California Interfaith Power & Light
Our Faith, Our Planet, Our Responsibility.
Welcome to California Interfaith Power & Light, the originator of the Interfaith Power & Light campaign that began in 2000, and now has 40 state affiliates. By signing the CIPL congregational covenant you become part of a diverse and inter-religious network of climate-minded faith institutions in California committed to working together to protect our common home.
Our staff and volunteers look forward to supporting you and your congregation in your efforts toward climate mindfulness and action.
In faith & hope,
Rev. Susan Hendershot, President
Our Covenant
To become a member of California Interfaith Power & Light, simply sign our covenant stating that your congregation will commit to one of the following principles and actions. There are no dues or other obligations. By becoming a member of CIPL, your congregation will be joining the statewide religious response to global warming. We have resources to share, connections to make, and volunteer opportunities for you to help advance climate action in California.
Education
If we are to be faithful stewards of Creation, we must understand the profound ways in which humanity is altering the climate, and to share that understanding with others. We commit to sharing that message both within and outside our congregation.
Sustainability
Our climate crisis has come from an unsustainable worldview that sees Creation as something to be exploited and discarded, rather than as a garden to be tended and nurtured for future generations. We commit to restoring the garden by being intentional consumers, by recycling and reducing waste, and by aligning our financial resources with our environmental values, such as through fossil fuel divestment.
Reducing Pollution
The science is clear: global warming is being caused by the massive amount of carbon pollution we are releasing into the atmosphere every day when we burn fossil fuels. We commit to reducing our carbon footprint through the use of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and making changes in our transportation and food choices.
Climate Justice
Climate change disproportionately affects the poor and those who have contributed the least to the problem, whether here in the U.S. or in the developing world. We commit to advocating for those hardest hit by pollution and climate injustice, and to supporting public policies that cut pollution, advance renewable energy, and build resilient communities.