Kentucky Michigan Tennessee Texas media: Earth Day
by Chad Crawford
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Interfaith Power & Light in the News
Each year, Earth Day brings an opportunity for media to highlight the important efforts of IPL state affiliates and the work that congregations are doing to care for Creation. Here are a few articles from last week’s coverage after the jump: more »
National: Al Gore American Clean Energy and Security Act Markey Waxman
by Chad Crawford
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When the U.S. Finds the Moral Courage to Lead
Al Gore, at today’s Climate and Energy Subcommittee hearing on the Waxman-Markey bill (American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009):
Let me highlight a few items in the bill that I believe to be of particular importance:
It promotes the rapid introduction of the clean and renewable technologies that will create new jobs and reduce our reliance on carbon-based fuels.
It is time to close the carbon loophole and begin the steep reductions we need to make in the pollution that causes global warming.
It helps us use energy more efficiently and transmit it over a secure, modernized, digital smart grid system.
Moreover, the best way to secure a global agreement that guarantees that other nations will also reduce their global warming pollution is for the U.S. to lead the world in meeting this historic challenge. The United States is the world’s leader. We are the only nation in the world that can. Once we find the moral courage to take on this issue, the rest of the world will come along. Now is the time to act before the world gathers in Copenhagen this December to solve the crisis. Not next year, this year.
Disney Nature’s First Film in Theaters This Earth Day
No plans yet for Earth Day? Here is the trailer for the Disney Nature film series debut, coming to theaters on April 22. EARTH is narrated by James Earl Jones. This looks like an amazing display of God’s Creation.
A Response to Global Warming: A Moral Issue
[This post is from The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham in response to a recent article, "The Carbon Tax: A Moral Issue", by Father Paul Mayer (co-founder, Climate Crisis Coalition). The article gives reasons for a carbon tax. IPL however is focusing efforts on the "American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009", introduced by Henry Waxman and Ed Markey, which includes cap and trade legislation instead of a carbon tax.]
Views on Global Warming Among Major Religious Traditions in the U.S.
A 2008 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press examined views on global warming among major religious traditions in the U.S. Click on more to see the chart. more »
Review of Love God, Heal Earth on Treehugger
Matthew McDermott from Treehugger.com posted a review of Love God, Heal Earth. In addition to writing about his phone conversation with the Rev. Bingham, he includes some quotes from the Rev. Fred Small’s essay “The Greater Sacrifice” and the Rev. Jim Deming’s “From Southern Fried Guilt to Spiritual Responsibility.”
From McDermott’s review:
I had a chance to speak with Rev. Bingham on the phone and asked her about what role religion, now that it has (at least to some degree) begun to engage with environmentalism as a moral issue, can play, will play in the green movement. Enthusiastically she replied that, “We’re going to have a bigger effect on the change that has to happen; more than politicians, scientists, bringing the moral aspect into it.”
She said that we really must redefine what it means to be human. When that transformation happens you naturally desire to have less of a detrimental impact. Seeing every single thing around you as interconnected, your mind considers the impact and consequences of your actions, on your neighbors and everything around you.
Be sure and visit Treehugger.com to read the rest of Matthew’s review. And if you haven’t yet ordered the book, get your copy here or at Amazon.
Plan Your Earth Day Service
Thousands of congregations all over the country will be celebrating Creation on the weekends before and after Earth Day (April 22nd). As the Rev. Bingham said in her email that went out this morning, “Here is the perfect moment to spread the message that global warming is a moral issue and we are the ones God charged with care of the good Earth!”
If you are working on a special message for celebrating Creation this year, we have some examples to help you prepare:
Interfaith Power & Light Resources
Buddhist, Jewish, Islamic, and Christian sermons
EarthSermons.org
offers sermons and worship materials in full-text and audio formats
CreationCare.org
worship materials and sermon outlines available from Evangelical Environmental Network
Earth Day Network Religious and Faith Communities Outreach
Jewish and Christian sermons
Congressman: “The Earth Will End When God Declares It’s Time”
Rep. John Shimkus (IL) quotes the Bible at a recent U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment hearing to give a theological argument that global warming is not a problem.
Jews Celebrated the Sun Today
Today was a rare celebration for Jews around the world. Every 28 years, according to Jewish tradition, the sun returns to the same spot it was at in the sky on the fourth day of the week – when the sun, moon, and stars were created. This Birkat HaChamah was especially unusual because it occured just before Passover begins.
The celebration includes a special prayer thanking God for creating the sun. Some added folk songs like “Here Comes the Sun” and “Morning Has Broken” to their celebrations! The ritual goes back to the 3rd century, originating from an astronomer and Jewish teacher named Schmuel.
The prayer:
Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the Universe who makes the works of Creation.
Jewish observers are very careful to emphasize that they are not worshipping the sun. Instead they are celebrating the creation of the sun. They look at the sun one time and then turn at an angle during the ceremony to make this point.
Some of these gatherings even included reflections about caring for Creation and the need to develop more solar power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For further reading on Birkat HaChamah:
media: EERS energy efficiency Energy Efficiency Resource Standard geopolitics New York Times Thomas Friedman
by Chad Crawford
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If We’re the Leaders, Others Will Follow
In this video, Thomas Friedman is at it again, discussing how we can take the lead in the green revolution in the 21st century. He explains how to address the factors that will keep developing countries from adopting green technology, the role governments need to play, and geopolitical problems we can solve.
The most important thing we as a country can do is to make ourselves the leader in energy efficient products and clean power systems. Because if we are the leader others will follow…And if the rich countries who can afford to do this lead the way, set an example, then I believe the developing world not only will follow, but will have then the technologies at the China price faster.
Click more to watch the video…
