Periodic news items and alerts about global climate change justice, energy efficiency, energy conservation, and sustainable energy alternatives for congregations.
Please share this with your friends and ask them to subscribe by contacting Tim Kautza at ncrlctk@mchsi.com. As you know, it’s free!
Please let us know what you are doing to address climate change as a justice issue and what your congregation is doing to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption, or use alternative energy sources.
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Blessings!
Tim Kautza
Coordinator
Contents:
25 CONGREGATIONS TO SHOW "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH;" SIGN-UPS ACCEPTED THROUGH AUGUST 25
FINAL SHOWING OF THE GREAT WARMING IN DAVENPORT
TOWN HALL MEETING ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY SEPT. 7, DES MOINES
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE IOWA CHURCH
PRESBYTERIAN AND EPISCOPALIAN CHURCHES SPEAK OUT ON CLIMATE CHANGE
RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPO AT SOLON
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25 CONGREGATIONS TO SHOW "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH;" SIGN-UPS ACCEPTED THROUGH AUGUST 25
Already 25 congregations in 12 Iowa communities have accepted last week’s 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. According to estimates, more than 1000 people are expected to view the movie to be hosted by Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Lutheran, Congregational, United Church of Christ, Episcopal, Non-Denominational, and Presbyterian, congregations; parochial schools, congregations of religious women, and Catholic 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.
To sign up, just send answers to the following questions to Tim Kautza, coordinator, Iowa Interfaith Power & Light at ncrlctk@mchsi.com or call 515.270.2634 before August 25, 2006. (1) Are you and your congregation, or a neighboring congregation interested in participating in this event? (2) Do you have the necessary equipment (a LCD projector and DVD player or computer that plays DVDs)? (3) On what day do you think you might hold the event? (4) Approximately how many attendees do you think you may have? (5) Who will the contact person be for this event? (6) To what address should we send the DVD and information packets?
For more about this nationwide event and "An Inconvenient Truth," visit
"Spotlight on Global Warming" at www.theregenerationproject.org/inconvenient.htm.
For more about IIP&L, visit www.ncrlc.com/IIPandL-webpage.html
For reviews of the movie, visit www.google.com/movies/reviews?cid=bf2328e40dcca7c7&fq=an+inconvenient+truth&sa=X&oi=showtimes&ct=reviews&cd=1
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FINAL SHOWING OF THE GREAT WARMING IN DAVENPORT
The Great Warming will complete its run among congregations in Iowa at 7:00 p.m., August 10, at the Unitarian Church, 3707 Eastern Ave., Davenport. Please spread the word to kindred spirits in the Davenport area about this showing. More than 400 people have seen The Great Warming shown by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light and Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign and local sponsors in Decorah, Cedar Falls, Hiawatha, Des Moines, Pella, and Dubuque. For more about the movie, visit www.thegreatwarming.com
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TOWN HALL MEETING ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY SEPT. 7, DES MOINES
Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie will host a town hall meeting at Plymouth Congregational Church, Waveland Hall, 41st and Ingersoll Ave., on Thursday, September 7th at 7 PM. Featured speakers to include Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn, USN (Ret.), Bishop Alan Scarfe, Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, Norm Olson, Biomass Energy Conversion Facility, Iowa Energy Center, and Dale Bryk, Natural Resources Defense Council (invited). It’s time to address the challenges of oil dependency and global warming with solutions that begin right here in Iowa. IIP&L helped the Natural Resources Defense Council organize this meeting with Mayor Cownie. Bishop Scarfe is a member of the IIP&L Steering Committee. There is not charge for this meeting. For more details as the date nears, watch www.ncrlc.com/IIPandL-webpage.html
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CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE IOWA CHURCH
Des Moines Register Religion Editor Shirley Ragsdale wrote a wonderful article published July 16 in the Des Moines Register "Climate Change and the Church" which featured many of the recipients of this bulletin including IIP&L Steering Committee members. Iowa Interfaith Power & Light (IIP&L) pitched the story idea to Shirley when The Great Warming movie was shown at Plymouth Congregational Church, Des Moines. To read the article, visit
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060716/LIFE05/60716016/1001
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PRESBYTERIAN AND EPISCOPALIAN CHURCHES SPEAK OUT ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA passed a resolution earlier this month recommending that Presbyterians live carbon neutral lives. The resolution directs the church's Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy to make a study of personal responsibility and carbon-neutrality available the church as soon as possible, "in order to share its concrete, effective action steps for Presbyterians to take to reduce their energy consumption. This Working Paper will highlight the threats posed by accelerated climate change and lift up ways for individuals, families and congregations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases produced in heating, air conditioning, transportation and food production, packaging and shipment. In addition, this paper will suggest policy measures being considered in greater depth by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy and several consultant theological ethicists and political scientists for eventual report to the 2008 General Assembly."
For the complete resolution and rationale, visit www.ncrlc.com/presbyterian_neutrality.html
The House of Bishops of the Episcopalian Church also passed a resolution this summer that "acknowledges the impending catastrophe of Global Warming, empowers the Church to speak the truth to our political leadership and to advocate for sustainable energy programs and policies, and directs the Socially Responsible Investment Committee of Executive Council to identify those companies whose behavior regarding Global Warming is so egregious that it is or would be a violation of the Church's core beliefs to continue to own such stock." The resolution "affirms that Global Warming threatens the future of God's good creation, and the effects of Global Warming disproportionately hurt the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable in the United States and around the world." For the complete resolution and rationale, visit next week "Interfaith Statements on Climate Change" at www.ncrlc.com/episcopal_global_warming.html
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RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPO AT SOLON
Plan to attend the 2006 I-Renew Energy EXPO on September 9 & 10, 2006 at Solon High School in Solon, Iowa. This is a new school built with green and renewable technologies. This will be the 15th annual Expo hosted by the Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-Renew). The EXPO features workshops and speakers covering many topics- from renewable energy- wind, solar & more, sustainable living, green building, entrepreneurship and DIY (Do-it-Yourself), children’s art, energy efficient technology, renewable fuels, alternative transportation, advocacy, etc. This year, a "Local" focus has been added to cover local energy, food and fiber. The 2006 Energy EXPO theme is: "Energizing Iowa’s Communities." The I-Renew Energy EXPO also features a demonstration area including cars that run on alternative fuels, bicycle art & technology, solar & wind energy, hydrogen storage and a fuel cell, among other creative demonstrations. There will also be exhibitors from the business and non-profit communities including local food vendors, plus the I-Renew Silent Auction, Children’s Program and family entertainment. Iowa Interfaith Power & Light and Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign will be among the exhibitors and we’d love to visit with you. For more about the Expo visit www.irenew.org/expo.html
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FORTY SENATORS CALL ON PRESIDENT BUSH TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION
RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPO AT SOLON
COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT PROPOSED FOR WATERLOO
HUNDREDS VIEW THE GREAT WARMING IN IOWA
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH NEAR YOU
WESTERN WILDFIRES ATTRIBUTED TO WARMING CLIMATE; EXPECTED TO WORSEN
IOWA INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP ACHIEVE VISION
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FORTY SENATORS CALL ON PRESIDENT BUSH TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION
Forty U.S. senators sent a bipartisan letter to President Bush last month calling for stabilizing global warming emissions within 10 years, which leading scientists say is needed to avert the most devastating and irreversible impacts of global warming, such as a substantial rise in sea level that would inundate coastal areas.
The senators’ letter, which was sponsored by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), states, "Today, we are writing to express our continuing concern about the threats posed by global warming and our support for a mandatory program that would reduce emissions from today’s levels within 10 years." Senator Harkin signed the letter and Senator Grassley did not. For more, visit http://uspirg.org/uspirgnewsroom.asp?id2=25267&id3=USPIRGnewsroom&
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RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPO AT SOLON
Plan to attend the 2006 I-Renew Energy EXPO on September 9 & 10, 2006 at Solon High School in Solon, Iowa. This is a new school built with green and renewable technologies. This will be the 15th annual Expo hosted by the Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-Renew). The EXPO features workshops and speakers covering many topics- from renewable energy- wind, solar & more, sustainable living, green building, entrepreneurship and DIY (Do-it-Yourself), children’s art, energy efficient technology, renewable fuels, alternative transportation, advocacy, etc. This year, a "Local" focus has been added to cover local energy, food and fiber. The 2006 Energy EXPO theme is: "Energizing Iowa’s Communities." The I-Renew Energy EXPO also features a demonstration area including cars that run on alternative fuels, bicycle art & technology, solar & wind energy, hydrogen storage and a fuel cell, among other creative demonstrations. There will also be exhibitors from the business and non-profit communities including local food vendors, plus the I-Renew Silent Auction, Children’s Program and family entertainment. Iowa Interfaith Power & Light and Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign will be among the exhibitors and we’d love to visit with you. For more about the Expo visit www.irenew.org/expo.html
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COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT PROPOSED FOR WATERLOO
LS Power of New Jersey recently announced plans to build a 750 MW pulverized coal-burning power plant northeast of downtown Waterloo. The proposed construction of this power plant, which plans to sell most of its power outside of Iowa, is raising public debate about the future of energy generation. To date 3,000 citizens have signed a petition opposing the plant. To build, LS Power must get permission from the local planning body (Waterloo and Black Hawk County), the Department of Natural
Resources, and the Iowa Utilities Board. To find out more about the plant and public sentiment about it, contact Mark Kresowik, mark.kresowik@sierraclub.org, 319-621-7393 or visit the LS Power site at www.lspower.com/projects/?project=elk_run
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HUNDREDS VIEW THE GREAT WARMING IN IOWA
About 400 people viewed The Great Warming shown by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light and Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign and local sponsors in Decorah, Cedar Falls, Hiawatha, Des Moines, Pella and most recently at Dubuque. For more the movie, visit www.thegreatwarming.com/ Another showing is pending in the Davenport area.
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AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH NEAR YOU
If you haven’t seen "An Inconvenient Truth" (a.k.a. The Al Gore movie) you may wish to. The film lays out the latest, up-to-date, most compelling facts about global warming with startling images and dramatic pictures showing clearly what is happening to our Earth. To learn more about the movie and find showtimes at theaters near you, visit www.StopGlobalWarming.org Iowa Interfaith Power & Light may show this movie at congregations throughout the state the first week in October. Watch this bulletin for more details as they become available or contact Tim Kautza (ncrlctk@mchsi.com; 515.270.2634) if you’re interested in sponsoring a showing.
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WESTERN WILDFIRES ATTRIBUTED TO WARMING CLIMATE; EXPECTED TO WORSEN
A new study led by scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, implicates rising seasonal temperatures and the earlier arrival of spring conditions in connection with a dramatic increase of large wildfires in the western United States. For the complete story, visit http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/article_detail.cfm?article_num=739
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IOWA INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP ACHIEVE VISION
Iowa Interfaith Power & Light (IIP&L) is looking for people who are willing to devote small amounts of time to help achieve its vision: IIP&L envisions a transformation of the current energy system from a fossil fuel and uranium-based system to a more sustainable, renewable system with growing reliance on wind, biomass, small-scale hydropower, and muscle power. This new system will meet a demand for energy that will have lessened through greater energy efficiencies, conservation, and lifestyle changes as demonstrated by IIP&L religious congregational and their members. Ultimately, global warming and resulting global climate change will be reduced. For more about IIP&L visit www.ncrlc.com/IIPandL-webpage.html
Specifically, IIP&L is looking for people to help on the following working groups. If you’re interested in finding out more, contact Tim Kautza, ncrlctk@mchsi.com; 515.270.2634
Education: Facilitate the education of congregants on the relationship of energy production and consumption to global warming with a goal of becoming non-polluting or carbon-neutral as a congregation and individually.
Membership: Increase the number of congregational members of IIP&L and help maintain the membership database
Financial Development: Help acquire financial resources to support IIP&L staff and activities
Communications: Maintain good relations with media, draft letters to the editor and op/ed pieces as requested, suggest additions to website, and draft this electronic bulletin
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