Land Acknowledgment & Action – California Interfaith Power & Light’s headquarters are located in Oakland, California, the unceded ancestral home of the Chochenyo-speaking Ohlone people. They stewarded these East Bay lands and waters sustainably for nearly one thousand years before colonization. The Ohlone have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place. Learn how to make a land acknowledgement into Land Action here.
Mission:
California Interfaith Power & Light inspires and mobilizes individuals and communities of faith and conscience to take bold and just action on climate change.
Vision:
CIPL envisions a stable climate where people live in right and just relationship, interconnected with a healthy and thriving natural world.
Values:
- Because we embrace faith and spirituality, we are grounded in the interconnectedness of the sacred, the natural world, and one another.
- Because we embrace justice, we strive to act with inclusion and respect, working in solidarity with vulnerable and marginalized communities.
- Because we embrace hope, we are empowered to live into our vision for the world for present and future generations.
- Because we embrace courage, we speak with a prophetic voice to create equity and restore wholeness to all.
- Because love is central to who we are, we are committed to ending the suffering caused by climate change.
A short history of CIPL:
California Interfaith Power & Light (CIPL) began in 2000 as a pioneering program of The Regeneration Project, a nonprofit dedicated to deepening the connection between ecology and religion. Founded on the belief that people of faith have a moral responsibility to care for Creation, CIPL quickly became a catalyst for change, inspiring congregations across California to reduce their carbon footprints and advocate for climate justice.
From its inception, CIPL’s impact extended far beyond California. The success of the program sparked the creation of Interfaith Power & Light (IPL), a national network that grew to include dozens of state affiliates. Together, these organizations have empowered thousands of faith communities to address the climate crisis through energy efficiency, renewable energy, and advocacy.
For over two decades, CIPL has been at the forefront of the faith-based climate movement in California. We’ve helped congregations install solar panels, reduce energy use, and advocate for strong climate policies. We’ve also worked to ensure that the voices of faith communities are heard in the halls of power, advocating for equitable and sustainable solutions to the climate crisis.
In 2002, CIPL played a pivotal role in securing the passage of California’s AB 1493: the nation’s first law to limit global warming pollution. CIPL mobilized faith leaders to reach out to their legislators to secure the votes to get the bill over the finish line. Since then, CIPL has brought faith leaders to the state capital every year to showcase the broad and diverse faith community support for climate action. Together with our congregations and partners, we’ve helped secure dozens of landmark policies to cut carbon pollution, invest in clean energy, and build resilient communities.
In 2024, CIPL reached a significant milestone: we became an independent 501(c)(3) organization. We could not have accomplished this without the dedication and hard work of our very first board of directors and staff members: Rabbi Marvin Goodman, Eijun Linda Cutts, Margaret Trezevant, Ector Olivares, Katelyn Roedner Sutter, David Chiu, William Morris, Diane Doucette, Susan Stephenson, Rebekah Kokalis, Gregory Stevens, and Bekah Estrada. Founding partners Amy Quirk of the Quirk Lehmann Foundation, Jerre Hitz of the Hitz Foundation, and The Rev. Sally Bingham also provided crucial support.
This transition reflects our growth, resilience, and deep roots in California. While we remain committed to our shared mission with the broader IPL network, our independence allows us to focus even more intently on the unique needs and opportunities within our state.
Today, CIPL continues to lead the way, inspiring faith communities to take bold and just action on climate change. We help congregational leaders educate their membership and teach and preach about our moral obligation to care for the Earth. We work in tandem with front-line communities to address the injustice of pollution and economic disparity in disadvantaged communities and to build resilience. Together, we aim to build an inclusive clean energy economy.
Our work is guided by the belief that faith, hope, and collaboration can overcome even the greatest challenges. As we look to the future, we are grateful for the support of our partners, donors, and faith communities, who make our mission possible.
Together, we are building a more just, sustainable, and compassionate world—one congregation, one community, and one act of faith at a time.