Interfaith Power & Light utahipl.org Interfaithpower andlight.org

Mobilize a religious response to climate change and to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation

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We know where we are… Can we stop it from happening again? utahipl.org 6

Forest Fires – Wild Fires in the west Drought in Australia & other places "The increase in large wildfires appears to be another part of a chain of reactions to climate warming," said study co-author Dan Cayan, director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Climate Research Division. A recent increase in wildfire activity has been correlated with rising seasonal temperatures and the earlier arrival of spring, a new study concludes. By Sara Goudarzi LiveScience 06 July 2006

Ocean Acidification – God’s Creation in peril from us! Under more acidic conditions:  Animals with calcium carbonate shells -- corals, sea urchins, snails, mussels, clams, certain plankton, and others -- have trouble building skeletons and shells can even begin to dissolve.  Pteropods (an important food source for salmon, cod, herring, and pollock) likely not able to survive at CO 2 levels predicted for 2100 (600ppm, pH 7.9)  Coral reefs at serious risk.  Food chain disruptions. Pteropod Squid Clam All photos this page courtesy of NOAA Global Warming: The Greatest Threat © 2006 Deborah L. Williams

Human Health Impacts Disease: Malaria, Dengue Fever, West Nile Virus Weather Events: Heat waves (1000’s in Europe), floods, droughts Water quality and quantity In a recent chilling assessment, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that human-induced changes in the Earth's climate now lead to at least 5 million cases of illness and more than 150,000 deaths every year. From Science Daily November 17, 2005

The world's leading atmospheric scientists tell us that a gradual warming of our climate is underway and will continue. This poses serious risks to our economy and our environment. It poses even greater risks to many other nations, particularly poorer countries that will be far less able to cope with a changing climate and low-lying countries where sea level rise will cause significant damage. What you do unto the least of these… SOURCE: Pew Center on Global Climate Change David Kroodsma RideforClimate.com

Inundation Inundation from Four Meter Sea Level Rise (or, 1m rise + 3m storm surge) Weiss and Overpeck, 2006 Global Warming: The Greatest Threat © 2006 Deborah L. Williams

Who are our neighbors? Are they…..in distant lands?...furred and feathered?...future generations?

utahipl.org 13 Abolition of slavery Civil rights Women's right to vote Endangered Species Act We can do it again… Why us?...Religious communities have aided social change in the past….

Increase states’ membership, adding states and Faith Communities: reach 150 million! Shared resources among IPLs, 14,000 FC’s for Utah: for more info Increase Energy Efficiency to save $$$ Promote Renewable Energy, reduce coal use Outreach * Education *Action!

Energy Efficiency Do an energy audits for faith buildings and encourage for members’ homes Take energy efficiency steps –Change a Light, Change the World UtahIPL seeking 300 new pledges Dispose of CFL bulbs properly: see ‘act’! Track energy efficiency savings –Environmental (our footprint) –$$$ave Money (double win!) Blue Sky renewable energy just $2 !

New High-Tech Solutions SEER 40 cooling! LED’s 2x efficient!

From California to Maine and now across the seas in New Zealand and Sweden, IPL is helping congregations save money and become more energy efficient, use renewable energy and encourage responsible energy policies to protect our Earth. Faith Communities in action...

Shir Hadash Synagogue Efficiency and Solar Power!

Solar Power: a way for the west! Shir Hadash spent about 18 months fundraising from their members (including their tenth grade Confirmation Class’ compact fluorescent light bulb sales), researching solar companies, and preparing to install their photovoltaic system. The end result is a beautiful 10kWatt photovoltaic solar array, which will meet about 25% of their energy demands

All Saints Episcopal Church in MA installed a new boiler with zoned heating, programmable thermostats, and more efficient lighting Annual savings of $17,000! They've used 14 percent of the savings to buy 100 percent renewable energy, further reducing pollutants.

utahipl.org 21 Increase the number of member Faith Communities in Utah Offer a resource library of books and films to Utah IPL members, & offer presentations Continue and expand inexpensive energy audits for faith communities all over Utah Attain 300 or more new pledges: the Energy Star “Change a Light” CFL campaign Utah IPL Goals / Progress

University of California study found that returning California’s global warming emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, as envisioned by current state legislation, can boost the annual Gross State Product (GSP) by $74 billion and create 100,000+ new jobs by Global Warming Legislation: see utahipl.org advocacy

First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, Utah Monthly Environmental Ministry Lecture/Discussion Series Earth Institute Discussion Courses Blue Sky participant Earth-focused sermons, services, and celebrations Envisioning the future effort placing strong emphasis on environmental sustainability Seeking Unitarian Universalist Association Green Sanctuary Certification 1st church to become a Salt Lake City e2 Business

Episcopal Church Center of Utah Roof Garden to reduce heat loss / cooling Crushed granite walkways to reduce runoff Low water/drought tolerant landscaping Downward facing, efficient lighting Heating and cooling via geothermal wells

Also in Utah: Holladay UCC 4 or more ‘Whole Earth’ Services per year, an ambitious Covenant in place that calls for members’ life-style changes. Hybrids in the parking lot: One member recently traded a big SUV for one. Bike or walk to church days. Advent selling of donated CFLs raised funds for 15% Blue Sky wind energy Biannual energy audits, new solar heating & lighting…applied for a grant for PV Solar power and have installed Solar hot air.

See utahipl.org for more! 26 What can we do to reduce our carbon footprint? 1. Take the first step: Replace at least 5 most used Incandescent Light Bulbs with CFLs. 2. Conserve -- reduced energy loss saves $$. 3. Raise awareness for action! American!! German!

Where will we go from here?

“Every mainstream religion understands that God gave us the Earth to cherish and protect, not to wantonly destroy. Global warming is not only a political, scientific, and economic issue, but a spiritual one, too…Faith leaders also made it clear that global warming is a moral issue, an issue of justice. Although climate change is largely caused by the rich nations, it is the poor nations that are most vulnerable to its painful effects. Besides being a matter of international justice, climate change involves intergenerational justice, too, for we are borrowing the Earth from our children…. What sort of planet will we leave them? “ ~Rev. Margaret Bullit-Jonas

Photo: Bill Bradlee "The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German theologian

Thank You! Interfaith Power and Light Please visit: Please update our list! Name and/or Phone/Address

Wind and Solar Power for a better future!

What We Can Do 1. Is it Achievable? 2. Action Is Essential at Every Level Individual Congregation Corporate State & National International 3. Join IPL R E D U C E C O 2 E M I S S I O N S

Who is Utah IPL?* Bountiful Community Church Christ United Methodist Church Prince of Peace Lutheran Church Congregation Kol Ami The Salt Lake Quakers The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Holladay United Church of Christ Saint Marks Cathedral Saint Theresa (of Midvale) and more! We need your help to be millions strong…..will you join us? * more join each month!

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A portion of this slide show is © 2006 Alaska Conservation Solutions (slides marked in lefthand corner). The remaining portion is © 2009 Utahipl.org & (national) Interfaith Power & Light. This presentation is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for the presentation to be freely shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission of the authors. Please contact the authors at the above site. if you plan to deliver the presentation orally to a public audience. Global Warming: The Greatest Threat © 2006 Deborah L. Williams