If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it.
--Lyndon B. Johnson

Sustainable! Food, Environment, and Economics Conference March 28th-29th

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 2008-03-04 12:05

"Sustainable! Food, Environment, and Economics" Spirituality and Activism Conference is fast approaching! On March 28th and 29th, this exciting event will take place at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Among the speakers will be UT Professor Robert Jensen and York University Professor Justin Podur. Texas Interfaith Power & Light will be giving a workshop on the faith community's involvement in the environmental movement. If you are interested in attending, please see the information below:

TXIPL director Bee Moorhead was interviewed on nationally syndicated Sierra Club Radio about the North Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church's recent bulk contract for green electricity. Listen to the interview HERE

 

A Dialogue on Austin Clergy Response to Climate Change and the Environment

February 18, 2008, 8:00AM to Noon, Congregation Beth Israel, 3800 Shoal Creek Boulevard, Austin, Texas


Co-Chairs:

  • Rabbi Steve Folberg, Congregation Beth Israel
  • Reverend Sam Riccobene, First Presbyterian Church
  • Reverend Tina Carter, The Rock United Methodist Church


Sponsors:

  • Texas Impact/Texas Interfaith Power & Light
  • Austin Area Interreligious Ministries

Every day we see more information about the religious community getting involved in environmental issues. There are many who would say the environment is the defining issue facing faith communities today. But exactly how and where do we fit in?


How can concern for God's earth flow out of a religious life?

How does one preach about climate change and the environment to a congregation that may not welcome hearing about these issues?

What’s going on in the public and private sectors and how should faith communities relate to those initiatives?

Should congregations pursue environmental issues as a political activity?

Does working on environmental initiatives come at the expense of the more traditional types of work of faith communities?

How does one create opportunities for congregants to work on environmental issues within the faith community, in their own homes and in the community at large?

How can we as clergy work effectively given limited resources and the enormity of the problems? And how can we feel strengthened and hopeful in light of the urgency of the threats facing our planet?

A dialogue on these issues will provide our Austin clergy community an opportunity to come together to share our experiences, learn from each other, highlight our commonalities and goals, and find a path where, together, we can seek change.

Agenda


8:00 Breakfast

8:30 Welcome and Introduction

8:45 Discussion: Faith Communities and the Environment.
Moderated by Rabbi Steve Folberg, Congregation Beth Israel

9:30 Panel Discussion: Opportunities to Lead, Opportunities to Serve. Austin Climate Protection Plan; State Energy Efficiency and Green Power Opportunities; Issues at the State and National Levels

10:30 Break

10:45 State of the Congregations: Small Group Discussions on What Austin Congregations are doing Today

11:30 Reports from Small Groups and Next Steps

12:00 Lunch

Confirmed speakers include Austin Mayor Will Wynn and TXIPL Executive Director Bee Moorhead.

 

To make a reservation please email cara@texasimpact.org.
For more information, call Texas Interfaith Power & Light/Texas Impact at 472-3903, or visit us online at www.txipl.org

Hats off to Illinois Interfaith Power & Light

Submitted by Bee on Thu, 2008-01-03 11:03

We're used to everything being bigger in Texas, but today TXIPL salutes our colleagues at Illinois IPL and the faith communities they work with for winning our friendly competition to see which state could generate the most sales on ShopIPL during our first six months of operation. Illinois IPL and their parent organization Faith in Place generated double TXIPL's sales on IPL's energy efficiency webstore, and they celebrated today by donating 500 CFLs to a congregational outreach ministry to be distributed to low-income seniors.

 

Religious Coalitions Call Global Warming Bill “A Significant Step” in Addressing Global Warming

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Thu, 2007-12-06 17:54

In a joint letter to U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D - Calif), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, four major religious coalitions, representing millions of Americans, welcomed the work of lawmakers to highlight the urgency of global warming and take immediate action to address it.

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