Caring For All Humans

CARING FOR ALL HUMANS

A HANDBOOK OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF

THE ETHICAL HUMANIST SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA

SUSTAINABILITY

is...

FISCAL

SOCIETAL

ENVIRONMENTAL

Sustainability and ethics go hand-in-hand. The tenets of ethical culture present an imperative to be good stewards of the environment and of human relationships to it. But while environmental sustainability is an important and necessary pursuit, it is one of many factors of true sustainability. Beyond green roofs and solar panels, it takes an outlook towards a prosperous future for the Ethical Society, a well rounded approach that includes recruitment, community-building, generation of funds for continued impact which all sustain the Ethical Society for the future.

We’ve crafted a set of Opportunities

Based on this premise, we realized that there are a number of factors which the society regularly seeks to support. These factors are precisely the kind of areas which correspond to each other and, if properly arranged, can be used to support and sustain each other. The opportunities presented attend to a variety of these factors and use them in combination in an effort to create selfsustaining advancements for the Ethical Society.

Driven by a set of factors:

SUSTAINABILITY

RECRUITMENT

COMMUNITY

PUBLIC IMAGE

BUDGET

Understanding the Ethical Culture Society as an organization separate from typical religious societies focused each project to express an accurate representation of the Ethical Society. The set of factors list the possibilities of each proposition. The projects are organized to respond to the organization’s financial abilities as well as increasing membership and sustaining its needs. This booklet is a compliment of possible progressions for the Ethical Culture Society to improve their public image and increase membership to achieve sustainability as a non-profit organization.

ETHICAL SOCIETY of PHILADELPHIA ANALYSIS OF NEEDS AND DRIVING ISSUES

Give and return diagrams simplify the proposition to express its direct intention. Each project will require one of the three t’s: time, talent, treasure to achieve the booklet goals.

THE ETHICAL INTERFACE PROPOSAL: Engage Public

NON-ACCESSIBLE

Public image is an important factor in recruitment. Google’s listing allows for a variety of viewers to understand the Ethical Culture Society. The message presented through Google should define the stand taken by the organization and its members. Moving forward, reworking the society’s website to represent the society’s active work and lectures will help recruit members of interest and keep current members updated with upcoming activities.

ACCESSIBLE

THE ETHICAL INTERFACE PROPOSAL: Engage Public

Ensure an image to accurately represent the society and engage the public through community activities and services supported by the Ethical Society.

PUBLIC IMAGE: typical religion vs atypical organization support community activities and services encourage interaction and welcome diversity

RECRUITMENT: encourage conversation engage public through imagery growth in membership & demographic

SUSTAINABILITY: increase funding possibilities increase in membership and public relationships establish a relationship with supporting community

BUDGET: low budget will bring in funds may require consultant

THE ETHICAL LIBRARY PROPOSAL: Relocate and Expand Library

The current placement of the Ethical Library is in the basement and only accessible through the back staircase.

The Ethical Library holds many readings that express the views on ethics supported by the society. Relocating the library to the meeting rooms will bring awareness to the library and its contents. Having the books nearby will also allow for reference during meetings and lectures.

PROPOSED ENTRY

EXISITING

THE ETHICAL LIBRARY PROPOSAL: Relocate and Expand Library

Activate and expand the current library to increase use. Books will serve as references during meetings and lectures. Through activation, the library will increase in donations and possibly in profit.

RECRUITMENT: increase involvement with the society increase awareness of ethical values encourage conversation

SUSTAINABILITY: maintains awareness of ethical culture society if public, will activate building engages people intellectually recruitment increase

COMMUNITY: Engage and Invite inside Encourage conversation Increase donations

BUDGET: Cost of labor Cost of storage May be profitable

CLOSER TO H.O.M.E PROPOSAL: Broaden relationships with other Non-Profit Organizations

Project H.O.M.E is a non-profit organization working to end the cycle of homelessness. Currently, Project H.O.M.E is working to create a Wellness Farm to help feed their residents as well as sell for profit. However, as a non-profit organization, budgeting for the Wellness Farm deals with material, labor, and maintenance. Volunteering to help Project H.O.M.E construct and maintain the farms will help the organization support its residents and bring light to the work and values of the Ethical Culture Society

PROJECT H.O.M.E

PROJECT H.O.M.E Murial at St. Elizabeth’s

CLOSER TO H.O.M.E PROPOSAL: Broaden Relationships with other Non-Profit Organizations

Project H.O.M.E and the Ethical Culture Society look at service in the same regard. In an effort to feed their residents, Project H.O.M.E could use help constructing and maintaining the Wellness Farm. Volunteering for Project H.O.M.E is a free service that will benefit the society in community building and increase their public image.

COMMUNITY: increase community involvement people work together for those in need unite children and homeless through farming

PUBLIC IMAGE: publicize ethical stand non-profit relationships broaden spectrum of services

SUSTAINABILITY: community building non-profit recognition increases awareness of society’s services

BUDGET: volunteer low cost service

BOOK CLUB PROPOSAL: Establish a weekly or monthly book club to foster civil discussion.

While books may be of any subject, there is an opportunity in discussion to relate ideas to Humanist core values.

In an effort to bring regular events to the Ethical Society’s schedule, we have found that there is a growing demand in Philadelphia for a Humanist book club. The Ethical Society of Philadelphia is perfectly poised to host a book club event due to its location and interests. Meeting once or twice a month is normal practice for book clubs.

BOOK CLUB PROPOSAL: Establish a weekly or monthly book club to foster civil discussion.

Upon activating and expanding the current library, the establishment of a book club or group which meets regularly can add to the society’s recurring programs and events and support the intellectual pursuits of its members.

COMMUNITY: encourage conversation & discussion recurring event for the building

RECRUITMENT: engage and invite inside those unaffiliated but interested increase awareness of ethical values encourage conversation

SUSTAINABILITY: maintains relatability of ethical culture society activates building, encourages visits engages people intellectually recruitment increase

BUDGET: minimal or no expense to organize may be profitable

LIGHTING FROM ABOVE

Natural lightning is an important as a sustainable component. Skylights can provide the indoor space with warmth and brightness of natural daylight. They cut down the need for artificial light and cooling as skylights will brighten up dark corners and provide natural ventilation. Increasing daylighting and ventilation will increase the usability of the gathering spaces.

Proposal: Install Sunoptic Ventilated Prismatic

Skylight Closed

Day Lightning

The aluminum frame is fully welded and sealed eliminating expansion and contraction concerns as well as thermal bridging issues that can come from mechanically attached frames

Ventilation

Skylight Opened for Ventilation

Sunoptics skylights are available in 2’ X2’, 2’ X 3’, and 2’ X4’ sizes

LIGHTING FROM ABOVE Proposal: Install Sunoptic Ventilated Prismatic Skylights

The benefits of skylights extend beyond our environment to our own personal wellbeing. The increase in natural light that a skylight provides can have a variety of physical and psychological benefits. Skylights help to not only bring new life to the room, but also improve our health and happiness as well.

SUSTAINABILITY: Delivers 43% more light transmission while eliminating hotspots and glare.

Thermal and moisture insulation.

Evenly refract sunlight throughout a room by eliminating glare, hotspots, or UV damage to the interior space

RECRUITMENT: Provides visitors with more comfort, since natural daylighting helps improving human health physically and psychologically.

Filling the space with natural daylight makes it more inviting Natural ventilation helps improving human comfort in an indoor space

PUBLIC IMAGE: Natural daylighting affects the mood of the occupants and that would bring happiness to the Assembly spaces which add up to the success of the events that are taking place at this area

BUDGET: $125 per unit Saves energy using daylight instead of electric light during the day

ROOFTOP ACCESS

The assembly halls are the core of the building and where most of the events take place. Providing direct access to the roof from the assembly spaces will be more convenient and the roof may be used as an extension to those events.

Proposal: Rooftop of the assembly spaces accessible by spiral staircases to extend gathering space

STEP 1: Spiral stair cases connecting the two assembly spaces and the roof

Second Floor

First Floor

ROOFTOP ACCESS Proposal: Rooftop of the assembly spaces accessible by spiral staircases to extend gathering space

Spiral staircases take less space than regular staircases. They are less expensive and can be found in installation kits. They are also easier to install than regular staircases

COMMUNITY: Use for outdoor events/meetings accommodates more people

SUSTAINABILITY: Increase in Community relationships Increase in membership Connects indoor and outdoor spaces

PUBLIC IMAGE: Community Interaction

BUDGET: High budget Long term Project

Roof gardens have the ability to reduce heat absorption, reducing the energy consumption of the building. As the cause of the built up heat in urban areas is often due to the absorption of solar radiation by roads and buildings, a roof garden will help cool down the building.

ROOF GARDEN Proposal: Roof garden on top of the assembly spaces accessible by spiral staircases to extend gathering space

STEP 2: Roof Garden

View to Rittenhouse Square

Non-inviting

ROOF GARDEN Proposal: Roof garden on top of the assembly spaces accessible by spiral staircases to extend gathering space

In an effort to merge the society’s community-fostering qualities with the liveliness in adjacent Rittenhouse Square, utilize the empty rooftop courtyard as a means of bringing the outdoor congregation of the park up into the building. In addition to providing access to the roof garden through the assembly space.

COMMUNITY: Creates recreational and therapeutic opportunities fosters social discussion creates opportunity for community garden

SUSTAINABILITY: Controls storm water by decreasing the risk of flooding.

Enhancing the visual landscape encourages gardening in urban setting promotes environmental awareness

BUDGET: stormwater management asset for weddings & other events project can be small or large investment

PUBLIC IMAGE: publicity from events sense of interaction sense of community

TAKING ACTION PROPOSAL: Publicly display posters of potential projects to entice community involvement.

The growing concern in developing opportunities for action is, of course, will this ever actually happen?

Though the ideas may get the ball rolling on future improvements for the ethical society, these projects will not be able to come to fruition without the awareness and support of the society’s members.

If posters or flyers summarizing proposed improvements are publicized in or around the building, members and passerby will be able to see the opportunities and have the option to contribute either time, treasure or talent.

With the ideas out in the open, it is far more likely for them to be realized and carried out. By making these pursuits public, it becomes a collective, communal effort.

TAKING ACTION PROPOSAL: Publicly display posters of potential projects to entice community involvement.

Display potential projects, especially those which are intensive and require funding around the building to encourage community involvement and support.

COMMUNITY: builds stronger network of support within society encourage conversation and enthusiasm possibly evokes additional ideas

RECRUITMENT: strengthen & develop Humanist community increase awareness of ethical values encourage conversation

SUSTAINABILITY: promotes forward-thinking recruitment increases as activity increases, and vice versa

BUDGET: uses “crowd-funding� concept projects may be profitable

ETHICAL SOCIETY of PHILADELPHIA

PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY ECOLOGY & MAKING FL14 PROF. SUSAN FROSTEN ABEER TURKEY. KALIA CHOI. VERONICA MAGNER.