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In this Newsletter:
Toyota Letter Delivery
Lights Out, SF and LA
Sermons Include Global Warming
Bush Climate Summit continues with only Voluntary Efforts
Action Alert - Solar Hot Water and Cleaner Fuels
Upcoming Events
*Toyota Letter Ready for Delivery*
Thank you to the 231 clergy that signed the letter to Toyota
(our June Action Alert), asking them to withdraw from the
automakers' lawsuit opposing AB 1493, California's Clean Car
Regulations. We will be delivering this letter to Toyota Headquarters
in Torrance on Wednesday, October 17, 5 days before the long-anticipated
hearing for the lawsuit. Here is the text of the letter. If
you are interested in participating in the October 17 letter
delivery in Torrance, contact Southern California Outreach
Director Mike Sandler at (310) 752-3436.
*Lights Out, California*
We encourage you to participate inLights Out San Francisco
, and Lights Out L.A., an energy conservation event, on Saturday,
October 20, 2007, from 8-9 p.m. On this night, the grassroots
organization Lights Out invites the entire cities of San Francisco
and Los Angeles — businesses, residences, churches, and
government offices — to do two simple things. First,
install one compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) energy-efficient
light bulb. Second, turn off all non-essential lighting for
one hour. Turning lights out for even one hour could save
as much as 15 percent of the energy consumed on an average
Saturday night. Low cost CFLs are available atShopIPL.org,
an online store of energy efficient products for faith communities
and their members.
These easy gestures will raise awareness about small changes
which can help fight climate change. For more information,
visit http://www.lightsoutsf.org. You can also make your pledge
to participate by clicking a button on that web page. This
program hopes to expand into an annual national lights out
effort on March 29, 2008. More information is available at
www.lightsoutamerica.org
In related news, CIPL has been partnering with the Sierra
Club to deliver bulbs in bulk to congregations as part of
a special program for PG&E customers. Since last month,
CIPL has helped distribute roughly 48,000 free light bulbs
to the faith community! Thank you for your participation.
*New Sermons Discuss Global Warming*
We've heard from several CIPL congregations about recent
sermons that have discussed global warming. Here is an excerpt
from a High Holiday Sermon from Rabbi Laura Geller of Temple
Emanuel of Beverly Hills:
"[Rosh Hashanah] is the 'birthday of the world.' Today
we celebrate creation…But…although representing
only 4.5 percent of the world's population, the United States
contributes an estimated 25 percent of the greenhouse gases
that are endangering our world…Global warming is not
a political issue…It is a religious issue, a moral issue,
a Jewish issue, and that’s why we need to focus on it,
today... as we begin a new year, as we celebrate the 'birthday
of the world.'
Our Torah begins with a vision of creation. But to be honest,
it offers two different views...Two different paradigms: fill
the earth and dominate it, or till and tend the garden. One
is a story of using the earth for our own needs, being apart
from, separate from the earth. The other is a story of being
a part of the earth and being its guardian.
What are we willing to do to stop this destruction, the destruction
of our world, our children’s world?…It starts here
in our synagogue and it starts in our homes. Today we are
launching a Greening the Synagogue Campaign. We are going
to challenge ourselves as individuals and as a congregation
to reduce our carbon footprint by 20% by 2010… If we
could lower our carbon footprint by 20%, then we could make
a significant difference. Not just Temple Emanuel, of course,
but if we do it, and other religious communities do it, we
will have begun to repair the world…”
When you mention global warming or Earth stewardship in your
sermons, please let us know . CIPL has a collection of global
warming sermons, and can act as a reference if you are planning
a sermon on this topic.
*Bush Climate Summit tries to shift
focus to voluntary efforts*
President Bush took the unusual step last week of playing
a prominent role in the discussion regarding global climate
change and the necessity of reducing worldwide carbon emissions.
At the US-hosted Climate Summit, Bush acknowledged that climate
change is a growing global problem, and that the U.S. is a
major contributor of greenhouse gases. However, Bush continues
to insist that all greenhouse gas reduction measures be voluntary,
and did not state a specific goal for reducing carbon emissions.
Bush’s refusal to embrace mandatory measures places
the US at odds with the majority of the other 16 major emitters
attending the summit. John Ashton, climate change envoy from
Britain, said, “I think that this argument that we can
do this through voluntary approaches is now pretty much discredited
internationally.” The European delegates expressed skepticism
that Bush was using the forum to actually slow momentum toward
an international pact and to subvert progress being made by
the UN to decrease global emissions.
Many of the delegates were underwhelmed by the timidity of
the US “program” and expressed frustration and a
resignation that no further progress will be made during this
administration. California Interfaith Power and Light will
continue to advocate for bold measures to address climate
change, recognizing, even if the current administration does
not, that the time for action is now.
Upcoming Northern California Events:
Sunday, October 28, 2007 from 2-6PM, Mid-Peninsula Interfaith
Convocation on Climate Action. A special event for clergy
and lay leaders of all faiths to catalyze action to minimize
climate change with Rev. Sally Bingham, Climate Expert Stanford
Professor Stephen Schneider, and others. Congregation Kol
Emeth, 4175 Manuela Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94306. Advanced registration
required by calling 650-948-7498. http://interfaithconvocation.googlepages.com/home
Saturday, November 10, 2007, 9:30AM to 3:30PM, Interfaith
Earth Stewardship Conference, First Congregational Church
of Auburn UCC, For more information call 530-885-9087.
Save the Date! December 11, "The CIPL Oscars" Awards
Ceremony in Berkeley, CA.
Upcoming Southern California Events:
Monday October 29th, at 7:30PM, CIPL presents the Appalachian
Treasures Project at Hollywood Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
The Appalachian Treasures Project is an educational program
about mountaintop removal, an extreme form of coal strip mining.
The Appalachian Voices presentation will be followed by a
discussion of local solutions to global warming. www.appvoices.org
www.iLoveMountains.org
Saturday, November 10, 2007, 1 – 5 p.m.“Global
Warming Made Visible” Renowned American photojournalist
Gary Braasch will present on “Earth Under Fire: How Global
Warming is Changing the World.” Shumei Hall,2430 E. Colorado
Blvd., Pasadena 91107.
*Ask the Governor to Sign Solar
Hot Water and Cleaner Fuels Bills*
As you know, last month CIPL led a delegation of clergy
to the State Capitol to encourage action on global warming.
Two bills that we promoted have now made it to the Governor’s
desk, including AB 1470, the Solar Hot Water and Efficiency
Act of 2007 to create a statewide incentive program for small-scale
rooftop solar hot water systems, and AB 118, The California
Alternative and Renewable Fuel, Vehicle Technology, Clean
Air, and Carbon Reduction Act of 2007. The Governor has until
October 12th to sign these bills into law. You can help these
bills become law by sending a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger
from CIPL’s new Online Action Center.
Welcome to our new CIPL member congregations!
All Saints Episcopal Church, Carmel
Church in Ocean Park
Christ Episcopal Church of Portola Valley & Woodside
Church of the Epiphany
Strawberry Creek Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society
of Friends
St. Clement's Episcopal Church
Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills
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