VT Interfaith Power and Light newsletter and supplement

The following is a message from VT Interfaith Power and Light:

GREEN MOUNTAINS, BLUE WATER:
Earth Care News from
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light (VTIPL)
November 2014
In this newsletter:
Energy Mini-Fair – Ascension Lutheran Church, 11/18
Energy Independent Vermont Campaign
EPA Standards for Power Plants – Send Comment
VECAN Conference: December 6 at Lake Morey Resort
Divestment News
IPCC Synthesis Report
Energy and Environment Policies: Analysis of the Implications
   of the Midterm Elections
US-China Climate Deal:10 Things to Know About It
50 State Plan for 100% Renewables Now
Resources: Books, Video
ENERGY MINI-FAIR – Ascension Lutheran Church, 11/18
At the Energy Mini-Fair, 6:30 – 8:30 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 18,
participants will learn about ways to improve their homes so
they”ll have lower energy costs and contribute less to climate
change. And they’ll have opportunities to win “energy saver”
door prizes. The first 50 households will get a free LED light
bulb. Energy experts from a number of organizations including
Efficiency Vermont, Building Energy, and SunCommon, among
others, will be there to answer questions. Ascension Lutheran
Church, Efficiency Vermont, S. Burlington Energy Committee,
and VTIPL are co-sponsors. Ascension Lutheran Church is at
95 Allen Road in South Burlington (off Shelburne Rd.). For
more information, go to: https://www.vtipl.org/node/282
ENERGY INDEPENDENT VERMONT CAMPAIGN
A broad coalition of business, low-income, environmental, and
grassroots energy leaders are calling on Vermont to get serious
about climate change and grow a strong 21st century economy
by putting a price on carbon pollution. The plan will reduce the
state’s contribution to climate change in an equitable way while
growing jobs. Go to: www.energyindependentvt.org/ The
details of the plan are at: www.energyindependentvt.org/our-plan/
A detailed study of the plan was done by Regional Economic
Models, Inc. Find it at:
EPA STANDARDS for POWER PLANTS- Send Comment
The extended deadline is approaching – December 1st – to send
a comment to the EPA to support the standards to limit carbon
pollution from power plants. Make your voice heard – send a
VECAN CONFERENCE: December 6 at Lake Morey Inn
VT Energy and Climate Action Network (VECAN) will have
their annual conference on Dec. 6, 9 am – 5 pm, at Lake Morey
Inn in Fairlee. Richard Heinberg is the Keynote Speaker.
Many excellent workshops will happen throughout the day.
Highly recommended conference! Find out more at:
DIVESTMENT NEWS
On Monday, Nov. 17 at 7 pm, the Burlington City Council will
hear testimony, then will vote on a resolution to create a task
force to look at divesting the city’s investments from fossil fuels.
The meeting will be in Contois Auditorium in Burlington’s
City Hall. East Montpelier was the state’s first community to
go fossil fuel free. Their Selectboard voted in July to ban fossil
fuel investments. Other towns considering divestment include
Brattleboro, Manchester, and Morrisville. The VT Pension
Investment Committee will discuss the committee’s position on
fossil fuel divestment at their meeting in Montpelier on Tues.,
11/25. Contact J.T. Lukens at 350VT to learn more: jt@350vt.org
Here’s an article about colleges/universities divesting (or not):
IPCC SYNTHESIS REPORT
The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently
released the most comprehensive assessment of climate change
ever produced. The main point for decisions makers is govern-
ments “need to work towards a complete phase out of fossil fuel
emissions globally.” Here’s good summary from The Tree with
many links for more information:
This article in The Guardian includes six graphs (scroll down
1/3 of the way) which show how humanity is changing Earth’s
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT POLICIES: Analysis of
the Implications of the Midterm Elections
The recent elections will have implications for energy and
environment issues. Here is a summary by the Energy & Policy
US-CHINA CLIMATE DEAL: 10 Things to Know About It
Bill McKibben lists 10 things to understand about the deal in
a piece first printed in the Huffington Post. He says that, while
it’s historic, it’s not binding in any way. Go to:
50 STATE PLAN for 100% RENEWABLES NOW
The world can transition to 100% clean, renewable energy now.
RESOURCES:
Books
   Dorothy Maclean, one of the three founders of the Findhorn
Community in Scotland, is author of “Call of the Trees.” By
following her inner contact with the Divine, she has received
communications from trees and shares them in this book. www.callofthetrees.com
   “The Tierra Solution” describes a system to deal with the
climate crisis by basing the international monetary system on
Video
Tidal Flooding and Sea Level Rise: The Growing Impacts
of Global Warming. This excellent video is from the Union
of Concerned Scientists (3.5 minutes): www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-fZnlR_IJ0&feature=youtu.be
VTIPL educates people of faith and spirit about the climate
crisis and actions to care for Earth.
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light
P.O. Box 209, Richmond, VT 05477
And a supplement to their newsletter:
GREEN MOUNTAINS, BLUE WATER:
Earth Care News from
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light (VTIPL)
November 2014 – Supplement
VTIPL CONFERENCE KEYNOTE
A link to The Rev. Dr. Jim Antal’s keynote address is now
posted on VTIPL’s website homepage. Click here to watch it:
LIGHT FOR LIMA: Prayer Vigils on December 7
Many faith groups will be gathering for prayer vigils around
the world to pray for world leaders at the U.N. Climate talks
in Lima, Peru in December. Our Voices has many helpful
resources for those who want to organize a vigil; find them
and other information at: https://ourvoices.net/lima
CHINA, COAL, CLIMATE: Paul Krugman in NY Times
In his op-ed, Paul Krugman speaks about the US-China climate
deal and its effect on the arguments of those who are against
acting on climate. He says, “Needless to say, I don’t expect
the usual suspects to concede that a major part of the anti-
environmentalist argument has just collapsed. But it has. This
was a good week for the planet.”
WORLD’S CARBON PRICING SYSTEMS: Animated Map
This resource includes a map that shows where there have been
and will be carbon pricing systems, and it has answers to the top
eight questions that decisionmakers ask about these systems.
REMINDER: ENERGY MINI-FAIR TODAY – NOV. 18
Ascension Lutheran Church, 95 Allen Road, South Burlington,
6:00 – 8:30 pm. Participants will learn about ways to improve
their homes so they”ll have lower energy costs and contribute
less to climate change. Experts from Efficiency Vermont,
Building Energy, SunCommon, and many more organizations
will be there to answer questions. Energy saver door prizes,
including some LED light bulbs will be given away. Ascension
Lutheran Church, Efficiency Vermont, South Burlington Energy
Committee, and VTIPL are co-sponsors.
VTIPL educates people of faith and spirit about the climate
crisis and actions to care for Earth.
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light
P.O. Box 209, Richmond, VT 05477