Periodic news items and alerts about global climate change justice, energy efficiency, energy conservation, and sustainable energy alternatives for congregations.
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Blessings!
Tim Kautza
Coordinator
Contents:
IOWA EPISCOPAL BISHOP SCARFE TO BE FEATURED AT TOWN HALL MEETING
FOUNDER OF INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT TO HIGHLIGHT IIP&L CONFERENCE
54 CONGREGATIONS TO SHOW "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH;" SIGN-UPS ACCEPTED THROUGH AUGUST 25
CONSIDER A DRIVING TITHE TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE
YOUR AUTO CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE
HEAT WAVES MAKE PAT ROBERTSON A GLOBAL WARMING 'CONVERT'
REP. LEACH CO-SPONSORS CLIMATE CHANGE BILL
CLIMATE BILL INTRODUCED TO SENATE WITHOUT IOWA CO-SPONSORS
EARTH WARMEST IN AT LEAST 400 YEARS
CATHOLIC NEW SERVICE PROFILES INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT
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IOWA EPISCOPAL BISHOP SCARFE TO BE FEATURED AT TOWN HALL MEETING
Iowa Episcopal Bishop Alan Scarfe will join Des Moines Mayor Frank Cowney, retired US Navy Admiral Dennis McGinn, Iowa Energy Center’s Norm Olson, and Dale Bryk of the Natural Resources Defense Council for a town hall meeting on global warming and America's energy future at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, September 7 at Waveland Hall, Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Des Moines. Entitled RE-ENERGIZE AMERICA, the FREE town hall meeting is sponsored by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, National Council of Churches, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, Peace Committee of Plymouth United Church of Christ, Natural Resources Defense Council, Iowa Environmental Council, and Iowa Farmers Union. Please spread the word.
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FOUNDER OF INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT TO HIGHLIGHT IIP&L CONFERENCE
On October 8, 2006, Rev. Sally Bingham, founder of Interfaith Power & Light will keynote a conference in Des Moines sponsored by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light on global warming and what congregations and individuals can do to help stop it. Please watch this bulletin and IIP&L’s website http://www.ncrlc.com/IIPandL-webpage.html for more details as they become available. Please spread the word.
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54 CONGREGATIONS TO SHOW "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH;" SIGN-UPS ACCEPTED THROUGH AUGUST 25
As of today, 54 congregations in 27 Iowa communities from Dorchester, to Council Bluffs, and Orange City to Bettendorf, have accepted the invitation by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light (IIP&L) to show the highly acclaimed global warming movie "An Inconvenient Truth" during the first week of October. An estimated 4000 in the state are expected to view the movie to be hosted by Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Lutheran, Congregational, United Church of Christ, Episcopal, Reformed Church, Christian Church, Presbyterian, Islamic, Unitarian-Universalist, Community of Christ, and non-denominational congregations; parochial schools, congregations of religious women, and colleges. Iowa congregations have until August 25 (not August 14 as previously reported) to notify IIP&L that they’d like to host the movie Oct. 1 – 8. Please help spread the word to kindred spirits. To sign up, visit http://www.ncrlc.com/an_inconvenient_truth.html
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CONSIDER A DRIVING TITHE TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE
Sean Cordry, physics professor at Northwestern College, Iowa and science advisor to Iowa Interfaith Power & light, suggested in a recent opinion published in the Des Moines Register that people of faith consider a driving tithe to help mitigate global climate change. "Let's reduce our driving to 90 percent of "normal." If we could reduce U.S. gasoline consumption by 10 percent, we would save around 2.1 million barrels of oil per day, which would have a tremendous impact on foreign-oil dependence and carbon emissions." For the complete piece, visit
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006608090341
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YOUR AUTO CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE
The Union of Concerned Scientists suggests that selecting the car you drive can be the most important personal climate decision you make.(see http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/ten-personal-solutions.html). When you or your congregation buy your next car, look for the one with the best fuel economy in its class. Each gallon of gas we use releases 25 pounds of heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Better gas mileage not only reduces global warming, but will also save you thousands of dollars at the pump over the life of the vehicle. Compare the fuel economy of the cars you're considering and look for new technologies like hybrid engines. A good source of such information is the Department of Energy’s website http://www.fueleconomy.gov/. Find out about fuel cell cars, hybrids, E-85 vehicles, gas mileage tips, vehicle mileage ratings, and much more.
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HEAT WAVES MAKE PAT ROBERTSON A GLOBAL WARMING 'CONVERT'
According to Associated Press and CBS, the Rev. Pat Robertson said August 3 that he hasn't been a believer in global warming in the past, but this summer's record-breaking heat is ''making a convert out of me.'' On his "700 Club" broadcast, Robertson said, "It is getting hotter, and the icecaps are melting and there is a buildup of carbon dioxide in the air." "We really need to address the burning of fossil fuels," he said. For a complete article, visit
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/04/national/main1864868.shtml
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REP. LEACH CO-SPONSORS CLIMATE CHANGE BILL
Congressional Representative Jim Leach is the only Iowan to co-sponsor HR 5642, the Safe Climate Act of 2006 introduced to the House earlier this summer by Representative Henry Waxman of California. The bill sets greenhouse gas emissions targets that aim to keep temperatures below the danger point. The level of emissions is frozen in 2010 and then gradually reduced each year through 2050. Targets are achieved through a flexible economy-wide cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions, along with measures to advance technology and reduce emissions through renewable energy, energy efficiency, and cleaner cars. For a summary of the bill, visit Rep. Waxman’s website at http://www.house.gov/waxman/safeclimate/index.htm. To view the text of the legislation and track the bill, visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.5642:
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CLIMATE BILL INTRODUCED TO SENATE WITHOUT IOWA CO-SPONSORS
Senator Jim Jeffords, VT, introduced the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 3698) to the Senate in July. The bill requires that the U.S. reduce its emissions between 2010 and 2020 to 1990 levels. By 2030, the U.S. must reduce its emissions by 1/3 of 80% percent below 1990 levels, by 2040 by 2/3 of 80% percent below 1990 levels and by 2050, to a level that is 80 percent below 1990 levels. Neither Iowa Senators Harkin nor Grassley co-sponsored this bill. For more about the bill, visit Senator Jeffords website at http://jeffords.senate.gov/~jeffords/press/06/07/072006climatebill.html
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EARTH WARMEST IN AT LEAST 400 YEARS
The National Academy of Sciences told Congress in a report last month that the Earth is the hottest it's been in at least 400 years. "The report has wiped the slate clean of any remaining excuses for inaction," said Daniel A. Lashof, science director of NRDC 's Climate Center. According to Lashof, "In order to avert irreversible global warming damages, the United States must start cutting global warming pollution within 10 years and cut them by more than half by mid-century." For a press release and link to the full report, visit www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=11676 For more about global warming, visit http://www.ncrlc.com/global_climate_change.html
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CATHOLIC NEW SERVICE PROFILES INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT
Fr. Charles Morris, director of Michigan Interfaith Power & Light and pastor of St. Elizabeth Church, Wyandotte, is featured in a Catholic News Service article August 7 profiling Catholic’s involved in Interfaith Power & Light activities. Describing his parish, Fr. Morris says, "we have four solar (power) systems in the rectory, a solar thermal unit for the hot water, cutting natural gas usage in half; a 1.1-kilowatt photovoltaic unit; a 400-watt solar-wind hybrid turbine -- it's a hybrid because of the vagaries of Michigan's climate, he said; and a solar attic fan." Read the complete article at http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0604482.htm Find out more about Iowa Interfaith Power & Light at http://www.ncrlc.com/IIPandL-webpage.html and the national Interfaith Power & Light at www.theregenerationproject.org.
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