GREEN MOUNTAINS, BLUE WATER:
Earth Care News from
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light (VTIPL)
Febuary 2016
In this newsletter:
VTIPL’s New Statewide Member
Burlington Public Forum on Divestment
“Merchants of Doubt” Film Showing
“This Changes Everything” Film Showings
“Changing Climate, Changing Minds”
Faith Climate Action Week: April 15 – 24, 2016
Praying for Change
New on VTIPL’s Website
Gov. Shumlin Speaks Out on Divestment
Fossil Fuel Investments: Risky for VT Pension
Eco-Justice Articles
Other Articles and Resources
VTIPL’s NEW STATEWIDE MEMBER
A warm welcome to our new statewide faith community member:
The Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ (UCC).
This is the statewide organization of United Church of Christ
congregations, including most of Vermont’s Congregational
churches. Many of the UCC churches are also VTIPL member
faith communities.
BURLINGTON PUBLIC FORUM on DIVESTMENT
On Wed., February 3, 5:30 – 7 pm, the Burlington City Council’s
Divestment Committee will hold a public forum in City Hall’s
Contois Auditorium to discuss the committee’s progress and hear
from the community about divesting from fossil fuels. More
information can be found here: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/CityCouncil/Divestment-Committee
“MERCHANTS of DOUBT” FILM SHOWING
This documentary, about “experts” who have been spreading
doubt about climate change and other issues, will be shown
on Thurs., Feb. 18, 7 pm at Ascension Lutheran Church in South
Burlington (95 Allen Road). VTIPL co-sponsors. This showing
is free and open to all. If your congregation or community is
interested in showing the film, please contact VTIPL: info@vtipl.org.
“THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING” FILM SHOWINGS
Free showings of the film, based on Naomi Klein’s book, are
happening around the state:
–Feb. 8: Big Picture Theater, Waitsfield, 5:30 pm
–Feb. 10: Paramount Theater, Rutland, 6 pm
–Feb. 10: Marquis Theater, Middlebury, 7 pm
“CHANGING CLIMATE, CHANGING MINDS”
This conference is part of Dartmouth College’s “Sustainability
Solutions Cafe.” On Fri., Apr. 8, 7 pm, Terry Tempest Williams
gives the Keynote address in Filene Auditorium, Moore Hall.
The conference continues on Sat., Apr. 9 from 8 – 5:30. Find out
FAITH CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: APRIL 15 – 24, 2016
Formerly called “Preach-In,” national Interfaith Power and
Light’s Faith Climate Action Week will be held during Earth
Week in April. Pastors across the country are encouraged to
participate by preaching a sermon or having another event on
climate change and caring for Earth. The national IPL website
(link below) has sample sermons and resources. To expand on
these, VTIPL asks pastors here in Vermont to send us sermon(s)
on this topic that you’ve given in the past and are willing to
share. We will try to get them posted on our website.
Sign up for resources & info at: https://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50836/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=16677
PRAYING FOR CHANGE
This is the title of an “Eco-Justice Notes” essay by Peter
Sawtell in which he encourages congregations to expand
their prayers to include the wider world. Here’s the link:
NEW on VTIPL’s WEBSITE
-The video of Bill McKibben giving a speech at St. Jacob of
Alaska Orthodox Church in Northfield Falls on Jan. 23 is now
on VTIPL’s website. It’s about 54 minutes long, including the
intro and Q & A. Here’s the link: https://www.vtipl.org/taxonomy/term/5
-VTIPL’s Coordinator, Betsy Hardy, was interviewed in January
on WRUV, the UVM radio station. The link to the podcast is here:
GOV. SHUMLIN SPEAKS OUT on DIVESTMENT
In his “State of the State” speech, Gov. Shumlin encourages
divestment from coal and Exxon Mobil: www.2016stateofthestate.com
This link is to Gov. Shumlin’s op-ed in VT’s Business Magazine:
FOSSIL FUEL INVESTMENTS: RISKY for VT PENSION
In her VTDigger op-ed, Maeve McBride explains why fossil
fuels are too risky for the State’s Pension:
ECO-JUSTICE ARTICLES
-Huffington Post article on climate’s affect on Blacks:
-A pastoral letter from the Catholic Committee of Appalachia:
OTHER ARTICLES and RESOURCES
-New York Times article on pricing carbon: www.nytimes.com/2016/01/19/opinion/proof-that-a-price-on-carbon-works.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=1
-Obama halts new coal mining leases on public lands: www.nytimes.com/2016/01/15/us/politics/in-climate-move-obama-to-halt-new-coal-mining-leases-on-public-lands.html?utm_medium=email&_r=0
-Republicans might do something on climate: www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/01/12/republicans-might-actually-be-willing-to-do-something-about-climate-change/
-Exxon’s oil company peers also knew about climate dangers in the 1970s: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/22122015/exxon-mobil-oil-industry-peers-knew-about-climate-change-dangers-1970s-american-petroleum-institute-api-shell-chevron-texaco
-VT’s Comprehensive Energy Plan 2016 starts with a 10-page Executive Summary; the full report is over 400 pages: https://outside.vermont.gov/sov/webservices/Shared%20Documents/2016CEP_Final.pdf
-This report is on the New England power grid, run by ISO New England: www.iso-ne.com/static-assets/documents/2016/01/20160126_presentation_2016stateofthegrid.pdf
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