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March 2, 2007
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
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Rachel L. Anderson
Editorial Assistant
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CONTENTS:
IIP&L Meet with Representatives
Global Warming Myths and Facts
The St. Clare Room
Bishop is grounded as Church contemplates environmental future
2nd Annual "Building a Sustainable Iowa" Workshop
World leader in wind energy considers West Branch for $22 million investment
Cool Congregations at Cedar Rapids and Dubuque
Corzine Wants Big Changes To End the Struggle with Global Warming
Greening of the Church at Luther College
AAAS Warns of Growing Global Warming Threat
Seven More Congregations Join IIP&L
Industry Leaders Endorse Fight Against Climate Change
In Big Buyout, Utility to Limit New Coal Plants
Warning on Warming
Help Support Iowa Interfaith Power & Light
Come and Meet Terry Tamminen
Western governors join forces on warming
Australia pulls plug on old bulbs
Help Support Iowa Interfaith Power & Light
State Legislation Could Address Global Warming and Encourage Sustainable Energy
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IIP&L Meet with Representatives
A number of Representatives of the Iowa Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign and Iowa Interfaith Power & Light have organized meetings on global warming with Congressmen Boswell and Braley. In this meeting the two groups hope to express their concerns about global warming.
Global warming does only affect the environment, it impacts creation, and the poor and vulnerable directly. IIC&E and IIP&L hope to express this concern to the congressmen and communicate just how important this issue is.
Thirteen representatives of the Muslim, Jewish, Presbyterian, Catholic, Congregational/United Church of Christ, and Evangelical Lutheran faith communities will be attending the meeting with Congressman Bruce Braley in Davenport, Friday, February 23; and with Congressman Leonard Boswell in Des Moines, Monday, February 26.
Global Warming Myths and Facts
Is the science behind global warming too theoretical to act upon? Will it hurt the American industry? The Ozone hole closing, global warming shouldn’t be an issue anymore. If you’re used to hearing these questions from your family or friends, or have asked these question yourself then the site below may help in answering some of those tough questions.
If you’re interested in what you can do to help combat global warming, this site may provide you with some ideas of how to cut down your contribution to the problem. The best solution always starts with a few good ideas.
For more information: http://www.environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?tagID=1011
The St. Clare Room
On March 3rd, the St. Francis of Assisi Church will be hosting a discussion and training session on global warming and clean energy issues in Iowa from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM. It will include a power point and provide many resources for personal use.
There will also be opportunities to carpool, especially from Cedar Falls and Sioux City. If you would like to identify a carpool, please email Mark Kresowik at: mark.kresowik@sierraclub.org.
For more information please contact:
Mark Kresowik
Midwest Clean Energy Campaign
Sierra Club
mark.kresowik@sierraclub.org
319-621-7393 (cell)
515-276-4690 (office)
515-251-4811 (fax)
3839 Merle Hay Road
Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
For directions: http://www.saintfrancischurch.org/map_&_directions.htm
Bishop is grounded as Church contemplates environmental future
The Bishop of London,the Rt Rev. Richard Chartres, has signed what is being called a "golden pledge". The golden pledge is a pledge to not to fly for a year. In light of this, churches throughout the world review their responses to renewed fears of climate change. A United Nations report, published last month, pins the blame for global warming firmly on human activity.
The Bishop offered two pledges, one a silver pledge to cut out two flights a year, and the other the golden pledge to abandon all flying for 12 months. "He went for gold," a spokesman for the Bishop said on Tuesday. "He will review the situation after a year, to look at how much longer journeys took, what the problems were, and how much it had cost."
The full article is available online (with photos) at:
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=33067
2nd Annual "Building a Sustainable Iowa" Workshop
The Center on Sustainable Communities (COSC) is having their second annual Workshop at the Hotel Fort Des Moines over March 4th through the 7th. The workshop will include events like the Homeowner Workshop, Networking Reception, and a Basic Two-Day Green Building Workshop. The first day will consist of the homeowner workshop followed by the networking reception, which will provide the workshop attendants with time to connect.
On Monday and Tuesday, the two-day green building workshop sessions will begin, including a Continental Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks throughout the day. Wednesday will have an Advanced Green Building Workshop. This is a great way to network with others as well as learn something new about what people can do to build a sustainable Iowa.
For more information: http://www.icosc.com/programs_workshops.asp
World leader in wind energy considers West Branch for $22 million investment
Acciona Energy North America Corporation (AENAC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Acciona Energía, has narrowed its prospects for a new manufacturing facility to West Branch and a site in northern Illinois. Acciona has been working with the City of West Branch, the Iowa Department of Economic Development, the Cedar County Economic Development Commission and the Iowa City Area Development (ICAD) Group.
"This is a perfect project for all of us," said council member Mark Worrell. "This is one of the best things that's happened in West Branch in a long time, on top of P&G."
Acciona is also working with the IDED for incentives through the Iowa Values Fund, and has spoken with the University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College about possible training programs in renewable energy.
In the presentation to the council, LaTrace praised Iowa as a leader in renewable energy, and as a great natural resource for wind energy. He said Iowa is third among states in wind production, behind only California and Texas. Iowa leads the nation in per capita wind energy production.
LaTrace said that Acciona has not yet entered into any definitive agreement with Sauer-Danfoss, the hydraulics producer that operated in West Branch from 1997 to March 2003, and which still owns the building in the industrial park.
"We still have due diligence to do," said LaTrace. "We're still crossing 't's and dotting 'i's."
For More information http://www.westbranchtimes.com/article.php?id=1487
Cool Congregations at Cedar Rapids and Dubuque
"Congregations Together in Mission" is an annual event put on by the Southeastern Iowa Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as a resource for its 149 congregations. Open to all people of faith, it will be conducted March 10 at First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids and will feature our Cool Congregations workshop as one of 59 workshops. To attend Cool Congregations that day, please ontact Lorraine Jordan (319) 338-1273; jordan@seiasynod.org
Cool Congregation workshop participants learn how to organize a congregation-wide stewardship program where congregants can increase energy efficiency, save money and reduce global warming pollution. Participants learn how to help congregants measure their carbon footprint (i.e. their family contribution to global warming) and then determine how to reduce their impact. The last Cool Congregations workshop that will be open to the public will be conducted at the Church of the Resurrection, Dubuque, March 31. Contact Paul Schultz, schultzpf@msn.com
Corzine Wants Big Changes To End the Struggle with Global Warming
New Jersey Governor Corzine approved an ambitious new plan to combat the effects of global warming that could mean countless changes. "We need to find better ways to protect our environment and make sure that the Jersey Shore doesn't get swamped under a rising tide of oceans that come with global warming," Corzine told an assembly of middle school students in West Orange. Much of the responsibility will fall on individuals to take small if unglamorous steps such as turning down the thermostat, or replacing traditional light bulbs with more efficient fluorescent bulbs, and encouraging the use of hybrid vehicles.
Much depends on whether the national government follows suit. If it does, any financial pain will be absorbed over the entire economy; if it doesn't, New Jersey may lose jobs and residents to neighboring states that don't cap emissions, said Frank Felder, director of Rutgers' Center for Energy, Economic and Environmental Policy.
For those of us in Iowa, Governor Tom Vilsack issued Executive Order 41, which sets up a purchasing requirement for state agencies to purchase at least 10% of their electricity needs from renewable energy sources by 2010. The order also requires state agencies to reduce their electricity use in buildings at least 15% by 2010. We, the citizens of Iowa, need to remind our political leaders about EO 41.
For more information about EO 41: http://www.eere.energy.gov/states/state_news_detail.cfm/news_id=9089/state=IA
Greening of the Church at Luther College
A free workshop for clergy, property, stewardship and social concerns committees, interested youth, and church council members of all faith will be conducted April 21, 2007, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Luther College, Decorah. The highly interactive program facilitated by Alycia Ashburn and Tim Kautza, will address the question, "How can our churches become more actively involved in caring for God’s creation?" and will help congregations learn how to start a "Creation Care" program. Congregations from Minnesota and Iowa (including our own Cool Congregations) will share creation care projects. For complete information, visit http://vocations.luther.edu/retreats_and_workshops/greening-of-the-church/index.html
AAAS Warns of Growing Global Warming Threat
"The board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the nation's leading general science organization, issued a consensus statement declaring global climate change 'a growing threat to society.'
The statement marked the first time that the board of the influential AAAS, publisher of the journal Science, has taken a stand on global warming. AAAS held its annual meeting there over the weekend and organized the town hall on climate change, along with the California Science Teachers Association, the National Science Teachers Association and the United Educators of San Francisco, a union group.
The board's statement attributes Earth's recent warming to human activity, noting: 'The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, a critical greenhouse gas, is higher than it has been for at least 650,000 years. The average temperature of the Earth is heading for levels not experienced for millions of years.' The board called for 'rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions,' warning: 'Delaying action to address climate change will increase the environmental and societal consequences as well as the costs.'" See text of AAAs statement: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2007/0218am_statement.shtml
Industry Leaders Endorse Fight Against Climate Change
"The leaders of several worldwide corporations, (including General Electric, Volvo and Air France) called Tuesday for prompt action on climate change. Nearly 100 companies followed a meeting at Columbia University by endorsing a formal statement to promote clean energy and protest the climate change caused by people and businesses. The companies are members of the Global Roundtable on Climate Change, formed in 2004 to explore issues critical to shaping public and industry policy.
"This is an issue that requires action now but will not be solved immediately," said Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, which created the Global Roundtable. Robert Edgar, of the National Council of Churches, a member of the Roundtable group, said, "Everyone has the responsibility to be a steward of earth by limiting future impacts on global warming and preserving nature's resources."
Read the http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/news/2007/story02-20-07.php.
Warning on Warming
Global warming is a scientific field with a fairly extensive history. From roughly 1988 to 1995, the hypothesis that burning coal and gas and oil in large quantities was releasing carbon dioxide and other gases that would trap the sun's radiation on Earth and disastrously heat the planet remained just that: a hypothesis. Scientists used every means at their disposal to reconstruct the history of the earth's climate and to track current changes.
The 1995 consensus was convincing enough for Europe and Japan: the report's scientific findings were the basis for the Kyoto negotiations and the treaty they produced; those same findings also led most of the developed world to produce ambitious plans for reductions in carbon emission.
The only really encouraging development is the amount of public concern that has built over the last year, beginning with the reaction to Hurricane Katrina and the movie An Inconvenient Truth. The IPCC assessment offers a modest account of just how far out of whack it is -- and just how hard we're going to have to work to have even a chance at limiting the damage.
For more information: http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?emx=x&pid=167460
Help Support Iowa Interfaith Power & Light
This electronic newsletter now reaches more than 700 Iowans; religious leaders, people of most every faith, readers, and activists concerned about global warming and the resulting impacts of global climate change on creation and poor and vulnerable people. We receive kudos weekly from many who are pleased to receive the newsletter and who praise the work of our two organizations. Iowa Interfaith Power & Light is a membership organization. Congregational membership (church, syn agogue, mosque, center, school, hospital, or organization) is $50. You can become a member with any contribution you feel is appropriate. Contributions can be sent and made payable to IIP&L, 4625 Beaver Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310-2145. For more about membership, visit http://www.ncrlc.com/1-pfd-files/IIPL_Brochure_final.pdf Your support is greatly appreciated and and will help maintain the integrity of God’s sacred creation, Earth.
Come and Meet Terry Tamminen
Terry Tamminen is visiting Iowa at Prairie Lights of Iowa City on March 8 at 7:00pm.
Tamminen is the author of Lives per Gallon, and now he’s visiting key states to discuss
these imminent challenges. He knows that America’s addiction to oil is taking a huge toll
on our health, environment, and national security.
Lives Per Gallon is a diagnosis of our petroleum problem and a prescription for change.
The choice is clear: continue paying with our health, or kick our addiction and evolve
beyond an oil-dependent economy.Terry shows how we can evolve beyond oil to clean
and sustainable products. For more information visit: http://www.prairielightsbooks.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp;jsessionid=abcCAQdDoh6Ok_ROLjfer?s=storeevents&eventId=342161
Western governors join forces on warming
Five Western governors vowed on Monday to join forces to reduce emissions of planet-warming pollution. The leaders of Washington, Oregon, Arizona, California and New Mexico formed the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative. A group that is establishing 3 main objectives which includes creating a five-state registry for tracking and managing greenhouse gas emissions. "Our legislation and the governor's regional leadership are dovetailing very nicely right now," said Sen. Erik Poulsen, D-Seattle.
An international panel of scientists recently concluded that it's "very likely" that manmade pollution primarily from the burning of fossil fuels is warming the world. In the Northwest, that's expected to mean warmer weather, higher sea levels, less snow and more forest fires.
"The real work that must happen in this arena is we need fewer cars and cleaner cars," Poulsen said. "Until we get more serious about public transit we're only going to make a dent in the problem." The initiative is being designed so that additional states and provinces can sign on, leaders in British Columbia have expressed interest in the plan, she said. And it could provide a framework for a national program for combating climate change. For more information: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/305214_climatechange26ww.html
Australia pulls plug on old bulbs
Australia has announced plans to ban incandescent light bulbs and replace them with more energy efficient fluorescent bulbs. The environment minister said the move could cut the country's greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tones by 2012.
Mr Turnbull said that he hoped the rest of the world would follow Australia's lead in banning the traditional bulbs. "If the whole world switches to these bulbs today, we would reduce our consumption of electricity by an amount equal to five times Australia's
annual consumption of electricity," he said.
Matt Prescott of the UK-based Ban the Bulb campaign said he was delighted that Australia and California are moving forward on this issue, which he highlighted in an article for the BBC News website a year ago.
For More Information: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/6378161.stm
STATE LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO ADDRESS GLOBAL WARMING AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Several bills have been introduced at the Iowa General Assembly that we hope you will contact your legislators about. These bills have great prospects, but will have no future if you don’t let your legislators know you support them. The following bills seem to be supported by our Iowa Sustainable Energy Charter and the principles and recommendations therein. Read the charter at http://www.ncrlc.com/IICEC-webpages/iicec-web02.html
You can read below a brief description of each bill and in which committee it is currently located. You can read the full text of the bills at http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/Cool-ICE/DisplayBills.htm
You can find out how to contact your legislators at http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/Legislators/LegislatorInfo.aspx
And, to see what various lobbyists think of these bills, visit http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=Matt&Service=Declarations
House Bills
HF 166, WIND ENERGY CREDITS. Allows a qualified facility to be placed into service by July 1, 2011 for the purposes of income tax credits available for wind energy production. Commerce Comm. subcom-Reichert, Petersen, Soderberg, D. Taylor, Van Fossen.
HF 486, RENEWABLE FUELS BUILDING. Appropriates $574,000, $5,073,000, $14,756,000, and $7,597,000 for FY 2007 through 2010, respectively, from RIIF for the construction of a new renewable fuels building at ISU. Appropriations Comm. Subcommittee, Cohoon, Huseman, and Reichert Appropriations likely to occur later this session.
HF 498, ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. Creates the Iowa Energy Independence Act. Creates the Iowa Power Fund for energy independence by alternative energy, renewable energy and conservation. Commerce Comm., subcommittee, Reichert, Kelley, Soderberg, Struyk, D. Taylor, Van Fossen, and Wise.
HF509 , BIOMASS ENERGY RESEARCH AND BIOFUEL DEVELOPMENT Provides for agricultural and industrial development, including by providing for research into initiatives relating to biofuels, and making appropriations. Economic Growth Comm. Subcomm. Dandekar, Granzow, Hoffman, D. Olson, and Thomas
Senate Bills
SF 133, GREEN HOUSE GAS REGISTRY. Creates a greenhouse gas registry. Requires the DNR to collect data from greenhouse gas producers. Natural Resources and Environment Comm. subcom-Bolkcom, Kettering, Schoenjahn.
SF 153, POWER PLANT GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS. Requires the Env. Protection Comm. to consider electric power generation greenhouse emissions of plant regulated by the Ia. Util. Bd., and for the DNR to deny, modify, suspend or take other actions for their permits. Natural Resources and Environement Comm., subcom-Bolkcom, Behn, Hogg.
SF 229, ENERGY CONSERVATION. Creates the position of energy conservation technician in the Dept. of Admin. Service to reduce excess energy consumption when the Capitol complex is not in use. Appropriations comm., Subcommittee, Dvorsky and Angelo.
SF301 – MERCHANT POWER PLANT REQUIREMENTS Requires the Iowa utilities board to establish rules applicable to merchant power plants providing for energy conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and research and technology development requirements comparable to those applying to utilities regulated by the board, and providing effective and applicability dates. Commerce Comm.
SF 241, ALTERNATE ENERGY. Requires an electric utility to own or purchase 10% of its Iowa retail electric sales from alternate energy production facilities or small hydro facilities by 12/31/10, 15% by 2015 and 20% by 2020. excludes utilities that serve fewer than 10,000 customers. Commerce Comm., Subcommittee, McCoy, Putney, and Warnstadt..
SF 242. ENERGY DISCLOSURES. Requires real estate disclosures include information about energy use over the 12-months preceding the date of the transfer of ownership. Commerce Comm., Subcommittee, Olive, Courtney, and Ward
SF 262, CLIMATE DISRUPTION COUNCIL. Requires the DNR to create an Iowa Climate Disruption Advisory Council. Requires adoption of a proposal to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by 2015 and by 25% by 2020. Uses 2007 as the baseline. Requires a report by January, 2008. Requires annual reports on greenhouse gas emissions. Appropriates $100,000 a year for four years. Natural Resources and Environment Comm. Subcommittee, Bolkcom, Hogg, and Johnson..
SF285 – SCHOOL GRANTS FOR ENERGY Grants to schools for energy efficiency, renewable energy, biodiesel and making appropriations. Appropriations Comm.
SF286 – ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS Establishes energy efficiency performance standards (20% efficiency by 2020 )applicable to specified public utilities. Commerce Comm., Subcommittee, Hogg, Behn, and Bolkcom.
SF288 – BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT AND TRAINING Requires the adoption, application, and enforcement of energy conservation requirements as a part of the state building code. Judiciary Comm. Subcommittee, Hogg, Behn, and Kreiman.
SF296 – LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENERGY SAVING GRANTS Establishes a local government energy innovation competitive grant program, and making an appropriation. Natural Resources and Environment comm. , Subcommittee, Hogg, Behn, and Bolkcom.
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