship with old friends and make new friends.

It's a win-win for everyone involved. To participate contact either:

Ongoing Tasks

  • Landscaping the many gardens
  • Maintaining the grounds
  • Recycling
  • Encouraging use of green paper and cleaning products.
  • Hospitality

Volunteers

 

EarthCare Hospitality

On the second Sunday of each month, the EarthCare committee sponsors “Organic Sunday” to provide food for the congregation after the second service. Fruits, vegetables and other food items come from either local farms, farmers markets or local grocery stores. It is a great way to sample healthy foods and support local farmers while mingling with congregants.    

Facebook Album

See the most recent Earthcare photos posted in our Facebook Album.

 

Recycling Campaign

America Recycles Day (November 15) the only nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting recycling in the United States.

The EarthCare committee took this opportunity to build awareness to the congregation and visitors on the proper way to dispose items that can be recycled.

Recycling is the easiest thing we can all do to improve our community, conserve natural resources, and create green jobs.

For more information on this national environmental movement, visit www.americarecyclesday.org.

Unity of Fairfax Riparian Buffer

A riparian buffer was formed in the swale that parallels Hunter Mill Road to your right as you drive onto our campus. 

A riparian buffer is a vegetative area near a stream.

Its role is to help slow and channel rain water and clean it before it goes into the sewer and on to the Bay.

The landscape team of the EarthCare Ministry dug three vernal pools to capture stormwater coming from higher ground toward the Giant shopping center.

Within the pools, 60 wetland perennials were planted and a large number of river jack and several boulders were placed to help slow and guide stormwater to the detention pond.

We are very proud to have qualified for a Chesapeake Bay Restoration Grant to fund this riparian buffer work. Download before and after photos included in our detailed application to receive the grant.

Unity of Fairfax Detention Pond

Take an actual walk around our sacred Unity grounds and discover six different platforms that explain ways we’ve worked with the environment to improve stormwater runoff and increase wildlife habitat.

Take a visual walk by clicking and viewing this slideshow: SMILEBOX After you look at Smilebox, press the Escape key to return.

At the end of the slideshow, did you recognize the Meditation Garden and the garden outside the Sanctuary windows?

Our detention pond work has been going on for six years and has the attention of the Fairfax County Government, Division of Stormwater Management, local non-profits and a number of homeowners associations that are eager to replicate our techniques and strategies to ultimately help restore the Chesapeake Bay.        

History

The name EarthCare comes from the Unity Worldwide Ministries International EarthCare Congregation Program.

Our EarthCare Program is the outgrowth of a Unity of Fairfax iniative to replace the roof on the Mildred Park Center with a "Green Roof".

EarthCare is one of the commitments we accept under the "Thriving Unity Churches" initiative of the Association of Unity Churches. Our EarthCare Program increases our environmental consciousness, and educates us to act for the good of the planet. 

The core of the program asserts the connectedness of all life and our responsibility as a species. EarthCare begins in prayer and we transcend through six additional steps to become certified as an EarthCare Congregation by the Association.

Download the most recent history of EarthCare at Unity of Fairfax.

Last updated on January 24, 2022