Periodic news items and alerts about global climate change justice, energy efficiency, energy conservation, and sustainable energy alternatives for congregations.
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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
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CONTENTS:
HELP US GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE MORAL IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBAL WARMING
LEARN HOW TO MORE EFFECTIVELY GET OTHERS TO HELP STOP GLOBAL WARMING –DEADLINE IS JANUARY 22
COOL CONGREGATIONS WORKSHOPS START THIS WEEKEND
CONGREGATIONAL IIP&L MEMBERS CONTINUE TO CLIMB
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING IOWA INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF DES MOINES URGES ENERGY EFFICIENCY
SIGN IOWA’S INTERFAITH ENERGY CHARTER AND INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO DO THE SAME
SECRETARY GENERAL CRITICIZES UNITED STATES AND AUSTRALIA OVER LACK OF LEADERSHIP ON GLOBAL WARMING
PRESIDENT TELLS GERMAN CHANCELLOR THAT HE WILL COOPERATE ON GLOBAL WARMING
NEW CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE
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HELP US GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE MORAL IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBAL WARMING
Interfaith Power & Light and Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign needs your help spreading the word about global warming and the moral implications of climate change. We will exhibit at the annual meeting of Practical Farmers of Iowa. If you are willing to tend our exhibit during one or more of the following time slots, please notify Tim Kautza ASAP, 515.270.2634; ncrlctk@mchsi.com Exhibit tenders can participate in the educational sessions and partake in lunch on Saturday. The meeting will be held at the Airport Holiday Inn, 6111 Fleur Drive, Des Moines.
Friday
11:00-12:30 (registration)
2:00 –3:00 (break)
6:00 – 7:00 (social time)
Saturday
7:00 - 8:30 a.m. (registration)
11:30-12:00 (networking time)
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. (after lunch)
People are also needed to tend our exhibit at the Iowa Environmental Council’s Lobby Day January 22 at the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines. Interested? Notify Tim Kautza, at the 515.270.2634; ncrlctk@mchsi.com. He’ll provide additional information as it becomes available. This will be a great time to visit with your own representative and senator.
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LEARN HOW TO MORE EFFECTIVELY GET OTHERS TO HELP STOP GLOBAL WARMING – DEADLINE IS JANUARY 22
Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign and Iowa Interfaith Power & Light will conduct, free of charge, a workshop 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., January 27, 2007 at a location near you via the Iowa Communications Network to help you better reach the public and legislators with concerns about global warming. Participants will learn how to write an effective "letter to the editor" or an op-ed for distribution to local newspapers and religious media; how to most effectively express concerns to their legislators, and how to easily carry the first message of global warming to their congregations. ICN sites will most likely be nearer those who indicate interest early. To find out more or to register, contact Tim Kautza 515.270.2634; ncrlctk@mchsi.com.
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COOL CONGREGATIONS WORKSHOPS PLANNED STATEWIDE
Iowa Interfaith Power & Light and Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign will conduct the first "Cool Congregations" workshop January 13 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Cedar Falls. Participants will learn how to organize a stewardship program in their own congregation where congregants can pledge energy efficiency, save money and prevent global warming pollution. As of today, 45 people have signed up to participate in the FREE workshop. Contact Sarah Webb sarahwebb@cfu.net for more information.
Other locations for Cool Congregations workshops are Iowa City, Jan. 20, 2007; Trinity Episcopal Church; contact Bob Sessions, bsessio@kirkwood.cc.ia.us; Des Moines, February 3, St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, contact Rev. Muffy Harmon, muffy007@aol.com; Cedar Rapids, February 17, 2007, Christ Episcopal Church; contact Beth Robbins, robbinse1@msn.com. "Cool Congregations" will also be conducted as part of a gathering of the Southeastern Iowa Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in Cedar Rapids, March 10. For more about Cool Congregations, visit www.ncrlc.com/cool_congregations.html
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CONGREGATIONAL IIP&L MEMBERS CONTINUE TO CLIMB
Three new congregations have joined IIP&L in recent weeks bringing the total to 13 congregations and 37 individuals.
Congregational members are St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Cedar Falls; Des Moines Islamic Center; Redeemer Lutheran Church, Indianola; Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Waterloo; St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, West Des Moines; Congregation of the Humility of Mary, Davenport; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Des Moines; Christ Episcopal Church, Cedar Rapids; Grace Lutheran Church, Davenport; St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Hanover; St. Patrick Catholic Church, Cedar Falls; Unitarian Universalist Society, Cedar Falls; and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Dubuque. For more about membership, visit www.ncrlc.com/1-pfd-files/IIPL_Brochure_final.pdf
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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING IOWA INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT
Thank you! Membership in IIP&L is steadily growing. If you are not a member of IIPL&L at this time, we ask you to consider joining us at a contribution level you think is appropriate. Contributions can be sent and made payable to IIP&L, 4625 Beaver Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310-2145. For more about congregational membership, visit www.ncrlc.com/1-pfd-files/IIPL_Brochure_final.pdf Your support is greatly appreciated and will put to good use.
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CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF DES MOINES URGES ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The Building Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines revised its Guidelines for Building and Renovating Parish Facilities this summer and included among its "Project Steps" the following statement, "When developing any new building project, or significantly renovating an existing building, parishes should plan for energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources of energy. While these methods may cost more up-front in some cases, well-planned systems will more than pay for themselves over time, and reflect our desire to be good stewards of God’s resources." Most Reverend Joseph L. Charron, CPPS, Bishop of Des Moines, is also a member of the Steering Committee of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light. For more, contact Norman Bormann, nbormann@dmdiocese.org; 515.237.5038
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SIGN IOWA’S INTERFAITH ENERGY CHARTER AND INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO DO THE SAME
More than 300 Iowans of faith have signed on to Iowa’s Sustainable Energy Charter: An Interfaith Citizen Initiative demonstrating their support for the recommendations and principles expressed in therein regarding the beneficial impact a sustainable, renewable energy system can have on global climate change. The charter and sign-ons will be presented to Iowa state policy leaders and religious leaders during the legislative session. It will also be released to media throughout the state in order to increase public awareness and support for a sustainable, renewable energy system in Iowa. Add your name to the growing list and invite your friends to do the same. View Iowa’s Sustainable Energy Charter at www.ncrlc.com/IICEC-webpages/iicec-web02.html Please send your name, religious affiliation, email address, and location to Tim Kautza, coordinator, Iowa Climate and Energy Campaign, Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, ncrlctk@mchsi.com or by FAX 515.270.9447. Download the statement, share it with your congregation after worship and collect signatures, and send them on to Tim.
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SECRETARY GENERAL CRITICIZES UNITED STATES AND AUSTRALIA OVER LACK OF LEADERSHIP ON GLOBAL WARMING
Then United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, speaking at the start of the main session of the UN climate change conference in Nairobi, Kenya in November, described the build-up of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that are raising the planet's temperature as an "all-encompassing threat" to the world. He said that the Kyoto protocol, under which industrialized countries agreed to limit their harmful emissions to pre-1990 levels by 2012, was a key step in tackling the problem. The US and Australia refused to sign the protocol, claiming it would unfairly hurt their economies as it does not commit developing nations such as China and India to binding targets. In a thinly veiled attack on the US and Australia, Anan said that a "frightening lack of leadership" was hindering the fight against global warming. For the complete story, visit www.truthout.org/issues_06/111506EB.shtml
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PRESIDENT TELLS GERMAN CHANCELLOR THAT HE WILL COOPERATE ON GLOBAL WARMING
According to the Associated Press, January 4, 2007. "President Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged closer cooperation on combating global warming. Bush said last week at a joint White House news conference that he was open to new ideas to confront climate change, although he stopped short of some of the tight environmental standards favored by Germany and other European nations. 'We talked about climate change, and I assured the chancellor I'm committed to promoting new technologies that will promote energy efficiency and do a better job protecting the environment,' Bush said. For the cocmplete article, visit www.planetsave.com/ps_mambo/The_News/World_News/global_warming/
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NEW CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE
Speaker of the House or Representative Nancy Pelosi reminded Congress in a speech upon her election to her new post that Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the environment, ecology, is also the patron saint of the city she represents, San Francisco. She called for a "new America that declares our energy independence, promotes domestic sources of renewable energy, and combats climate change." For the complete text, visit http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/04/BAG5ANCTQ27.DTLpolitics
California's Barbara Boxer is the new chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, replacing James Inhofe, the Oklahoma Republican who regards global warming as an elaborate hoax drummed up by environmentalists and scientists in search of money. Senator Boxer has already scheduled hearings, and there will be no shortage of legislative remedies to consider. All share one objective, which is to attach a cost to carbon dioxide through a cap on emissions. The underlying logic is that if people and industries are made to pay for the privilege of pumping these gases into the atmosphere, they will inevitably be driven to developer cleaner fuels, cleaner cars and cleaner factories. For a related editorial in the New York Times with associated informational links, visit www.nytimes.com/2007/01/06/opinion/06sat1.html?slogin
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