Earth Day is celebrated in April, and GUMC’s Green Team wants you to know that we’ve been busy the last couple of years with projects, special events and education. Here are a few things we’ve been up to:

• Switched from using Styrofoam cups for coffee, to biodegradable cups, and then to our ceramic cups

• Ordered and sold around 600 blue reusable grocery bags

• Purged the kitchen of Styrofoam (thanks, everyone, for keeping it out of our kitchen and events!)

• Placed extra blue paper bins throughout the church

• Began recycling all materials the City of Olathe accepts (bin in kitchen)

• Placed cardboard recycling bin at Ridgeview site

• Began collecting batteries for recycling at Ridgeview site

• Held two Green Day Events with Master Gardener presentations, education on lots of different environmental topics, farmers’ market, and electronics recycling

• Responsibly recycled 250 pounds of electronics in 2008; 1,600 pounds in 2009 (enough to fill a U-Haul!)

• Cleaned up Ridgeview twice

• Participated in Alternative Gift Fair

• Participated in Grace Extravaganza

Here’s what we’re up to currently:

• Beginning a Community Garden at Center of Grace, with educational classes on gardening and composting

• Considering a Community Garden at Ridgeview

• Getting big blue City of Olathe carts for curbside recycling at Ridgeview and Center of Grace

Grace Green Team meets on the second Monday of the month at 5:45 p.m. on the Ridgeview campus. If you’d like to be on the Green Team, please contact: Mary Buehrer at 913-782-8871 or Stephanie Darter at 913-583-3064.