Interfaith Power & Light » State Press Clips

Chicago Business: Fracking’s impact on economy, environment should not be ignored, Op-Ed

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:56:53 +0000

The Rev. Clare Butterfield, director of Faith in Place and the Illinois Interfaith Power & Light Campaign, and Henry Henderson, director of the Natural resources Defense Council and Chicago’s first environmental commissioner write on the fracking business in Illinois.

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Henry Henderson and the Rev. Dr. Clare Butterfield, 18 April 2012

Oskaloosa News: Local Pastor Wins First Place In The 2012 “Earth Words”

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:51:34 +0000

Rev. Liz Colton, Pastor of St. Paul Congregational United Church of Christ in Oskaloosa is the first place winner of the 2012 “Earth Words” Sermon Contest, which was sponsored by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light and held in conjunction with a national “Preach-In” the weekend of February 10-12, 2012.

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23 April 2012

Radio Iowa: Group of religious organizations signs document on climate change

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:49:05 +0000

On Sunday, April 21, 2012, Iowans from a host of religious groups are uniting to sign a document that focuses on the impact of climate change. The statement reads, in part, “Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing our world today and as religious leaders…we are called to reaffirm our commitment to be responsible stewards of Earth’s resources.” For people of faith, director of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light Susan Guy says, the subject of climate change has a much deeper importance than politics.

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Matt Kelley, 20 April 2012

The Starpress: EARTH DAY, Faith group responds to global warming

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:46:01 +0000

Hooiser Interfaith Power & Light is working with various faith communities in the “Task of the Month” program to cut household energy use. Those monthly tasks include washing clothes in cold water, air drying clothes in summer, turning up the air conditioning thermostat, installing low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, and cutting “phantom electricity” consumed by appliances or devices when they are not actively being used or are in the “off” mode. Founder of Hooiser IPL, Jennifer Rice-Snow says, “we have so many reasons to work on this issue aside from carbon levels. Jesus talks a lot about not loving money, having a more spiritual life and being less focused on what we have.”

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Seth Slahaugh, 21 April 2012

The Boston Globe: A grant to help houses of worship become more energy efficient

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:30:12 +0000

HEET and Massachusetts Interfaith Power & Light MIP&L have just received a two-year grant from the Barr Foundation to help thirty-five houses of worship in Cambridge, Boston and Somerville reduce their energy bills and planetary impact. Members of the congregation will earn money toward the efficiency upgrades at the house of worship based on the energy upgrades done at their private homes. The more energy and money the congregation saves in their homes, the more money raised for the house of worship upgrade.

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Rona Fishman, 06 April 2012

The Des Moines Register: We need visionary leadership on energy

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:13:24 +0000

The Rev. Susan Guy, executive director of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light writes to the editor:

“Where is the bold, visionary leadership on innovation and technology, which includes efforts supporting energy efficiency, smart grid infrastructure, transmission and storage capacity for renewables like wind and solar? As consumers, it is up to us to advocate for policies that support energy efficiency, renewable energy and the infrastructure to sustain changing models of electric generation.”

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The Rev. Susan Guy executive director, Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, 06 April 12

Indo American News: GYAN to Launch “Go Green” Initiative

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:56:36 +0000

Houston’s Hindu community will come together April 14 to discuss how their temples and congregations going green will result in new opportunities, more efficiency and therefore more financial savings to help the community share the benefits of an economically and environmentally healthy lifestyle. “We see our role as a catalyst that will connect faith leaders, institutions and individuals from across the globe to develop a unified voice and be seen as beacons of good environmental care,” said Kusum Vyas. Representatives from Texas Interfaith Power & Light will be some of the guest speakers along with a NASA scientist, conservation expert from the Houston Zoo, an international expert on climate change and renewable energy, and representatives Green Buildings.

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12 April 2012

Episcopal Digital Network: St. Francis’ Church, Macon, is Georgia’s top ‘green’ congregation

admin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:06:01 +0000

St. Francis’ Episcopal Church, Macon, was named Congregation of the Year by Georgia Interfaith Power and Light March 1 for its efforts to be “a community of creation keepers in all aspects of congregational life.” The church has always had a creation care ethos and thus their environmental stewardship approach is fourfold: biblical, contemplative, active and communal, which permeates all aspects of congregational life. Their stewardship and commitment to creation care is seen in the ways they have tackled energy effiency, their vegetable garden, the fair-trade products in the bookstore, and their use of recycled products.

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14 March 2012

Center For American Progress: 13 Religious Women to Watch in 2012, Changing the World for Good

admin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:49:47 +0000

Joelle Novey was listed as one of thirteen religious women to watch in 2012. She was recognized for her grassroots environmental activistism that connects religious language with the urgency of climate change. “Novey has been steadily building bridges between congregations, interfaith groups, and environmental activists over the past year. She helped organize the religious contingent to the massive Keystone XL protestaround the White House in November 2011 and helped spearhead the effort to get Maryland legislators to support offshore wind development in January 2012. A co-founder of the Jewish social justice congregation Tikkun Leil Shabbat and co-author of “Green and Just Celebrations,” a purchasing guide distributed by Jews United for Justice, Novey is currently director for the greater Washington, D.C., arm of Interfaith Power & Light, where she splits her focus between grassroots engagement with local congregations, domestic energy legislation, and international climate negotiations, all through the lens of climate change as a moral crisis.”

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Catherine Woodiwiss & Emily Farnell, 07 March 2012

Isthmus Daily: ‘Inside Islam’ project replaces fear with familiarity

admin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:46:06 +0000

Huda Alkaff, president of Wisconsin Interfaith Power & Light, was featured in Inside Islam: Dialogues and Debates panel discussion about the link between faith and environmentalism, billed as an “interfaith conversation on eco-consciousness and activism.” The panel featured representatives from Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and the Baha’I faith. Alkaff commented on eviromental stewardship from the Islamic faith tradition, “God has ordered us to be viceroys on earth, and has given us a mission and obligation to be trustees of the earth. We are held responsible and will be held accountable for our actions.”

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Nayantara Mukherii, 07 March 2012